lifesitenews--2020-11-12--McCarrick Report reveals how serial abuser ex-Cardinal lied his way to becoming America’s top prelat

McCarrick Report reveals how serial abuser ex-Cardinal lied his way to becoming America’s top prelate

VATICAN CITY , November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― One of the many tragic stories revealed in the Vatican ’ s recently released McCarrick Report is how Theodore McCarrick , as the Archbishop of Newark ( 1986-2000 ) — who was known to have shared his bed with seminarians — convinced St. John Paul II to make him the Archbishop of Washington , DC anyway .
“ John Paul II was a man so morally strict , of such moral rectitude , that he would never have permitted a rotten candidacy to move forward , '' said Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is why Francis “ supposed that any allegations against McCarrick already in existence in 2000 must have been deemed without foundation , ” the Report states .
Rumors about McCarrick and his habit of having shared his bed with friends and seminarians had reached the Polish pontiff ’ s ears by the late 1990s .
In 1994 , the papal nuncio to Washington , Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan was told of allegations about McCarrick ’ s conduct which , after consulting bishops , he determined were groundless .
In 1997 , a psychiatrist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a young seminarian* to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome .
But these , too , were considered unconvincing .
Then , in 1999 , Cardinal John O ’ Connor of New York wrote to Cacciavillan ’ s successor Gabriel Montalvo to reveal what he had heard .
Earlier in the 1990s , O ’ Connor had received subliterate anonymous letters accusing McCarrick of pedophilia and incest , which he believed were scurrilous .
At first there was a check to McCarrick ’ s meteoric rise through the clerical firmament .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the earlier rumors of misconduct with seminarians were enough to sow doubt that the Archbishop of Newark , even if innocent , was the right man for the See of Chicago .
According to the Report , Archbishop Jorge Maria Mejía of the College of Cardinals wrote to Cardinal Pio Laghi , who was in charge of finding candidates for Chicago , to say that McCarrick had been accused of sexual misconduct , and even though the Nunciature was “ basically convinced [ the allegations ] are not really credible , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While it may be that these allegations are unfounded and false , and the good name of Archbishop McCarrick has to be respected above all , this Dicastery is very conscious of the highly charged atmosphere of the United States , particularly in Chicago following upon the allegations , later retracted , which had been made against Cardinal Joseph Bernardin , '' Mejía wrote .
In 1999 , Pope John Paul II told the ailing Cardinal O ’ Connor that he was thinking of moving McCarrick to a more prominent diocese , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Connor told Nuncio Montalvo that he knew of “ some elements of a moral nature that advised against ” McCarrick ’ s promotion .
At the nuncio ’ s behest , O ’ Connor wrote a letter detailing his concerns .
They included stories from “ absolutely impeccable authorities ” that McCarrick had shared his bed with male visitors at home and with seminarians at a beach house .
O ’ Connor also mentioned Fitzgibbons ’ allegations of outright abuse although the Cardinal also said he didn ’ t find it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praised McCarrick ’ s outstanding talents as a bishop and stressed that the Archbishop had not been able to defend himself from the accusations .
Montalvo shared O ’ Connor ’ s letter with Cardinal Moreira Neves , Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops , and with Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re , the Substitute , telling the latter to make the matter known to the Pope .
This Re did , and John Paul II requested information about whether or not the report involved “ unfounded accusations.
” As the Substitute wrote back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the confidential report regarding S.E .
Msgr .
Theodore Edgar McCarrick , Archbishop of Newark .
I did not fail to refer [ the matter ] to the Holy Father , who told me to suggest that Your Excellency verify , when the occasion presents itself , without urgency , whether this involves unfounded accusations .
This is for the sake of the truth , regardless of the provision of New York , where – as is well known – this Prelate [ McCarrick ] is not wanted.
” After summing up what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own opinion that McCarrick should not be promoted .
He had concluded that there was no evidence to state with certainty that allegations against McCarrick were true but also that “ it would be imprudent to consider Archbishop McCarrick for more important responsibilities in the Church.
” Re , acting for John Paul II , also consulted Cacciavillan , who remained unconvinced that there was substance to the rumors .
But despite Cacciavillan , and despite a chorus of bishops recommending McCarrick for New York , McCarrick was left in Newark .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s successor as Archbishop of New York in May 2000 .
According to the Report , many American bishops were convinced that the hard-working , accomplished , and popular McCarrick deserved a promotion .
In 2000 , they “ warmly endorsed ” him for the See of Washington DC .
Behind the scenes , Vatican officials considered the allegations against McCarrick , and although John Paul II could not believe that McCarrick was guilty , he agreed , in the words of Archbishop Re , that “ it is not appropriate to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoting Msgr .
McCarrick to a more important See , even if they do lack foundation.
” Shortly afterward , however , McCarrick wrote a heart-rending letter to the pope ’ s secretary , Bishop Stanisław Dziwisz , saying that the late Cardinal O ’ Connor had maligned him .
A few months ago I wrote you when certain friends of mine seemed to be promoting my transfer to a more prestigious See .
At that time I wrote to assure you that I am very peaceful to stay where I am or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask .
Today I write because of the confidence and trust I have in you and in your love for the Church and for our Pope .
I have heard that , before his death , Cardinal O ’ Connor wrote to the Holy Father a letter which deeply attacked my life as a bishop , a priest and even as a man .
If this is true then it is a very grave accusation and leaves me bewildered .
I know that the Cardinal did not want me as his successor although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or ten years he asked me if I would be open to serving as Coadjutor Archbishop of New York .
I replied , as always , that I would do whatever the Holy Father asked of me .
Never , in all his years of service in New York , did Cardinal O ’ Connor ever approach me with criticisms or accusations such as apparently are contained in his letter to his Holiness .
Your Excellency , sure I have made mistakes and may have sometimes lacked in prudence , but in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have never had sexual relations with any person , male or female , young or old , cleric or lay , nor have I ever abused another person or treated them with disrespect .
Some years ago , a series of anonymous letters accusing me of improper conduct were sent to the Cardinals in the United States .
I immediately shared them with the Apostolic Nuncio and brought them openly to the attention of our Archdiocese Presbyteral Council – so anxious I was to be as open to my priests as possible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Connor at that time to assure him that the accusations were false .
I had thought not to write you about this terrible complaint and to leave the matter in the Hands of God Who is the Judge of all things .
However , I discussed it fully with my Confessor and he advised me at least to contact you , whom I regard as a good friend and brother .
In case Cardinal O ’ Connor ’ s criticism of me involves others , it is good that I write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damaged unjustly .
On the other hand , if His Holiness were to have lost confidence in me as a bishop , I would willingly resign my diocese and accept whatever ministry he would assign me .
I know the regard the Holy Father has for me -- and I have great love for him .
The most hurtful part of the matter for me is that it would sadden the Holy Father and let him feel that I had let him down .
Now that I have had my chance to write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord do what He will and I will be at peace .
Thank you for being someone to whom I can write and to whom I can honestly say that , if I understand the accusations that Cardinal O ’ Connor may have made , they are not true .
Please pray for me .
This is a trying moment in my life .
May the Lord use this present cross to make me a better priest .
With gratitude for your patience in reading this letter [ . ]
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely convinced by McCarrick ’ s letter .
He sent a message by way of Cardinal Sodano saying , “ Tell McCarrick that I believe what he said and I am still a friend.
” In a sense the pope had been McCarrick ’ s friend since 1976 when , according to the Report , the multilingual Fr .
McCarrick was first called away from a fishing trip with young people to host the visiting Cardinal Karol Wojtyła and his secretary in New York .
McCarrick jestingly complained that they had ruined his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remembered and referred to when they next met .
By then Wojtyła had recently been elected pope , and McCarrick took special pains to cultivate him for the rest of the pontiff ’ s life .
In October 2000 , John Paul II appointed McCarrick the next Archbishop of Washington .
The Secretariat of State for the Holy See released the 449-page McCarrick Report on Tuesday , Nov. 10 at 2 PM Rome time .
Titled “ Report on the Holy See ’ s Institutional Knowledge and Decision-making Related to Former Cardinal Theodore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the document is divided into 30 chapters and follows a chronological order .
The Report is prefaced by a letter from the Holy See ’ s Secretary of State , Cardinal Piero Parolin , who states that Pope Francis had authorized the publication of the document “ for the good of the Universal Church.
” The Report states repeatedly that the Holy See had no knowledge , prior to 2017 , of any allegation that McCarrick had ever abused a minor .
Rumours that McCarrick had once sexually molested adult men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reached Rome as early as the 1990s , and there is evidence that Pope John Paul II was informed of them by the year 2000 .
However , the Report makes it clear that the Polish pontiff received incomplete information about allegations about McCarrick ’ s misdeeds because of omissions made by three American bishops when they were asked for information concerning the future cardinal : Bishop Edward T. Hughes , Bishop John Mortimer Smith , and Bishop James Thomas McHugh .
The Report also tells the story of the sanctions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Report denies the restrictions on McCarrick ’ s public life had the canonical or juridical weight of sanctions , placed on McCarrick by then-Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops , Cardinal Battista Re .
The Report contradicts the testimony of Archbishop Viganò regarding the “ indications ” to McCarrick to cease his travels and activity .
For example , it states categorically that “ [ n ] either Pope Francis , nor [ Secretary of State ] Cardinal Parolin , nor [ Re ’ s successor ] Cardinal Ouellet lifted or modified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s activities or residence.
” The Report also holds Viganò responsible for McCarrick ’ s continued travel , alleging he did not follow Ouellet ’ s instructions in the matter of new allegations against McCarrick : Alongside an extensive biography of the former cardinal , now 90 years old , the report lays out the accusations of sexual misconduct against McCarrick from anonymous letters , of which there is no trace , written by a concerned mother in the mid-1980s , to testimonies given to the Secretariat of State after 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ against McCarrick were made by three priests to his successor as Bishop of Metuchen , Edward T. Hughes , from 1989 to 1994 .
As Hughes never reported these allegations , what was more widely known of McCarrick ’ s activities in the 1980s was his habit of inviting seminarians from Seton Hall University to his beach house where he always arranged to share a bed with one of them .
When McCarrick was taxed with his bed-sharing habit , he admitted to sharing his bed , as he said he had done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but denied ever having had sexual relations with anyone , “ man , woman or child.
” By 2002 , such journalists as David Gibson were working hard to find substance to “ the same old rumors ” stemming from the bed-sharing but never obtained first-person testimony .
In the end , what stopped McCarrick ’ s high-profile career , which the Report shows continued despite reproofs and “ indications ” from Vatican officials , was a 2017 allegation to the Archdiocese of New York that the cardinal had molested a minor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end to McCarrick ’ s public ministry and activities , and shortly thereafter the prelate resigned from the College of Cardinals .
He was subsequently , and after his appeal , reduced to the lay state .
The unknown author of the document cites extensive research .
“ Although the Holy See ’ s examination was originally focused on documents , information was also gathered through over ninety witness interviews , each ranging in length from one to thirty hours , ” the Report states .
The Report also includes copious correspondence between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vatican officials and bishops about McCarrick .
They include New York ’ s Cardinal John O ’ Connor ’ s 28 October 1999 letter to Nuncio Gabriel Montalvo summarizing what he knew of stories suggesting McCarrick might have been guilty of misconduct ; this letter was sent to Pope John Paul II .
They also include McCarrick ’ s supposedly heartbroken letter to Pope John Paul II that convinced the Polish pontiff that he was innocent .
The biography and correspondence together leave one with the impression that the Holy See had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the holy , friendly , hard-working and very gifted prelate he appeared to be .
When papal nuncios in Washington sought advice from American bishops about the appropriateness of McCarrick for higher office , all but O ’ Connor always gave enthusiastic references .
Some of them are reproduced in the report .
Another aspect was the secrecy which with every bishop or official shrouded any rumor they had heard about the bishop .
Several examples are given of McCarrick himself misleading people as to why he had curtailed his activities after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to an abrupt end in 2005 .
McCarrick had also made himself seem indispensable , not only to the Church but to the American government .
In one letter of complaint about the “ indications ” limiting his ability to take part in the celebrations around election of Barack Obama , the then-cardinal cited his relationship with then-Vice President Joe Biden ( p. 334 ) .
“ The disappointment that I was not able to be available was highlighted by a personal phone call from the Vice President- elect , Senator Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Re .
“ I believe that I took care of this without losing a friend for the Church or for myself , but it is very difficult , ” he continued .
“ Dear Eminence , it is so interesting that my reputation among so many of my brother Bishops and among the leaders of government , who have access to investigative agencies , still remains so high that they want me present at their functions while the Church seems unwilling to have any confidence in me . ''
The report ends with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage sex abuse does to minors ; perhaps an unfortunate way to end , given the relative lack of concern among prelates , illustrated by the McCarrick Report , for the well-being of the former prelate ’ s older “ nephews ” .
*The McCarrick Report states that Dr. Fitzgibbons was treating two young priests who accused McCarrick of abuse .
Fitzgibbons contradicts this , saying only one of his patients ever alleged misbehavior by McCarrick .

