lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Healthcare CEO: ‘Hospitals in every corner of the country might close for good’ – live COVID-19 news

LifeSite ’ s previous ( and future ) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE .
The cancellation of “ elective ” surgeries and medical procedures has caused large numbers of healthcare workers , particularly in areas with low coronavirus numbers , to lose their jobs or be furloughed .
There are “ a historic number of empty beds in [ hospital ] systems left untouched by the pandemic , ” Rick Jackson , the CEO of the third-largest healthcare staffing company in the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account for half of all hospital revenue , which means hospitals are now making , and spending , half what they were this time last year , ” he explained .
“ It 's not surprising , then , that the industry shed a record 43,000 health care workers in the first month of this crisis .
Experts expect equal or greater layoffs this month , when the sustained forbearance has made revenue even more urgent.
” “ Even before this crisis , one in four rural hospitals were vulnerable to closure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have more empty beds than ever before.
” He warned that “ hospitals in every corner of the country might close for good.
” April 29 , 2020 , 7:24 p.m. EST : The Associated Press reports , “ A pregnant inmate whose baby was delivered by cesarean section while she was on a ventilator after being hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms has died in federal custody , the Bureau of Prisons said Tuesday.
” Her name was Andrea Circle Bear .
She was 30 years old .
April 29 , 2020 , 1:18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill de Blasio has threatened the “ Jewish community , and all communities ” with arrest if they gather in large groups during the city ’ s ongoing coronavirus lockdown .
His comments have been widely criticized .
On April 27 , a New York City emergency room doctor wrote an op-ed for the New York Post about why it ’ s “ time to start opening up ” the country again .
In Texas , beginning Friday , “ Retail stores , restaurants , movie theaters , and shopping malls will all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity to provide for social distancin , ” the Washington Examiner reports .
“ Libraries and museums were also approved to reopen at 25 % capacity , but hands-on exhibits must remain closed.
” According to CNN , “ Cash-strapped Lebanon is facing growing turmoil after the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak sparked violent protests over rising hunger and poverty.
” ... just last year , the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases , the organization led by Dr. [ Anthony ] Fauci , funded scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research on bat coronaviruses .
In 2019 , with the backing of NIAID , the National Institutes of Health committed $ 3.7 million over six years for research that included some gain-of-function work .
The program followed another $ 3.7 million , 5-year project for collecting and studying bat coronaviruses , which ended in 2019 , bringing the total to $ 7.4 million .
Many scientists have criticized gain of function research , which involves manipulating viruses in the lab to explore their potential for infecting humans , because it creates a risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
April 29 , 2020 , 9:23 a.m. EST : In his April 28 column , Dennis Prager wrote : ... the ease with which police state tactics have been employed and the equal ease with which most Americans have accepted them have been breathtaking .
People will argue that a temporary police state has been justified because of the allegedly unique threat to life posed by the new coronavirus .
I do not believe the data will bear that out .
Regardless , let us at least agree that we are closer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American history .
Prager argued that “ we are presently living with all four of the key hallmarks of a police state , ” which he lists as : • A mass media supportive of the state ’ s messaging and deprivation of rights ; • Use of police ; and “ Police departments throughout America have agreed to enforce these laws and edicts with what can only be described as frightening alacrity , ” he continued .
“ After hearing me describe police giving summonses to , or even arresting , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beach , jogging alone without a mask , or worshipping on Easter while sitting isolated in their cars in a church parking lot , a police officer called my show .
He explained that the police have no choice.
” And they are tipped off about people doing innocent activities like jogging without a mask by “ snitches.
” April 28 , 2020 , 4:04 p.m. EST : The Catholic bishops of Ohio have extended their ban on public Masses through May 29 .
They announced : We thank you for and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have already shown during this COVID-19 pandemic .
We realize the frustration , sadness , and loss the faithful felt not to be able to gather personally to celebrate the Paschal Mysteries during the Sacred Triduum and each Sunday .
During this time of sacrifice and longing , we have joined our prayers and hearts to yours , trusting that God will see us through this pandemic and reunite us at the Eucharistic Feast .
Out of deep concern for the common good as well as the physical and spiritual well-being of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic Bishops of Ohio have agreed once again to cooperate with the governor , and to support and abide by the multi-phased approach to returning to work and eventual public gathering in large groups .
April 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In Texas , police posing as customers arrested two women for offering “ a cosmetic , beauty service that is prohibited under the emergency ordinance ” out of their homes .
“ Police say the women were reported anonymously through the department 's app , ” Reason reported .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend nearly six months ( 180 days ) in jail .
John Zmirak and pro-life activist Jason Jones have written an article for The Stream titled , “ There is No ‘ Pro-Life ’ Position on the China Virus.
” They argue that “ hardcore lockdown virus hawks who claim that theirs is the only pro-life position ” are “ smothering the pro-life message under a smelly , polyester leftover from the 70s .
That is , the ‘ Seamless Garment.
’ ” The Seamless Garment works as a poison pill cooked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It turns the pro-life message into a reckless Utopian program .
Then it holds unborn children hostage to every other demand on the left ’ s agenda… Why should pro-lifers fall for this tactic when it comes to discussing efforts to weather this virus crisis ?
But that ’ s exactly what they ’ re doing .
That ’ s what it means to denounce efforts to balance the artificial poverty the government ’ s imposing on America against the potential lives saved by quarantining the country for indefinite months or years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a very specific purpose .
That is , to fight the direct , intentional killing of the innocent permitted or inflicted by the government .
That ’ s it .
So there is indeed a pro-life position on abortion , euthanasia , genocide , and ethnic cleansing .
But not on smoking , motorcycle helmets , gun laws , face masks , or hydroxychloroquine .
On April 23 , Politico reported , “ Canada 's public health authority says around 1 million KN95 respirators acquired from China have failed to meet federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professionals.
” Life Legal Defense Foundation is warning against a rush to place coronavirus patients on ventilators , noting it may end up doing more harm than good , and can be used as an excuse to deny other forms of life-sustaining care .
Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves has apologized for shutting down so many businesses , writing on Facebook , “ I really believe in my heart , there is no such thing as a non-essential business.
” Some Catholic churches in Montana will begin offering public Masses again this weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-opening plans of individual parishes .
Directives from the Montana bishops say , “ Priests may wish to remind the faithful that they are not required to receive Communion .
Distribution of holy Communion is to be offered in the hand only , with just care and reverence.
” Some recent LifeSiteNews articles on the coronavirus crisis include : • Chinese Communist Party ‘ the biggest and most serious virus of all ’ : Exiled human rights activist • ‘ Give us back our Mass !
’ : Young Catholics around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bishops to consecrate nations to Mary , seek her intercession against COVID-19 • Trump ’ s top diplomat says admin may never restore WHO funding over coronavirus • UK priest : Christ , not the NHS , is ‘ the beating heart of this country ’ • Abortion pill reversal hotline gets record number of calls during COVID-19 panic

