lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

August 14 , 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 .
Send photos or videos of you and your family praying the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]

(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--2020-08-14--In university and want to fight for life, family, faith? Apply to LifeSite’s new internship program

August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Are you passionate about fighting on the frontlines for Life , Faith , Family , and Freedom ?
Are you dismayed as the culture of death seems to engulf us ?
Are you discerning how the Lord is calling you to respond ?
Are you tired of sitting on the sidelines in this culture war and ready to make a stand ?
LifeSiteNews wants you to join us for a special opportunity in the launching of our official internship program .
We ’ re offering a university standard internship designed to recruit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight to restore Christian civilization .
The Fall 2020 program will begin on September 3rd and run through December 11th , 2020 .
LifeSite Interns will have the chance to serve alongside our amazingly gifted team of professionals on staff in various departments .
Taking each of their respective skillsets , interns will also learn the tools of leadership directly from some of the most effective pro-life , pro-family , and Catholic advocates alive today .
You will connect with others who share your passion for the faith and the restoration of culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference hosted by our Co-Founders John-Henry Westen & Steve Jalsevac where they present the vision and mission of LifeSite when it comes to fighting in the culture war .
During the semester , Interns will : • Make a weekly commitment of 10-15 hours for all internship responsibilities .
• Learn LifeSite ’ s approach in its media-focused mission by assisting in Department workflows for specifically assigned teams .
• Attend all orientation training sessions on September 3rd & 4th and report for assignments on Monday , September 7th .
• Participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key players in the movement .
• Have an opportunity to attend optional weekly formation calls featuring various books and publications such as True Devotion , Soul of the Apostolate , and Leadership Lessons from the U.S. Navy Seals .
• Will develop a high-quality portfolio to submit for college credit if applicable .
• Be entering Sophomore college-level studies OR have equivalent work experience • Abide by LifeSite ’ s conservative integral values found within our code of conduct • Be able to devote at least 10-15 hours to the internship every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission-driven career impacting life , family , faith , and culture All candidates are required to submit : • Responses to each of the application questions • A 60-90 second ( max ) video introducing themselves and explaining their interest in the internship • Two reference letters : one professional , one character Email your photo and video to : [ email protected ] If you have any difficulties with the application , please contact [ email protected ] The application deadline is September 1st .
We will select candidates to interview on @ @ @ @

We’re offering a university standard internship designed to recruit the next generation of leaders in the fight to restore Christian civilization.
August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Are you passionate about fighting on the frontlines for Life, Faith, Family, and Freedom? Are you dismayed as the culture of death seems to engulf us? Are you discerning how the Lord is calling you to respond? Are you tired of sitting on the sidelines in this culture war and ready to make a stand?
LifeSiteNews wants you to join us for a special opportunity in the launching of our official internship program. We’re offering a university standard internship designed to recruit the next generation of leaders in the fight to restore Christian civilization. The Fall 2020 program will begin on September 3rd and run through December 11th, 2020.
LifeSite Interns will have the chance to serve alongside our amazingly gifted team of professionals on staff in various departments. Taking each of their respective skillsets, interns will also learn the tools of leadership directly from some of the most effective pro-life, pro-family, and Catholic advocates alive today. You will connect with others who share your passion for the faith and the restoration of culture.
The internship opens with an online conference hosted by our Co-Founders John-Henry Westen & Steve Jalsevac where they present the vision and mission of LifeSite when it comes to fighting in the culture war.
Click here to apply
What to Expect
During the semester, Interns will:
Make a weekly commitment of 10-15 hours for all internship responsibilities. Rally Calls with Internship Director Assignment Calls with Department Director Execute, as needed, tasks and deliver high-quality results
for all internship responsibilities. Learn LifeSite’s approach in its media-focused mission by assisting in Department workflows for specifically assigned teams.
Attend all orientation training sessions on September 3rd & 4th and report for assignments on Monday, September 7th.
and report for assignments on Participate in monthly webcasts with leaders within LifeSite and key players in the movement.
with leaders within LifeSite and key players in the movement. Have an opportunity to attend optional weekly formation calls featuring various books and publications such as True Devotion, Soul of the Apostolate, and Leadership Lessons from the U.S. Navy Seals.
featuring various books and publications such as True Devotion, Soul of the Apostolate, and Leadership Lessons from the U.S. Navy Seals. Will develop a high-quality portfolio to submit for college credit if applicable.
Eligibility
Candidates must:
Be entering Sophomore college-level studies OR have equivalent work experience
Abide by LifeSite’s conservative integral values found within our code of conduct
Be able to devote at least 10-15 hours to the internship every week
Commit to attending all Internship required meetings
Be interested in pursuing a mission-driven career impacting life, family, faith, and culture
How to Apply
All candidates are required to submit:
A resume
Responses to each of the application questions
A photo
A 60-90 second (max) video introducing themselves and explaining their interest in the internship
Two reference letters: one professional, one character
Submit your application here: www.lifesitenews.com/internship
Email your photo and video to: [email protected]
If you have any difficulties with the application, please contact [email protected]
The application deadline is September 1st. We will select candidates to interview on a rolling basis.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Learning the Catholic faith with the Baltimore Catechism

Formerly Heart to Heart with Mother Miriam , Mother Miriam Live brings you inspiration and solutions for life ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Miriam is a Catholic nun on a mission to bring hope to a world that @ @ @ @ @ let her share that hope and joy with you !
To tune into Mother Miriam @ @ @ @ @ Facebook page here every Monday to Friday at 10am .

To help keep this and other programs on the air, please donate here.
Watch this pre-recorded episode of Mother Miriam's Live re-aired on 8.14.2020. In today’s episode, Mother Miriam encourages users to delve into the Baltimore Catechism to learn the Catholic faith.
You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live email updates here.


lifesitenews--2020-08-14--WATCH: Church defies city restraining order despite threats of mass arrests and armed guards

THOUSAND OAKS , California , August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Churches across the state of California are being forced to halt indoor worship services thanks to a decree issued by liberal Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom .
But one Christian pastor is defying the state ’ s orders and literally risking his freedom for his sheep .
Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park told LifeSite correspondent Lisa Stover today that the “ draconian ” measures imposed by the state are “ an overreach ” and that he has no intention of closing his church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have a fear of man instead of a reverential fear of God , then you have to measure that and take a look at it , ” he said .
“ The supervisors and the counselors and all the folks that run government , they ’ re actors performing a script , ” McCoy continued .
“ If we 're not going to push back , they 'll take everything we surrender to them .
And we really have to stand because I know how government works .
Most pastors don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been serving on the Thousand Oaks City Council until April when he resigned over religious objections he had with the state ’ s coronavirus orders .
“ I can not submit to the authority that declares the church to be nonessential ” he said in a sermon at the time .
Earlier this week , a Ventura County judge ruled against county officials who wanted McCoy ’ s church to be closed out of fear keeping it open would “ cause great and irreparable injury to the general public ... including hospitalizations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held in contempt of court .
McCoy told LifeSite that his contempt hearing will be held next week .
McCoy clarified that the county wanted to “ beef up ” their temporary restraining order placed on him and that they wanted “ armed officers ” to shut the church down but that the judge turned down both their requests .
Godspeak has been hosting in-door services since May 31st .
The church has put in ionization machines , UV lights , and hand sanitizer dispensers as precautions to protect church-goers from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , no masks , ” McCoy said .
And yet there ’ s been “ no cases ” of COVID-19 .
Over the last few weeks , Godspeak has seen a massive uptick in attendance .
Typically , the church hosts 400 people on Sundays .
At recent Sunday services , there have been over two thousand attendees .
“ The church has exploded in growth ... we were in overflow…people just want to come to church , ” McCoy said .
Other churches are stepping up to coordinate efforts as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut their electricity .
Calvary Chapel Chino Hills , Grace Community Church , Cornerstone Church of Fresno , Destiny Christian Church of Rocklin , and Harvest Rock Church of Pasadena have all defied the governor ’ s orders .
Some have switched to outdoor services .
“ It is a big joke , ” McCoy said of the state-mandated restrictions .
“ We know the data .
Open up California now…open our businesses , open our schools .
Let 's move on with this .
”

Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park told LifeSite that the 'draconian' measures imposed by the state are 'an overreach' and that he has no intention of closing his church.
PETITION: Support pastors fighting against oppressive state mandates! Sign petition here.
THOUSAND OAKS, California, August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Churches across the state of California are being forced to halt indoor worship services thanks to a decree issued by liberal Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. But one Christian pastor is defying the state’s orders and literally risking his freedom for his sheep.
Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park told LifeSite correspondent Lisa Stover today that the “draconian” measures imposed by the state are “an overreach” and that he has no intention of closing his church.
“If your doors are closed because you have a fear of man instead of a reverential fear of God, then you have to measure that and take a look at it,” he said.
“The supervisors and the counselors and all the folks that run government, they’re actors performing a script,” McCoy continued. “If we're not going to push back, they'll take everything we surrender to them. And we really have to stand because I know how government works. Most pastors don’t. I do.”
McCoy had been serving on the Thousand Oaks City Council until April when he resigned over religious objections he had with the state’s coronavirus orders. “I cannot submit to the authority that declares the church to be nonessential” he said in a sermon at the time.
Earlier this week, a Ventura County judge ruled against county officials who wanted McCoy’s church to be closed out of fear keeping it open would “cause great and irreparable injury to the general public…including hospitalizations and deaths.” They also requested that he be held in contempt of court. McCoy told LifeSite that his contempt hearing will be held next week.
McCoy clarified that the county wanted to “beef up” their temporary restraining order placed on him and that they wanted “armed officers” to shut the church down but that the judge turned down both their requests.
Godspeak has been hosting in-door services since May 31st. The church has put in ionization machines, UV lights, and hand sanitizer dispensers as precautions to protect church-goers from the virus. “There's no social distancing, no masks,” McCoy said. And yet there’s been “no cases” of COVID-19.
Over the last few weeks, Godspeak has seen a massive uptick in attendance. Typically, the church hosts 400 people on Sundays. At recent Sunday services, there have been over two thousand attendees. “The church has exploded in growth…we were in overflow…people just want to come to church,” McCoy said.
Other churches are stepping up to coordinate efforts as well, even as local politicians threaten to cut their electricity. Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Grace Community Church, Cornerstone Church of Fresno, Destiny Christian Church of Rocklin, and Harvest Rock Church of Pasadena have all defied the governor’s orders. Some have switched to outdoor services.
“It is a big joke,” McCoy said of the state-mandated restrictions. “We know the data. Open up California now…open our businesses, open our schools. Let's move on with this.”
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Austin, Texas redirects police funding to ‘abortion access’

AUSTIN , Texas , August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Austin , Texas is doubling down on its stance as a sanctuary city for the abortion industry .
The city ’ s 2021 budget , approved unanimously by the all-Democrat Austin City Council yesterday , cuts funding for the Austin Police Department and redirects a portion of the funding to subsidize abortion .
Last year , the Texas Legislature passed a law prohibiting state and local governments from using taxpayer dollars to support abortion businesses and their affiliates .
However , the city of Austin circumvented this law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 in the city ’ s budget for abortion logistical services .
While the funding can not pay for the abortion procedure directly , this money is earmarked for expenses related to abortion , including transportation to the appointment , lodging , childcare , and legal services .
The city contracted with Jane ’ s Due Process , an anti-Life organization that exploits underage girls by showing them how to obtain abortions without their parents ’ involvement .
Pro-Life Austinites have since sued the city .
However , their 2019 lawsuits have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
In setting the budget for 2021 , Austin has reaffirmed its commitment to killing preborn children with taxpayer dollars by increasing the funding allotted for “ abortion access ” to $ 250,000 .
The approved budget cut $ 23 million from the Austin Police Department ’ s funding and shifted that money to pay for “ health and social services ” instead , unsurprisingly including “ abortion access.
” But abortion is not health care .
Abortion does nothing to improve the safety or wellness of our communities .
A procedure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a preborn child and leaves women spiritually , mentally , and oftentimes physically scarred can not be said to promote safety and care .
While Austin is predictably following the anti-life liberal roadmap , other Texas cities continue to stake out territory as Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn , prohibiting abortion in their jurisdictions and preventing abortion businesses from moving into their cities .
The pro-life movement must continue to offer pregnant women and their families life-affirming support and not leave “ care ” in the hands of abortion organizations or misguided liberal @ @

While the funding cannot pay for the abortion procedure directly, this money is earmarked for expenses related to abortion, including transportation to the appointment, lodging, childcare, and legal services.
AUSTIN, Texas, August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Austin, Texas is doubling down on its stance as a sanctuary city for the abortion industry. The city’s 2021 budget, approved unanimously by the all-Democrat Austin City Council yesterday, cuts funding for the Austin Police Department and redirects a portion of the funding to subsidize abortion.
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed a law prohibiting state and local governments from using taxpayer dollars to support abortion businesses and their affiliates. However, the city of Austin circumvented this law by including a line item of $150,000 in the city’s budget for abortion logistical services. While the funding cannot pay for the abortion procedure directly, this money is earmarked for expenses related to abortion, including transportation to the appointment, lodging, childcare, and legal services. The city contracted with Jane’s Due Process, an anti-Life organization that exploits underage girls by showing them how to obtain abortions without their parents’ involvement. Pro-Life Austinites have since sued the city. However, their 2019 lawsuits have been pending in county courts for almost a year.
In setting the budget for 2021, Austin has reaffirmed its commitment to killing preborn children with taxpayer dollars by increasing the funding allotted for “abortion access” to $250,000. The approved budget cut $23 million from the Austin Police Department’s funding and shifted that money to pay for “health and social services” instead, unsurprisingly including “abortion access.”
But abortion is not health care. Abortion does nothing to improve the safety or wellness of our communities. A procedure that always ends in the death of a preborn child and leaves women spiritually, mentally, and oftentimes physically scarred cannot be said to promote safety and care.
While Austin is predictably following the anti-life liberal roadmap, other Texas cities continue to stake out territory as Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn, prohibiting abortion in their jurisdictions and preventing abortion businesses from moving into their cities. The pro-life movement must continue to offer pregnant women and their families life-affirming support and not leave “care” in the hands of abortion organizations or misguided liberal cities.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Did you know many abortions are tax-deductible? These politicians hope to fix that