ANALYSIS
VATICAN CITY, November 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― One of the many tragic stories revealed in the Vatican’s recently released McCarrick Report is how Theodore McCarrick, as the Archbishop of Newark (1986-2000) — who was known to have shared his bed with seminarians — convinced St. John Paul II to make him the Archbishop of Washington, DC anyway.
“John Paul II was a man so morally strict, of such moral rectitude, that he would never have permitted a rotten candidacy to move forward,” said Pope Francis, quoted in the Report.
This is why Francis “supposed that any allegations against McCarrick already in existence in 2000 must have been deemed without foundation,” the Report states.
Rumors about McCarrick and his habit of having shared his bed with friends and seminarians had reached the Polish pontiff’s ears by the late 1990s.
In 1994, the papal nuncio to Washington, Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan was told of allegations about McCarrick’s conduct which, after consulting bishops, he determined were groundless. In 1997, a psychiatrist reported allegations of McCarrick’s abuse of a young seminarian* to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. But these, too, were considered unconvincing. Then, in 1999, Cardinal John O’Connor of New York wrote to Cacciavillan’s successor Gabriel Montalvo to reveal what he had heard. Earlier in the 1990s, O’Connor had received subliterate anonymous letters accusing McCarrick of pedophilia and incest, which he believed were scurrilous.
At first there was a check to McCarrick’s meteoric rise through the clerical firmament. In 1997 Dr Richard P. Fitzgibbons’ account and the earlier rumors of misconduct with seminarians were enough to sow doubt that the Archbishop of Newark, even if innocent, was the right man for the See of Chicago.
According to the Report, Archbishop Jorge Maria Mejía of the College of Cardinals wrote to Cardinal Pio Laghi, who was in charge of finding candidates for Chicago, to say that McCarrick had been accused of sexual misconduct, and even though the Nunciature was “basically convinced [the allegations] are not really credible,” the Church needed to be careful.
“While it may be that these allegations are unfounded and false, and the good name of Archbishop McCarrick has to be respected above all, this Dicastery is very conscious of the highly charged atmosphere of the United States, particularly in Chicago following upon the allegations, later retracted, which had been made against Cardinal Joseph Bernardin,” Mejía wrote.
In 1999, Pope John Paul II told the ailing Cardinal O’Connor that he was thinking of moving McCarrick to a more prominent diocese, even New York. Shortly afterward, O’Connor told Nuncio Montalvo that he knew of “some elements of a moral nature that advised against” McCarrick’s promotion.
At the nuncio’s behest, O’Connor wrote a letter detailing his concerns. They included stories from “absolutely impeccable authorities” that McCarrick had shared his bed with male visitors at home and with seminarians at a beach house. O’Connor also mentioned Fitzgibbons’ allegations of outright abuse although the Cardinal also said he didn’t find it “definitively persuasive.” Meanwhile, O'Connor praised McCarrick’s outstanding talents as a bishop and stressed that the Archbishop had not been able to defend himself from the accusations.
Montalvo shared O’Connor’s letter with Cardinal Moreira Neves, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, and with Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, the Substitute, telling the latter to make the matter known to the Pope. This Re did, and John Paul II requested information about whether or not the report involved “unfounded accusations.”
As the Substitute wrote back to Montalvo: “I have received the confidential report regarding S.E. Msgr. Theodore Edgar McCarrick, Archbishop of Newark. I did not fail to refer [the matter] to the Holy Father, who told me to suggest that Your Excellency verify, when the occasion presents itself, without urgency, whether this involves unfounded accusations. This is for the sake of the truth, regardless of the provision of New York, where – as is well known – this Prelate [McCarrick] is not wanted.”
After summing up what he did know, the nuncio gave his own opinion that McCarrick should not be promoted. He had concluded that there was no evidence to state with certainty that allegations against McCarrick were true but also that “it would be imprudent to consider Archbishop McCarrick for more important responsibilities in the Church.”
Re, acting for John Paul II, also consulted Cacciavillan, who remained unconvinced that there was substance to the rumors.
But despite Cacciavillan, and despite a chorus of bishops recommending McCarrick for New York, McCarrick was left in Newark. Edward Egan became O’Connor’s successor as Archbishop of New York in May 2000.
According to the Report, many American bishops were convinced that the hard-working, accomplished, and popular McCarrick deserved a promotion. In 2000, they “warmly endorsed” him for the See of Washington DC. Behind the scenes, Vatican officials considered the allegations against McCarrick, and although John Paul II could not believe that McCarrick was guilty, he agreed, in the words of Archbishop Re, that “it is not appropriate to run the risk of these accusations resurfacing by promoting Msgr. McCarrick to a more important See, even if they do lack foundation.”
Shortly afterward, however, McCarrick wrote a heart-rending letter to the pope’s secretary, Bishop Stanisław Dziwisz, saying that the late Cardinal O’Connor had maligned him.
McCarrick’s career-saving letter
“Your Excellency,” he wrote on August 6, 2000: A few months ago I wrote you when certain friends of mine seemed to be promoting my transfer to a more prestigious See. At that time I wrote to assure you that I am very peaceful to stay where I am or to do whatever the Holy Father would ask. Today I write because of the confidence and trust I have in you and in your love for the Church and for our Pope. I have heard that, before his death, Cardinal O’Connor wrote to the Holy Father a letter which deeply attacked my life as a bishop, a priest and even as a man. If this is true then it is a very grave accusation and leaves me bewildered. I know that the Cardinal did not want me as his successor although on four occasions in the last eight or ten years he asked me if I would be open to serving as Coadjutor Archbishop of New York. I replied, as always, that I would do whatever the Holy Father asked of me. Never, in all his years of service in New York, did Cardinal O’Connor ever approach me with criticisms or accusations such as apparently are contained in his letter to his Holiness. Your Excellency, sure I have made mistakes and may have sometimes lacked in prudence, but in the seventy years of my life, I have never had sexual relations with any person, male or female, young or old, cleric or lay, nor have I ever abused another person or treated them with disrespect. Some years ago, a series of anonymous letters accusing me of improper conduct were sent to the Cardinals in the United States. I immediately shared them with the Apostolic Nuncio and brought them openly to the attention of our Archdiocese Presbyteral Council – so anxious I was to be as open to my priests as possible. I know that I wrote to Cardinal O’Connor at that time to assure him that the accusations were false. I had thought not to write you about this terrible complaint and to leave the matter in the Hands of God Who is the Judge of all things. However, I discussed it fully with my Confessor and he advised me at least to contact you, whom I regard as a good friend and brother. In case Cardinal O’Connor’s criticism of me involves others, it is good that I write lest the reputation of anyone else be damaged unjustly. On the other hand, if His Holiness were to have lost confidence in me as a bishop, I would willingly resign my diocese and accept whatever ministry he would assign me. I know the regard the Holy Father has for me — and I have great love for him. The most hurtful part of the matter for me is that it would sadden the Holy Father and let him feel that I had let him down. Now that I have had my chance to write to you, I will let the Lord do what He will and I will be at peace. Thank you for being someone to whom I can write and to whom I can honestly say that, if I understand the accusations that Cardinal O’Connor may have made, they are not true. Please pray for me. This is a trying moment in my life. May the Lord use this present cross to make me a better priest. With gratitude for your patience in reading this letter[.] Fraternally