Live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to pro-life issues, faith, and freedom.
LifeSite’s previous (and future) live updates on the coronavirus crisis and how it relates to issues our readers care about can be viewed HERE.
The cancellation of “elective” surgeries and medical procedures has caused large numbers of healthcare workers, particularly in areas with low coronavirus numbers, to lose their jobs or be furloughed.
There are “a historic number of empty beds in [hospital] systems left untouched by the pandemic,” Rick Jackson, the CEO of the third-largest healthcare staffing company in the United States, wrote for Newsweek.
“Outpatient services account for half of all hospital revenue, which means hospitals are now making, and spending, half what they were this time last year,” he explained. “It's not surprising, then, that the industry shed a record 43,000 health care workers in the first month of this crisis. Experts expect equal or greater layoffs this month, when the sustained forbearance has made revenue even more urgent.”
“Even before this crisis, one in four rural hospitals were vulnerable to closure. Now, many of these rural systems have more empty beds than ever before.”
He warned that “hospitals in every corner of the country might close for good.”
April 29, 2020, 7:24 p.m. EST: The Associated Press reports, “A pregnant inmate whose baby was delivered by cesarean section while she was on a ventilator after being hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms has died in federal custody, the Bureau of Prisons said Tuesday.”
Her name was Andrea Circle Bear. She was 30 years old.
April 29, 2020, 1:18 p.m. EST: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has threatened the “Jewish community, and all communities” with arrest if they gather in large groups during the city’s ongoing coronavirus lockdown. His comments have been widely criticized.
On April 27, a New York City emergency room doctor wrote an op-ed for the New York Post about why it’s “time to start opening up” the country again.
In Texas, beginning Friday, “Retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and shopping malls will all be allowed to open at 25% capacity to provide for social distancin,” the Washington Examiner reports. “Libraries and museums were also approved to reopen at 25% capacity, but hands-on exhibits must remain closed.”
According to CNN, “Cash-strapped Lebanon is facing growing turmoil after the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak sparked violent protests over rising hunger and poverty.”
Newsweek reported yesterday:
…just last year, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the organization led by Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, funded scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and other institutions for work on gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses. In 2019, with the backing of NIAID, the National Institutes of Health committed $3.7 million over six years for research that included some gain-of-function work. The program followed another $3.7 million, 5-year project for collecting and studying bat coronaviruses, which ended in 2019, bringing the total to $7.4 million. Many scientists have criticized gain of function research, which involves manipulating viruses in the lab to explore their potential for infecting humans, because it creates a risk of starting a pandemic from accidental release.
April 29, 2020, 9:23 a.m. EST: In his April 28 column, Dennis Prager wrote:
…the ease with which police state tactics have been employed and the equal ease with which most Americans have accepted them have been breathtaking. People will argue that a temporary police state has been justified because of the allegedly unique threat to life posed by the new coronavirus. I do not believe the data will bear that out. Regardless, let us at least agree that we are closer to a police state than ever in American history.
Prager argued that “we are presently living with all four of the key hallmarks of a police state,” which he lists as:
Draconian laws depriving citizens of elementary civil rights; A mass media supportive of the state’s messaging and deprivation of rights; Use of police; and Snitches.
“Police departments throughout America have agreed to enforce these laws and edicts with what can only be described as frightening alacrity,” he continued. “After hearing me describe police giving summonses to, or even arresting, people for playing baseball with their children on a beach, jogging alone without a mask, or worshipping on Easter while sitting isolated in their cars in a church parking lot, a police officer called my show. He explained that the police have no choice.”
And they are tipped off about people doing innocent activities like jogging without a mask by “snitches.”
April 28, 2020, 4:04 p.m. EST: The Catholic bishops of Ohio have extended their ban on public Masses through May 29. They announced:
We thank you for and admire the patience, cooperation and understanding you have already shown during this COVID-19 pandemic. We realize the frustration, sadness, and loss the faithful felt not to be able to gather personally to celebrate the Paschal Mysteries during the Sacred Triduum and each Sunday. During this time of sacrifice and longing, we have joined our prayers and hearts to yours, trusting that God will see us through this pandemic and reunite us at the Eucharistic Feast. Out of deep concern for the common good as well as the physical and spiritual well-being of all the people of Ohio, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio have agreed once again to cooperate with the governor, and to support and abide by the multi-phased approach to returning to work and eventual public gathering in large groups.
April 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In Texas, police posing as customers arrested two women for offering “a cosmetic, beauty service that is prohibited under the emergency ordinance” out of their homes.
“Police say the women were reported anonymously through the department's app,” Reason reported. They could each be fined $1,000 and spend nearly six months (180 days) in jail.
John Zmirak and pro-life activist Jason Jones have written an article for The Stream titled, “There is No ‘Pro-Life’ Position on the China Virus.”
They argue that “hardcore lockdown virus hawks who claim that theirs is the only pro-life position” are “smothering the pro-life message under a smelly, polyester leftover from the 70s. That is, the ‘Seamless Garment.’”
Jones and Zmirak continue:
The Seamless Garment works as a poison pill cooked up to keep pro-abortion Democrats in power. It turns the pro-life message into a reckless Utopian program. Then it holds unborn children hostage to every other demand on the left’s agenda… Why should pro-lifers fall for this tactic when it comes to discussing efforts to weather this virus crisis? But that’s exactly what they’re doing. That’s what it means to denounce efforts to balance the artificial poverty the government’s imposing on America against the potential lives saved by quarantining the country for indefinite months or years. The pro-life movement emerged from the grassroots for a very specific purpose. That is, to fight the direct, intentional killing of the innocent permitted or inflicted by the government. That’s it. So there is indeed a pro-life position on abortion, euthanasia, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. But not on smoking, motorcycle helmets, gun laws, face masks, or hydroxychloroquine.
On April 23, Politico reported, “Canada's public health authority says around 1 million KN95 respirators acquired from China have failed to meet federal Covid-19 standards for use by front-line health professionals.”
Life Legal Defense Foundation is warning against a rush to place coronavirus patients on ventilators, noting it may end up doing more harm than good, and can be used as an excuse to deny other forms of life-sustaining care.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has apologized for shutting down so many businesses, writing on Facebook, “I really believe in my heart, there is no such thing as a non-essential business.”
Some Catholic churches in Montana will begin offering public Masses again this weekend, provided the bishops approve of the re-opening plans of individual parishes. Directives from the Montana bishops say, “Priests may wish to remind the faithful that they are not required to receive Communion. Distribution of holy Communion is to be offered in the hand only, with just care and reverence.”
Some recent LifeSiteNews articles on the coronavirus crisis include:
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--US bishop defies lockdown, attends rally calling on governor to close abortion centers

ANNAPOLIS , Maryland , April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Standing in the shadow of both the Maryland State House and Governor ’ s Mansion , more than 50 pro-lifers joined by Bishop Joseph Coffey defied Gov .
Larry Hogan ’ s stay-at-home order and called on him to shut down all of the state ’ s abortion centers during the COVID-19 pandemic .
While the Maryland governor has banned all so-called non-essential business , including elective surgeries and medical procedures in order to limit the spread of the coronvirus , he has permitted abortions to continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a statement to POLITICO , Hogan ’ s office confirmed that abortion providers are allowed to continue operating during the pandemic , signaling that the Republican governor views abortion as an essential procedure .
The pro-life Marylanders implored Gov .
Hogan “ to do the righteous , courageous thing ” and “ with the stroke of a pen , close the abortion mills throughout Maryland and do it today.
” After Bishop Coffey led the group in prayer , Maryland Capitol Police officers approached the group ’ s leader , Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enforce Gov .
Hogan ’ s executive order banning gatherings of more than 10 people .
Despite calling attention to the unconstitutionality of the ban , the police were unmoved .
In an attempt to appease law enforcement , the group , which had already been practicing social distancing , responded by spreading themselves out even more .
As the group prayed the Stations of the Cross , another police officer used a loudspeaker to threaten the pro-lifers with arrest and a $ 5,000 fine .
In Maryland , violators can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They hastened to complete the Stations of the Cross and then disbanded .
No arrests were reported .
Earlier , after pro-lifers had discovered that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers throughout the state were continuing to perform abortion despite the elective surgery ban – and police were attempting to prevent sidewalk counselors from speaking to pregnant mothers heading into the facilities – Laura Bogley , director of legislation for Maryland Right to Life , had notified lawmakers .
Gov .
Hogan has yet to act .
In what was perhaps an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conscience , pro-lifers stretched out a large banner urging Hogan to “ Be like your Dad !
Congressman Larry Hogan , A Great Pro-Lifer !
” Congressman Larry Hogan Sr. , the late father of Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan Jr. , made history on Tuesday , January 23 , 1973 – the day after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion on demand – when he was the first on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn Roe v. Wade .
Before leading the Annapolis group in prayer , Bishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone , wants society to get back to normal once the pandemic subsides , “ the normal that I don ’ t want to go back to is abortion on demand in our country.
” “ I ’ m hoping that with this pandemic that we recommit ourselves to continue to advocate for life , and we convince the lawmakers to change the laws , ” said Coffey .
“ I ’ m a firm believer in God always bringing good from every evil , ” he said .
Coffey was ordained last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military archdiocese of the United States , which counts as its members every Catholic on active duty in the Army , Navy , Air Force , and Marines .
As an early member of “ Operation Rescue , ” the newly-minted bishop has long been a vocal advocate for protecting the lives of the unborn , having been “ arrested about a dozen times ” in “ rescues ” conducted up and down the Atlantic seaboard .
Coffey , who turns 60 in a few days , entered the priesthood in 1996 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaplain .
At one point , he spent seven months with the Marines at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province , Afghanistan .
At last November ’ s U.S. bishops meeting in Baltimore , Coffey was one of just three bishops who made their way out from the hotel to join pro-life lay Catholics praying the Rosary .
In January , as pro-lifers gathered outside Planned Parenthood ’ s Washington , D.C. clinic on the day before the national March for Life , Coffey was again present .
“ I ’ ve been coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was 46 years ago , ” he told LifeSiteNews at the time .
Bishop Coffey also serves on the board of LIFE Runners .