PETITION : Demand Planned Parenthood return $ 80M improperly taken from coronavirus emergency fund !
Sign the petition here .
WASHINGTON , D.C. , August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The U.S. Treasury Department must take action to ensure that the expense of an abortion can not be deducted from federal income taxes , more than 100 members of Congress wrote Wednesday in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
“ Abortion is not healthcare , ” declares the Senate Pro-Life Caucus letter , led by Republican Sens .
Mike Braun of Indiana and Warren Davidson of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a successful outcome depends on the death of a living human being , born or unborn , can not be considered health care.
” “ Under Rev .
Rul .
73-201 ( 1973 ) the IRS wrongly holds that amounts paid for any legal abortion are tax-deductible as ‘ medical care ’ under §213 ( d ) ( 1 ) ( A ) of the Internal Revenue Code - ‘ for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body ’ - and even prominently lists them as such in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This holding , in turn , creates tax breaks for abortions through the medical expenses deduction as well as through health flexible spending accounts , health savings accounts , health reimbursement arrangements , and other tax-preferred health accounts and tax breaks that incorporate §213 ( d ) ’ s definition of ‘ medical care.
’ ” To correct this situation , the group calls on Mnuchin to “ take swift action to issue new regulations ” ensuring that the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) does “ not consider abortions ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is physically endangered ) to be medical care , ” and to “ not treat premiums for health insurance that covers such abortions as medical care , unless in compliance with the law ’ s separate accounting requirements for coverage of non-medical care.
” The letter explains , “ Under longstanding IRS regulations , [ tax ] deductions for medical care under §213 must ‘ be confined strictly to expenses incurred primarily for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness.
’ ” “ In all but the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedure that has nothing to do with ‘ the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness , ’ ” the letter continues .
“ Pregnancy is a natural condition of the human body , for both the mother and her unborn child , and only rarely , if ever , does a pregnancy physically threaten the life of the mother in such a way that the mother 's death can only be averted by abortion , rather than through other means such as early induction or Caesarean section .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions ( except in the case of physical endangerment to the life of the mother ) to be medical care under §213 ( d ) and its implementing regulations.
” “ Every human life from the moment of conception is invaluable , ” Braun said in a statement .
“ Taking the life of an unborn child through abortion is certainly not health care and should not be treated as such.
” Pregnancy Help News notes that the letter has been endorsed by the March for Life , Susan B. Anthony List , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Catholic Bishops , Concerned Women for America , Americans United for Life , Heritage Action , Students for Life of America , and other pro-life organizations .
Though federal law bars most direct funding of abortions , hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars flow to the abortion industry supposedly for other purposes .
According to its latest annual report , Planned Parenthood received more than $ 616 million from the federal government last year while killing 345,672 preborn children .
This year , Planned Parenthood affiliates improperly obtained between $ 65.8 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help small businesses recover from COVID-19 restrictions .
The Trump administration has taken multiple executive actions to reduce the abortion industry ’ s federal funding , from reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy , which bars organizations involved in abortion from receiving foreign aid ; to instituting the Protect Life Rule , which disqualifies domestic entities involved in abortion from family planning funds ( the latter of which has cut off roughly a tenth of Planned Parenthood ’ s federal revenue ) .
More comprehensive defunding of the abortion industry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be joined by a pro-life majority in both chambers of Congress .

A little-known tax regulation allows many Americans to write abortions off on their taxes. These Congressmen are asking the Treasury Department to put an end to it.
PETITION: Demand Planned Parenthood return $80M improperly taken from coronavirus emergency fund! Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. Treasury Department must take action to ensure that the expense of an abortion cannot be deducted from federal income taxes, more than 100 members of Congress wrote Wednesday in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“Abortion is not healthcare,” declares the Senate Pro-Life Caucus letter, led by Republican Sens. Mike Braun of Indiana and Warren Davidson of Ohio. “Any procedure for which a successful outcome depends on the death of a living human being, born or unborn, cannot be considered health care.”
“Under Rev. Rul. 73-201 (1973) the IRS wrongly holds that amounts paid for any legal abortion are tax-deductible as ‘medical care’ under §213(d)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code – ‘for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body’ – and even prominently lists them as such in its Publication 502,” the letter explains. “This holding, in turn, creates tax breaks for abortions through the medical expenses deduction as well as through health flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, and other tax-preferred health accounts and tax breaks that incorporate §213(d)’s definition of ‘medical care.’”
To correct this situation, the group calls on Mnuchin to “take swift action to issue new regulations” ensuring that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does “not consider abortions (except when the mother’s life is physically endangered) to be medical care,” and to “not treat premiums for health insurance that covers such abortions as medical care, unless in compliance with the law’s separate accounting requirements for coverage of non-medical care.”
The letter explains, “Under longstanding IRS regulations, [tax] deductions for medical care under §213 must ‘be confined strictly to expenses incurred primarily for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness.’”
“In all but the most extreme circumstances, abortion is an elective procedure that has nothing to do with ‘the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness,’” the letter continues. “Pregnancy is a natural condition of the human body, for both the mother and her unborn child, and only rarely, if ever, does a pregnancy physically threaten the life of the mother in such a way that the mother's death can only be averted by abortion, rather than through other means such as early induction or Caesarean section. Therefore, the IRS must cease considering abortions (except in the case of physical endangerment to the life of the mother) to be medical care under §213(d) and its implementing regulations.”
“Every human life from the moment of conception is invaluable,” Braun said in a statement. “Taking the life of an unborn child through abortion is certainly not health care and should not be treated as such.”
Pregnancy Help News notes that the letter has been endorsed by the March for Life, Susan B. Anthony List, Family Research Council, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Concerned Women for America, Americans United for Life, Heritage Action, Students for Life of America, and other pro-life organizations.
Though federal law bars most direct funding of abortions, hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars flow to the abortion industry supposedly for other purposes. According to its latest annual report, Planned Parenthood received more than $616 million from the federal government last year while killing 345,672 preborn children. This year, Planned Parenthood affiliates improperly obtained between $65.8 million and $135 million in loans meant to help small businesses recover from COVID-19 restrictions.
The Trump administration has taken multiple executive actions to reduce the abortion industry’s federal funding, from reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy, which bars organizations involved in abortion from receiving foreign aid; to instituting the Protect Life Rule, which disqualifies domestic entities involved in abortion from family planning funds (the latter of which has cut off roughly a tenth of Planned Parenthood’s federal revenue). More comprehensive defunding of the abortion industry, however, would require President Donald Trump be joined by a pro-life majority in both chambers of Congress.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Trudeau must ‘resign’ over WE Charity scandal or we’ll trigger election: Bloc Québécois party leader