+Theodore McCarrick
According to the Report, Pope John Paul II was completely convinced by McCarrick’s letter. He sent a message by way of Cardinal Sodano saying, “Tell McCarrick that I believe what he said and I am still a friend.”
In a sense the pope had been McCarrick’s friend since 1976 when, according to the Report, the multilingual Fr. McCarrick was first called away from a fishing trip with young people to host the visiting Cardinal Karol Wojtyła and his secretary in New York. McCarrick jestingly complained that they had ruined his vacation, a joke the Polish cardinal remembered and referred to when they next met. By then Wojtyła had recently been elected pope, and McCarrick took special pains to cultivate him for the rest of the pontiff’s life.
In October 2000, John Paul II appointed McCarrick the next Archbishop of Washington.
Overview of the McCarrick Report
The Secretariat of State for the Holy See released the 449-page McCarrick Report on Tuesday , Nov. 10 at 2 PM Rome time. Titled “Report on the Holy See’s Institutional Knowledge and Decision-making Related to Former Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick (1930 to 2017),” the document is divided into 30 chapters and follows a chronological order. The Report is prefaced by a letter from the Holy See’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Piero Parolin, who states that Pope Francis had authorized the publication of the document “for the good of the Universal Church.”
The Report states repeatedly that the Holy See had no knowledge, prior to 2017, of any allegation that McCarrick had ever abused a minor. Rumours that McCarrick had once sexually molested adult men, particularly seminarians, had, however, reached Rome as early as the 1990s, and there is evidence that Pope John Paul II was informed of them by the year 2000.
However, the Report makes it clear that the Polish pontiff received incomplete information about allegations about McCarrick’s misdeeds because of omissions made by three American bishops when they were asked for information concerning the future cardinal: Bishop Edward T. Hughes, Bishop John Mortimer Smith, and Bishop James Thomas McHugh.
Report contradicts, blames Viganò
The Report also tells the story of the sanctions, or “indications”, as the Report denies the restrictions on McCarrick’s public life had the canonical or juridical weight of sanctions, placed on McCarrick by then-Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Battista Re. The Report contradicts the testimony of Archbishop Viganò regarding the “indications” to McCarrick to cease his travels and activity. For example, it states categorically that “[n]either Pope Francis, nor [Secretary of State] Cardinal Parolin, nor [Re’s successor] Cardinal Ouellet lifted or modified the prior ‘indications’ related to McCarrick’s activities or residence.”
The Report also holds Viganò responsible for McCarrick’s continued travel, alleging he did not follow Ouellet’s instructions in the matter of new allegations against McCarrick:
Towards the end of the papacy of Benedict XVI, Priest 3, another priest of Metuchen, informed Nuncio Viganò of Priest 3’s lawsuit alleging that overt sexual conduct between him and McCarrick had occurred in 1991. Viganò wrote to Cardinal Ouellet, the new Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, about this in 2012 and Ouellet instructed Viganò to take certain steps, including an inquiry with specific diocesan officials and Priest 3, to determine if the allegations were credible. Viganò did not take these steps and therefore never placed himself in the position to ascertain the credibility of Priest 3. McCarrick continued to remain active, traveling nationally and internationally.
Alongside an extensive biography of the former cardinal, now 90 years old, the report lays out the accusations of sexual misconduct against McCarrick from anonymous letters, of which there is no trace, written by a concerned mother in the mid-1980s, to testimonies given to the Secretariat of State after 2017. The first serious allegations to be reported against McCarrick were made by three priests to his successor as Bishop of Metuchen, Edward T. Hughes, from 1989 to 1994.
As Hughes never reported these allegations, what was more widely known of McCarrick’s activities in the 1980s was his habit of inviting seminarians from Seton Hall University to his beach house where he always arranged to share a bed with one of them. When McCarrick was taxed with his bed-sharing habit, he admitted to sharing his bed, as he said he had done with family members, growing up, but denied ever having had sexual relations with anyone, “man, woman or child.” By 2002, such journalists as David Gibson were working hard to find substance to “the same old rumors” stemming from the bed-sharing but never obtained first-person testimony.
In the end, what stopped McCarrick’s high-profile career, which the Report shows continued despite reproofs and “indications” from Vatican officials, was a 2017 allegation to the Archdiocese of New York that the cardinal had molested a minor in the early 1970s. Francis ordered an end to McCarrick’s public ministry and activities, and shortly thereafter the prelate resigned from the College of Cardinals. He was subsequently, and after his appeal, reduced to the lay state.
The unknown author of the document cites extensive research.
“Although the Holy See’s examination was originally focused on documents, information was also gathered through over ninety witness interviews, each ranging in length from one to thirty hours,” the Report states.
Copious correspondence
The Report also includes copious correspondence between McCarrick and Vatican officials, and between Vatican officials and bishops about McCarrick. They include New York’s Cardinal John O’Connor’s 28 October 1999 letter to Nuncio Gabriel Montalvo summarizing what he knew of stories suggesting McCarrick might have been guilty of misconduct; this letter was sent to Pope John Paul II. They also include McCarrick’s supposedly heartbroken letter to Pope John Paul II that convinced the Polish pontiff that he was innocent.
The biography and correspondence together leave one with the impression that the Holy See had no real evidence that Cardinal McCarrick was anything but the holy, friendly, hard-working and very gifted prelate he appeared to be. When papal nuncios in Washington sought advice from American bishops about the appropriateness of McCarrick for higher office, all but O’Connor always gave enthusiastic references. Some of them are reproduced in the report. Another aspect was the secrecy which with every bishop or official shrouded any rumor they had heard about the bishop. Several examples are given of McCarrick himself misleading people as to why he had curtailed his activities after his extended tenure as Archbishop of Washington came to an abrupt end in 2005.
McCarrick had also made himself seem indispensable, not only to the Church but to the American government. In one letter of complaint about the “indications” limiting his ability to take part in the celebrations around election of Barack Obama, the then-cardinal cited his relationship with then-Vice President Joe Biden (p. 334).
“The disappointment that I was not able to be available was highlighted by a personal phone call from the Vice President- elect, Senator Joseph Biden,” McCarrick wrote to Cardinal Re.
“I believe that I took care of this without losing a friend for the Church or for myself, but it is very difficult,” he continued.
“Dear Eminence, it is so interesting that my reputation among so many of my brother Bishops and among the leaders of government, who have access to investigative agencies, still remains so high that they want me present at their functions while the Church seems unwilling to have any confidence in me.”
The report ends with a quotation from Pope Francis about the damage sex abuse does to minors; perhaps an unfortunate way to end, given the relative lack of concern among prelates, illustrated by the McCarrick Report, for the well-being of the former prelate’s older “nephews”.
*The McCarrick Report states that Dr. Fitzgibbons was treating two young priests who accused McCarrick of abuse. Fitzgibbons contradicts this, saying only one of his patients ever alleged misbehavior by McCarrick.
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lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Pro-life Washington insider hopeful for future GOP agenda