Bishop Joseph Coffey was part of a pro-life group that was warned by police to disperse while protesting Catholic Gov. Larry Hogan's refusal to shut down abortion centers during the pandemic.
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Standing in the shadow of both the Maryland State House and Governor’s Mansion, more than 50 pro-lifers joined by Bishop Joseph Coffey defied Gov. Larry Hogan’s stay-at-home order and called on him to shut down all of the state’s abortion centers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the Maryland governor has banned all so-called non-essential business, including elective surgeries and medical procedures in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus, he has permitted abortions to continue to be performed in the Old Line State.
In a statement to POLITICO, Hogan’s office confirmed that abortion providers are allowed to continue operating during the pandemic, signaling that the Republican governor views abortion as an essential procedure.
The pro-life Marylanders implored Gov. Hogan “to do the righteous, courageous thing” and “with the stroke of a pen, close the abortion mills throughout Maryland and do it today.”
Gov. Hogan is Catholic.
Maryland Capitol Police threatened pro-lifers
After Bishop Coffey led the group in prayer, Maryland Capitol Police officers approached the group’s leader, Jack Ames, founder of Defend Life, and explained they were there to enforce Gov. Hogan’s executive order banning gatherings of more than 10 people. Despite calling attention to the unconstitutionality of the ban, the police were unmoved.
In an attempt to appease law enforcement, the group, which had already been practicing social distancing, responded by spreading themselves out even more.
As the group prayed the Stations of the Cross, another police officer used a loudspeaker to threaten the pro-lifers with arrest and a $5,000 fine. In Maryland, violators can be imprisoned for up to a year.
They hastened to complete the Stations of the Cross and then disbanded. No arrests were reported.
Governor refuses to enforce elective surgery ban on abortions
Earlier, after pro-lifers had discovered that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers throughout the state were continuing to perform abortion despite the elective surgery ban – and police were attempting to prevent sidewalk counselors from speaking to pregnant mothers heading into the facilities – Laura Bogley, director of legislation for Maryland Right to Life, had notified lawmakers.
Maryland Delegate Dan Cox emailed the governor:
I am writing to request that you follow the models of Ohio, Texas and Louisiana and halt elective abortions during this time of worldwide pandemic. Last week, you requested that elective surgeries be restricted, a policy that Maryland hospitals seem to be embracing. However, abortion clinics are continuing business as usual here in Maryland needlessly exposing women to COVID-19 and using precious medical resources that are needed elsewhere to save Marylanders lives.
Gov. Hogan has yet to act.
In what was perhaps an attempt to prick the Catholic governor’s conscience, pro-lifers stretched out a large banner urging Hogan to “Be like your Dad! Congressman Larry Hogan, A Great Pro-Lifer!”
Congressman Larry Hogan Sr., the late father of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Jr., made history on Tuesday, January 23, 1973 – the day after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion on demand – when he was the first on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn Roe v. Wade.
Bishop Joseph Coffey: God will bring good from evil
Before leading the Annapolis group in prayer, Bishop Coffey noted that while he, like everyone, wants society to get back to normal once the pandemic subsides, “the normal that I don’t want to go back to is abortion on demand in our country.”
“I’m hoping that with this pandemic that we recommit ourselves to continue to advocate for life, and we convince the lawmakers to change the laws,” said Coffey.
“I’m a firm believer in God always bringing good from every evil,” he said.
Coffey was ordained last year as an auxiliary bishop for the military archdiocese of the United States, which counts as its members every Catholic on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
As an early member of “Operation Rescue,” the newly-minted bishop has long been a vocal advocate for protecting the lives of the unborn, having been “arrested about a dozen times” in “rescues” conducted up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
Coffey, who turns 60 in a few days, entered the priesthood in 1996 and was quickly drawn to become a military chaplain. At one point, he spent seven months with the Marines at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
At last November’s U.S. bishops meeting in Baltimore, Coffey was one of just three bishops who made their way out from the hotel to join pro-life lay Catholics praying the Rosary.
In January, as pro-lifers gathered outside Planned Parenthood’s Washington, D.C. clinic on the day before the national March for Life, Coffey was again present.
“I’ve been coming to the march since I was 14, which was 46 years ago,” he told LifeSiteNews at the time.
Bishop Coffey also serves on the board of LIFE Runners.
See more about Defend Life, the “Governor Hogan: Enforce Your No Abortions Order!” protest, and how to contact the governor at
Facebook.com/DefendLifeMarylandDCVirginia.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Bishop commands Catholic brides and grooms to stay 2 meters apart during weddings

April 29 , 2020 ( CatholicCulture.org ) — Imagine a man who through no fault of his own — perhaps because of a famine in his region — can not supply food for his family .
You would feel sympathy for him , wouldn ’ t you ?
Now imagine that this man , when he give the family the bad news , expresses no sorrow , but instead sternly orders the children not to search for scraps to eat .
“ And no licking crumbs off the bottom of the empty breadbasket , either !
” Do you still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , many Catholic bishops have decided that they are obligated strictly to obey government restrictions on religious gatherings .
Whether they are right or wrong in reaching that decision — whether they should stand and fight for religious freedom — is not my concern here .
Instead I want to focus attention on the attitudes conveyed by the bishops ’ announcements .
In some episcopal statements I have seen acknowledgments that the shutdowns are painful to the faithful .
Some bishops make it clear that they share that pain , that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But all too often the announcements of church closings have been couched in cold bureaucratic language , redolent of lawyerly caution rather than pastoral care .
In more than a few egregious cases , the bishops ’ statements betray an attitude of suspicion if not outright hostility toward those lay Catholics who might try to circumvent restrictions : those who love the sacraments enough to make a special effort to receive them .
Having leapt with unwonted alacrity to obey the regulations imposed by civic officials , they appear equally anxious to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ability to close down all access to the sacraments .
Still , while I have been appalled by some episcopal statements — even to the point of wondering whether the bishops might be suffering from bad consciences — I was not prepared for a letter written by Bishop Albert Thevenot of Prince Albert , Saskatchewan .
( Hat tip to Dan Millette of OnePeterFive for calling attention to this astonishing document . )
In his April 24 letter , Bishop Thevenot announces that all public Masses will be cancelled in his diocese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but through the end of June .
He makes provisions for small church funerals , although services in funeral homes are preferred to those in churches .
But he reserves his most outlandish rules for weddings .
To young men and women in love , Bishop Thevenot offers the pastoral advice that they should not marry right now .
( Young couples can wait , unlike the heedless people who continue to die on an inconvenient schedule . )
But if they insist on forming a sacramental union , they must obey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bishop relates those rules with unseemly enthusiasm : “ No exceptions.
” That is the peremptory language of a gruff policeman , not a loving shepherd .
But it is not the most revealing language in this paragraph .
Look again : Is he serious ?
Does he expect husband and wife to remain a sterile 2 meters apart ?
Does he interpret the ukase of the Saskatchewan Health Authority as a ban on the marital embrace ?
( And if he does , why is he not fighting tooth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights ? )
In laying down this preposterous rule , is the bishop thinking of Christian marriage as anything other than a ceremony that takes place , despite his advice , in a church ?
No doubt Bishop Thevenot will succeed in his objective , convincing young couples that they should not marry — or rather , to be more precise — that they should not bother with a church ceremony .
He certainly has done his utmost to make the prospect of a church wedding unattractive .
But in doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond the ordinary bounds of insensitivity , tiptoeing toward the edge of insanity .
Later in this same weird letter , Bishop Thevenot shows an eccentric understanding of communal prayer , when he reveals that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass really is being celebrated , after all , in the Diocese of Prince Albert : How is it possible that “ a few thousand ” people have gathered , when only ten are allowed ?
Read the sentence carefully ; the operative word is “ virtually.
” The bishop is referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Wherever two or three are logged on in my name ... ”

No doubt Bishop Albert Thevenot will succeed in his objective, convincing young couples that they should not marry.
April 29, 2020 (CatholicCulture.org) — Imagine a man who through no fault of his own — perhaps because of a famine in his region — cannot supply food for his family. You would feel sympathy for him, wouldn’t you?
Now imagine that this man, when he give the family the bad news, expresses no sorrow, but instead sternly orders the children not to search for scraps to eat. “And no licking crumbs off the bottom of the empty breadbasket, either!” Do you still feel sympathetic?
During the past several weeks, many Catholic bishops have decided that they are obligated strictly to obey government restrictions on religious gatherings. Whether they are right or wrong in reaching that decision — whether they should stand and fight for religious freedom — is not my concern here. Instead I want to focus attention on the attitudes conveyed by the bishops’ announcements.
In some episcopal statements I have seen acknowledgments that the shutdowns are painful to the faithful. Some bishops make it clear that they share that pain, that they too mourn the absence of the flock. But all too often the announcements of church closings have been couched in cold bureaucratic language, redolent of lawyerly caution rather than pastoral care.
In more than a few egregious cases, the bishops’ statements betray an attitude of suspicion if not outright hostility toward those lay Catholics who might try to circumvent restrictions: those who love the sacraments enough to make a special effort to receive them. Having leapt with unwonted alacrity to obey the regulations imposed by civic officials, they appear equally anxious to squash any resistance, and proud of their ability to close down all access to the sacraments.
Still, while I have been appalled by some episcopal statements — even to the point of wondering whether the bishops might be suffering from bad consciences — I was not prepared for a letter written by Bishop Albert Thevenot of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. (Hat tip to Dan Millette of OnePeterFive for calling attention to this astonishing document.)
In his April 24 letter, Bishop Thevenot announces that all public Masses will be cancelled in his diocese — not just for a few weeks, but through the end of June. He makes provisions for small church funerals, although services in funeral homes are preferred to those in churches. But he reserves his most outlandish rules for weddings.
To young men and women in love, Bishop Thevenot offers the pastoral advice that they should not marry right now. (Young couples can wait, unlike the heedless people who continue to die on an inconvenient schedule.) But if they insist on forming a sacramental union, they must obey the rules of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The bishop relates those rules with unseemly enthusiasm:
No more than 10 persons in the [church] building. This must take into account everyone, musicians, pastor, wedding party and guests. No exceptions. And, we must respect the order to continue social distancing at 2 meters. This would include the bride and groom. Therefore, I would suggest the wedding be postponed to a better time.
“No exceptions.” That is the peremptory language of a gruff policeman, not a loving shepherd. But it is not the most revealing language in this paragraph. Look again:
And, we must respect the order to continue social distancing at 2 meters. This would include the bride and groom. [Emphasis added.]
Is he serious? Does he expect husband and wife to remain a sterile 2 meters apart? Does he interpret the ukase of the Saskatchewan Health Authority as a ban on the marital embrace? (And if he does, why is he not fighting tooth and nail against such a gross violation of human rights?) In laying down this preposterous rule, is the bishop thinking of Christian marriage as anything other than a ceremony that takes place, despite his advice, in a church?
No doubt Bishop Thevenot will succeed in his objective, convincing young couples that they should not marry — or rather, to be more precise — that they should not bother with a church ceremony. He certainly has done his utmost to make the prospect of a church wedding unattractive. But in doing so he has issued a statement that goes beyond the ordinary bounds of insensitivity, tiptoeing toward the edge of insanity.
Later in this same weird letter, Bishop Thevenot shows an eccentric understanding of communal prayer, when he reveals that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass really is being celebrated, after all, in the Diocese of Prince Albert:
As many of you know, a few thousand of our diocesan family members have been gathering together virtually every Sunday for Mass.
How is it possible that “a few thousand” people have gathered, when only ten are allowed? Read the sentence carefully; the operative word is “virtually.” The bishop is referring to a livestream broadcast of the Mass. “Wherever two or three are logged on in my name…”
Published with permission from CatholicCulture.org.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Biden: Abortion is an ‘essential health care service’ during coronavirus

