The Christian Masquerade

For thousands of years greed and militarism have paraded along the long line of history as Christianity. Lying in the wake of this masquerade is the blood of millions. You know the drill; first send in the missionaries and soften them up with talk about how Jesus loves them, then send in the conquistadores and claim the land as belonging to some queen or king, cough on them a few times and the rest is history. Exploit the land, exploit the people, and count the spoils.

We now face a particularly grotesque incarnation of this masquerade. It comes in the guise of common sense. It mocks those who disagree and dedicates itself to falsehood and distortion.

It protects the rich, the super rich and the multi-national corporation while the working people, and the middle class continues to be squeezed by the concentration of wealth in the hands of the nation's 1%.

We the 99% continue to watch our jobs vanish and our homes taken from us. All the while, these folks and their minions steadfastly protect the interests of the rich.

Every single candidate for the other political party brandishes the cross of Christ and carries its Bibles underarm and oppresses the poor in the name of Jesus. This is a masquerade and a particularly grotesque one.

How can anyone actually read the holy writings of any faith and not see the bias of God for the poor and the vulnerable.

We are desperate for jobs, health care and a restoration of hope for the working people, and the middle class. Meanwhile, it attacks education for children, Social Security for the elderly, Medicaid for the poor, and science for the intelligent.

Meanwhile the masquerade wraps itself in the flag and in faith of Christ, and turns its back on the vulnerable.

The faith I know and love states with utter simplicity that we are to Love God and love one another.

The scripture says "If anyone says I love God and yet hates his neighbor, that person is a liar". (1 John 4:20). This mouthpiece of arrogance has introduced himself as a savior to the right wing of American Politics. He is embraced by the masquerade with delight.

The Arrogant One has dedicated himself to the denial of jobs and health insurance to the American people. He and his minions want to take Social Security Medicare from the elderly, Medicaid and programs to help children and the poor. We have stood silent and anemic before his taunts. If you call this Christianity, then I renounce it! It is a masquerade! There is no Jesus, there is no God in this masquerade.

The reason folks have taken to the streets is pure and simple. We want jobs. We want health care. We want everyone to take a fair share of the tax burden. Those of you who make millions really should pay as much in taxation as I do just like Warren Buffet said. You probably should pay even a little bit more.

In summary, we want to love one another. We were told to live this way by the Author and Finisher of the Christian Faith.

There is among us an amazing embrace of love of the friendship of many faithful people as well as those who are onto the masquerade who want nothing to do with it. I honor all these folks.

In the heart of it all is the love of humanity whether driven by faith or driven by common human decency. This I call God, because very simply, the kingdom of heaven is within.

To be clothed in Christ is to be clothed with love and compassion for our neighbors. All other clothing is a masquerade!

Do not give up; God will not be mocked!

Fr. Paul

So Why Did Jesus Refuse to Condemn Gay Folks?

So Why Did Jesus Refuse to Condemn Gay Folks?

If you look at the long list of televangelists who have made it big and if you listen to their teaching, there is one thing we know for sure. Gay folks are bad news. At the very least, they are an abomination to the Lord. Everybody knows this who has any knowledge of Leviticus or of Paul. At the most, you really should stone them to death just like the Bible says. Mind you there are all kinds of people you should stone to death if you read Leviticus closely as you can see from the previous link. 

Besides this, it is not just the Right Wing televangelists who condemn gay folks; pretty much the entire world of faith from Christianity, to Judaism, to Islam has a similar dim view of gay folks. The LGBTQ community is one of the last great outcasts for humanity.

So then why did Jesus refuse to condemn gay folks? The Biblical Literalists of his day wanted to know what the greatest law was. Jesus rightly quoted the “Shema”, the foundational commandment for all Judaism; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the universal commandment that really applies to all believers.

But for Jesus there was more; much more. Jesus insisted the we “Love one another” too. He didn’t just make that up because that was his opinion. No indeed! He selected one half of one verse from an obscure place in the book of Leviticus of all books to make his summary proclamation. “You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself. (Leviticus 19:18b)

With all the laws in Leviticus, why would Jesus pick this one. He could have chosen a whole host of other laws to condemn a whole host of people. Not Jesus! Instead he chose that one tiny law that has made all the difference then and continues to do so now.