OTTAWA , Ontario , August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois Party said Wednesday that if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not resign over the We Charity scandal than he would be open to triggering an election this fall .
“ My position and the Bloc ’ s position is clear .
Mr. Morneau , Mr. Trudeau , and I would add Miss Telford , should all resign because it would be better to keep a certain stability in the government to manage the crisis , ” said Yves-François Blanchet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday in French as translated to English .
“ What ’ s worse , is it worse to find ourselves in an election campaign than to leave people at the wheel who are managing this financial scandal , and who have really done a dubious job of managing taxpayer ’ s money ?
” The Bloc Quebecois is a regional political party in Canada that seeks independence of the mostly French-speaking province of Quebec and speaks mostly to issues affecting Quebec .
Blanchet said it was not his “ first choice ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would “ do it , ” and promised in the coming months to ask the question again .
He also said he would consult with his fellow Quebecers about the idea of a fall election should Trudeau , Finance Minister Bill Morneau , and Trudeau ’ s chief of staff Katie Telford not resign .
A reporter asked Blanchet if it was “ even safe ” to trigger a fall election considering the “ pandemic ” taking place .
Blanchet replied by saying , “ Which is more dangerous .
A mismanagement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change the people who are managing the crisis.
” “ I ’ m not the one to impose an answer to that , but it is the job of the parliament to do so.
” During the Wednesday press conference , Blanchet said that in addition to the WE Charity scandal , parliament needs to deal with Trudeau ’ s handling of his government ’ s spending as a result of the extraordinary powers granted to them in the name of combating the coronavirus .
“ Does Justin Trudeau ’ s government deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the confidence of Quebecers and Canadians ?
” In answering yet another question from a reporter about his call for Trudeau to resign , Blanchet said , “ which is worse ” to keep the Trudeau government or replace them with one that is “ better suited for the job.
” When asked if he has spoken to other opposition parties about his calling for a fall election , Blanchet said that they have not had any formal ones , but that some “ might come ” in the next few days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation by the ethics commissioner .
They have both issued apologies for not recusing themselves from their cabinet discussions to approve the now-canceled contract with the WE Charity , which would have seen WE get up to $ 43.5 million to administer the Canada Student Service Grants program ( CSSG ) .
The CSSG was designed to give grants to students in kind for volunteering but has been put on hold after the WE Charity agreement was dissolved .
The WE Charity investigation is Trudeau ’ s third ethics investigation since becoming prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 House of Commons finance committee meeting , Conservative M.P .
Pierre Poilievre repeatedly needled Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to come clean with the exact dollar amount his family has received from WE Charity appearances .
Trudeau is facing a backlash because his mother and brother received an estimated $ 300,000 in the last four years to speak at WE events .
It was revealed his wife was paid $ 1,400 to speak at a WE Day event back in 2012 .
Trudeau ’ s finance minister , Bill Morneau , recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a check for $ 41,366 as reimbursement for WE Charity travel expenses he had incurred for two family trips with the organization in 2017 .
In a rare move for a Canadian prime minister , Trudeau appeared as a witness at the July 30 meeting to testify before the committee to speak to his government ’ s relationship with WE Charity .
The Bloc Quebecois currently holds 32 seats in the Canadian House of Commons .
The Liberal Party under Trudeau holds the most seats in the House of Commons , at 156 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 338 total House of Commons seats , meaning the Liberals are 14 seats shy of a majority .
The Conservative party holds 121 seats , while the NDP holds 24 seats .
The remainder of the seats are held by the Green party at three seats , and two independents .
To bring the Trudeau government down in a no-confidence vote and force an election , the Bloc Quebecois would need the support of all of the Conservative party , and the three Greens and two Independents to pass a motion of no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote of no confidence with the support of the NDP , but they have stated they are open to continuing their support for the Trudeau government so long as they support measures important to their party , such as Employment Insurance reform .
Back in May , the Liberals , NDP , and the Green Party voted in favor of suspending regular sittings of the House until the fall .
The only House meetings currently being held are those of the COVID-19 committee , and Trudeau has been called out for his infrequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party is in the midst of a leadership race but this will be concluded by the end of August .
Blanchet , along with outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer first called on Trudeau to resign in July .
In July , Scheer said Trudeau and Morneau needed to “ step aside for the good of the country , ” and that the “ entire scandal reeks of corruption at the highest levels of the federal government.
” The four candidates in the running for party leadership , Dr. Leslyn Lewis , M.P .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and MP Erin O ’ Toole have all in some way promised to hold Trudeau to account .
O ’ Toole told reporters Wednesday that the Liberal government should be “ put out of its misery '' but said he would talk with his caucus “ before I do anything ” in triggering a fall election should he win .
WE Charity has announced that it is canceling WE Days “ indefinitely ” and is focusing on restructuring .
Moreover , performances at WE Days “ have been repeatedly criticized by family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raunchy lyrics and suggestive dance routines , ” observed Parents As First Educators ( PAFE ) president Teresa Pierre in an email to supporters .
PAFE has called for people to write to their school Trustees to demand that their local school boards cut ties with the WE Charity .
Many provinces such as Alberta , Saskatchewan , and Ontario have already announced that they are terminating their agreements between their schools and WE Charity .

'My position and the Bloc’s position is clear. Mr. Morneau, Mr. Trudeau, and I would add Miss Telford, should all resign'
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OTTAWA, Ontario, August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois Party said Wednesday that if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not resign over the We Charity scandal than he would be open to triggering an election this fall.
“My position and the Bloc’s position is clear. Mr. Morneau, Mr. Trudeau, and I would add Miss Telford, should all resign because it would be better to keep a certain stability in the government to manage the crisis,” said Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Quebecois to reporters on Wednesday in French as translated to English.
“What’s worse, is it worse to find ourselves in an election campaign than to leave people at the wheel who are managing this financial scandal, and who have really done a dubious job of managing taxpayer’s money?”
The Bloc Quebecois is a regional political party in Canada that seeks independence of the mostly French-speaking province of Quebec and speaks mostly to issues affecting Quebec.
Blanchet said it was not his “first choice” to trigger an election but if needed would “do it,” and promised in the coming months to ask the question again.
He also said he would consult with his fellow Quebecers about the idea of a fall election should Trudeau, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, and Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford not resign.
A reporter asked Blanchet if it was “even safe” to trigger a fall election considering the “pandemic” taking place.
Blanchet replied by saying, “Which is more dangerous. A mismanagement of a crisis or taking the time to change the people who are managing the crisis.”
“I’m not the one to impose an answer to that, but it is the job of the parliament to do so.”
During the Wednesday press conference, Blanchet said that in addition to the WE Charity scandal, parliament needs to deal with Trudeau’s handling of his government’s spending as a result of the extraordinary powers granted to them in the name of combating the coronavirus.
“Does Justin Trudeau’s government deserve our confidence, does his government deserve the confidence of Quebecers and Canadians?”
In answering yet another question from a reporter about his call for Trudeau to resign, Blanchet said, “which is worse” to keep the Trudeau government or replace them with one that is “better suited for the job.”
When asked if he has spoken to other opposition parties about his calling for a fall election, Blanchet said that they have not had any formal ones, but that some “might come” in the next few days.
Both Trudeau and Morneau are currently under investigation by the ethics commissioner. They have both issued apologies for not recusing themselves from their cabinet discussions to approve the now-canceled contract with the WE Charity, which would have seen WE get up to $43.5 million to administer the Canada Student Service Grants program (CSSG).
The CSSG was designed to give grants to students in kind for volunteering but has been put on hold after the WE Charity agreement was dissolved.
The WE Charity investigation is Trudeau’s third ethics investigation since becoming prime minister in 2015.
At a July 30 House of Commons finance committee meeting, Conservative M.P. Pierre Poilievre repeatedly needled Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to come clean with the exact dollar amount his family has received from WE Charity appearances.
Trudeau is facing a backlash because his mother and brother received an estimated $300,000 in the last four years to speak at WE events. It was revealed his wife was paid $1,400 to speak at a WE Day event back in 2012.
Trudeau’s finance minister, Bill Morneau, recently told the finance committee that he wrote a check for $41,366 as reimbursement for WE Charity travel expenses he had incurred for two family trips with the organization in 2017.
In a rare move for a Canadian prime minister, Trudeau appeared as a witness at the July 30 meeting to testify before the committee to speak to his government’s relationship with WE Charity.
The Bloc Quebecois currently holds 32 seats in the Canadian House of Commons. The Liberal Party under Trudeau holds the most seats in the House of Commons, at 156 seats. This is out of the 338 total House of Commons seats, meaning the Liberals are 14 seats shy of a majority.
The Conservative party holds 121 seats, while the NDP holds 24 seats. The remainder of the seats are held by the Green party at three seats, and two independents.
To bring the Trudeau government down in a no-confidence vote and force an election, the Bloc Quebecois would need the support of all of the Conservative party, and the three Greens and two Independents to pass a motion of no confidence.
They could also pass a vote of no confidence with the support of the NDP, but they have stated they are open to continuing their support for the Trudeau government so long as they support measures important to their party, such as Employment Insurance reform.
Back in May, the Liberals, NDP, and the Green Party voted in favor of suspending regular sittings of the House until the fall.
The only House meetings currently being held are those of the COVID-19 committee, and Trudeau has been called out for his infrequent attendance at those meetings.
The Conservative Party is in the midst of a leadership race but this will be concluded by the end of August.
Blanchet, along with outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer first called on Trudeau to resign in July.
In July, Scheer said Trudeau and Morneau needed to “step aside for the good of the country,” and that the “entire scandal reeks of corruption at the highest levels of the federal government.”
The four candidates in the running for party leadership, Dr. Leslyn Lewis, M.P. Derek Sloan, former MP Peter MacKay, and MP Erin O’Toole have all in some way promised to hold Trudeau to account.
O’Toole told reporters Wednesday that the Liberal government should be “put out of its misery” but said he would talk with his caucus “before I do anything” in triggering a fall election should he win.
WE Charity has announced that it is canceling WE Days “indefinitely” and is focusing on restructuring.
Moreover, performances at WE Days “have been repeatedly criticized by family values organizations over the years for their raunchy lyrics and suggestive dance routines,” observed Parents As First Educators (PAFE) president Teresa Pierre in an email to supporters.
PAFE has called for people to write to their school Trustees to demand that their local school boards cut ties with the WE Charity.
Many provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario have already announced that they are terminating their agreements between their schools and WE Charity.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Why faithful Catholics cannot support the BLM revolt