Marjorie Dannenfelser from the Susan B. Anthony List joins Jonathon Van Maren to discuss the 2020 election results and why @ @ @ @ @ as Americans .
Dannenfelser begins by giving listeners a behind the scenes look at the @ @ @ @ @ on election night .
She also discusses the implications of the presidential race as well @ @ @ @ @ Congress .

Marjorie Dannenfelser from the Susan B. Anthony List joins Jonathon Van Maren to discuss the 2020 election results and why we need to have hope as Americans.
Dannenfelser begins by giving listeners a behind the scenes look at the mood in the White House on election night. She also discusses the implications of the presidential race as well as the Republican wins in Congress.


lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Jacob Rees-Mogg has betrayed the Church and his fellow Catholics by voting to suppress the Mass

LONDON , November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Last week , politicians in the U.K. voted to send the country into a second nationwide lockdown .
Among other appalling restrictions on the English people the politicians voted to suppress public religious services .
While the new restrictions allow for churches to be open for private prayer , the government legislation stipulates that this is not to “ form part of communal worship.
” Among other things , this means that the legislation seeks to prohibit the public celebration of the Mass .
This past weekend , the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians , police entered at least one Catholic church in England on the suspicion that a supposed transgression was taking place .
Fines of up to £10,000 may be issued for organizing “ communal worship.
” A November 10 police report states that one organizer of a religious event in London is already being considered by the police for the maximum fine .
So , it may surprise some readers to learn that perhaps the U.K. ’ s best known Catholic politician voted in favor of the regulations .
Jacob Rees-Mogg is particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong public statements on abortion and for his professions of fidelity to the Catholic Church .
He is also known to attend the Traditional Latin Mass and has said he tries to pray the rosary every day .
His eloquence and wit , particularly in interviews with aggressive liberal journalists , also make him an understandably popular character with many social conservatives .
Rees-Mogg has even claimed to admire Pope Pius IX , particularly for “ his traditional view of the state and the Church ” and the Syllabus of Errors .
Yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving a brief speech in the House of Commons on the relationship between the Church and the state .
In that speech , he affirmed that “ the highest authority is unquestionably immortal , invisible and only wise , and even outside the control of the House of Commons.
” He made no reference in his speech to having voted just last week for legislation that seeks to ban the public celebration of Mass and fine those who organise or attend .
Moreover , while voicing support for the new lockdown last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson as “ the most freedom-loving prime minister we could think of having.
” But such a bizarre and , given the circumstances , contradictory description of a Conservative party leader and prime minister is not entirely out of character for Rees-Mogg .
In 2016 , he described David Cameron , the man who pushed through the legalisation of so-called same-sex “ marriage , ” as “ the most Christian prime minister in 50 years.
” Other reasonably well-known Catholic MPs , Sir Edward Leigh and Sir David Amess , also voted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former leader of the Conservative Party , Sir Iain Duncan Smith , was one of the just 38 MPs who voted against the new lockdown .
I wrote to Rees-Mogg earlier this week to ask how , as a Catholic , he could have voted for a law to suppress the Mass .
I have no doubt that he receives a huge amount of correspondence and is unlikely to have read my email .
His automatic reply states : “ As there is a strict Parliamentary convention that I do not interfere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to take matters up for non-constituents.
” I don ’ t live in Rees-Mogg ’ s constituency and I don ’ t expect a response to my email .
But in the hope that he will see my message and consider its contents I reproduce it below in full .
These are without doubt strange and difficult times for us all .
The greatest consolation any of us can have is recourse to the Mass and the sacraments .
Thanks to Rees-Mogg and his colleagues , the government is now attempting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So with friends such as him , who needs enemies ?
Below is my full email to Rees-Mogg : I ’ m a journalist for LifeSiteNews.com and will be writing about your having voted to suppress the public celebration of the Catholic Mass by voting last week for the ‘ Health Protection ( Coronavirus , Restrictions ) ( England ) ( No.4 ) Regulations 2020 ’ .
On Wednesday November 4th 2020 you voted for a second lockdown which , among other appalling restrictions on the English people , suppressed public religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-operated in Parliament suppressing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the first time since the Catholic Relief Act .
You voted to impose fines on those who disobey these new laws .
Already there have been reports of police entering Catholic churches to check whether “ communal services ” are being conducted .
You must know that St Thomas Becket was martyred for the principle of the liberty of the Catholic Church from civil interference .
You have claimed to admire Pope Pius IX , particularly for “ his traditional view of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Syllabus of Errors .
You must know then of the 44th condemned error , which reads : “ The civil authority may interfere in matters relating to religion , morality and spiritual government.
” And further , you must also know that this principle is enshrined in English law by Magna Carta , which states that “ the Church of England shall be free , and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable.
” How then can you , a Catholic and an Englishman , vote for such a law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill on these grounds alone .
What bargain or promise of future reconsideration of the restrictions could justify such an act ?
You should have preferred to resign , or indeed to suffer anything , rather than embrace the ignominy of voting for that bill .
I urge you to consider that such a public betrayal of the Church and your co-religionists is a scandal that requires a similarly public act of repentance .
I would be grateful if you could reply to my email with answers to my questions by 5pm Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publish our article .

With friends like these, who needs enemies?
LONDON, November 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Last week, politicians in the U.K. voted to send the country into a second nationwide lockdown. Among other appalling restrictions on the English people the politicians voted to suppress public religious services.
While the new restrictions allow for churches to be open for private prayer, the government legislation stipulates that this is not to “form part of communal worship.” Among other things, this means that the legislation seeks to prohibit the public celebration of the Mass.
This past weekend, the first weekend since the regulations were approved by politicians, police entered at least one Catholic church in England on the suspicion that a supposed transgression was taking place.
Fines of up to £10,000 may be issued for organizing “communal worship.” A November 10 police report states that one organizer of a religious event in London is already being considered by the police for the maximum fine.
So, it may surprise some readers to learn that perhaps the U.K.’s best known Catholic politician voted in favor of the regulations.
Jacob Rees-Mogg is particularly notable among English politicians for having made strong public statements on abortion and for his professions of fidelity to the Catholic Church. He is also known to attend the Traditional Latin Mass and has said he tries to pray the rosary every day.
His eloquence and wit, particularly in interviews with aggressive liberal journalists, also make him an understandably popular character with many social conservatives.
Rees-Mogg has even claimed to admire Pope Pius IX, particularly for “his traditional view of the state and the Church” and the Syllabus of Errors.
Yesterday, Rees-Mogg posted a video of himself giving a brief speech in the House of Commons on the relationship between the Church and the state. In that speech, he affirmed that “the highest authority is unquestionably immortal, invisible and only wise, and even outside the control of the House of Commons.” He made no reference in his speech to having voted just last week for legislation that seeks to ban the public celebration of Mass and fine those who organise or attend.
Moreover, while voicing support for the new lockdown last week, Rees-Mogg described British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as “the most freedom-loving prime minister we could think of having.”
The Prime Minister did not want to take away our freedom. pic.twitter.com/bN2TcXdzss — Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) November 3, 2020
But such a bizarre and, given the circumstances, contradictory description of a Conservative party leader and prime minister is not entirely out of character for Rees-Mogg. In 2016, he described David Cameron, the man who pushed through the legalisation of so-called same-sex “marriage,” as “the most Christian prime minister in 50 years.”
Other reasonably well-known Catholic MPs, Sir Edward Leigh and Sir David Amess, also voted for the new lockdown regulations. Catholic MP and former leader of the Conservative Party, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, was one of the just 38 MPs who voted against the new lockdown.
I wrote to Rees-Mogg earlier this week to ask how, as a Catholic, he could have voted for a law to suppress the Mass. I have no doubt that he receives a huge amount of correspondence and is unlikely to have read my email. His automatic reply states: “As there is a strict Parliamentary convention that I do not interfere in other Members’ constituencies I am unable to take matters up for non-constituents.” I don’t live in Rees-Mogg’s constituency and I don’t expect a response to my email.
But in the hope that he will see my message and consider its contents I reproduce it below in full.
These are without doubt strange and difficult times for us all. The greatest consolation any of us can have is recourse to the Mass and the sacraments. Thanks to Rees-Mogg and his colleagues, the government is now attempting to deny these to the faithful in England. So with friends such as him, who needs enemies?
Below is my full email to Rees-Mogg:
Dear Mr Rees-Mogg,
I’m a journalist for LifeSiteNews.com and will be writing about your having voted to suppress the public celebration of the Catholic Mass by voting last week for the ‘Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.4) Regulations 2020’.
On Wednesday November 4th 2020 you voted for a second lockdown which, among other appalling restrictions on the English people, suppressed public religious services. In doing so you formally co-operated in Parliament suppressing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the first time since the Catholic Relief Act. You voted to impose fines on those who disobey these new laws. Already there have been reports of police entering Catholic churches to check whether “communal services” are being conducted.
You must know that St Thomas Becket was martyred for the principle of the liberty of the Catholic Church from civil interference.
You have claimed to admire Pope Pius IX, particularly for “his traditional view of the state and the Church” and the Syllabus of Errors. You must know then of the 44th condemned error, which reads: “The civil authority may interfere in matters relating to religion, morality and spiritual government.”
And further, you must also know that this principle is enshrined in English law by Magna Carta, which states that “the Church of England shall be free, and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable.”
How then can you, a Catholic and an Englishman, vote for such a law? You should have voted against the bill on these grounds alone. What bargain or promise of future reconsideration of the restrictions could justify such an act?
You should have preferred to resign, or indeed to suffer anything, rather than embrace the ignominy of voting for that bill.
I urge you to consider that such a public betrayal of the Church and your co-religionists is a scandal that requires a similarly public act of repentance.
I would be grateful if you could reply to my email with answers to my questions by 5pm Thursday 12 November, after which we will publish our article.
Kindest regards,
Paul Smeaton
LifeSiteNews.com
Follow Paul Paul Smeaton is Editorial Director for LifeSiteNews and is based near London, England. He has previously worked for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in England. Paul has been active in pro-life and Catholic communities since his university days at Campion College Australia.
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lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Communist China at UN Human Rights Council: US should ‘root out systematic racism’