Jesus was confronted by tiresome biblical literalists then as many of us still are. Somehow there were always Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and Doctors of the Law all conspiring to find a pretext to have Jesus done away with. They always seem to want to catch him in his words. I can sympathize with Jesus here.

The same literalists keep showing up. And there always seems to be a note of judgmentalism among this crowd. They always want to find a good reason to condemn people.

When the Episcopal church decided to ordain women as bishops and priests, we had to listen to those who said we’d had done something that we didn’t have the power to do. The male of the species can be priests. Period. So the traditionalists reasoned. We reasoned differently decades ago. We are glad to see that the Church of England has finally seen fit to follow suit.

When we decided to ordain gay folks as priests and bishops and to bless their relationships, you would have thought we had committed an abomination against God and the church. We felt we had finally removed one last great stain of exclusion from the church.

They wanted to exclude the Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion. They wanted to come up with some kind of reason to condemn gay folks and keep them outside the embrace of Jesus.

But not Jesus! He loved people very much. In fact he went out of his way to seek out folks who were at the margins; sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, eunuchs, lepers and so forth. You name it, Jesus loved them. This is what makes Jesus such a powerful figure in sacred history. He seems to have a special bias in his heart for people, all people! No exceptions!

The Right Wing was a mean bunch then, just as so many of them seem to be still. One day, bright and early, when they found someone worth stoning, they hauled her right up to Jesus and insisted on stoning her to death just like the Bible said we should. You can read that story here. Jesus was aware of their malice. He was also aware of who set this whole thing up. We are told in the story from scripture that Jesus wrote something in the sand. He looked at them intently as he often did. “You who are without sin, cast the first stone”. Notice who walked away first. Interesting isn’t it, that beginning with the elders they walked away one by one. It makes you wonder who had their way with this woman. If you ask me, clergy misconduct is nothing new!

Jesus is a marvel. He knew that the most difficult thing is also the most simple. Love God, Love your neighbor. Love yourself.All three of these great loves are a marvel of challenge to a spirit that is fully alive to God. 

So now I put this to you. Are you ready to love God? If you think you are, you may also have to love your neighbor, and that will include folks you may find difficult to love. Who said following Jesus was going to be easy. His first followers had to give their very lives for folks who were difficult to love. 

Ultimately you will also need to love yourself. You will need to abound in forgiveness for yourself and everyone else. If you think you’re up to it, then you may follow Jesus. 

If you don’t feel you are up to it, you may still follow Jesus. When you find yourself unable to love, Jesus will remain constant, immovable, and always standing on the cross, extending his loving arms, so that everyone may come within his saving embrace. 

Occupy the Churches!!!

Here's another idea. What about the churches? What if we occupy them and take them back to the Love of God? The Episcopalians are having a battle royal over gay folks. It wasn't long ago that we ordained women and that raised all kinds of fuss. Isn't it about time that all the churches stand up for ALL people whatever orientation, gender, class, race or nationality? I'm glad at least this one has the guts to do so. Thank you Episcopalians near and far away!

Isn't it about time we stand with Jesus? Anybody remember how he gathered all the outcasts? Tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, common fisherfolk? You can translate that into anything you want. I'll settle for the LGBTQ crowd, women who insist on free choice with respect to their bodies, those suffering from AIDS. If you think Jesus took on the Right Wing in his day, don't you think he'd want to take on the same crowd in our own time? If we have the courage of our convictions, we'll take on that crowd with all kinds of backbone.

Don't let them take something as precious as the Love of God and co-opt it into a hateful exclusive club where religion is made safe for arrogance and privilege.

NO! Occupy the churches! Take back what belongs to us. Take back our churches so that the Compassion and Love of Christ might once again be known as being at the heart of God! Don't threaten to leave the church. THREATEN TO OCCUPY THE CHURCHES EVERY SUNDAY MORNING!!!