August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – An editorial in The New York Times by Elizabeth Bruenig titled “ Racism Makes a Liar of God ” presents a sentimental yet stinging indictment of Catholics who reject the present anti-racist activism .
She can not understand why these generally conservative Catholics can not bring themselves to pronounce the three explosive words : Black Lives Matter .
The editorial calls upon these Catholics to rise above the polemics surrounding the movement and embrace the historical moment to fight racism .
Catholics should unconditionally proclaim the slogan , even “ understand ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in activism as means to “ fulfill the hope laid out for Christians in the first epistle of John : ‘ Let us love , not in word or speech , but in truth and action.
’ ” Such rhetoric oversimplifies the position of countless Catholics perplexed by the call to join the BLM revolution .
They are far from being the cold , heartless and oblivious Christians Mrs. Bruenig paints in her op-ed .
They are filled , however , with legitimate concerns that need to be addressed .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black lives matter ” without any problem .
The Catholic Church was the institution that , for the first time in history , broke the back of “ systemic ” slavery that was the fate of most people in the ancient pagan world .
The argument the Church advanced back then was that everyone is created with an immortal soul redeemed by Our Lord Jesus Christ .
And thus , all souls matter .
For this reason , the Church went forth and taught all nations , races , and peoples baptizing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives of Christian virtue .
The Church has a long and honorable history of seeking after the salvation of souls wherever they might be , even to the ends of the earth .
She never wavered in her conviction that all souls matter .
Thus , Catholics are by their nature anti-racist .
They ardently desire the salvation of all souls , without exception , regardless of race .
Of this , there can be no doubt .
The doubts come when it is time to pronounce the uppercased brand : Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes and philosophies that clash with the Church ’ s solicitude for the salvation of souls .
Reluctant Catholics wonder how BLM activists can fail to grasp that the message being transmitted by the movement is : Not all souls matter .
The cry of these three volatile words implies an endorsement of the breaking of God ’ s moral law since the BLM movement enthusiastically embraces the LGBTQ+ cause and Planned Parenthood .
The echoes of this catchy slogan resound on the violent streets of Portland , Oregon , where cursing Antifa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flags , destroy property and injure police officers of all races .
Intertwined in the motto ’ s short syllables is a Marxist class struggle narrative in bitter conflict with the Church ’ s social teachings and responsible for the death of tens of millions of lives…and the eternal damnation of countless souls .
Is it any wonder that Catholics can not bring themselves to utter these three words that can represent a spectacular clash with the Great Commission , which affirms that all souls matter ?
Justice demands that the BLM subversive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain falsehoods by which souls might well be lost .
Unless the movement abjures these evil influences , it can not command the respect , much less the allegiance of those Catholics who sincerely want to help .
Mrs. Bruenig dismisses these associations with leftist causes as incidental links that cloud the real debate over racism .
She holds that Marxist groups are but fellow travelers with whom all can and must march in protest against injustice .
Just as pro-lifers might march with atheists , so also Catholics can join Marxists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ used Catholics ( whom they dub “ useful idiots ” ) to further their nefarious cause .
All too often , this unholy alliance has later resulted in the persecution and death of the naïve Catholics who embarked on this dangerous path .
The writer also tends to reduce the resistance to the BLM cause to conservative reactions to the vandalism of churches and statues .
Indeed , the desire to damage and destroy is openly admitted .
BLM sympathizer Shaun King called for the smashing of white Jesus representations , saints and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” However , Mrs. Bruenig claims destroyed property can be rebuilt or replaced ( much , probably , will never be ) .
Ignoring the wisdom in the adage that “ two wrongs don ’ t make one right , ” she repeats the cruel and false mantra that reluctant Catholics value money and property over black lives .
Everyone knows the statues themselves are not the target in the attack .
Rather , it is who they represent .
Reducing Catholic resistance to an attachment to real or personal Church property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never be a morally legitimate channel of protest for the loss of life .
It is immoral to sin against the Seventh Commandment in protest over violations of the Fifth .
Both acts are morally indefensible .
They subvert the nation ’ s common good and must be rejected .
Reasons Why This Cause Can not Be Embraced These simplistic excuses are but a sideshow that deflects from the real issues .
There are three telltale signs in the BLM movement that indicate why Catholics can not embrace this revolutionary cause and still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first is the movement ’ s hypocritical unconcern for the innocent lives of black unborn babies .
Indeed , its militants , sympathizers , media supporters , business CEO enablers and fellow travelers are all part of the pro-abortion establishment .
BLM embraces the sin of procured abortion , the scourge of the black community .
This untenable position signals to concerned Catholics that the movement does not believe these babies have immortal souls that are redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ .
These souls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not matter to the BLM movement .
The second reason why Catholics must withhold support is that the movement clashes with the Church ’ s moral teaching .
Again , BLM joins all those hostile to Church teaching and those on the wrong side of the long Culture War that is devastating families across America .
The crushing weight of absent fathers , struggling single mothers and broken families destroys the black community and puts its children at risk .
Yet BLM activists do not seem to care about restoring the family to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Eve , God instituted traditional marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others .
The Fourth Commandment enjoins children to honor their father and mother .
The perfect way to raise children is inside the shelter of the Christian family .
The BLM pledge is to “ disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘ villages ’ that collectively care for one another.
” Behind BLM ’ s “ queer‐affirming network , ” freed of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Catholics discern the anti-Christian paradigm .
It is unacceptable to anyone who believes that all souls matter .
The final reason for not supporting the cause is that the BLM promotes a secular narrative deeply steeped in the Marxist class-struggle dialectic of its two Marxist co-founders .
The movement adopts a false worldview where everything is explained by a division of society into oppressors and oppressed and mutual hatred between the two camps .
It is a cold , deterministic and materialistic narrative .
It does not accept the existence of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Catholic worldview in which so much is explained by things spiritual , sacramental and supernatural .
This perspective informed by the love of God and neighbor is the easiest and surest path to understanding the just and harmonious relationships that can and should exist among humanity ’ s various races and ethnicities .
Marxist egalitarianism is as removed from the Catholic sense as hell is from Heaven .
It is not fueled by love , but in the hatred easily seen in the actions of many sympathizers .
They eschew all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead to explode into obscenities and violence .
A Catholic response to the problem never excludes the key role of God and His grace .
It harmonizes people rather than dividing and pitting one against another .
Racism will only be overcome when confronted by a culture characterized by courtesy , respect and Christian charity , and the Catholic worldview that all souls matter .
What commentators like Mrs. Bruenig fail to understand is that they are involved in the wrong fight by the wrong people .
It is hard to grasp how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal establishment that has consistently opposed the Church and Her moral law .
Equally disturbing is how such commentators allow the debate to be framed by the left that has proposed a discourse without God and leads to the calamitous path of socialism and communism .
However , the most terrible part of their outlook is its incredibly narrow-minded vision of society .
Mrs. Bruenig and others have decried the reluctant Catholics as “ oblivious ” to the racial injustice found in economy , politics and culture .
However , these commentators are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral crisis that afflicts all society .
If they would but look around themselves , they would see how it is everywhere and is devastating America .
They would find broken families , black and white , suffering from the disastrous effects of the sexual revolution .
They would find shattered communities destroyed by an individualistic culture where no one cares for others , just themselves .
They would discover godless regions of the nation where vast segments of the population struggle with existential questions of why they live .
The racial issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into this generalized moral crisis .
To think that a solution can be found without a general moral conversion and return to virtuous and ordered living is wishful thinking .
A return to God is the only option .
This fight takes on importance in the face of the COVID crisis and its catastrophic economic consequences .
It does not take much to perceive that the whole system could easily come tumbling down .
Today ’ s strategy should be for all Americans to unite , not splinter , to find solutions together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces .
The most efficient way to solve the racial issue is to address this universal moral problem by which all souls matter .
John Horvat II is a scholar , researcher , educator , international speaker , and author of the book Return to Order , as well as the author of hundreds of published articles .
He lives in Spring Grove , Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family and Property