PETITION : Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis !
Sign the petition here .
April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said abortion is an “ essential health care service ” during the coronavirus crisis .
During a virtual town hall event on Tuesday , featuring former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , Biden focused on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women .
“ Finally , we need to ensure that women have access to all health services during this crisis , ” he said , adding that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Without naming them , former vice president Biden accused pro-life groups of using abortion “ as a political wedge right now , and it should n't be.
” He said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ) and the American Medical Association agree abortion “ shouldn ’ t be categorized as a procedure that can be delayed .
It can ’ t .
And in this case , health care delayed means health care denied.
” “ States should not be using public health crises to infringe on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abort her child , Biden said .
The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists pointed out that “ ACOG spinning ‘ elective ’ abortion into ‘ essential ’ health care is more of the same .
Continuing to perform elective abortions during a pandemic is medically irresponsible.
” “ Elective abortion is neither ‘ essential ’ nor ‘ urgent , ’ but it does consume critical resources such as masks , gloves , and other personal protective equipment , and unnecessarily exposes patients and physicians to pathogens , ” the group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the Susan B. Anthony List , responded that abortion “ is not health care.
” She said Biden ’ s “ exploitation of the COVID-19 crisis to promote abortion on demand ” was “ shameful.
” “ Biden has once again proven that he stands for abortion on demand through the moment of birth , paid for by taxpayers , ” Dannenfelser continued .
“ In doing so , he has not only aligned himself with the failed agenda of Hillary Clinton , which the American people soundly rejected in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major political liability for him – he has raced further to the left than any nominee before him in his bid to appease the radical abortion lobby.
” In fact , Biden introduced Clinton as “ the woman who should be president of the United States right now , ” referring to her 2016 presidential campaign .
Before that , Clinton had run for president already in 2008 , but lost against Barack Obama , who went on to pick Biden as his vice president .
During the virtual town hall event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , “ every form of health care should continue to be available , including reproductive health care for every woman in this country.
” Dannenfelser pointed out that “ Democrats used to call for abortion to be ‘ safe , legal and rare , ’ and now they deem abortion on demand at all costs ‘ essential ’ even during a pandemic.
” She said her organization “ is working tirelessly to mobilize every pro-life voter in this crucial election , including pro-life Democrats and Independents alienated by the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-elect President Trump , the most pro-life president in history.
” According to the Susan B. Anthony List , the group has already visited about 830,000 homes and made more than 650,000 phone calls to voters during this campaign , focusing on the battleground states of Arizona , Florida , and North Carolina .
The goal is to reach four million voters overall before the election this November .
Biden , claims to be a practicing Catholic , even though abortion is considered by the Catholic Church to be wrong under any circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law by refusing to give him the Eucharist last year , Biden said the Pope “ gives me Communion , ” trying to frame his position on abortion as something with which not even the Pope has a problem .
Biden ’ s proposed health care plan would enshrine abortion on demand into law , funded by the taxpayer .
Biden says he would “ codify ” Roe v. Wade in federal law ; repeal the Hyde Amendment that bars direct public funding of most abortions ; force states to accept Medicare funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Policy , which bars federal funds from supporting abortion overseas ; and direct the Justice Department to “ do everything in its power ” to block state pro-life laws , including parental notification requirements , ultrasound laws , and waiting periods .

‘We need to ensure that women have access to all health services during this crisis,’ the Democratic presidential candidate said.
PETITION: Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis! Sign the petition here.
April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said abortion is an “essential health care service” during the coronavirus crisis.
During a virtual town hall event on Tuesday, featuring former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Biden focused on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women.
“Finally, we need to ensure that women have access to all health services during this crisis,” he said, adding that “abortion is an essential health care service.”
Without naming them, former vice president Biden accused pro-life groups of using abortion “as a political wedge right now, and it shouldn't be.”
He said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Medical Association agree abortion “shouldn’t be categorized as a procedure that can be delayed. It can’t. And in this case, health care delayed means health care denied.”
“States should not be using public health crises to infringe on a woman’s constitutional right” to abort her child, Biden said.
The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists pointed out that “ACOG spinning ‘elective’ abortion into ‘essential’ health care is more of the same. Continuing to perform elective abortions during a pandemic is medically irresponsible.”
“Elective abortion is neither ‘essential’ nor ‘urgent,’ but it does consume critical resources such as masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment, and unnecessarily exposes patients and physicians to pathogens,” the group of pro-life doctors added.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, responded that abortion “is not health care.” She said Biden’s “exploitation of the COVID-19 crisis to promote abortion on demand” was “shameful.”
“Biden has once again proven that he stands for abortion on demand through the moment of birth, paid for by taxpayers,” Dannenfelser continued. “In doing so, he has not only aligned himself with the failed agenda of Hillary Clinton, which the American people soundly rejected in 2016 when they elected President Trump – a major political liability for him – he has raced further to the left than any nominee before him in his bid to appease the radical abortion lobby.”
In fact, Biden introduced Clinton as “the woman who should be president of the United States right now,” referring to her 2016 presidential campaign. Before that, Clinton had run for president already in 2008, but lost against Barack Obama, who went on to pick Biden as his vice president.
During the virtual town hall event, Clinton officially endorsed Biden and said amid the coronavirus pandemic, “every form of health care should continue to be available, including reproductive health care for every woman in this country.”
Dannenfelser pointed out that “Democrats used to call for abortion to be ‘safe, legal and rare,’ and now they deem abortion on demand at all costs ‘essential’ even during a pandemic.”
She said her organization “is working tirelessly to mobilize every pro-life voter in this crucial election, including pro-life Democrats and Independents alienated by the Democratic Party, to defeat Joe Biden and re-elect President Trump, the most pro-life president in history.”
According to the Susan B. Anthony List, the group has already visited about 830,000 homes and made more than 650,000 phone calls to voters during this campaign, focusing on the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, and North Carolina. The goal is to reach four million voters overall before the election this November.
Biden, claims to be a practicing Catholic, even though abortion is considered by the Catholic Church to be wrong under any circumstances. After an American priest followed canon law by refusing to give him the Eucharist last year, Biden said the Pope “gives me Communion,” trying to frame his position on abortion as something with which not even the Pope has a problem.
Biden’s proposed health care plan would enshrine abortion on demand into law, funded by the taxpayer.
Biden says he would “codify” Roe v. Wade in federal law; repeal the Hyde Amendment that bars direct public funding of most abortions; force states to accept Medicare funding for Planned Parenthood; reverse the Mexico City Policy, which bars federal funds from supporting abortion overseas; and direct the Justice Department to “do everything in its power” to block state pro-life laws, including parental notification requirements, ultrasound laws, and waiting periods.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Secular activist group declares USA would be fine after ‘collapse’ of church

April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A group notorious for opposing benign intersections of faith and government is taking issue with the designation of clergy as “ essential workers ” to be taken into consideration when localities craft COVID-19 mandates , objecting that organized religion is essentially worthless to the United States .
A March 28 memo by Christopher Krebs , director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ’ s ( DHS ’ s ) Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) , lists examples of “ essential critical infrastructure workforce ” to help state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 while “ ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety , as well as economic and national security.
” The list , which is purely advisory and carries no legal force , identifies workers whose services “ are typically essential to continued critical infrastructure viability , including staffing operations centers , maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure , operating call centers , working construction , and performing operational functions , among others .
It also includes workers who support crucial supply chains and enable functions for critical infrastructure.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the examples in the subcategory “ Other Community - or Government-Based Operations and Essential Functions.
” On April 7 , Family Research Council ( FRC ) president Tony Perkins revealed that the addition was made as a result of FRC meetings with the Trump administration .
The development did not sit well with the so-called Freedom From Religion Foundation ( FFRF ) , which issued a statement declaring that “ clergy are not , in any sense , essential , ” and that the “ collapse of the clergy or churches would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Hospitals will function just fine without chaplains , who are often intrusive toward nonbelieving patients , ” FFRF continued .
“ More seriously , it points out that without clergy roaming the halls , there will be fewer people likely to spread the virus and more personal protective equipment for medical professionals.
” Perkins disagrees , noting the longstanding roles of priests in hospitals and chaplains in the armed forces , who bring comfort and strength to patients , doctors , and nurses in some of the most demanding of essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges in chaplaincy under non-pandemic circumstances is how do we get to the neediest patients first ? ''
he quoted Rev .
David Fleenor of New York ’ s Mount Sinai Hospital as saying .
The coronavirus crisis has hit New York harder than any other state .
Previous FFRF targets have included crosses and nativity scenes at local courthouses , a judge who gave a Bible to a repentant convict , prayer at school board meetings , elementary school Bible clubs , and gubernatorial “ day of prayer ” proclamations .
Readers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world .

