lifesitenews--2020-08-18--Archbishop celebrates Mass with 60 while still obeying 12-person COVID limit

SAN FRANCISCO , California , August 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — With severe lockdown measures still in place in San Francisco that limit worship services to a dozen people , Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone found a creative way to allow dozens of faithful to simultaneously attend Mass on the Aug. 15 Feast of the Assumption .
The Archdiocese of San Francisco is under a severe lockdown since it was placed on a “ watchlist.
” Although churches opened for indoor masses in mid-June with restrictions , they have since closed .
With the new lockdown measures , only outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted .
However , Cordileone , the archbishop of San Francisco , recognized the importance in allowing the faithful to physically participate at the Mass .
Therefore , on the Feast of the Assumption , he and four other priests celebrated five different Masses , all said at the same time , on the plaza of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption .
In a video released on the same day , Abp .
Cordileone said , “ As Catholics , we have a sacramental vision of the world , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a practical matter of convenience , to be able to be inside and protected from the elements .
The Church has a sacramental significance.
” “ It symbolizes the Church that is the people of God , ” he continued .
“ As St. Peter says , ‘ Built up of living stones.
’ It is the essence of the Church that we gather for worship.
” “ There ’ s plenty of room [ on the plaza ] to have multiple Masses at the same time .
The thought came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the plaza .
Even if they can not be at the same Mass worshiping together , they can worship together in smaller groups.
” PETITION : Support pastors fighting against oppressive state mandates !
Sign the petition here .
Given the pandemic and lockdown , Abp .
Cordileone explained that it is more crucial than ever to witness to the Faith .
“ This is a way we can publicly manifest our faith and give expression to our faith in greater numbers so the world can be reminded of the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Whenever a society or a nation turns its back on God or denies God , it always begins to corrupt and eventually fall apart .
So we need to reclaim God at the center of our society.
” EWTN reporter Raymond Arroyo tweeted his encouragement of Abp .
Cordileone while also pointing out the severity of the restrictions .
“ How sad and outrageous that Sunday worship is restricted to 12 participants in San Francisco .
With an outdoor plaza like the Cathedral in SF , hundreds could attend , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cordileone for getting creative.
” Abp .
Cordileone likewise addressed the treatment of churches in the lockdown : “ ... the health orders in certain parts of the state including here in San Francisco are being unequally applied — certain types of activities , especially religious activities , being more greatly restricted than other types of secular activities.
” “ We ’ ve seen this elsewhere as well , ” he continued .
“ We ’ ve seen it in Nevada , where casinos are allowed to operate and churches can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just one example of what happens when we remove God from the center of our society .
”

San Francisco archbishop Salvatore Cordileone found a creative way to allow dozens of faithful to simultaneously attend Mass on the Aug. 15 Feast of the Assumption.
SAN FRANCISCO, California, August 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — With severe lockdown measures still in place in San Francisco that limit worship services to a dozen people, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone found a creative way to allow dozens of faithful to simultaneously attend Mass on the Aug. 15 Feast of the Assumption.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco is under a severe lockdown since it was placed on a “watchlist.” Although churches opened for indoor masses in mid-June with restrictions, they have since closed. With the new lockdown measures, only outdoor Masses of 12 people or fewer are permitted.
However, Cordileone, the archbishop of San Francisco, recognized the importance in allowing the faithful to physically participate at the Mass. Therefore, on the Feast of the Assumption, he and four other priests celebrated five different Masses, all said at the same time, on the plaza of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption.
In a video released on the same day, Abp. Cordileone said, “As Catholics, we have a sacramental vision of the world, and we see the church building as not just a practical matter of convenience, to be able to be inside and protected from the elements. The Church has a sacramental significance.”
“It symbolizes the Church that is the people of God,” he continued. “As St. Peter says, ‘Built up of living stones.’ It is the essence of the Church that we gather for worship.”
“There’s plenty of room [on the plaza] to have multiple Masses at the same time. The thought came to my mind because I envisioned many people on the plaza. Even if they cannot be at the same Mass worshiping together, they can worship together in smaller groups.”
PETITION: Support pastors fighting against oppressive state mandates! Sign the petition here.
Given the pandemic and lockdown, Abp. Cordileone explained that it is more crucial than ever to witness to the Faith. “This is a way we can publicly manifest our faith and give expression to our faith in greater numbers so the world can be reminded of the importance of the centrality of God to our society.”
“Whenever a society or a nation turns its back on God or denies God, it always begins to corrupt and eventually fall apart. So we need to reclaim God at the center of our society.”
EWTN reporter Raymond Arroyo tweeted his encouragement of Abp. Cordileone while also pointing out the severity of the restrictions.
“How sad and outrageous that Sunday worship is restricted to 12 participants in San Francisco. With an outdoor plaza like the Cathedral in SF, hundreds could attend,” he wrote. “Good on Arch. Cordileone for getting creative.”
Abp. Cordileone likewise addressed the treatment of churches in the lockdown: “… the health orders in certain parts of the state including here in San Francisco are being unequally applied — certain types of activities, especially religious activities, being more greatly restricted than other types of secular activities.”
“We’ve seen this elsewhere as well,” he continued. “We’ve seen it in Nevada, where casinos are allowed to operate and churches cannot still have indoor services. … This is just one example of what happens when we remove God from the center of our society.”
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lifesitenews--2020-08-16--What we know of Our Lady of Fatima’s ‘3rd secret’ appears to be unfolding in Church today: priest