'There are three telltale signs in the BLM movement that indicate why Catholics cannot embrace this revolutionary cause and still be faithful to Our Lord Jesus Christ'
PETITION: Yes to reform. No to riots & revolution! Sign the petition here.
August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – An editorial in The New York Times by Elizabeth Bruenig titled “Racism Makes a Liar of God” presents a sentimental yet stinging indictment of Catholics who reject the present anti-racist activism. She cannot understand why these generally conservative Catholics cannot bring themselves to pronounce the three explosive words: Black Lives Matter.
The editorial calls upon these Catholics to rise above the polemics surrounding the movement and embrace the historical moment to fight racism. Catholics should unconditionally proclaim the slogan, even “understand” the reasons behind the violence and engage in activism as means to “fulfill the hope laid out for Christians in the first epistle of John: ‘Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.’”
All Souls Matter
Such rhetoric oversimplifies the position of countless Catholics perplexed by the call to join the BLM revolution. They are far from being the cold, heartless and oblivious Christians Mrs. Bruenig paints in her op-ed. They are filled, however, with legitimate concerns that need to be addressed.
Of course, these Catholics can pronounce a lowercased “black lives matter” without any problem. The Catholic Church was the institution that, for the first time in history, broke the back of “systemic” slavery that was the fate of most people in the ancient pagan world. The argument the Church advanced back then was that everyone is created with an immortal soul redeemed by Our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus, all souls matter.
For this reason, the Church went forth and taught all nations, races, and peoples baptizing them and instructing them on how to live lives of Christian virtue. The Church has a long and honorable history of seeking after the salvation of souls wherever they might be, even to the ends of the earth. She never wavered in her conviction that all souls matter.
Thus, Catholics are by their nature anti-racist. They ardently desire the salvation of all souls, without exception, regardless of race. Of this, there can be no doubt.
Attached to Unacceptable Causes
The doubts come when it is time to pronounce the uppercased brand: Black Lives Matter. Attached to this label are causes and philosophies that clash with the Church’s solicitude for the salvation of souls. Reluctant Catholics wonder how BLM activists can fail to grasp that the message being transmitted by the movement is: Not all souls matter.
The cry of these three volatile words implies an endorsement of the breaking of God’s moral law since the BLM movement enthusiastically embraces the LGBTQ+ cause and Planned Parenthood. The echoes of this catchy slogan resound on the violent streets of Portland, Oregon, where cursing Antifa and BLM rioters burn Bibles and U.S. flags, destroy property and injure police officers of all races. Intertwined in the motto’s short syllables is a Marxist class struggle narrative in bitter conflict with the Church’s social teachings and responsible for the death of tens of millions of lives…and the eternal damnation of countless souls.
Is it any wonder that Catholics cannot bring themselves to utter these three words that can represent a spectacular clash with the Great Commission, which affirms that all souls matter? Justice demands that the BLM subversive and immoral positions be rejected since they contain falsehoods by which souls might well be lost. Unless the movement abjures these evil influences, it cannot command the respect, much less the allegiance of those Catholics who sincerely want to help.
Excused as Incidental Links
Mrs. Bruenig dismisses these associations with leftist causes as incidental links that cloud the real debate over racism. She holds that Marxist groups are but fellow travelers with whom all can and must march in protest against injustice. Just as pro-lifers might march with atheists, so also Catholics can join Marxists. Never mind that Marxists have always astutely used Catholics (whom they dub “useful idiots”) to further their nefarious cause. All too often, this unholy alliance has later resulted in the persecution and death of the naïve Catholics who embarked on this dangerous path.
The writer also tends to reduce the resistance to the BLM cause to conservative reactions to the vandalism of churches and statues. Indeed, the desire to damage and destroy is openly admitted. BLM sympathizer Shaun King called for the smashing of white Jesus representations, saints and stain glass. “Tear them down!”
However, Mrs. Bruenig claims destroyed property can be rebuilt or replaced (much, probably, will never be). Ignoring the wisdom in the adage that “two wrongs don’t make one right,” she repeats the cruel and false mantra that reluctant Catholics value money and property over black lives. Everyone knows the statues themselves are not the target in the attack. Rather, it is who they represent. Reducing Catholic resistance to an attachment to real or personal Church property is again simplistic. Destroying property will never be a morally legitimate channel of protest for the loss of life. It is immoral to sin against the Seventh Commandment in protest over violations of the Fifth. Both acts are morally indefensible. They subvert the nation’s common good and must be rejected.
Reasons Why This Cause Cannot Be Embraced
These simplistic excuses are but a sideshow that deflects from the real issues.
There are three telltale signs in the BLM movement that indicate why Catholics cannot embrace this revolutionary cause and still be faithful to Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first is the movement’s hypocritical unconcern for the innocent lives of black unborn babies. Indeed, its militants, sympathizers, media supporters, business CEO enablers and fellow travelers are all part of the pro-abortion establishment. BLM embraces the sin of procured abortion, the scourge of the black community. This untenable position signals to concerned Catholics that the movement does not believe these babies have immortal souls that are redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These souls, tens of millions of them, do not matter to the BLM movement.
The second reason why Catholics must withhold support is that the movement clashes with the Church’s moral teaching. Again, BLM joins all those hostile to Church teaching and those on the wrong side of the long Culture War that is devastating families across America. The crushing weight of absent fathers, struggling single mothers and broken families destroys the black community and puts its children at risk. Yet BLM activists do not seem to care about restoring the family to its order and dignity. With Adam and Eve, God instituted traditional marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. The Fourth Commandment enjoins children to honor their father and mother. The perfect way to raise children is inside the shelter of the Christian family.
The BLM pledge is to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another.” Behind BLM’s “queer‐affirming network,” freed of “the tight grip of heteronormative thinking,” Catholics discern the anti-Christian paradigm. It is unacceptable to anyone who believes that all souls matter.
A Narrative Fueled by Hatred Not Love
The final reason for not supporting the cause is that the BLM promotes a secular narrative deeply steeped in the Marxist class-struggle dialectic of its two Marxist co-founders. The movement adopts a false worldview where everything is explained by a division of society into oppressors and oppressed and mutual hatred between the two camps. It is a cold, deterministic and materialistic narrative. It does not accept the existence of an immortal soul.
Nothing could be farther from the Catholic worldview in which so much is explained by things spiritual, sacramental and supernatural. This perspective informed by the love of God and neighbor is the easiest and surest path to understanding the just and harmonious relationships that can and should exist among humanity’s various races and ethnicities. Marxist egalitarianism is as removed from the Catholic sense as hell is from Heaven. It is not fueled by love, but in the hatred easily seen in the actions of many sympathizers. They eschew all polite and civil discourse. They prefer instead to explode into obscenities and violence.
A Catholic response to the problem never excludes the key role of God and His grace. It harmonizes people rather than dividing and pitting one against another. Racism will only be overcome when confronted by a culture characterized by courtesy, respect and Christian charity, and the Catholic worldview that all souls matter.
The Wrong Fight
What commentators like Mrs. Bruenig fail to understand is that they are involved in the wrong fight by the wrong people. It is hard to grasp how Catholics are expected to unite with a liberal establishment that has consistently opposed the Church and Her moral law. Equally disturbing is how such commentators allow the debate to be framed by the left that has proposed a discourse without God and leads to the calamitous path of socialism and communism.
However, the most terrible part of their outlook is its incredibly narrow-minded vision of society. Mrs. Bruenig and others have decried the reluctant Catholics as “oblivious” to the racial injustice found in economy, politics and culture.
However, these commentators are far more oblivious to the much greater moral crisis that afflicts all society. If they would but look around themselves, they would see how it is everywhere and is devastating America. They would find broken families, black and white, suffering from the disastrous effects of the sexual revolution. They would find shattered communities destroyed by an individualistic culture where no one cares for others, just themselves. They would discover godless regions of the nation where vast segments of the population struggle with existential questions of why they live.
The racial issue is extremely important, but it melds into this generalized moral crisis. To think that a solution can be found without a general moral conversion and return to virtuous and ordered living is wishful thinking. A return to God is the only option.
This fight takes on importance in the face of the COVID crisis and its catastrophic economic consequences. It does not take much to perceive that the whole system could easily come tumbling down. Today’s strategy should be for all Americans to unite, not splinter, to find solutions together to the huge moral problems the nation faces. The most efficient way to solve the racial issue is to address this universal moral problem by which all souls matter.
John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published articles. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Drag Queen Story Hour UK reveals true colors with ‘love has no age’ tweet