One group said about hospital chaplains that 'without clergy roaming the halls, there will be fewer people likely to spread the virus and more personal protective equipment for medical professionals.'
April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A group notorious for opposing benign intersections of faith and government is taking issue with the designation of clergy as “essential workers” to be taken into consideration when localities craft COVID-19 mandates, objecting that organized religion is essentially worthless to the United States.
A March 28 memo by Christopher Krebs, director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), lists examples of “essential critical infrastructure workforce” to help state and local governments “protect their communities” from COVID-19 while “ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.”
The list, which is purely advisory and carries no legal force, identifies workers whose services “are typically essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing operational functions, among others. It also includes workers who support crucial supply chains and enable functions for critical infrastructure.”
“Clergy for essential support” are listed among the examples in the subcategory “Other Community – or Government-Based Operations and Essential Functions.” On April 7, Family Research Council (FRC) president Tony Perkins revealed that the addition was made as a result of FRC meetings with the Trump administration.
The development did not sit well with the so-called Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which issued a statement declaring that “clergy are not, in any sense, essential,” and that the “collapse of the clergy or churches would in no genuine way impair this country.”
“Hospitals will function just fine without chaplains, who are often intrusive toward nonbelieving patients,” FFRF continued. “More seriously, it points out that without clergy roaming the halls, there will be fewer people likely to spread the virus and more personal protective equipment for medical professionals.”
Perkins disagrees, noting the longstanding roles of priests in hospitals and chaplains in the armed forces, who bring comfort and strength to patients, doctors, and nurses in some of the most demanding of essential functions.
“One of the big challenges in chaplaincy under non-pandemic circumstances is how do we get to the neediest patients first?” he quoted Rev. David Fleenor of New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital as saying. The coronavirus crisis has hit New York harder than any other state.
Previous FFRF targets have included crosses and nativity scenes at local courthouses, a judge who gave a Bible to a repentant convict, prayer at school board meetings, elementary school Bible clubs, and gubernatorial “day of prayer” proclamations.
Readers can click here for LifeSiteNews’ live updates on the coronavirus and its impact all over the world.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Why Mother Miriam loves St. Francis de Sales and you should too

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 Mother Miriam's Live show originally aired on 2.26.2020 and re-aired on 4.29.2020. In today's show, Mother shares the origin of her love of St. Francis de Sales and why he is a great saint to read about.
You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live here.


lifesitenews--2020-04-29--Kavanaugh accused of sex assault, Dems outraged. Biden accused of sex assault, Dems yawn

April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Two years ago , I sat down with several others to watch Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the sexual crimes he 'd been accused of .
We watched him break down as Democratic vultures sifted through the rubble of his reputation , determined to destroy him and derail his nomination to the Supreme Court .
Glancing at the others watching with me , I realized he wasn ’ t the only one who had broken down .
The reason that Kavanaugh ’ s testimony was such a powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many , it was the moment they realized that the Democrats would stop at nothing to protect the abortion industry .
In fact , Christine Blasey Ford ’ s attorney Debra Katz all but said so a year later at the University of Baltimore ’ s 11th Feminist Legal Theory Conference in a talk titled “ Applied Feminism and # MeToo.
” “ In the aftermath of these hearings , I believe that Christine ’ s testimony brought about more good than the harm misogynist Republicans caused by allowing Kavanaugh on the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We were going to have a conservative [ justice ] …elections have consequences , but he will always have an asterisk next to his name .
When he takes a scalpel to Roe v. Wade , we will know who he is , we know his character , and we know what motivates him , and that is important ; it is important that we know , and that is part of what motivated Christine.
” In order to destroy a perceived threat to Roe v. Wade , Democrats weaponized the justifiable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the instinctive desire to punish the perpetrator and aimed all of it at Brett Kavanaugh .
It didn ’ t matter that not a single witness could place Ford in the same room as Kavanaugh , it didn ’ t matter that the friends Ford named as corroborating witnesses did not share her memories , and it did not matter that the accusations got wilder and wilder as the show trial went on .
By the end of it all , Kavanaugh was accused of being a gang-rapist by a woman represented by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ muckrakers ate it all up and fed it into the Democratic artillery .
The reason I take you on this nasty little trip down memory lane is because we are currently in a moment that proves , once again , how vile and politically-motivated the Kavanaugh smear job was .
It is now Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden being accused of sexual assault by Tara Reade , a former staffer who claims that Biden assaulted her while she was working in his senate office back in 1993 .
The claim was first ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed for lack of corroborating evidence ( a courtesy Kavanaugh did not receive . )
Just in the past week , however , the media has been forced to confront a recording of Reade ’ s mother phoning Larry King Live in 1993 apparently referencing the assault , and two more witnesses coming forward to say that Reade had told them about the assault at the time .
And just like that , all of the solidarity with victims of sexual assault that everyone from # MeToo ’ s Ashley Judd to Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking their already tattered credibility with it .
When Kavanaugh was accused , any alleged victim had “ the right to be believed.
” When an abortion-supporting Democrat stands accused , Kavanaugh ’ s persecutors stand with him .
The mainstream media headlines on Reade ’ s accusations—and it took CNN a full 24 days to even getting around to covering the story—are almost beyond parody .
The New York Times , for example , asked plaintively : “ What to Do With Tara Reade ’ s Allegation Against Joe Biden ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is pretty much anything except “ believe women.
” That was just a convenient line that could be used as a club against a family man who might vote against Roe v. Wade .
Keep in mind that CNN published more than 700 articles about the Kavanaugh accusations in the mere 19 days between the accusations becoming public and his confirmation to the Supreme Court .
The Washington Post , which gleefully published the accounts of Kavanaugh accusers , produced this tortured headline for the ( eventual ) coverage of Reade ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations against Biden amplify efforts to question his behavior.
” That headline amplifies the fact that the Post really , really doesn ’ t want to deal with these accusations and instead wants to present this as another one of the inevitable “ Republicans pounce ” narratives .
Like all of you , I don ’ t know if Joe Biden is guilty of what Tara Reade accuses him of .
I believe Joe Biden is as entitled to due process as Brett Kavanaugh was , and that the allegations should be measured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not about whether Biden is guilty .
It is about how the allegations are being treated by the media and the Democrats .
Their reaction has revealed that they never cared about allegations of sexual assault—only politically convenient allegations of sexual assault .
This being the party of Bill Clinton , we should hardly be surprised .
But their attempt to destroy a family man over abortion is still fresh in our collective memory , and the sheer , wicked cynicism of the media is being starkly revealed .
The reaction of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations against their presidential nominee should remind every single conservative and every single voter of what they did to Brett Kavanaugh ’ s reputation and his family simply because they wanted to destroy him .
It should remind us all that these people will stop at nothing to protect legal abortion .
Ethics are merely situational to abortion supporters .
If you are a Republican accused by a Democrat of sexual assault , the Democrat has the right to be believed .
But when a Democrat accuses another Democrat of sexual assault , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater good .
The greater good , of course , means the right to dismember children in the womb .
Jonathon ’ s new podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , he interviews Phyllis Schlafly ’ s daughter Anne Schlafly Cori who highlights the smearing of her mother in new Hulu mini-series Mrs. America and shares the wonderful , selfless things Phyllis accomplished in her life , including helping get Ronald Reagan elected .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode below :

