By Bishop Arthur Serratelli

In The Innocents Abroad, published in1869, Mark Twain humorously narrates his travels thorough Europe and the Holy Land. He goes out of his way to praise the great hospitality that Catholic priests offered to any pilgrim traveling through 19th century Palestine. They readily welcomed all, whether they came “in rags or clad in purple.” Twain was pleasantly surprised by this, because, as he readily confesses, he had been “educated to enmity toward everything that is Catholic.” Enmity toward everything Catholic! Not a thing of the past.

Most recently, the hatred was aimed at one of the most charitable and benevolent group of individuals in this country, the Knights of Columbus. During the Senate Judiciary Committee’s review of Omaha-based lawyer Brian C. Buescher for the position of judge on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Senators Mazie Hirono, a democrat from Hawaii, and Kamala Harris, a democrat from California, grilled Buescher on his membership in the Knights of Columbus. In their questions, they boldly gave voice to an anti-Catholic prejudice in our society.

Hirono accused the Knights of having “taken a number of extreme positions.” And, what are those extreme positions to which she is so vehemently opposed? The Catholic teaching on marriage as a union established by God. The sanctity of human life. The rights of a child in the womb to take his or her place at the banquet of life. For many, when it comes to birthing a child, only a woman has rights. And, when it comes to marriage, only what an individual wants matters. In their eyes, God’s design for his creation cannot limit the freedom of anyone to choose as they wish. 

Holding to what the Catholic Church has always taught, according to their line of questioning, now disqualifies someone from public office. In effect, both senators were applying a religious test as a qualification for public office. Responding to this blatant attack on a man’s religion, on January 17, 2018, the United States Senate unanimously passed the resolution that disqualifying a member of the Knights of Columbus for a federal office actually violates the Constitution of the United States. Article VI of the Constitution states that “no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

Sadly, this recent attack on Catholicism is not an isolated incident. Last September, Senator Dianne Feinstein expressed serious concern about the qualifications of Amy Barrett for a judgeship on the 7th Circuit. Feinstein is an unflinching supporter of abortion. It was no surprise that she zeroed in on Barrett’s position on Roe v. Wade. Because Barrett is a practicing Catholic who faithfully holds to Catholic teaching on this and other hot button issues, Feinstein remarked “in your case, professor…the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years in this country.” Clearly, the Senator sees no place for what the Catholic Church teaches on major moral and societal issues. 

It is becoming more and more obvious that the Catholic Church is being targeted as the public enemy of our society. Talk shows and news media attack the Catholic position on the right to life as misogyny and the Catholic teaching on marriage as intolerance and hatred. One can only wonder why those States that are investigating the Catholic Church on its record of protecting children are not looking into other public institutions. Why is there not a comparable investigation into their own school systems or other religious groups? Is the terrible crime of child abuse limited only to Catholics? Today’s media would even have people believe that abuse of minors is becoming more frequent within the Church. Patently false. But, too often facts do not matter when a villain is needed.

Those who advocate for the radical autonomy of the individual find in the Church an indomitable opponent. The Catholic Church stands firm in her teaching on contraception, abortion, stem cell research, in-vitro fertilization, marriage and divorce. The Church teaches that every choice that touches on the gift of life and the beauty of marriage is judged by a law higher than the autonomy of the individual. And, for this reason, today’s secularists judge Catholics as public enemies to the good of the society they wish to construct. A society without God. A society without a future.

Almost every day, a politician or teacher or public speaker is lambasted for a statement that is judged to be homophobic, misogynistic, racist or anti-Semitic. In some cases, not even an apology can save their careers. Yet, a free pass is given by society to any anti-Catholic view or statement. Someone can make an insulting or slanderous remark about Catholics, Catholic teachings or the Church herself and emerge unscathed. In his essay on The Significance of Jacksonian Democracy, historian and Harvard professor Arthur Schlesinger, Sr., himself not a Catholic, made the often cited assertion that anti-Catholic prejudice is “the deepest bias in the history of the American people.” According to Baylor University professor Philip Jenkins, anti-Catholic prejudice is “the last acceptable prejudice.”
 

An executive order signed this week is meant to address concerns of anti-Semitism on college and university campuses. But the legal underpinnings of that order apply to elementary and secondary schools, too.

We've done the testing, and if you need to build an SMB-focused website, these are the best small business web hosting services for helping you get the job done.