August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – We have been told for several years now that drag queens , at least in the context of teaching and reading stories to little children , are asexual , happy-go-lucky performers providing a service to kids , much like folks in medieval costume reading stories about knights and castles .
This is only believable if you really want to believe it , but it has also inoculated Drag Queen Story Hour from a series of scandals , from the discovery that one performer had previously assaulted an 8-year-old boy ; to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room full of children ; to drag troupes also moonlighting as obscene sexual performers .
More than one performer has been exposed as a child sex offender .
None of that generally matters because those who claim Drag Queen Story Hour has nothing to do with promoting the LGBT agenda and sexuality in general are lying , and most of them know it .
But I ’ ll be interested to know if the defenders of this practice will respond to a new scandal—an “ accidental ” tweet from the Twitter account of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was locked after a wave of outrage from users after they posted a picture with a pro-pedophilia message .
The tweet contained a photo of a smiling man wearing a rainbow suit and wielding a rainbow umbrella with the phrase “ Love has no age !
” Before people start defending the tweet as innocent , UK Drag Queen Storytime promptly deleted it a short time later as people started to point out the phrase , which is frequently used by pedophiles ( a riff on “ love has no gender ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ MAPs ” or “ minor-attracted persons.
” Last year Snapchat released a “ Love Has No Age ” filter for “ pride ” month and promptly pulled it again after similar backlash .
UK Drag Queen Storytime has locked down its Twitter account and deleted the tweet , but one enterprising social media user captured a screenshot of it before they could send it down the memory hole entirely .
For those who might claim that it is incendiary and slanderous to point out that the phrase “ love has no age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be pointed out that the British-run Paedophile Information Exchange ( known colloquially as PIE ) , which operated between 1974 and 1984 , campaigned to lower the age of consent using the slogan “ no age limit on love.
” When that phrase cropped up in an ill-advised ad campaign from a supermarket giant in the United Kingdom , it sparked outrage and made headlines precisely because the association of that phrase with pedophilia is well-known and widely accepted .
This is simply to point out that those who would like to write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Drag Queen Storytime are once again defending a practice that has sexual performers reading to children despite the various scandals that have been associated with the practice .
Who tweeted out a slogan used by pedophiles in the UK to push for access to younger and younger people ?
Why did they tweet out that slogan , considering the fact that the implications of it are well-known ?
The fact that it was deleted so swiftly and the account locked indicates that they realize they have made a mistake .
But what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first place ?
If Drag Queen Story Hour were a church-run organization , you can be assured that the media would be all over the story—and rightfully so .
But because we must all play along with the fiction that allowing drag queens to read stories to small children is inoffensive and sweet , we must also pretend that it is not at all concerning that an organization that markets itself to children tweeted out that “ Love has no age !
”

August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – We have been told for several years now that drag queens, at least in the context of teaching and reading stories to little children, are asexual, happy-go-lucky performers providing a service to kids, much like folks in medieval costume reading stories about knights and castles. This is only believable if you really want to believe it, but it has also inoculated Drag Queen Story Hour from a series of scandals, from the discovery that one performer had previously assaulted an 8-year-old boy; to a performer (possibly unintentionally) flashing a room full of children; to drag troupes also moonlighting as obscene sexual performers. More than one performer has been exposed as a child sex offender.
None of that generally matters because those who claim Drag Queen Story Hour has nothing to do with promoting the LGBT agenda and sexuality in general are lying, and most of them know it. But I’ll be interested to know if the defenders of this practice will respond to a new scandal—an “accidental” tweet from the Twitter account of the UK Drag Queen Story Hour, which was locked after a wave of outrage from users after they posted a picture with a pro-pedophilia message. The tweet contained a photo of a smiling man wearing a rainbow suit and wielding a rainbow umbrella with the phrase “Love has no age!”
Before people start defending the tweet as innocent, UK Drag Queen Storytime promptly deleted it a short time later as people started to point out the phrase, which is frequently used by pedophiles (a riff on “love has no gender”) who are attempting to rebrand as “MAPs” or “minor-attracted persons.” Last year Snapchat released a “Love Has No Age” filter for “pride” month and promptly pulled it again after similar backlash. UK Drag Queen Storytime has locked down its Twitter account and deleted the tweet, but one enterprising social media user captured a screenshot of it before they could send it down the memory hole entirely.
For those who might claim that it is incendiary and slanderous to point out that the phrase “love has no age” has pedophilic associations, it must be pointed out that the British-run Paedophile Information Exchange (known colloquially as PIE), which operated between 1974 and 1984, campaigned to lower the age of consent using the slogan “no age limit on love.” When that phrase cropped up in an ill-advised ad campaign from a supermarket giant in the United Kingdom, it sparked outrage and made headlines precisely because the association of that phrase with pedophilia is well-known and widely accepted.
This is simply to point out that those who would like to write this off as a smear campaign leveled against Drag Queen Storytime are once again defending a practice that has sexual performers reading to children despite the various scandals that have been associated with the practice. Who tweeted out a slogan used by pedophiles in the UK to push for access to younger and younger people? Why did they tweet out that slogan, considering the fact that the implications of it are well-known? The fact that it was deleted so swiftly and the account locked indicates that they realize they have made a mistake. But what possessed them to send out the statement in the first place?
If Drag Queen Story Hour were a church-run organization, you can be assured that the media would be all over the story—and rightfully so. But because we must all play along with the fiction that allowing drag queens to read stories to small children is inoffensive and sweet, we must also pretend that it is not at all concerning that an organization that markets itself to children tweeted out that “Love has no age!”
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-14--Biden-Sanders’ ‘Unity Plan’ doesn’t mention God even once. LGBT mentioned 17 times