When Kavanaugh was accused, any alleged victim had 'the right to be believed.' When Biden was accused, suddenly, the 'right to be believed' was not so important.
April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Two years ago, I sat down with several others to watch Brett Kavanaugh testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the sexual crimes he'd been accused of. We watched him break down as Democratic vultures sifted through the rubble of his reputation, determined to destroy him and derail his nomination to the Supreme Court. Glancing at the others watching with me, I realized he wasn’t the only one who had broken down. The reason that Kavanaugh’s testimony was such a powerful and significant moment was that, for many, it was the moment they realized that the Democrats would stop at nothing to protect the abortion industry.
In fact, Christine Blasey Ford’s attorney Debra Katz all but said so a year later at the University of Baltimore’s 11th Feminist Legal Theory Conference in a talk titled “Applied Feminism and #MeToo.”
“In the aftermath of these hearings, I believe that Christine’s testimony brought about more good than the harm misogynist Republicans caused by allowing Kavanaugh on the court,” Katz told the audience.
“We were going to have a conservative [justice]…elections have consequences, but he will always have an asterisk next to his name. When he takes a scalpel to Roe v. Wade, we will know who he is, we know his character, and we know what motivates him, and that is important; it is important that we know, and that is part of what motivated Christine.”
In order to destroy a perceived threat to Roe v. Wade, Democrats weaponized the justifiable outrage Americans feel at sexual assault and the instinctive desire to punish the perpetrator and aimed all of it at Brett Kavanaugh. It didn’t matter that not a single witness could place Ford in the same room as Kavanaugh, it didn’t matter that the friends Ford named as corroborating witnesses did not share her memories, and it did not matter that the accusations got wilder and wilder as the show trial went on. By the end of it all, Kavanaugh was accused of being a gang-rapist by a woman represented by the now-disgraced Michael Avenatti. The media muckrakers ate it all up and fed it into the Democratic artillery.
The reason I take you on this nasty little trip down memory lane is because we are currently in a moment that proves, once again, how vile and politically-motivated the Kavanaugh smear job was. It is now Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden being accused of sexual assault by Tara Reade, a former staffer who claims that Biden assaulted her while she was working in his senate office back in 1993. The claim was first ignored by the media, and then largely dismissed for lack of corroborating evidence (a courtesy Kavanaugh did not receive.) Just in the past week, however, the media has been forced to confront a recording of Reade’s mother phoning Larry King Live in 1993 apparently referencing the assault, and two more witnesses coming forward to say that Reade had told them about the assault at the time.
Follow Jonathon van Maren on Facebook
And just like that, all of the solidarity with victims of sexual assault that everyone from #MeToo’s Ashley Judd to Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton has vanished, taking their already tattered credibility with it. When Kavanaugh was accused, any alleged victim had “the right to be believed.” When an abortion-supporting Democrat stands accused, Kavanaugh’s persecutors stand with him. The mainstream media headlines on Reade’s accusations—and it took CNN a full 24 days to even getting around to covering the story—are almost beyond parody. The New York Times, for example, asked plaintively: “What to Do With Tara Reade’s Allegation Against Joe Biden?”
The answer, it turns out, is pretty much anything except “believe women.” That was just a convenient line that could be used as a club against a family man who might vote against Roe v. Wade.
Keep in mind that CNN published more than 700 articles about the Kavanaugh accusations in the mere 19 days between the accusations becoming public and his confirmation to the Supreme Court. The Washington Post, which gleefully published the accounts of Kavanaugh accusers, produced this tortured headline for the (eventual) coverage of Reade’s accusation against Biden: “Developments in allegations against Biden amplify efforts to question his behavior.” That headline amplifies the fact that the Post really, really doesn’t want to deal with these accusations and instead wants to present this as another one of the inevitable “Republicans pounce” narratives.
Like all of you, I don’t know if Joe Biden is guilty of what Tara Reade accuses him of. I believe Joe Biden is as entitled to due process as Brett Kavanaugh was, and that the allegations should be measured against all available evidence. This is not about whether Biden is guilty. It is about how the allegations are being treated by the media and the Democrats. Their reaction has revealed that they never cared about allegations of sexual assault—only politically convenient allegations of sexual assault. This being the party of Bill Clinton, we should hardly be surprised. But their attempt to destroy a family man over abortion is still fresh in our collective memory, and the sheer, wicked cynicism of the media is being starkly revealed.
The reaction of the media and the Democrats to these election-year accusations against their presidential nominee should remind every single conservative and every single voter of what they did to Brett Kavanaugh’s reputation and his family simply because they wanted to destroy him.
It should remind us all that these people will stop at nothing to protect legal abortion. Ethics are merely situational to abortion supporters.
If you are a Republican accused by a Democrat of sexual assault, the Democrat has the right to be believed. But when a Democrat accuses another Democrat of sexual assault, that Democrat must be ignored for the greater good.
The greater good, of course, means the right to dismember children in the womb.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, he interviews Phyllis Schlafly’s daughter Anne Schlafly Cori who highlights the smearing of her mother in new Hulu mini-series Mrs. America and shares the wonderful, selfless things Phyllis accomplished in her life, including helping get Ronald Reagan elected.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
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--2020-04-29--Hulu’s Mrs. America slanders a pro-life hero, who was she really?

April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Hulu has just launched a new mini-series called Mrs. America , but it isn ’ t about the beauty pageant .
This new series is about Phyllis Schlafly , the woman who started a movement that stopped the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment of the 1970s .
Phyllis Schlafly was a pro-life , pro-family mother of six children who educated and rallied communities to stop the imminent passage of the misleadingly named Equal Rights Amendment ( ERA ) .
Sadly , the Hulu mini-series portrays her as a mean , ruthless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would do anything to stop the passage of the ERA .
In this week ’ s episode of The Van Maren Show , Schlafly ’ s daughter joins Jonathon to set the record straight .
Anne Schlafly Cori highlights the smearing of her mother in Mrs. America and shares the wonderful , selfless things Phyllis accomplished in her life , including helping elect Ronald Reagan .
Phyllis Schlafly is truly a pro-family hero who made a distinct impact on American politics .
Phyllis was called one of the top most 100 influential women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentioned in Ronald Reagan ’ s diaries .
She essentially created the pro-family movement in 1972 , and she successfully blocked the passage of the ERA .
She held tremendous influence over the American political landscape for decades .
When Phyllis read the Equal Rights Amendment of the 1970s – which stated that “ equality ” of rights under the law “ shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex , ” she realized this would apply to the military as well and thus allow women to be drafted .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stability and strength of the military .
Despite being up against incredible odds , Phyllis knew she needed to fight the passage of this amendment .
The amendment had already passed a supermajority in Congress and was on its way to being ratified by the states when Phyllis started fighting , but that didn ’ t deter her .
Phyllis took the fight to the ground and educated people and encouraged them to go meet with their local representative to express their displeasure with the amendment .
Phyllis started a phone tree where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those 10 people called another 10 people , and so on .
Each caller helped to educate the next about the actual implications of the ERA .
Phyllis ’ key argument focused on the military , but in many cases , Phyllis only needed to use the ERA advocates ’ words against them .
She had the National Organization for Women 's Handbook to show people how crazy their ideas were .
Through Phyllis ’ work , the ERA was defeated .
The deadline for passing the amendment was extended , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescinded their support and others voted against the amendment .
Phyllis ’ daughter Anne Schlafly Cori points to her strong faith life as the foundation for all of her work .
Cori tells listeners “ it was her faith that formed all of her political beliefs , ” not a thirst for power as the new Hulu series would have viewers believe .
It was Phyllis ’ faith that lead her to fight against the ERA and then against abortion as well .
At the time , it was mainly only Catholics who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to inspire and unite people of various religions around the same moral cause : the value of life .
Through Phyllis ’ work , the GOP party went from having very few pro-life leaders to becoming the pro-life party in America .
Sadly , the new Hulu mini-series , portrays Phyllis and the Schlafly ’ s as a dysfunctional , power-hungry family .
Listen to the full episode here : Cori shares the great relationship her parents and family had growing up .
Cori was the youngest of six children and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The letters written between them prior to their marriage show this in great detail .
Cori tells listeners that her father loved being called Mr. Phyllis and supported her mother in every way .
She also shares that her father liked to say , “ I regret I have but one wife to give to my country.
” The mini-series , however , paints Phyllis as an awful mother and showcases her father as a mean , vindictive man .
Cori tells listeners this couldn ’ t be farther from the truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office , which was at home and had no doors .
She was able to learn from her mother ’ s conversations and interactions much more than she did at school .
The directors of Mrs. America refused to consult with Donald Critchlow , the historian who wrote a book on Phyllis Schlafly .
They even refused to speak with Cori or any of her siblings .
Cori didn ’ t have great hopes about the series , but she was surprised the series attacks almost anyone with whom her mother was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to go after her .
What shocked me is that how many of her supporters and her family they go after and malign not only my father , but my father 's sister and some of the women who worked with my mother.
” Cori tells listeners they can head to MrsAmerica.org to learn more about her mother ’ s true work and the slanders of the Hulu mini-series .
At MrsAmerica.org people can also learn more about Eagle Forum , a volunteer organization set-up by Phyllis to fight against the various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Van Maren Show is hosted on numerous platforms , including Spotify , SoundCloud , YouTube , iTunes , and Google Play .
For a full listing of episodes , and to subscribe to various channels , visit our Acast webpage here .
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Phyllis Schlafly is an icon who essentially began the pro-family political movement in the 1970s.
April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Hulu has just launched a new mini-series called Mrs. America, but it isn’t about the beauty pageant. This new series is about Phyllis Schlafly, the woman who started a movement that stopped the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment of the 1970s.
Phyllis Schlafly was a pro-life, pro-family mother of six children who educated and rallied communities to stop the imminent passage of the misleadingly named Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Sadly, the Hulu mini-series portrays her as a mean, ruthless woman whose marriage was struggling and who would do anything to stop the passage of the ERA.
In this week’s episode of The Van Maren Show, Schlafly’s daughter joins Jonathon to set the record straight. Anne Schlafly Cori highlights the smearing of her mother in Mrs. America and shares the wonderful, selfless things Phyllis accomplished in her life, including helping elect Ronald Reagan.
Phyllis Schlafly is truly a pro-family hero who made a distinct impact on American politics. Phyllis was called one of the top most 100 influential women in America by Forbes and she is mentioned in Ronald Reagan’s diaries. She essentially created the pro-family movement in 1972, and she successfully blocked the passage of the ERA. She held tremendous influence over the American political landscape for decades.
Watch the full episode here:
When Phyllis read the Equal Rights Amendment of the 1970s – which stated that “equality” of rights under the law “shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex,” she realized this would apply to the military as well and thus allow women to be drafted. She saw this as a threat to the stability and strength of the military.
Despite being up against incredible odds, Phyllis knew she needed to fight the passage of this amendment. The amendment had already passed a supermajority in Congress and was on its way to being ratified by the states when Phyllis started fighting, but that didn’t deter her.
Phyllis took the fight to the ground and educated people and encouraged them to go meet with their local representative to express their displeasure with the amendment. Phyllis started a phone tree where she called 10 people. Each of those 10 people called another 10 people, and so on. Each caller helped to educate the next about the actual implications of the ERA.
Phyllis’ key argument focused on the military, but in many cases, Phyllis only needed to use the ERA advocates’ words against them. She had the National Organization for Women's Handbook to show people how crazy their ideas were.
Through Phyllis’ work, the ERA was defeated. The deadline for passing the amendment was extended, but it still failed to pass as five states rescinded their support and others voted against the amendment.
Phyllis’ daughter Anne Schlafly Cori points to her strong faith life as the foundation for all of her work. Cori tells listeners “it was her faith that formed all of her political beliefs,” not a thirst for power as the new Hulu series would have viewers believe.
It was Phyllis’ faith that lead her to fight against the ERA and then against abortion as well. At the time, it was mainly only Catholics who were against abortion, but Phyllis was able to inspire and unite people of various religions around the same moral cause: the value of life.
Through Phyllis’ work, the GOP party went from having very few pro-life leaders to becoming the pro-life party in America.
Sadly, the new Hulu mini-series, portrays Phyllis and the Schlafly’s as a dysfunctional, power-hungry family.
Listen to the full episode here:
Cori shares the great relationship her parents and family had growing up. Cori was the youngest of six children and she said her parents mutually adored each other. The letters written between them prior to their marriage show this in great detail.
Cori tells listeners that her father loved being called Mr. Phyllis and supported her mother in every way. She also shares that her father liked to say, “I regret I have but one wife to give to my country.”
The mini-series, however, paints Phyllis as an awful mother and showcases her father as a mean, vindictive man. Cori tells listeners this couldn’t be farther from the truth. She reminisces about her mother’s office, which was at home and had no doors. She was able to learn from her mother’s conversations and interactions much more than she did at school.
The directors of Mrs. America refused to consult with Donald Critchlow, the historian who wrote a book on Phyllis Schlafly. They even refused to speak with Cori or any of her siblings.
Cori didn’t have great hopes about the series, but she was surprised the series attacks almost anyone with whom her mother was close.
“I knew they were going to go after her. What shocked me is that how many of her supporters and her family they go after and malign not only my father, but my father's sister and some of the women who worked with my mother.”
Cori tells listeners they can head to MrsAmerica.org to learn more about her mother’s true work and the slanders of the Hulu mini-series. At MrsAmerica.org people can also learn more about Eagle Forum, a volunteer organization set-up by Phyllis to fight against the various political issues that undermined life and family.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-29--How a growing movement is restoring the devastated vineyard of Christ the King