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November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — There is something eerily appropriate about the fact that during the same week that opposition legislators in Hong Kong collectively resigned in protest over an ongoing Chinese crackdown on their political process , UN Watch reported that the genocidal Communist dictatorship was moving to condemn the United States for its moral failings .
“ China , ” the UN watchdog reported on Twitter , “ newly elected to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. human rights record .
‘ China wishes to recommend to the U.S. : 1 .
Root out systematic racism , address widespread police brutality and combat discrimination against African- and Asian-Americans ... .
’ ” We have yet to hear what sort of groveling reply Joe Biden has in response to these recommendations , but it is worth noting that this is a brilliant move on the part of Red China .
If American progressives insist that the United States is evil , rotten to its founding , then the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with them .
Biden and the Democrats , of course , can not really deny that America is the nation China says it is , because they would risk angering the fringe radicals currently in the driver ’ s seat of their party .
The result is that China successfully creates an equivalence between the United States and itself , with the American wokelings doing all the heavy lifting .
When China is accused of perpetrating genocide against the Uighurs , they can nod solemnly and admit that maybe they have some work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spotless , and in that sense they are just like America , a systematically racist country with a militarized police force that targets minorities as a matter of course .
Douglas Murray put it well in his essential book The Strange Death of Europe .
It would be foolish , he wrote , to say that the West has made no mistakes .
But it would be extraordinarily dangerous to claim that the West could do no good — and that instead , she must be torn down and replaced with something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social justice warriors and Communist China have pretty similar ideas about what , exactly , should replace the current system .
Just in case you ’ re tempted to think that they might have a point , keep in mind that Communist China is running concentration camps dedicated to wiping out an entire minority by any means necessary .
From Business Insider : It ’ s a good thing that Communist China is on the U.N. Human Rights Council ( alongside Cuba and Russia . )
Somebody needs to do something about the @ @ @

PETITION UPDATE (1/15/2021) -
The events of the past month, and especially the past 10 days, have shaken the faith Americans have in their elected and appoint officials.
We continue to call for investigations to be made into allegations of election fraud. Texas is in the process of prosecuting one political operative for illegal ballot harvesting, and multiple state legislatures have called for investigations, too.
However, the judiciary has severely let down the American electorate.
As we have said all along, the integrity of the election is much bigger than President Trump. Election integrity is at the heart of republican democracy, and if we don't have it, we no longer have a functioning republic.
Therefore, we continue to seek the truth for the election outcome. Perhaps that will only be known in the future when state or federal commissions are established to investigate the instances of election fraud which were witnessed and sworn to, by thousands of Americans of all political persuasions.
In the meantime, you may still sign this petition. Thank you!
___________________________________________________________________
PETITION UPDATE (12/10/20) -
On Wednesday, President Trump tweeted: "We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case. This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!"
He is referring to the lawsuit which the state of Texas has filed against Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia in the Supreme Court over changes those states made to their election rules, claiming they violated the U.S. Constitution in the process.
Here is the central part of the argument: if Texas were to allow possible voter fraud to go unchecked in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia, it would be akin to committing fraud upon the people of Texas, who cast their ballots within the framework of the law.
Indeed, this would apply equally to all citizens who voted within the framework of the law across the United States!
President Trump also tweeted that this case is, "very strong...ALL CRITERIA MET."
Please continue to SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition, now.
____________________________________________________________________
PETITION UPDATE (12/7/20) - Since this petition was launched, President Trump's legal team, as well as other concerned citizens, have discovered what appears to be irrefutable evidence of voter fraud in several of the key battleground states, and have initiated legal challenges in six states.
While the situation continues to evolve, this remains a hugely important petition which we encourage you to SIGN and SHARE.
Below, please WATCH and READ about the mounting evidence of voter fraud and how the mainstream media seem determined to ignore even the most egregious instances of vote tampering. Then, please SIGN and SHARE this petition.
'Trump: ‘Our election system is now under assault and siege’ and as president I must defend it'
'Tens of thousands 2020 election votes illegally scanned in Detroit, says Dominion IT contractor'
'Trump campaign files lawsuit demanding ‘a new statewide election for president’ in Georgia'
'Experts flag over 500k ballots in PA with new evidence of major 2020 election voter fraud'
''Smoking gun'? Pennsylvania vote fraud hearing gets gasps from audience'
'FBI and Justice Department have dragged their feet investigating 2020 vote fraud'
''CNN top brass in leaked tape: We won't give Trump 'too much of a platform on his not conceding'
'Twitter censored Trump 63 times over Thanksgiving holiday, Biden untouched'
LifeSite supports President Trump with this petition because we believe he is trying to defend the Constitution, ensuring that electoral fraud does not taint the result of the 2020 general election.
But, since starting this petition, we have launched a separate petition related to the disputed election outcome, calling on the Department of Justice to 'do their job' and engage in meaningful investigations of the mounting evidence of voter fraud.
We believe that conducting forensic audits of ballots and voting machines, as well as issuing subpoenas to collect more evidence, would be a good start.
Thankfully, some of the state started to demand investigations independent of federal agencies. But we still believe that the DoJ needs to use its enormous fact-finding resources to help resolve allegations of election fraud.
Thank you for continuing to SIGN and SHARE all our election-related petitions.
_____________________________________________________________________
Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition which calls on all Americans to Stand With President Trump as he uses every legitimate means to find out if voter fraud played any role in the election outcome.
Amid allegations of voter fraud, and at a time when the situation with COVID has been used by many of the states to facilitate the use of mail-in ballots on a massive scale, we need to be very careful in dismissing the possibility of voter fraud.
The fact is, the possibility of wide-spread fraud with mail-in ballots is significant.
But, this is not about Donald Trump or Joe Biden! This about whether or not the sanctity of the ballot box has been tampered with!
Please Stand With President Trump as he attempts to defend the integrity of this election, as well as well as the right to vote itself!
Indeed, this is so important, not so much because one election hangs in the balance, but because our democracy, itself, hangs in the balance.
Americans not only have a right to know, but should demand that every legitimate means be used to discover the truth about these elections!
Please SIGN this petition and Stand With President Trump to ensure that these elections were conducted freely and fairly!
While most all Americans believe in playing by the rules, we also know that some very devious, politically-motivated operatives have been trying to harm the Trump administration from before he even took the oath of office.
This fact should lead us to question how some allegations of voter fraud can be so easily dismissed by state election authorities.
We demand to know the truth, and, for the sake of our democracy, we demand that President Trump keep fighting to learn the truth.
Thank you for SIGNING and SHARING this petition today!
**Photo Credit: Shealah Craighead / White House / Flickr


lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united daily in prayer , in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade .
Catholics from all over the world—from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , Pakistan , Singapore , the Philippines , India , Indonesia , Australia , New Zealand , Thailand , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Brazil , and other countries—are gathering daily to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Pillari , J.C.L.
, an American priest currently studying in Italy .
Our goal is , by means of this daily rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima , the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
To help obtain that goal , Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide rosary crusade : O Immaculate Heart of Mary , you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother .
Look upon the distress in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church .
In Fatima you warned against these errors , as you spoke about the errors of Russia .
You are the Mediatrix of all graces .
Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope : that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart , so that Russia will be converted , a period of peace will be granted to the world , and your Immaculate Heart will triumph , through an authentic renewal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purity of the Catholic Faith , of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life .
O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother , turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer .
Amen .
+ Athanasius Schneider , Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady ’ s message at Fatima , and about what you can do , please read Cardinal Burke ’ s 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //voiceofthefamily.com/full-text-cardinal-burkes-historic-call-for-consecration-of-russia/ ) .
As St. Padre Pio once said , “ The rosary is the weapon for these times.
” Through prayer , God can shape history , change the world , and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world , through the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
Join us today !
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this rosary , you can access them via this PDF .
This document also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily rosary on LifeSite led by Fr .
Pillari .