August 14 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The 110-page , Biden-Sanders “ Unity Plan ” was released last month , but I failed to review it until just this week .
Some key word searches yielded some very interesting — and revealing — results .
For example , God is never mentioned in the document .
Not once .
As for “ religion , ” that is found one time , specifically in the section dealing with private schools .
It reads : “ Prohibit the disbursement of federal funds to organizations or providers that discriminate based on race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national origin , sexual orientation , gender identity , or immigration status.
” As for the word “ faith , ” it occurs four times .
But two of those are in the phrase “ bad faith.
” The other two clearly refer to the Islamic faith , in this description of some of the alleged horrors of the Trump administration ’ s immigration policy : “ banning people from traveling to the United States based on their faith or their country of origin ” ( repeated twice , verbatim , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three references to Muslims and none to Christians or Jews .
Suffice it to say , then , that protecting the religious rights of Americans , especially American Christians and Jews , is not a focus of this plan .
That , however , should occasion no surprise , since the Democrats last year boasted about being the party of the religiously non-affiliated .
( For the record , “ Israel ” is mentioned but once , and in this benign context : “ The United States will invite China , the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Kingdom and other countries to be partners in designing breakthrough technologies through the Clean Energy Ministerial ’ s Carbon Capture , Utilization , and Storage Initiative and Mission Innovation.
” ) In stark contrast to the absence of references to God and the paucity of references to faith , the word gender occurs 22 times .
More importantly , “ transgender ” occurs twice , and in very specific contexts : “ we will act expeditiously to reinstate Department of Education guidance protecting transgender students ’ rights under Title IX and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on LGBTQ status.
” ( This is repeated , although not verbatim , later in the plan . )
PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
Put another way , young ladies in high school , get ready to have boys who identify as girls sharing your bathrooms and locker rooms , by federal mandate .
And individual states , expect to lose your federal school funding should you refuse to comply .
But there ’ s more .
We also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the plan .
So , “ religion ” is mentioned once , “ Christian ” and “ Jew ” and “ God ” are not mentioned at all , but “ LGBTQ+ ” is mentioned 17 times .
Need I say more ?
As for ethnic issues , “ white ” is found 19 times , “ Native American ” 17 times , “ Latino ” 14 times , and “ brown ” 8 times .
In sharp contrast , “ black ” is found 50 times .
Not only so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ brown ” are spelled with lowercase “ w ” and “ b , ” respectively , Black is spelled with uppercase B .
Is this , then , the new way to fight equality , by exalting one group over the others , distinguishing Black from brown or white ?
Or is this simply a vivid example of pandering to the spirit of political correctness ?
Either way , it is bizarre to capitalize one description of color while leaving the others lowercase .
This was anything but an oversight .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ abortion , ” it occurs only once in the document , but it is part of a major paragraph devoted to outline the extreme nature of the Biden-Sanders plan .
It reads , “ Like the majority of Americans , Democrats believe that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services , including safe and legal abortion .
We will restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood , which provides vital preventive and reproductive health care for millions of women , especially low-income women and women of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including in underserved areas .
Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women ’ s reproductive rights , including repealing the Hyde Amendment , and will work to protect and codify Roe v. Wade .
We are proud to be the party of the Affordable Care Act , which made prescription contraceptives available free of charge to all women and has helped significantly reduce teen pregnancy rates.
” So , in anticipation of the official Democratic Platform , this plan promises to overturn pro-life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hyde Amendment ( which former Vice President Biden supported until the primaries ) , and seek to codify Roe v. Wade .
( According to The Cut , “ Codifying Roe v. Wade would take the question of safe and legal abortion out of the Supreme Court ’ s hands by passing legislation in Congress that guarantees women in every state the right to unfettered access to abortion care .
This would protect the right to choose even in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned.
” ) Of course , none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it is still striking to see the words on paper .
The Biden-Sanders plan is as pro-abortion as can be .
As for the rest of the plan , there are many more issues that could be addressed , but I simply focused on some of those that are of perennial concern to many evangelicals .
I also passed over head scratching statements like this : “ The U.S. economy is rigged against the American people.
” But of course .
Who didn ’ t know that ?
A good , robust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are no surprises here .
But there are certainly reasons for concern .

Suffice it to say that protecting the religious rights of Americans is not a focus of this plan.
August 14, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The 110-page, Biden-Sanders “Unity Plan” was released last month, but I failed to review it until just this week. Some key word searches yielded some very interesting — and revealing — results.
For example, God is never mentioned in the document. Not once.
As for “religion,” that is found one time, specifically in the section dealing with private schools. It reads: “Prohibit the disbursement of federal funds to organizations or providers that discriminate based on race, sex, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or immigration status.”
As for the word “faith,” it occurs four times. But two of those are in the phrase “bad faith.” The other two clearly refer to the Islamic faith, in this description of some of the alleged horrors of the Trump administration’s immigration policy: “banning people from traveling to the United States based on their faith or their country of origin” (repeated twice, verbatim, in the document). Accordingly, there are three references to Muslims and none to Christians or Jews.
Suffice it to say, then, that protecting the religious rights of Americans, especially American Christians and Jews, is not a focus of this plan. That, however, should occasion no surprise, since the Democrats last year boasted about being the party of the religiously non-affiliated. (For the record, “Israel” is mentioned but once, and in this benign context: “The United States will invite China, the EU, Israel, Sweden, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries to be partners in designing breakthrough technologies through the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Initiative and Mission Innovation.”)
In stark contrast to the absence of references to God and the paucity of references to faith, the word gender occurs 22 times.
More importantly, “transgender” occurs twice, and in very specific contexts: “we will act expeditiously to reinstate Department of Education guidance protecting transgender students’ rights under Title IX and make clear that schools shall not discriminate based on LGBTQ status.” (This is repeated, although not verbatim, later in the plan.)
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
Put another way, young ladies in high school, get ready to have boys who identify as girls sharing your bathrooms and locker rooms, by federal mandate. And individual states, expect to lose your federal school funding should you refuse to comply.
But there’s more. We also find “LGBTQ+” mentioned 17 times in the plan.
So, “religion” is mentioned once, “Christian” and “Jew” and “God” are not mentioned at all, but “LGBTQ+” is mentioned 17 times. Need I say more?
As for ethnic issues, “white” is found 19 times, “Native American” 17 times, “Latino” 14 times, and “brown” 8 times. In sharp contrast, “black” is found 50 times. Not only so, but while the words “white” and “brown” are spelled with lowercase “w” and “b,” respectively, Black is spelled with uppercase B.
Is this, then, the new way to fight equality, by exalting one group over the others, distinguishing Black from brown or white? Or is this simply a vivid example of pandering to the spirit of political correctness? Either way, it is bizarre to capitalize one description of color while leaving the others lowercase. This was anything but an oversight. Rather, it shouts intentionality.
As for “abortion,” it occurs only once in the document, but it is part of a major paragraph devoted to outline the extreme nature of the Biden-Sanders plan. It reads, “Like the majority of Americans, Democrats believe that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion. We will restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides vital preventive and reproductive health care for millions of women, especially low-income women and women of color, and LGBTQ+ people across the country, including in underserved areas. Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women’s reproductive rights, including repealing the Hyde Amendment, and will work to protect and codify Roe v. Wade. We are proud to be the party of the Affordable Care Act, which made prescription contraceptives available free of charge to all women and has helped significantly reduce teen pregnancy rates.”
So, in anticipation of the official Democratic Platform, this plan promises to overturn pro-life federal and state laws, repeal the Hyde Amendment (which former Vice President Biden supported until the primaries), and seek to codify Roe v. Wade. (According to The Cut, “Codifying Roe v. Wade would take the question of safe and legal abortion out of the Supreme Court’s hands by passing legislation in Congress that guarantees women in every state the right to unfettered access to abortion care. This would protect the right to choose even in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned.”)
Of course, none of this was in any doubt, but it is still striking to see the words on paper. The Biden-Sanders plan is as pro-abortion as can be.
As for the rest of the plan, there are many more issues that could be addressed, but I simply focused on some of those that are of perennial concern to many evangelicals.
I also passed over head scratching statements like this: “The U.S. economy is rigged against the American people.” But of course. Who didn’t know that? A good, robust socialism will surely cure that ill.
Again, there are no surprises here. But there are certainly reasons for concern.
Follow Michael Dr. Brown is the author of more than 35 books, including Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the “Church” and the Jewish People, which has been translated into more than twelve languages, the highly acclaimed five-volume series, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, a commentary on Jeremiah (part of the revised edition of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary), and several books on revival and the Jesus revolution. His most recent book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?
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