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) will be holding a free Small Business Contractor Forum on Thursday, September 5, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at the Liberty Court Community Building, 1289 Walker Road in Dover.

Governor Jack Markell today joined Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) for the release of the Delaware Housing Needs Assessment 2015-2020. The report, prepared by GCR Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana and The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will drive planning for housing resources at DSHA and in communities around the State. With this new analysis of housing needs and market conditions in the state for years 2015-2020, DSHA will be identifying priorities for the next five years and evaluating its programs and strategies.

This morning, Congressman John Carney (D-DE) visited Liberty Court Apartments in Dover to announce new legislation to improve affordable housing options. The Housing Assistance Reform Act would increase housing options for low-income Americans and help housing authorities raise capital for affordable housing projects. The legislation would expand access to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Moving to Work program from 39 local housing authorities to 60, and eliminate the current unit cap for the Rental Assistance Demonstration program, allowing any eligible housing authority to participate.

Kevin Sheridan, who will graduate Saturday with a degree in management and a minor in legal environment of business, has been selected as Smeal’s spring 2020 ROTC student marshal.

Grace McStravock, who will graduate Saturday, May 9 with a 3.98 GPA in actuarial science and minors in mathematics and statistics, has been selected as Smeal’s spring 2020 risk management student marshal.

Ziqi Yin, who will graduate Saturday, May 9 with a degree in marketing and a minor in digital media trends and analytics, has been selected as Smeal’s spring 2020 marketing student marshal.

The United States has gained ground against other countries in a global assessment of teenagers' reading, math, and science skills. That's ironic, though, considering this country has been running in place for years in all three subjects.

Belkin's smart plug lets you use your smartphone to turn your devices on and off from anywhere, but Bitdefender found some holes in its security. Don't worry, Belkin has fixed the problem.

The Pani Smart Water Monitor tracks your water usage while offering tips on how to conserve water and save money.

The project, which includes companies such as Philips Hue manufacturer Signify, Ikea, and Samsung SmartThings, will help ensure that smart home products work across platforms with the three voice assistants, Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google's Assistant.

The Smart Tab M10 switches between a tablet and a smart display, while the Smart Frame looks to better display your photos with ambient sensors.

The Flo by Moen is a smart water meter that monitors water usage throughout your home, tests your system for leaks, and protects against water damage with an automatic shutoff feature.

The Eufy smart scale normally costs $44.99, but Amazon is offering a 40 percent off coupon, which lowers the price to just $26.99.

The SmartDry is multi-sensor device that can save you money by eliminating unnecessary running time from your traditional clothes dryer.

Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri? The first step in choosing an AI companion is deciding which voice assistance platform is the right fit for your home. The second step is picking up one of the best smart speakers we've tested.

One of the easiest ways to dive into smart home technology is with smart light bulbs. Here's what you need to know to get started, along with reviews of the top Bluetooth and Wi-Fi LEDs we've tested.

The Flo by Moen Smart Water Detector will let you know when something in your house has sprung a leak, and when used with the Flo Smart Water Shutoff valve, it will prevent further damage by turning off your water supply.

During the third quarter, the smart earwear products accounted for 48.1 percent of all shipments in the wearables category, according to IDC. In addition, shipments for the earpieces grew a stunning 242.4 percent from the same period a year ago.

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences and College of Medicine say direct LTP treatment and plasma-activated media are effective treatments against bacteria found in liquid cultures and have devised a way to create plasma directly in liquids.

MPs have been told that some tax changes proposed by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in his February budget will hit small firms hard.

There is still no light at the end of the tunnel for small enterprises, according to the SMME Business Confidence Index for 2010.

Small- and medium-sized firms have until the end of October to comply with the first biannual PAYE tax reconciliation process.

His decades of work as an editor, publisher, and thought leader helped elevate the national conversation about education at a pivotal time for public policy.

Even in this extraordinary #MeToo era, ordinary women who've experienced harassment or assault at work are often reluctant to share their stories publicly. Arianna Prothero found that to be just as true as she reported on sexual harassment and assaults in schools and other K-12 workplaces.

ETFs invite controversy because the products are cheaper.

Pamir Productions radio ministry sends texts to encourage listeners and viewers.

OM Chile's Intensive Training participants spend a morning sharing the gospel in a local plaza in Santiago.