And a blessing on you all,

Fr. Paul

The Day Thou Gavest Lord Is Ended : The Choir of the Abbey School, Tewk...

Anybody can sing this one; alone, with just a handful, or as artfully and as skillfully as here at the Abbey. One cannot help but think of the blessings of life as we listen to such a tune and more especially still at the concluding descant.

God bless you!

Fr. Paul

Guess Who's Coming to Wall Street!!!

Friends of mine of Facebook liked this a whole lot. I thought you'd like it too. After all, it all ended up at the Temple, the place where all the outcasts were kept away. Jesus brought all his friends there and then stared down the evil of greed in the Holiest Place in Israel's faith.

The problem won't go away. Neither will Jesus. Neither will we. We're here to stay from Wall Street to Main Street, here in The USA and across the planet. When the 1% gouge out the 99% percent and greed us out of justice, we will be the hands, the feet, the heart of Jesus until all Justice flows like a mighty stream.

In the meantime, give us jobs!

Bank of America...take that!!!

How very cool is this! Church and community leaders in San Jose divest from Bank of America. Many more are closing their accounts. If enough of us keep up the pressure, we will be heard. You go Padre. We are so proud of you. Read more here.

Peace and Justice to you all,

Fr. Paul

C'mon admit it; You support the President!

Now that we've found our voice, let's use it. If we really do want jobs, tax the super rich, cut welfare to the multi-nationals and all that, let's come right out and say it. For heaven sake, he's the best President out there and there is NOBODY on the horizon who can even touch him for acceptability.

He's part of the reason we're out on Wall Street and elsewhere across the country. He needs our support to deliver jobs.

JOBS! JOBS JOBS! We're not going home until we get JOBS!

Jesus said to Peter; "Feed my sheep"

"Feed My Sheep"

John 21:15-19

Jesus and Peter

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

Pretty straight forward. Hey "Rocky, Feed my sheep!" (In Aramaic, Spanish, French, Greek etc Peter=Rocky) I love my iMacPro and iPhone as much as any priestly geek out there. And the death of Steve Jobs was a profound loss for someone who appreciates such brilliance. But the starvation of millions! Has anybody noticed? And nearer to home, the unemployed millions! Has anybody noticed? We are beginning to waken from slumber. Our occupation of Wall Street/Boston and Main Street is an attempt to put America on notice. We can do better than this.

We are the wealthiest nation on earth. Can we not "Feed God's Sheep"? Can we not put Americans to work? Or is it only Wall Street, Banks and GM that we want to save? Are we really a government of the 1%, for the 1% and by the 1%?

You and I can so something. We can give to Oxfam, or in the case of my own church we can give to Episcopal Relief and Development. Some have noticed, but only some and far too few. Millions are starving and the message is as old as Jesus' words to Rocky; "Feed my Sheep"!

AND we can take to the streets!

Fr. Paul

God & the People vs Wall Street

One day, Jesus found himself up against a bunch of Pharisees, that's the Evangelical Right wing of the New Testament. They also tried to mess up Moses long before this by making a Golden Calf, but more about that another time. These Pharisees gave Jesus a coin and, to set him up, said: "Is it lawful to pay your taxes or not?" They thought they had him dead to rights on this one. After all, if Jesus said it was lawful to pay taxes, he would be putting his followers in a pickle because they were seeking to build a kingdom, not of this world. But, if he said it was not lawful to pay taxes, he would get himself arrested and that would effectively put him out of the way, which was the Fox Network wanted anyway. After all, Jesus had this thing for poor people, outcasts, prisoners, foreigners, eunuchs, etc. In other words Jesus put people first in all his teachings, particularly those people the Right Wing didn't particularly like.

So Jesus, true to form, took the coin they gave him and asked them whose image was on that coin. The answer: Caesar! Well then, quoth Jesus; "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are God's."

So what belong's to Caesar? Obviously, all that money and all those coins. The Empire had assembled quite a sphere of influence for itself and its symbol was the coin of the realm.

