Just how far are people willing to go in this society to get a laugh or provoke a response? The dialogue about politics has become increasingly uncivil and ratcheted up a level from Clinton to Bush and Obama. But the current prize may go to Sarah Silverman who happens to be Jewish. She unleashed a diatribe against the Catholic Church capped by a suggestion that Pope Benedict sell the Vatican to feed the poor. The Vatican sensibly did not offer comment but several Catholic organizations did come forward to explain the error in Silverman’s thinking. I can’t help but think how outraged our Jewish sisters and brothers would be if their leader(s) were lampooned like Pope Benedict. Her misstep will hopefully not set off a backlash against the Jewish people similar to what happened after the terrorist attacks of September 11 did against the Muslim population. I think that we as Catholics have become all too familiar with this type of insult. The Catholic Church has served so many for so long yet people still try to come against God’s church. I wonder if Silverman has ever contributed to a St. Vincent DePaul ministry. I wonder if she has ever served at a soup kitchen. I wonder if she has ever visited an inner city school where Catholics are brining hope and education to the poor and neglected, often free of charge. I remember my Grandfather talking about the hate-filled speech that was launched against President John F. Kennedy as he ran for office. I realize that we are the largest Christian church in the world and that brings a huge responsibility which we have accepted. But I also wonder when some of our fellow Christians will step up to defend the Catholic Church as well. Again I say, when we as Christians are not standing together, we are doing the Devil’s work for him. My last entry is well suited for what Silverman has done. Her tongue is uttering bombast. She is talking about things that she knows nothing about and perhaps we should ignore her. I would rather pray for her and I urge you to do the same. Let us pray for her conversion that she realizes the folly in her idol worship. Money will not serve her in the afterlife.