A new study shows that teachers with negative parental interactions are more likely to have such experiences. How can teachers deal with parental harassment?

Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism hosting listening sessions statewide WILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware received an A+ rating and ranked #2 out of 50 states in the 2017 Small Business Friendliness Survey released on Thursday by Thumbtack, a web and phone application for small businesses. Thumbtack awarded the state A+ ratings in 9 of […]

The two funds are designed to spur job growth in Delaware Community and business leaders came together today to celebrate the success of a small business initiative which began in Wilmington a few years ago and to announce a complimentary effort that will support small businesses and job growth throughout Delaware. Facilitated by West End […]

The Delaware Libraries Inspiration Space announces a new initiative to enable small business owners to expand their knowledge with the latest ideas from the business world’s thought leaders. A Book Club for Entrepreneurs will launch at the Lewes Public Library on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at noon. Small business owners will have the opportunity to […]

A team of Delaware archeologists and a preeminent anthropologist from the Smithsonian Institution Wednesday will unveil new findings from a years-long study of an archeological site in the West Rehoboth area.

A record nine million people visited Delaware in 2016, marking increases in visitors, dollars spent in Delaware and an even greater impact on the state’s economy. Those visitors contributed $3.3 billion to Delaware’s gross domestic product in 2016, according to data released today from the Delaware Tourism Office. “Tourism is a crucial part of Delaware’s […]

Accreditation is the highest recognition afforded to museums in the United States.

Accreditation is the highest recognition afforded to museums in the United States.

A company working to make NASA spacesuits stronger and safer and another providing data to millions of drivers to help them avoid traffic jams are both growing in Delaware. Assistance from the state Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism is helping STF Technologies and TrafficCast take their businesses to the next level. “Growth in […]

Dover is unlocking the potential of its historic downtown with a new marketing campaign highlighting opportunities for small business owners ready to take their business dreams to the next level. State and local officials led by Gov. John Carney; Linda Parkowski, acting director of the Delaware Division of Small Business and Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen […]

WILMINGTON – You can now see Delaware like never before with a breathtaking virtual tour of the state’s endless discoveries. At Nemours Estate Monday, as part of National Travel and Tourism Week (May 6-12), Governor John Carney, Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock and Delaware Tourism Director Liz Keller showcased the experience that takes visitors on […]

A new anthology of essays and lectures published by the Delaware Heritage Commission explores the life and career of John Dickinson, whose influential role as a colonial patriot and statesman of the early Republic earned him the nickname “Penman of the Revolution.”

The deadline to apply for Dover’s Unlock the Block program is fast approaching. July 9 is the final day to put in an application for the initiative, which seeks tenants for select vacant commercial properties on or adjacent to Loockerman Street in downtown Dover. Unlock the Block is looking for successful business owners, working from […]

For the fourth year in a row, the Delaware Department of State has received a State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.) This year’s award totals $268,096 and will be used to support the state’s efforts to assist small Delaware companies in entering and developing markets overseas.

DOVER, Del. (March 5, 2019) – Delaware small business owners in search of the right help at the right time will find it through the new Business Resource Connection on the website of the Delaware Division of Small Business, www.delbiz.com. The Business Resource Connection provides valuable information on approximately 300 programs from more than 80 […]

NEWARK, DE – Up-and-coming Delaware small businesses will now have a potential new source of capital to help them expand. As part of National Small Business Week (May 5 to May 11), the Division of Small Business on Monday launched a competitive, matching grant program to assist Delaware entrepreneurs who want to grow their small […]

WILMINGTON, DE – Ten Delaware small businesses were recognized Wednesday as the awardees of the first-ever EDGE Grants from the state Division of Small Business. Gov. John Carney and Division Director Damian DeStefano announced the companies at an event at the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington. The grant recipients, located across the state, represent […]

The Delaware Department of State has received a State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.)

Deadline for Spring 2020 EDGE Grants is February 28, 2020 WILMINGTON, Del. – A bio-based materials company, a maker of wearable medical sensors, and a bakery-café were among the 10 Delaware small businesses recognized Thursday as awardees of the second round of EDGE Grants from the state Division of Small Business. Governor John Carney, Secretary […]

Delaware tourism experienced a record-breaking year as the state welcomed 9.2 million visitors who accounted for $3.5 billion in economic impact.