Now look what happened! What with inflation and the like, the coin of the realm looks like this now (see left). We call it the Almighty Dollar. It has become our God! It is a symbol of the Greed that has put the Global markets into a tailspin. Through a very sophisticated series of undercapitalized investment instruments, we found ourselves exposed to a downturn in the real estate markets from which we have yet to recover.

To try and save the economy, both the Bush and Obama administrations poured billions upon billions into financial institutions, banks and corporations. It was the hope and trust of the government (that's us by the way), that these folks would take our tax money and invest it in business so that the money would "prime" a recovery. Millions of us would be hired and put to work. What happened instead was that these very institutions kept that money, tightened up on it and the recession continues to this day. Worse still Bank of America laid off 30,000 MORE people and gouged its debit card holders by assessing a $5/month service fee. And, they paid their executives at rate that can be called nothing less than CONSPICUOUS OUTRAGE!

So Jesus teaches us to give to Caesar those thing that belong to the Caesar (aka Government), and give to God the things that are God's.

What belongs to God? Let me venture provide a good guess at an answer; People belong to God. In the very first chapter of Genesis, the biblical tradition teaches that we are all created in God's image whether male or female.

That does not mean that God looks like us, by the way. It means that we have the potential to act like God by loving one another, which is what Leviticus and Jesus both taught. We have the potential to organize our common life around human suffering and injustice. We can make things right if we want to. We can care for one another.

Instead, we've got it dead wrong. We created a graven image to Greed and called it our God. We've amassed wealth and greed in so few hands that the suffering and injustice we the people face is growing day by day. In the 70's and 80's, 80% of us had almost 20% of the wealth. Now we have less than 8%. Meanwhile those at the top of this pyramid scheme, have so much wealth that they threaten to collapse the entire system.

So addicted are they to this wealth that they will sooner see the destruction of our entire national experience than to share that wealth with us even in a more reasonable 80/20 split with which we were willing to live with in former decades.

That's why we have taken to the streets Mr & Mrs America. And we are going to STAY THERE until you fix this problem.

We want jobs for every American now. You saved the financial institutions with billions upon billions because they were too big to fail. You did that over a weekend! Now you MUST save us, because we are too many to fail. This is just as urgent a matter as the salvation of a bank. The salvation of the people is what we stand for in solidarity with Jesus!

Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, but to God the things that are God. Use the Almighty Dollar to serve the will of THE ALMIGHTY!

Then we can save the economy from the bottom up. Because once you give us some work to do, and a decent pay check, we can pay our bills, get caught up on our mortgages, and buy some durable goods and trinkets for the kids.

For God's sake America, wake up before its too late.

And a blessing on us all,

Fr. Paul

Two Mormons and a Priest on the way to the Moon

The moon was a brilliant presence in the sky so I took my rather modest Nikon P90 down to the Beach at the end of the street. I tried all kinds of things but it just looks fuzzy when I took some shots. Then I sat down to steady my arms, extended the zoom as far as I could and lo and behold, I got a number of shots like this.

As I was so involved, two handsome young men stopped by and asked me if I had been able to get any good shots of the moon. I showed them the viewfinder and they were as amazed as I was at the result of my endeavors.

The pleasantries aside, they then asked me if I knew were I was going when I die. I told them that didn't matter as much to me as where I go while I'm alive. You know, build a homeless shelter, feed the poor, cloth the naked and put coats on the cold; that sort of thing.

They told me they were Mormons, members of the Church of Latter Day Saints. I told them I was an Episcopalian. Just a fat dumpy priest dressed in a short sleeve shirt and shorts with a camera dangling over my neck.

I told them that I was so disappointed when I was in Salt Lake City, because they wouldn't let me in to see the Temple. The younger fellow was surprised by this...he must have been in training. The older fellow suggested that if I became a member, I could see the place. He said that the Mormon folks considered their place so holy that only members could see it.

I then told him that I had been to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, The Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, I had visited fabulous Cathedrals in Britain, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Something told me these places were holy too and yet everyone was welcome inside to see it.

I even told them that I visited the Dome of the Rock, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall. Those places are very holy too according to lots of people.