April 29 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – “ But lest we be deceived by the angel of darkness who transforms himself into an angel of light , let this be the supreme law of our love : to love the Spouse of Christ as Christ willed her to be , and as He purchased her with His blood .
Hence , not only should we cherish exceedingly the Sacraments with which holy Mother Church sustains our life , the solemn ceremonies which she celebrates for our solace and our joy , the sacred chant and the liturgical rites by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heaven , but also the sacramentals and all those exercises of piety by which she consoles the hearts of the faithful and sweetly imbues them with the Spirit of Christ.
” These words of Pope Pius XII in his 1943 encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi proclaim the Catholic Church ’ s abiding understanding of her distinct identity and solemn duty as the Mystical Body of Christ – Our Lord ’ s presence in the here and now , physicalized through the sacraments , structures , and people that are His Church .
Just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this understanding has been obscured almost completely , and the resultant devastation is plain for any honest observer to behold .
While denial or despair are the reactions of too many Catholics today , there are those who seem to react to the devastation in a decidedly different manner .
Among them are the priests , oblates , sisters , and seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest , a young and growing society of apostolic life that is pursuing the comprehensive restoration of Holy Mother Church with supernatural tenacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Humility is the very foundation of the Church , ” says Canon Matthew Weaver , a priest of the Institute and project manager of the community ’ s effort to build their U.S .
Provincial Headquarters and Shrine of Christ the King .
“ Sometimes God knocks us down in order that we would re-find that foundation .
And when we have discovered it once again , we ought not to be discouraged but thankful , because from that foundation of humility we can start to rebuild the Mystical Body of Christ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christ , the majesty of the Church .
But as St. Augustine would say , ‘ Only where there is humility , there will be majesty.
’ ” Defending and promoting what the Church has always done The mission of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is “ to spread the reign of Christ in all spheres of human life by drawing from the millennial treasury of the Roman Catholic Church , particularly her liturgical tradition , the unbroken line of spiritual thought and practice of her saints , and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and architecture.
” Founded in 1990 and formally approved by the Holy See in 2008 , the Institute has grown from a handful of missionary priests in Gabon , Africa to 114 priests , more than 100 seminarians , clerical oblate brothers , a community of sisters , and a lay association serving at 80 apostolates in 12 countries around the world .
Growth like this is virtually unheard of in today ’ s Catholic Church .
What ’ s their secret ?
“ We strive to promote the rights of Christ as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He comes first .
So we simply try to do today what the Church has always done when Christ has come first .
We desire to allow people the opportunity to see the beauty of the truth and attract them to the love of God through that beauty.
” The Institute delivers that beauty through their meticulous offering of the traditional Latin Mass , their exemplary formation of their priests , and their jubilant charism comprising the community life and discipline of St. Benedict , the doctrinal clarity of St. Thomas Aquinas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis de Sales .
The response from the laity is nearly universal .
“ My family and I fell in love with the Latin Mass , ” says Jason , a parishioner at the Institute ’ s apostolate in Chicago , Illinois .
“ And finding a community with the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales was an answer to our most heartfelt prayers .
This is the reason we drive over an hour to attend Mass at an Institute church.
” Another more public hallmark of the Institute ’ s revitalizing charism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church buildings .
Restoring churches , congregations , and culture in the United States The Institute was invited to establish their first apostolate in the United States in 1996 by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke , then Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse , Wisconsin .
Immediately thereafter , Bishop Thomas Doran invited the Institute into the Diocese of Rockford , Illinois .
He entrusted to them the care of St. Mary Church , an elegant specimen of late-nineteenth century neo-Gothic ecclesiastical architecture much beloved by locals which , by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be closed due to low attendance and disrepair .
Under the care and direction of the Institute , within a few years , the church and congregation were largely restored to their original prestige .
Word got out , and the successful venture served as a model that would be improved upon in diocese after diocese as bishops across the country invited the Institute not only to introduce the faithful to the traditional sacraments and liturgy , but also to restore and repopulate magnificent historic churches slated for demolition .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Priest serves in 18 dioceses in the United States .
In 2004 , Chicago Archbishop Francis Cardinal George was agonizing over the impending demolition of the gutted and abandoned St. Clara/St .
Gelasius church on the city ’ s south side .
Built in 1923 , the Renaissance-style masterpiece of Henry Schlacks , founder of the architecture department at the University of Notre Dame and a leading light of American revivalist architecture , was the last remaining Catholic church in the area and a gem of our country ’ s Catholic heritage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s work , he immediately invited them into the archdiocese to take over the otherwise doomed house of worship .
For the Institute , this abandoned treasure in a forgotten part of town represented a profound opportunity : a foothold in a prominent , geographically central city in which to establish their American provincial headquarters and long-envisioned namesake national shrine .
They renamed the church the “ Shrine of Christ the King ” and immediately got to work .
As the congregation grew and prayers and donations came in from across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Special events held in the church began to revive the cultural life of the surrounding neighborhood , and national events and retreats held at the Institute ’ s new U.S. headquarters helped unite this young , spiritual family in their ambitious mission to restore Catholic life in America .
But on October 7 , 2015 , as the second phase of the renovation began , tragedy struck .
In the darkness of the early morning , a fire broke out in the church , utterly destroying the roof , the choir loft , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interior furnishings .
Eleven years of arduous restoration was obliterated in little more than five hours .
Amid the smoldering ruins , however , the foundation of the church remained .
And when firefighters brought forth from within it the 17th-century wooden statue of Christ the Infant King and the gilded Tabernacle containing the Most Holy Eucharist—both virtually untouched by the devastation—the shell-shocked canons and oblates standing outside their ravaged home instantly recognized their Divine cue to begin again building upon its foundation .
Months of deliberations with officials over the fate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the archdiocese deeded the property entirely to the Institute .
Canon Matthew Talarico , the Institute ’ s Provincial Superior in the United States , could now formally declare what so many longed to hear : “ We will rebuild the church.
” That their work restoring church buildings serves as a powerful metaphor for their mission of restoring the Church at large has never been lost on the Institute .
In fact , for them it is no mere metaphor , it ’ s their sacramental duty : making the invisible mysteries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to behold .
“ We are the religion of the Incarnation , ” explains Canon Weaver .
“ Our Lord , the Word Incarnate , sanctified material reality by becoming flesh .
The Church ’ s abundant tradition of beauty in liturgy , music , art , and architecture is a very important aspect of the Mystical Body of Christ , which prolongs the mystery of our Lord ’ s redemptive Incarnation until the end of time .
Our founder , Monsignor Gilles Wach , reminds us often that the Mass is like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beautiful setting to show even more its value and brilliance .
So for the Institute , liturgical matters are not minor details but among our primary preoccupations as they always had been for the Church.
” He continues , “ The liturgy is our living and vital connection to the faith and its doctrines , our principal means to meeting and knowing Our Lord .
That makes the very hard work of restoring and reintroducing the fullness of the Church ’ s liturgical and cultural traditions—requiring constant study , effort , and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can not imagine a more important job.
” Today , undeterred by setbacks and tragedy , their renewed commitment to completing their U.S .
Provincial Headquarters and namesake Shrine of Christ the King is the living icon of the Institute ’ s mission .
On a grander scale , it constitutes a bricks and mortar rallying point for the growing movement among faithful Catholics nationwide to restore and rebuild the authentic Roman Catholic Church in America— “ the Spouse of Christ as Christ willed her to be.
” As Nathan , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mission from Ave Maria , Florida says , “ In a world that feels increasingly lost and torn , the remedy is to acknowledge and affirm the true kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ .
We need this beacon of hope—the Shrine !
” To be a part of and learn more about this historic enterprise to restore the Catholic Church—body and soul—and build a national stronghold in the United States for Christ our Lord and King , click HERE .