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-11-12--LifeSiteNews’ YouTube subscribers skyrockets to 200k

November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – LifeSiteNews has seen record growth in the past several months – a phenomenal achievement considering that Big Tech is working overtime to censor and suppress those who dare to disagree with them .
In December 2019 , LifeSiteNews ’ YouTube channel had 56,700 followers .
Between 2018 and 2019 , LifeSiteNews saw an increase of over 40,000 subscribers .
Now , less than a year later , LifeSiteNews has a record 200,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel .
By July 1 , 2020 , we had surpassed 100,000 subscribers .
Just five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gained another 100,000 subscribers .
On average , we have seen a growth of 10,000 to 11,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel each month .
But this month we have had a record 43,000 people subscribe to our channel .
And in the past month our videos have had almost 8 million views .
One reason for this momentous growth is the video content we are publishing .
We have ramped up video production and partnered with Virgin Most Powerful Radio to bring you The Bishop Strickland Show hosted by Terry Barber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his weekly video podcast , LifeSiteNews Editor-in-Chief , John-Henry Westen , is now also making short videos on crucial , breaking news .
We have also started livestreaming videos on our YouTube channel , including our video of John-Henry and Fr .
Altman discussing the 2020 U.S. Electionand our 2020 Election Night Coverage .
Our most viewed video of 2020 with 1.7 million views is John-Henry ’ s video discussing how President Trump will “ lead America back to God ” according to a 1983 prophecy .
Other top viewed videos of 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests Trump is fulfilling prophecy , leading America back to God Judge Barrett uses her mom voice to put Sen. Durbin in his place after distorting her voting record With all the censorship taking place , our channel could be taken off YouTube at any moment .
If that were to happen , we would have no way of contacting those who subscribe to our YouTube channel .
But you can click HERE to subscribe to our email list and be sure to maintain your connection with LifeSiteNews and all of our video @ @


lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Nevada voters enshrine gay ‘marriage’ in state’s constitution

NEVADA , November 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Nevada has become the first state to formally repeal a @ @ @ @ @ as between a man and a woman , with 62 percent of the vote .
@ @ @ @ @ contain similar amendments , all implemented between 1998 and 2012 in what was a conservative @ @ @ @ @ gay “ marriage ” and the gender ideology that accompanies it .
The repeal is @ @ @ @ @ given the Supreme Court ’ s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges , which made @ @ @ @ @ definition of marriage inoperable and imposed same-sex “ marriage ” on all 50 states .
@ @ @ @ @ said the homosexual lobby also wanted something concrete to protect same-sex “ marriage ” in @ @ @ @ @ ever revokes it – which is what a lot of folks are worried about with @ @ @ @ @ Nevada is one of the swing states with contested 2020 presidential election results .


lifesitenews--2020-11-12--Canadian bill threatens jail for parents who help their kids avoid LGBT lifestyle

OTTAWA , November 12 , 2020 ( Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms ) —The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announced that it has submitted its report to the House of Commons ’ Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights , entitled “ Unconscionable and Unconstitutional — Bill C-6 ’ s Attempt to Dictate Choices Concerning Sexuality and Gender ” .
Bill C-6 creates five Criminal Code offences related to “ conversion therapy ” but fails to prohibit or even define abusive and coercive practices that Canadians would associate with the term “ conversion therapy.
” Instead , Bill C-6 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports for people concerning their sexuality , their gender identity , or both .
While the Criminal Code should prohibit force , coercion , or abuse which attempts to change someone ’ s sexual orientation or gender identity , the Justice Centre is concerned that Bill C-6 is overbroad and dangerous , and will actually cause harm to adults , adolescents and children , including LGBTQ Canadians .
The Justice Centre explains that the Bill violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in four significant ways : 1 .
The Bill imposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gender , which violates the fundamental Charter freedom of Canadians to have their own thoughts , beliefs and opinions concerning sexuality and gender .
2 .
Bill C-6 discriminates against LGBTQ persons by denying their equal right to receive the support or therapy of their own choosing concerning their sexuality , gender identity , sexual addictions and sexual behaviour .
3 .
Bill C-6 removes the ability of health professionals and parents to determine treatments in the best interests of children who are experiencing gender distress , and instead imposes a one-size-fits-all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgical gender transition .
4 .
Bill C-6 interferes severely with the teaching and practice of religious beliefs regarding sexuality and gender identity , and prevents religious LGBTQ persons from receiving support in accordance with their own religious faith .
This violates the Charter freedom of religion and conscience , especially for LGBTQ Canadians , as well as LGBTQ equality rights .
The amendments to the Criminal Code contained in Bill C-6 propose prison terms of up to two or five years to enforce these unconscionable — and unconstitutional — restrictions on Canadians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-reaching impacts on Canadians ’ fundamental rights , and its interference in their voluntary choices concerning their own sexuality and gender , such a law can not be justified in Canada ’ s free and democratic society , ” states Justice Centre staff lawyer , Marty Moore .
“ Bill C-6 is an overbroad , arbitrary and discriminatory violation of Canadians ’ human rights and constitutional rights and freedoms , ” Moore continues .
The Justice Centre is calling on MPs to oppose Bill C-6 in its entirety , or to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amended such that it does not outlaw supportive counseling and care .
Harm already inflicted : the case of NB Other stakeholders and citizens are sounding the alarm about Bill C-6 , and have made submissions of their own .
The Justice Centre ’ s client , Pamela Buffone , whose daughter “ NB ” was told by her grade one teacher that “ boys and girls are not real ” , has also provided a submission to the Standing Committee .
Ms. Buffone describes the experience her daughter went through , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of different pronouns rather than he/him for boys and she/her for girls .
The teacher read storybooks and used the phrase “ there ’ s no such thing as girls or boys ” on different occasions in discussions with the children .
The topic of sex changes was also discussed in this class of young children aged 6 to 7 .
On one occasion , NB and her classmates each wrote their names on a gender spectrum at the front of the classroom , based on whether they “ felt ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NB was the only child to write her name directly at the end of the spectrum the teacher had labelled “ girl ” .
In this lesson the teacher told the class that “ girls are not real and boys are not real ” .
“ What happened in my daughter ’ s classroom was ‘ a practice designed to change a person ’ s gender identity ’ — the very definition of conversion therapy that you are criminalizing with your Bill , ” stated Pamela Buffone in her submission to the Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my daughter ’ s class were designed to replace the way children identify their gender from the stable categorization model based on biological sex to the new gender identity model that is based entirely on stereotypes and ‘ feelings ’ , ” she continued .
NB and her mother , with the help of the Justice Centre , have brought a case against the school board , teacher and principal for discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity .
The case is now waiting for a hearing date with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adolescents like NB are increasingly being exposed to the concepts of gender fluidity and queer theory in their classrooms , more children are now questioning their identity .
Children and adolescents are being referred to gender clinics at a dramatically increasing rate .
Many are also dealing with mental conditions , such as anxiety , depression , and autism .
Others are struggling to come to terms with their same-sex attraction .
Still others are caught up in an internet-fueled social contagion that sees multiple ( usually female ) young people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trans ” .
Most of these children ( approximately 85 % ) will comfortably settle into their natal gender if simply allowed to go through puberty with a “ watchful waiting ” approach .
But Bill C-6 may criminalize watchful waiting as “ conversion therapy , ” and impair the professional discretion and judgment of health professionals in determining the best approach for each individual child .
“ With Bill C-6 , the Federal Government is telling us that the only possible path for children who say they are transgender is the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an alternative approach , including their loving parents , could be charged with a criminal offence and face jail time , ” says Justice Centre staff lawyer Lisa Bildy .
“ The real ‘ conversion therapy ’ here will be the government ’ s funneling of young people down a path of social , medical , and potentially surgical transition into the opposite gender , when the vast majority would have simply grown into their natal gender through watchful waiting , ” Bildy concludes .
As Ms. Buffone noted in her submissions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the best interests of our children at heart and even those who are not necessarily against medical transition under very careful and controlled circumstances — now face the reality that the State will soon have complete control of not only teaching our children to identify as a gender that is different from their birth sex , but medically transitioning them simply because a distressed young person suddenly declares that they are a different gender and demands gender-affirming ‘ healthcare ’ to align their body with their ideal image of themselves.
” Published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitutional Freedoms .