I said that it just surprised me that I was not welcome to see their holy place.

They offered me their card and invited me to look at their website. I gave them my card and invited them to see my blog, my website, and my church website. I'd love to see the look on their faces when they read about the emerging Rainbow Church, Rainbow Marriage and all the other things I go nattering on about.

But there you are, its grand to be in a free country when we can go out and chat about the faith on the way to the moon. The Mormon fellows headed back to the Stake. I went back home to post some pics on Facebook.

Blessings on you all,

Fr. Paul

Blessed are those who Occupy Wall Street

According to the Gospel passage for today, a King gave a great banquet for his son's wedding, but the invited guests refused to come. So the King compelled his servants to go out into the streets and compel the poor, the halt, and the lame to come and fill his banquet hall.

Come to the banquet, all you poor, unemployed, homeless, you persecuted lesbigay folk, Come to the banquet! Come in out of the cold and feast at God's Banquet table!

All you who Occupy Wall Street and Main street, your time has come. The poor will be filled and the rich will be sent away empty. Just the way Mary said in her great song.

The Gospel economics cry out for justice, from Jeremiah to Jesus, you are the Blessed ones of God.

Read this again and remember who Jesus really is. By the way, you may not hear these words from the right wing but they are what the Biblical scholars call; "The Christian Manifesto". Pour yourselves into the streets and take heart; you are invited to the Banquet of God!

Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Arrest that bishop!

Pleases the heart to see Bishop Regas of LA tossed in the slammer like Blessed Paul the Apostle. Finally Christians getting good and salty. No more war. Give Americans jobs! You go church!!!

The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

Too Big to Fail?

NO

Too Many to Fail!

When Congress saved the 1% with TARP funds they said they were too big to fail. We are 99%. We are too many to fail. It is our turn now. You gave those huge financial institutions zillions and zillions. All we are demanding is;

1. JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

2. At A Living Wage

3. And Universal Health Care

That's what it all boils down to. Give us work.

Corporations are people? What! Who said that? No wonder you gave them zillions and zillions, then they took the money gave the their executives gigantic and immoral bonuses, laid us off by the tens of thousands, and charged us $5/month for our debit cards. You are gouging us to death! You have more heart for corporations than you do for people. Nuts to you!

Corporations are not people. People are People! WE ARE THE PEOPLE. We are 99%. You have 92% plus of the wealth, we have 8%. You are 1%, we are 99%. This is morally wrong.

Here's what we are going to do.

Monday morning we are going to close Wall Street. We are going to bar the door, join arm to arm and sit down and close the place.

That's in NYC

In LA we're going to do the same thing for Bank of America. CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

The enemy here is Greed.

Here is what you are going to do. Tax the rich folks and give to the poor folks. Warren Buffet already said he's willing to pay the bill. So send him and his friends the bill. We finally have a President who has a faint inkling of what needs to happen. So lets make him do it! Lets give him a big push and shove this over the top. JOBS! AT A LIVING WAGE AND HEALTH CARE. TAX THE RICH FOLKS.

Congress; you are mostly millionaires, surrounded by multi-milllion dollar influence peddlers.

We are 99%. We don't have much money, but we do have numbers. We are the ultimate lobby. We have taken to the streets. We have occupied the streets, now we're going to close Wall Street and Bank of America. We are the people; give us jobs. In the meantime, Wall Street and BoA are CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

You may remember the story of Jericho. Joshua surrounded the city and the walls came tumbling down. S/he's back! S/he is a child in New York City arrested by police. Joshua wants us to surround and Wall Street and The Bank of America until those walls come tumbling down.

That wall is GREED. That's our enemy folks. It's not Liberal against Conservative; Democrat against Republican. We are all Americans and we want work.

So give us jobs, at a living wage and health care. Don't take away Social Security or Medicare. Don't beat up on the poor and take away food programs that feed children. Don't be mean to the people. If you do get mean, we'll get angry and we will take to the streets until Justice flows like a mighty stream from the mountain of God.