The Institute delivers beauty and truth through their meticulous offering of the traditional Latin Mass, their exemplary formation of their priests, and their jubilant charism comprising the community life and discipline of St. Benedict, the doctrinal clarity of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the apostolic charity of St. Francis de Sales.
ANALYSIS
April 29, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – “But lest we be deceived by the angel of darkness who transforms himself into an angel of light, let this be the supreme law of our love: to love the Spouse of Christ as Christ willed her to be, and as He purchased her with His blood. Hence, not only should we cherish exceedingly the Sacraments with which holy Mother Church sustains our life, the solemn ceremonies which she celebrates for our solace and our joy, the sacred chant and the liturgical rites by which she lifts our minds up to heaven, but also the sacramentals and all those exercises of piety by which she consoles the hearts of the faithful and sweetly imbues them with the Spirit of Christ.”
These words of Pope Pius XII in his 1943 encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi proclaim the Catholic Church’s abiding understanding of her distinct identity and solemn duty as the Mystical Body of Christ – Our Lord’s presence in the here and now, physicalized through the sacraments, structures, and people that are His Church. Just over three quarters of a century later, this understanding has been obscured almost completely, and the resultant devastation is plain for any honest observer to behold.
While denial or despair are the reactions of too many Catholics today, there are those who seem to react to the devastation in a decidedly different manner. Among them are the priests, oblates, sisters, and seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a young and growing society of apostolic life that is pursuing the comprehensive restoration of Holy Mother Church with supernatural tenacity, reverence, and humility.
“Humility is the very foundation of the Church,” says Canon Matthew Weaver, a priest of the Institute and project manager of the community’s effort to build their U.S. Provincial Headquarters and Shrine of Christ the King. “Sometimes God knocks us down in order that we would re-find that foundation. And when we have discovered it once again, we ought not to be discouraged but thankful, because from that foundation of humility we can start to rebuild the Mystical Body of Christ and make visible once again the majesty of Christ, the majesty of the Church. But as St. Augustine would say, ‘Only where there is humility, there will be majesty.’”
Defending and promoting what the Church has always done
The mission of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is “to spread the reign of Christ in all spheres of human life by drawing from the millennial treasury of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly her liturgical tradition, the unbroken line of spiritual thought and practice of her saints, and her cultural patrimony in music, art, and architecture.”
Founded in 1990 and formally approved by the Holy See in 2008, the Institute has grown from a handful of missionary priests in Gabon, Africa to 114 priests, more than 100 seminarians, clerical oblate brothers, a community of sisters, and a lay association serving at 80 apostolates in 12 countries around the world. Growth like this is virtually unheard of in today’s Catholic Church. What’s their secret?
“We strive to promote the rights of Christ as King,” explains Canon Weaver. “He comes first. So we simply try to do today what the Church has always done when Christ has come first. We desire to allow people the opportunity to see the beauty of the truth and attract them to the love of God through that beauty.”
The Institute delivers that beauty through their meticulous offering of the traditional Latin Mass, their exemplary formation of their priests, and their jubilant charism comprising the community life and discipline of St. Benedict, the doctrinal clarity of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the apostolic charity of St. Francis de Sales.
The response from the laity is nearly universal.
“My family and I fell in love with the Latin Mass,” says Jason, a parishioner at the Institute’s apostolate in Chicago, Illinois. “And finding a community with the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales was an answer to our most heartfelt prayers. This is the reason we drive over an hour to attend Mass at an Institute church.”
Another more public hallmark of the Institute’s revitalizing charism is their painstaking restoration of discarded historic church buildings.
Restoring churches, congregations, and culture in the United States
The Institute was invited to establish their first apostolate in the United States in 1996 by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, then Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Immediately thereafter, Bishop Thomas Doran invited the Institute into the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois. He entrusted to them the care of St. Mary Church, an elegant specimen of late-nineteenth century neo-Gothic ecclesiastical architecture much beloved by locals which, by the late twentieth century, was nonetheless slated to be closed due to low attendance and disrepair.
Under the care and direction of the Institute, within a few years, the church and congregation were largely restored to their original prestige. Word got out, and the successful venture served as a model that would be improved upon in diocese after diocese as bishops across the country invited the Institute not only to introduce the faithful to the traditional sacraments and liturgy, but also to restore and repopulate magnificent historic churches slated for demolition.
Today, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest serves in 18 dioceses in the United States.
A shrine to Christ the King
In 2004, Chicago Archbishop Francis Cardinal George was agonizing over the impending demolition of the gutted and abandoned St. Clara/St. Gelasius church on the city’s south side. Built in 1923, the Renaissance-style masterpiece of Henry Schlacks, founder of the architecture department at the University of Notre Dame and a leading light of American revivalist architecture, was the last remaining Catholic church in the area and a gem of our country’s Catholic heritage. When Cardinal George learned of the Institute’s work, he immediately invited them into the archdiocese to take over the otherwise doomed house of worship.
For the Institute, this abandoned treasure in a forgotten part of town represented a profound opportunity: a foothold in a prominent, geographically central city in which to establish their American provincial headquarters and long-envisioned namesake national shrine.
They renamed the church the “Shrine of Christ the King” and immediately got to work. As the congregation grew and prayers and donations came in from across the country, the restoration picked up. Special events held in the church began to revive the cultural life of the surrounding neighborhood, and national events and retreats held at the Institute’s new U.S. headquarters helped unite this young, spiritual family in their ambitious mission to restore Catholic life in America.
But on October 7, 2015, as the second phase of the renovation began, tragedy struck. In the darkness of the early morning, a fire broke out in the church, utterly destroying the roof, the choir loft, the windows, and virtually all the interior furnishings. Eleven years of arduous restoration was obliterated in little more than five hours.
Amid the smoldering ruins, however, the foundation of the church remained. And when firefighters brought forth from within it the 17th-century wooden statue of Christ the Infant King and the gilded Tabernacle containing the Most Holy Eucharist—both virtually untouched by the devastation—the shell-shocked canons and oblates standing outside their ravaged home instantly recognized their Divine cue to begin again building upon its foundation.
Months of deliberations with officials over the fate of the skeletal church followed. Ultimately, the archdiocese deeded the property entirely to the Institute. Canon Matthew Talarico, the Institute’s Provincial Superior in the United States, could now formally declare what so many longed to hear: “We will rebuild the church.”
That their work restoring church buildings serves as a powerful metaphor for their mission of restoring the Church at large has never been lost on the Institute. In fact, for them it is no mere metaphor, it’s their sacramental duty: making the invisible mysteries of eternity visible once again for all to behold.
“We are the religion of the Incarnation,” explains Canon Weaver. “Our Lord, the Word Incarnate, sanctified material reality by becoming flesh. The Church’s abundant tradition of beauty in liturgy, music, art, and architecture is a very important aspect of the Mystical Body of Christ, which prolongs the mystery of our Lord’s redemptive Incarnation until the end of time. Our founder, Monsignor Gilles Wach, reminds us often that the Mass is like a diamond that needs a dignified, beautiful setting to show even more its value and brilliance. So for the Institute, liturgical matters are not minor details but among our primary preoccupations as they always had been for the Church.”
He continues, “The liturgy is our living and vital connection to the faith and its doctrines, our principal means to meeting and knowing Our Lord. That makes the very hard work of restoring and reintroducing the fullness of the Church’s liturgical and cultural traditions—requiring constant study, effort, and most of all prayer—more than worth it. I cannot imagine a more important job.”
Today, undeterred by setbacks and tragedy, their renewed commitment to completing their U.S. Provincial Headquarters and namesake Shrine of Christ the King is the living icon of the Institute’s mission. On a grander scale, it constitutes a bricks and mortar rallying point for the growing movement among faithful Catholics nationwide to restore and rebuild the authentic Roman Catholic Church in America—“the Spouse of Christ as Christ willed her to be.”
As Nathan, a supporter of the Institute’s work and mission from Ave Maria, Florida says, “In a world that feels increasingly lost and torn, the remedy is to acknowledge and affirm the true kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We need this beacon of hope—the Shrine!”
To be a part of and learn more about this historic enterprise to restore the Catholic Church—body and soul—and build a national stronghold in the United States for Christ our Lord and King, click HERE.
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