OTTAWA, November 12, 2020 (Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms) —The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announced that it has submitted its report to the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, entitled “Unconscionable and Unconstitutional — Bill C-6’s Attempt to Dictate Choices Concerning Sexuality and Gender”.
Bill C-6 creates five Criminal Code offences related to “conversion therapy” but fails to prohibit or even define abusive and coercive practices that Canadians would associate with the term “conversion therapy.” Instead, Bill C-6 will criminalize legitimate medical, psychological and spiritual supports for people concerning their sexuality, their gender identity, or both.
While the Criminal Code should prohibit force, coercion, or abuse which attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, the Justice Centre is concerned that Bill C-6 is overbroad and dangerous, and will actually cause harm to adults, adolescents and children, including LGBTQ Canadians.
The Justice Centre explains that the Bill violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in four significant ways:
— Article continues below Petition — Canada: Sign the Geneva Consensus Declaration! Show Petition Text 6733 have signed the petition. Let's get to 7500 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition On October 22nd, thirty-two nations signed the historic Geneva Consensus Declaration, including the co-sponsoring nations, the United States, Brazil, Hungary, Indonesia, and Uganda. However, Canada was not among the signatories. Please SIGN this joint petition, from LifeSite and Campaign Life Coalition, urging Canada to ratify the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which will put Canada at the forefront in the fight to protect genuine human rights. The Geneva Consensus Declaration takes a firm stance against invented human rights by saying, "there is no international right to abortion, nor any international obligation on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion." The Geneva Consensus Declaration further reaffirms: That "protecting the right to life" is an "essential priority."
The "inherent 'dignity and worth of the human person'" and that "'every human has the inherent right to life.'"
That "'the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and state,'" as the Declaration on the Rights of the Child stated. Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition to Canadian MPs, asking them to restore Canada's reputation as a world leader in human rights, and sign the Geneva Consensus Declaration. In the past, Canada had a reputation for supporting conventions and declarations that promote fundamental and universal principles, including the right to life and the centrality of the natural family in society. To that end, Canada signed declarations and conventions supporting the child and the natural family, like the Declaration on the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1990. However, in recent years, Canada has deviated from its commitments and its historic role in advancing genuine human rights. Instead, Canada has pushed a marginal agenda focused on newly-invented “rights” that are neither based in natural law nor in any international treaty. Among these are a false right to abortion, a false right to choose one’s gender, and a false right to sexual pleasure for children. Indeed, Canada has become a bully on the world stage, imposing its agenda on traditional peoples in developing nations, promoting abortion, gender theory, and radical sex education. It is time for Canada to stand up for genuine human rights like it once did, especially the right to life, and proclaim that the nuclear family is the basis of society. By ratifying the Geneva Consensus Declaration, Canada would join other nations in upholding these very things, and would recommit itself to safeguarding the rights and principles that it formerly promoted and defended. Please SIGN this petition calling on the Members of Parliament to sign the Geneva Consensus Declaration. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Information about the Geneva Consensus Declaration - https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/oga/global-health-diplomacy/protecting-life-global-health-policy/geneva-declaration.html The text of the Geneva Consensus Declaration - https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/geneva-consensus-declaration-english.pdf CLC article, 'Canada Must Join the Geneva Consensus Declaration' - https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/clc-blog/id/118/title/canada-must-join-the-geneva-consensus LifeSite article, '32 nations, including US, declare ‘no international right to abortion’ at UN' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/32-nations-including-us-declare-no-international-right-to-abortion-at-un Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition
1. The Bill imposes one narrow, ideological view of sexuality and gender, which violates the fundamental Charter freedom of Canadians to have their own thoughts, beliefs and opinions concerning sexuality and gender.
2. Bill C-6 discriminates against LGBTQ persons by denying their equal right to receive the support or therapy of their own choosing concerning their sexuality, gender identity, sexual addictions and sexual behaviour.
3. Bill C-6 removes the ability of health professionals and parents to determine treatments in the best interests of children who are experiencing gender distress, and instead imposes a one-size-fits-all treatment of psychological, hormonal and potentially surgical gender transition.
4. Bill C-6 interferes severely with the teaching and practice of religious beliefs regarding sexuality and gender identity, and prevents religious LGBTQ persons from receiving support in accordance with their own religious faith. This violates the Charter freedom of religion and conscience, especially for LGBTQ Canadians, as well as LGBTQ equality rights.
The amendments to the Criminal Code contained in Bill C-6 propose prison terms of up to two or five years to enforce these unconscionable — and unconstitutional — restrictions on Canadians.
“Given Bill C-6’s far-reaching impacts on Canadians’ fundamental rights, and its interference in their voluntary choices concerning their own sexuality and gender, such a law cannot be justified in Canada’s free and democratic society,” states Justice Centre staff lawyer, Marty Moore. “Bill C-6 is an overbroad, arbitrary and discriminatory violation of Canadians’ human rights and constitutional rights and freedoms,” Moore continues.
The Justice Centre is calling on MPs to oppose Bill C-6 in its entirety, or to vote in favour only if this Bill is properly amended such that it does not outlaw supportive counseling and care.
Harm already inflicted: the case of NB
Other stakeholders and citizens are sounding the alarm about Bill C-6, and have made submissions of their own. The Justice Centre’s client, Pamela Buffone, whose daughter “NB” was told by her grade one teacher that “boys and girls are not real”, has also provided a submission to the Standing Committee.
Ms. Buffone describes the experience her daughter went through, which included being shown a QueerKids video promoting the use of different pronouns rather than he/him for boys and she/her for girls. The teacher read storybooks and used the phrase “there’s no such thing as girls or boys” on different occasions in discussions with the children. The topic of sex changes was also discussed in this class of young children aged 6 to 7. On one occasion, NB and her classmates each wrote their names on a gender spectrum at the front of the classroom, based on whether they “felt” like a typical girl or boy. NB was the only child to write her name directly at the end of the spectrum the teacher had labelled “girl”. In this lesson the teacher told the class that “girls are not real and boys are not real”.
“What happened in my daughter’s classroom was ‘a practice designed to change a person’s gender identity’ — the very definition of conversion therapy that you are criminalizing with your Bill,” stated Pamela Buffone in her submission to the Committee. “The lessons that were delivered in my daughter’s class were designed to replace the way children identify their gender from the stable categorization model based on biological sex to the new gender identity model that is based entirely on stereotypes and ‘feelings’,” she continued.
NB and her mother, with the help of the Justice Centre, have brought a case against the school board, teacher and principal for discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity. The case is now waiting for a hearing date with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
As children and adolescents like NB are increasingly being exposed to the concepts of gender fluidity and queer theory in their classrooms, more children are now questioning their identity. Children and adolescents are being referred to gender clinics at a dramatically increasing rate. Many are also dealing with mental conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and autism. Others are struggling to come to terms with their same-sex attraction. Still others are caught up in an internet-fueled social contagion that sees multiple (usually female) young people in the same classroom “come out as trans”.
Most of these children (approximately 85%) will comfortably settle into their natal gender if simply allowed to go through puberty with a “watchful waiting” approach. But Bill C-6 may criminalize watchful waiting as “conversion therapy,” and impair the professional discretion and judgment of health professionals in determining the best approach for each individual child.
“With Bill C-6, the Federal Government is telling us that the only possible path for children who say they are transgender is the most extreme one, and anyone who provides an alternative approach, including their loving parents, could be charged with a criminal offence and face jail time,” says Justice Centre staff lawyer Lisa Bildy. “The real ‘conversion therapy’ here will be the government’s funneling of young people down a path of social, medical, and potentially surgical transition into the opposite gender, when the vast majority would have simply grown into their natal gender through watchful waiting,” Bildy concludes.
As Ms. Buffone noted in her submissions, “The rest of us — parents with the best interests of our children at heart and even those who are not necessarily against medical transition under very careful and controlled circumstances — now face the reality that the State will soon have complete control of not only teaching our children to identify as a gender that is different from their birth sex, but medically transitioning them simply because a distressed young person suddenly declares that they are a different gender and demands gender-affirming ‘healthcare’ to align their body with their ideal image of themselves.”
Published with permission from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
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lifesitenews--2020-11-12--When I descended into LGBT madness, it was my father’s prayers that saved me