By the way; I have no plan. All this is coming to pass spontaneously from the hearts of the people. The folks in Cairo and Madison woke up last Spring. The Arab Spring has become the American Fall.

So then America, to the streets. Nice weather in the East for the next few days. Nice weather to close Wall Street and the Bank of America.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. You are the ones God admires; Jesus said so.

YOU SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH!

Peace and Jobs to you all,

Fr. Paul

A Prayer of Self Dedication

There are still some who see the connection between faith and action, since without action there is no faith. Faith is known in the heart, understood in the mind, but expressed with the body. Without all three faith is dead. Thus I offer this prayer, written on St. Francis Day, to those of you who wish to dedicate yourselves to God's purposes.

A Prayer of Self Dedication

by Paul Bresnahan

St. Francis Day 2011

Now in the quiet of the day, I beckon to my soul and listen.

There is only silence

It is a silence I love to return to.

Because I am not alone there.

In that silence I come to my heart of hearts.

The silence becomes a Presence.

And comes to life in a way that invites me to love.

The Presence wants to love me.

I resist that.

But the silent Presence insists.

I look again into the mirror of my soul and see the mystery

It wells up within me to gratitude.

I search for a name for the mystery.

And then do I remember God.

I discover that God is there within my heart.

And God’s heart beats within me and among us.

There is a love that speaks to me.

And extends its Heart toward me and fills me.

I find myself aware and awake.

To the joy of life and sorrow of suffering; the ugliness of hateful violence.

The noble beauty of creative art,

The sin that destroys the self and seeks to destroy others.

God's heart moves in mine and dispels the fear.

Hear the Word of God and listen

God requires justice, love, mercy and compassion

And Jesus reaches out his arms to the farthest ends of every human heart.

Here and now I dedicate myself to Jesus.

In the poor and the homeless, the hungry and those who suffer.

The heart of Jesus moves in me, and the love of God

Knows no bounds.

Close all accounts!

Here's an idea. Pure simplicity itself. Close all accounts with Bank of America.

First they accept zillions of our tax dollars to save their skins because they are "too big to fail". Then they refuse to invest in businesses that would hire American workers.

Then they lay off 30,000 American workers and close hundreds of local branches.

And if that isn't enough they tack on a $5/month charge for the use of debit cards.

If you ask me, the answer is simple; close all account with Bank of America. Lets spread the word. These folks should be ashamed of the name they have on that bank!

Fr. Paul, a little riled by corporate greed run amuck.

An American Manifesto

What began in Cairo and Wisconsin is now spreading nationwide. "Occupy Wall Street" is being repeated all over the United States, and just this weekend moved into Dewey Square in Boston; "Occupy Boston" is now underway. One of the advantages the other side has over us is their clarity and their singleminded agenda.

We need just such an agenda.

Here's my shot at it.

1. We demand Full Employment now. Put Americans to work. Put people around the world to work. If we can figure out how to spend zillions and zillions of dollars over a single weekend to save huge financial institutions that were "to big to fail", we can certainly save the people of this county and their families from poverty and homelessness.

The Unemployment Bureau, should be called the Employment Bureau. Unemployment insurance shall be known as Employment insurance. It is time for the Government to ante up and save the people who are "too important to fail".

2. Double the minimum wage. Tax the rich, the super rich, and the multi-national corporations. Let them forgo this year's obscene bonuses, and give people a living wage.

3. Provide Health Care for ALL Americans NOW!

4. Declare an indefinite moratorium on foreclosures until all Americans are at work.

5. Quit beating up on teachers, police, fire, EMT's and public workers. Quit beating up on gay folks and the LGBTQ community. Quit beating up on children and education. The extreme Right Wing of this country has become utterly immoral.

All around the country we are rising up and taking to the streets. The Arab Spring has become the American Fall. Momentum is building. Hope is here!

I remember the 1960's with fondness. We're back again; we fought for civil rights, gender equality, and a kinder, gentler embrace of the LGBTQ community. Now we're demanding economic justice for all.

TO THE STREETS AMERICA!!! OCCUPY AMERICA!!!

Fr. Paul, a simple parish priest.