Free Republic

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -PlatoThis is not a political post.  This is an American post.  About an American soldier.  An outstanding milblogger who some of you may have followed.   Respected and mourned from both sides of the political aisle. A Babylon 5 fan. Patriot. Son. Father. Husband. For this Memorial Day, I'd like to bring attention back to a friend of BlackFive's, Major Andrew Olmsted.  He was the first U.S. soldier killed during the Troop Surge, Jan 3, 2008.  Shot by a sniper in As-Sadiyah, Iraq, while pleading with 3 insurgents to surrender so...

Barack Obama’s Obama Presidential Center, a three-building complex designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien on Chicago’s South Side, has made its intention to embrace its neighborhood very clear—specifically Jackson Park and the Midway Plaisance, the historic Frederick Law Olmsted–designed greenways that have hosted, among other things, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a.k.a. the “White City.” But what the Center hasn’t made as clear is that the complex’s footprint is growing, with its leaders recently proposing an aboveground parking garage that could take up about five acres of the Midway. The library’s concession for eating into this space is a...

Wednesday August 11, 2010 Bishop Olmsted: 'Love Authentically' by Acknowledging Disorder of Homosexuality By Kathleen GilbertPHOENIX, Arizona, August 11, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The federal appeals court decision to overturn California's constitutional ban on recognizing same-sex "marriage" represents a threat to "cultural sanity" fueled by a line of thinking that is "absurd and only nominally rational," wrote Phoenix bishop Thomas Olmsted this week.Olmsted said in a Tuesday column for the Catholic Sun that the decision to overturn the voter-approved constitutional language "cannot be passed over in silence," and criticized an opinion piece in The Arizona Republic that stated: “If this...

On Saturday Rocco Palmo announced on his blog that he has learned that the terma, the final three names submitted to Pope Benedict for the job of Shepherd of Los Angeles, includes both Hispanic and Anglo candidates. Palmo writes: "again, the demographics of the archdiocese are an immense consideration here, but so is the skill-set of a candidate given the Holy See's assessment of the place" ("Back Page" live discussion, posted at 10:27). In the last post, I looked at the Hispanic bishops most frequently named in connection with this story. But what if it's not a Hispanic? Obviously, if,...

Here is a screen capture of the letter that the Bishop of Phoenix Thomas Olmsted sent to Notre Dame President Father Jenkins yesterday (on the Feast of the Annunciation) and has now permitted to be published today: These are very strong words from Bishop Olmsted, especially these two lines: "It is a public act of disobedience to the Bishops of the United States.""I pray that you come to see the grave mistake of your decision, and the way it undercuts the Church's proclamation of the Gospel of Life in our day." Mike Phelan, Director of Marriage and Respect Life for...

Soldier's final journal. Soldier's story continues after death By MIKE NICHOLS mnichols@journalsentinel.com Posted: Jan. 6, 2008 Mike Nichols E-MAIL Andy Olmsted was too many things to neatly enumerate. He was a husband and a brother and a blogger. He was a son to two of my very good friends. "I don't know if there is an afterlife; I tend to doubt it, to be perfectly honest. But if there is any way possible, Amanda, then I will live up to Delenn's words, somehow, some way. I love you." Services for Andy Olmsted will probably be at Fort Carson in Colorado...

I suppose I should speak to the circumstances of my death. It would be nice to believe that I died leading men in battle, preferably saving their lives at the cost of my own. More likely I was caught by a marksman or an IED. But if there is an afterlife, I'm telling anyone who asks that I went down surrounded by hundreds of insurgents defending a village composed solely of innocent women and children. It'll be our little secret, ok?

Andy Olmsted by hilzoy Andrew Olmsted, who also posted here as G'Kar, was killed yesterday in Iraq. Andy gave me a post to publish in the event of his death; the last revisions to it were made in July. Andy was a wonderful person: decent, honorable, generous, principled, courageous, sweet, and very funny. The world has a horrible hole in it that nothing can fill. I'm glad Andy -- generous as always -- wrote something for me to publish now, since I have no words at all. Beyond: Andy, I will miss you. My thoughts are with his wife, his...

Fort Carson-based Army Major Andrew Olmsted who wrote a blog from the war for the Rocky Mountain News was killed Thursday in Iraq. He went there to teach members of the Iraqi Army how to defend their country and provide security for citizens. Major Olmsted was a veteran blogger and was determined to make a difference in Iraq. He began writing for RockyMountainNews.com on May 21. He left behind a final blog post on his website AndrewOlmsted.com. No details were available on how the Major Olmsted died.

By 2003, Monsignor Dale Fushek’s star was rising so fast, the Tribune named the Mesa priest one of the "10 People to Watch" in the coming years. It may have been prophetic. The pastor of the dynamic St. Timothy’s Catholic Community was preaching to 8,000 a weekend. He had just gained the coveted monsignor title and had been been advanced to vicar-general for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. He oversaw construction of the stately Diocesan Pastoral Center. He co-founded the international Catholic youth program, Life Teen, and launched the highly respected Paz de Cristo homeless kitchen and ministry in...