November 12 , 2020 ( Sons of St. Joseph ) — My dad was a good father .
I didn ’ t always think so .
When I was a kid , I thought he ignored me ; he paid more attention to his work , my other siblings , even his business associates and friends .
When I was around him , I felt like a nuisance .
When he spoke to me , I heard only criticism .
As a teenager , I avoided him .
I believed that my radical appearance , behavior , and bad attitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subconsciously I wanted him to notice me .
At some point I think he gave up ; and I officially became , what my father said to my mom : “ your son.
” I reckoned that was the ultimate cast-off .
Until I went away to college , I barely tolerated him .
When I occasionally returned home , between us , not much was said .
Almost nothing .
Although I didn ’ t fully recognize that I did such a thing , I continually uptaked my willingness to transgress in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tattoos , various easter-egg hair colors , and increasingly strange looking friends , pushed my dad to the edge , but he didn ’ t say anything .
Until the day he did .
Afterwards , I considered my dad to be an even bigger homophobic bigot .
My assessment of him was a result of his reluctance to tell me everything I wanted to hear .
Ever since a priest said to me : God made me gay ... and it was beautiful , I almost expected a reutterance of this affirmation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ male community , I got that daily encouragement .
In my estimation — my father was the lone holdout .
Although I thought I knew what I wanted to hear , I actually needed something else .
In hindsight , as a teenager , when I asked a priest for advice , concerning my sexuality , I kind of knew what he would say , but I hoped he would say something else .
He didn ’ t .
But my dad did .
My father wasn ’ t an educated man ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in theology ; he didn ’ t have any degree at all .
But he had common sense , and he had love .
After a weekend spent at my parents ’ house , accompanied by a couple of friends from San Francisco ; while they were rather circumspect and respectful , despite their outrageous appearance , I was overly demonstrative and rude .
For years , my dad remained quiet , then — he had to speak .
In a calm tone — he said I couldn ’ t return with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open to me .
I swore that I ’ d never come back .
Only , a few years later — I showed up , albeit decidedly less arrogant and demanding .
The willingness of my father to say the truth — saved me .
But he could only accomplish that little enormous feat because his fortitude was solidified by a life of prayer .
My father didn ’ t lift weights to get outwardly pumped ; he was too old and ill to do that .
But he prayed the Rosary on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mysteries , twice a day ; that ’ s over 400 Hail Marys .
That takes true endurance and strength .
The truth is difficult to speak ; it ’ s never the easier option .
It often invites persecution , ridicule , and hostility .
Considering the past , I wondered what I would find at home ; like the “ prodigal son , ” I found my father waiting .
In the Catholic Church , I quickly discovered that true examples of “ fatherly ” strength were difficult to track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that priests ( fathers ) were waiting there for me — but they were the same ones who told me that God made me gay .
Only I wasn ’ t an impressionable sixteen-year-old boy anymore .
The church wasn ’ t providing me with the safe and welcoming place to find myself — I already had one : with my dad .
But other young men and women have not benefited from having a parent who didn ’ t capitulate ; not everyone speaks up like my father ; dads often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take over ; hence the propensity for gay men to have closer relationships with their mothers than their fathers .
But as many fathers do not realize , as St. Thomas More famously stated , silence gives consent .
Say something ; or you will lose everything .
If you invite disorder into your family , chaos will soon follow .
My father took a chance ; and my mother was willing to let him do it .
Some mothers of a “ gay ” son will find that a difficult proposition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and widen between a father and a son , the need to protect the wounded straggler is a power instinct .
Yet the breach between father and son can only be healed by the father .
Inevitably mistakes will be made , things will be said in anger , and actions taken that were influenced by emotions rather than calm reasoning .
But that ’ s okay .
It ’ s part of the battle — things can get messy .
But a true father , when the smoke dissipates , tries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleans up the mess , he doesn ’ t make them .
St. Joseph always served as a model for my father ; as the world they knew came crashing down around the Holy Family — occupation by a militaristic empire , mass infanticide , and eventual exile , St. Joseph never surrendered those entrusted to him over to the evil of the age .
Like all parents , my dad made some missteps ; he wasn ’ t always there , but he was never malicious .
He thought he was doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those choices and deficiencies , he paid a price .
He had to watch as I threw my life away .
He spoke , but I wouldn ’ t listen .
What was left ?
Prayer .
But not just any sort of prayer .
Not a quick little appeal to God at bedtime .
And certainly not a prayer for “ pride ” month .
Intense , strenuous , endless prayer .
Pain and sacrifice .
It was the only way .
In the end , it all could have been for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love requires at least the desire to try .
Like God , my father didn ’ t give up on me .
In the end , he finally showed me that he did care .
Published with permission from the Sons of St. Joseph .

November 12, 2020 (Sons of St. Joseph) — My dad was a good father. I didn’t always think so. When I was a kid, I thought he ignored me; he paid more attention to his work, my other siblings, even his business associates and friends. When I was around him, I felt like a nuisance. When he spoke to me, I heard only criticism.
As a teenager, I avoided him. I believed that my radical appearance, behavior, and bad attitude were all in spite of him; subconsciously I wanted him to notice me. At some point I think he gave up; and I officially became, what my father said to my mom: “your son.” I reckoned that was the ultimate cast-off. Until I went away to college, I barely tolerated him.
When I occasionally returned home, between us, not much was said. Almost nothing. Although I didn’t fully recognize that I did such a thing, I continually uptaked my willingness to transgress in order to shock — my father. Tattoos, various easter-egg hair colors, and increasingly strange looking friends, pushed my dad to the edge, but he didn’t say anything. Until the day he did.
Afterwards, I considered my dad to be an even bigger homophobic bigot. My assessment of him was a result of his reluctance to tell me everything I wanted to hear. Ever since a priest said to me: God made me gay…and it was beautiful, I almost expected a reutterance of this affirmation — from everyone. In the gay male community, I got that daily encouragement. In my estimation — my father was the lone holdout. Although I thought I knew what I wanted to hear, I actually needed something else. In hindsight, as a teenager, when I asked a priest for advice, concerning my sexuality, I kind of knew what he would say, but I hoped he would say something else. He didn’t. But my dad did.
My father wasn’t an educated man; he didn’t have a degree in theology; he didn’t have any degree at all. But he had common sense, and he had love. After a weekend spent at my parents’ house, accompanied by a couple of friends from San Francisco; while they were rather circumspect and respectful, despite their outrageous appearance, I was overly demonstrative and rude. For years, my dad remained quiet, then — he had to speak. In a calm tone — he said I couldn’t return with my friends. But the door was always open to me. I swore that I’d never come back. Only, a few years later — I showed up, albeit decidedly less arrogant and demanding.
The willingness of my father to say the truth — saved me. But he could only accomplish that little enormous feat because his fortitude was solidified by a life of prayer. My father didn’t lift weights to get outwardly pumped; he was too old and ill to do that. But he prayed the Rosary on a daily basis — all four sets of Mysteries, twice a day; that’s over 400 Hail Marys. That takes true endurance and strength. The truth is difficult to speak; it’s never the easier option. It often invites persecution, ridicule, and hostility. Considering the past, I wondered what I would find at home; like the “prodigal son,” I found my father waiting.
In the Catholic Church, I quickly discovered that true examples of “fatherly” strength were difficult to track down in the priesthood. I also found that priests (fathers) were waiting there for me — but they were the same ones who told me that God made me gay. Only I wasn’t an impressionable sixteen-year-old boy anymore. The church wasn’t providing me with the safe and welcoming place to find myself — I already had one: with my dad.
But other young men and women have not benefited from having a parent who didn’t capitulate; not everyone speaks up like my father; dads often isolate themselves in a corner while women take over; hence the propensity for gay men to have closer relationships with their mothers than their fathers. But as many fathers do not realize, as St. Thomas More famously stated, silence gives consent. Say something; or you will lose everything. If you invite disorder into your family, chaos will soon follow.
My father took a chance; and my mother was willing to let him do it. Some mothers of a “gay” son will find that a difficult proposition. After years of watching the alienation grow and widen between a father and a son, the need to protect the wounded straggler is a power instinct. Yet the breach between father and son can only be healed by the father. Inevitably mistakes will be made, things will be said in anger, and actions taken that were influenced by emotions rather than calm reasoning. But that’s okay. It’s part of the battle — things can get messy. But a true father, when the smoke dissipates, tries to restore order out of disorder; he cleans up the mess, he doesn’t make them.
St. Joseph always served as a model for my father; as the world they knew came crashing down around the Holy Family — occupation by a militaristic empire, mass infanticide, and eventual exile, St. Joseph never surrendered those entrusted to him over to the evil of the age.
Like all parents, my dad made some missteps; he wasn’t always there, but he was never malicious. He thought he was doing the right thing. Later, for those choices and deficiencies, he paid a price. He had to watch as I threw my life away. He spoke, but I wouldn’t listen. What was left? Prayer. But not just any sort of prayer. Not a quick little appeal to God at bedtime. And certainly not a prayer for “pride” month. Intense, strenuous, endless prayer. Pain and sacrifice. It was the only way. In the end, it all could have been for naught; but true fatherhood and true love requires at least the desire to try. Like God, my father didn’t give up on me. In the end, he finally showed me that he did care.
Published with permission from the Sons of St. Joseph.
Share