Part One of Two Knees symbolize both strength and humility. Athletes use strong knees to run for touchdowns in football and to block shots and to slam-dunk in basketball. Knees also bend in adoration of the Eucharistic King and in recognition of the grandeur and majesty of the Most High God. Already in Biblical times, knees were a symbol of humility and strength. To bend one’s knee before God was a profound act of worship; it stated boldly yet simply that God is the source of all power and that the one on bended knee is ready to place his...

Backers bid fired priest farewell By J. Craig Anderson, TribuneHundreds of Catholics at St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Gilbert said goodbye to founding pastor John Cunningham following Mass on Sunday, with many vowing to leave the church in protest of his dismissal. The parishioners said they are sad and angry about Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted’s decision to remove Cunningham as pastor for reasons outlined in a letter dated Jan. 6 and included in a church newsletter distributed Sunday. Cunningham was removed because of allegations he mismanaged parish finances, Olmsted wrote. But, the protesters said no wrongdoing has been proved, and...

Action to remove priest angers parishioners By Lawn Griffiths East Valley TribuneBishop Thomas Olmsted’s action to remove the Rev. John Cunningham as pastor of the Gilbert parish he founded in 2002 has infuriated parishioners who say the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix has been unwilling to hear their appeals of support for the veteran priest. The parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene say the new bishop targeted Cunningham because he is a progressive, liberal priest who embraces diversity. Cunningham, 55, was first suspended from his duties on April 30 on accusations he violated church law by performing a wedding last spring at...

We have yet another disturbing story about an apparent crackdown by some Catholic bishops on lay Catholic activities. . . . [snip] Does this mean I am unworthy to continue my lay ministry as a lector? . . . [snip] What does our new bishop think about Bishop Vasa's ultimatum?

Phoenix's fourth bishop remains ever faithful to Catholic Teachings Exhibiting an inspired sense of composure in the face of would-be detractors, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has peacefully and prayerfully handled many hot-button issues in his first six months in Phoenix. Within his first week, the bishop was praying the rosary outside a local Planned Parenthood with more than 200 other Catholics on Christmas Eve. To this day, the bishop has made clear his intentions. “My concern is for human persons,” said Bishop Olmsted. “My purpose for being there is to stand up and say that there are human beings who...

Catholic politicians who unambiguously support a woman's right to choose should not receive communion, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said Wednesday. But he declined to say he would deny communion to politicians who do not follow church teaching on abortion. Asked directly about what he would do if Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate for president who is a Catholic and supports abortion rights, came to him for communion, the leader of the Diocese of Phoenix said, "I would hope that would not happen." "If he asked about it," he said, "I would tell him he should not receive communion."...

Demanding that Catholic and other religious leaders include gays in the full life of the church, pastors on Tuesday nailed their controversial "Phoenix Declaration" to a symbolic door they want opened to allow gays to fully experience "God’s unconditional love." Their gesture sought to recreate what Reformation founder Martin Luther did in 1517 in nailing the "95 Theses" to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, to protest Catholic practices and abuses. Members of No Longer Silent/Clergy for Justice capped a news conference in Phoenix with the gesture to react to Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s ordering nine...

The headline in the Arizona Republic (5/21/04), “Bishops won’t link politics, Communion” misrepresents my position. Abortion is the killing of a completely innocent life and thus bad news for both unborn children and their mothers. It is a horrible wrong. It is intrinsically evil. We have a serious obligation to protect human life, and especially the most innocent and vulnerable. Whoever fails to do this, especially when they are able to do so, commit serious sins of omission. They jeopardize their own spiritual wellbeing and they are a source of scandal for others. Should they be Catholics, they should not...

Retired reverend says policy based on old science A retired priest has informed Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted that he will not withdraw his name from the "No Longer Silent Phoenix Declaration," a letter signed by Arizona clergy calling for full inclusion of gays and lesbians in religious and community life. The decision puts the Rev. Andre Boulanger of Phoenix at odds with church teachings and subject to discipline. In April, Olmsted , leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, ordered nine diocesan priests to remove their names from the letter developed by No Longer Silent/Clergy for Justice in January...

Some 4 1/2 months into his tenure, Bishop Thomas Olmsted has left no doubt that he is what the Vatican ordered when he was named to head the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. A rapid series of recent diocesan actions underscores that Olmsted is a loyal and ardently faithful servant to Pope John Paul II, with whom the bishop once regularly worked during assignments with the Curia in the early 1980s. The pope tapped the 31-year priest last fall to leave his bishop's job in the Diocese of Wichita, Kan., to come to Arizona to rebuild a church rocked by...