August 15 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Father Frank Unterhalt , a German diocesan priest and speaker of a group of faithful priests called Communio veritatis , has written an article about the current crisis in the Catholic Church and linking it back to the message of Our Lady of Fatima .
He quotes Cardinal Ciappi , a theologian of the Papal House from 1955 to 1989 , who stated in 1955 : “ In the Third Secret it is predicted , among other things , that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below ) , Father Unterhalt of the Archdiocese of Paderborn sums up different aspects that help us to see that the Church has been infiltrated for quite some time now by anti-Catholic forces .
Here , he quotes the former Communist Bella Dodd who admitted to having helped infiltrate the Church in the U.S. with some 1,100 communist priests , and he also refers back to the Freemasonic instruction “ Alta Vendita ” which aimed at receiving “ a pope according to our needs.
” Father Unterhalt also quotes George Weigel who , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2011 “ how the communist governments and secret services infiltrated the Vatican and used diplomatic relations with the Holy See to promote their interests – as one might expect – and to strengthen their efforts to penetrate the highest levels of the Catholic Church ’ s leadership , especially the Vatican itself – an approach that many high-ranking dignitaries in the Vatican apparently did not see through.
” The German priest also reminds us that it was already Father Maximilian Kolbe , who in 1917 witnessed an appearance of Freemasons in Rome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Satan shall reign in the Vatican , and the Pope shall be his slave.
” It was Pope Benedict XVI who announced in 2010 that the Third Secret of Fatima is about the fact that “ the greatest persecution of the Church comes not from her enemies without , but arises from sin within the Church.
” Here , we might also be reminded of the fact that , as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger , he had said that Freemasonry was the greatest danger for the Church .
Father Unterhalt does not mention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not Rome has even fully published all the words of Sister Lucia of Fatima relating to the Third Secret , a discussion that is kept alive since the official publication of the Third Secret in Rome in June of 2000 .
In any event , the words of Cardinal Ciappi about an apostasy at the top of the Church as quoted by Father Unterhalt are not contained in the officially published Third Secret .
It is to be hoped that future research will give us further light in this matter .
For example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the secretary of Archbishop Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli – later Pope John XXIII – during the time the latter served as the apostolic nuncio in Paris , stated in 1990 in an interview about the Third Secret : “ I would not be surprised if the Third Secret alluded to dark times for the Church : grave confusions and troubling apostasies within Catholicism itself … If we consider the grave crisis we have lived through since the [ Second Vatican ] Council , the signs that this prophecy has been fulfilled do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reminds us that both the Book of Revelation and the Catechism of the Catholic Church speak to us about the loss of Faith at the end of times and of the final trials of the Church .
Here he quotes the catechism as saying : “ Before Christ ’ s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers .
The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the ‘ mystery of iniquity ’ in the form of a religious deception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.
” Father Unterhalt has been making strong statements in the last years that are pertaining to the preservation of the Catholic Faith .
He and his priestly group Communio veritatis opposed , for example , the idea of intercommunion with Protestants ; he publicly rebuked the head of the German bishops , Cardinal Reinhard Marx , for adapting the Catholic Church to the zeitgeist ; and he condemned the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand while standing .
Unterhalt also rejected Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communion to adulterers .
Finally , he encouraged us to remain close to Our Lady , saying that “ Many faithful are asking themselves today how one can withstand the current storm of the great test and remain in the true Faith .
I would like to answer that with the famous words of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima : 'My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which leads you to God ! '
” The Church lives through the Third Secret of Fatima It is high time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prophetic announcement made by Cardinal Wojtyła at the 1976 Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia : “ We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced .
I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society , or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully .
We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church , between the Gospel and the anti-gospel , between Christ and the antichrist .
The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in God ’ s Plan , and it must be a trial which the Church must take up , and face courageously… ” [ 1 ] It is important to realize the full dimension of this dramatic appeal !
Above all , one must consider what an anti-church needs at its head .
In this sense , Bishop Fulton J. Sheen affirmed : “ There will be a mystical Body of the antichrist , which will resemble in all its externals the Mystical Body of Christ.
” [ 2 ] During his visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul II , when asked in Fulda how things were going with the Church in relation to the Third Secret of Fatima , replied with the following words : “ We must prepare ourselves for great trials in the near future .
Yes , they may even require giving our lives , and total dedication to Christ and for Christ !
It can be softened by your and our prayer , but it can not be averted .
Only in this way can the true renewal of the Church arrive .
How often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born from blood .
It will not be any different this time .
Let us be strong and let us prepare and trust in Christ and His Holy Mother !
Let us pray the Rosary very much and often !
” [ 3 ] Shortly after , this turned real for him .
On May 13 , 1981 , the anniversary of the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God Mary in Fatima in 1917 , the assassination attempt took place in Rome .
Here the whole trial of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture .
The direct attack against the Holy Father was not only directed at him , but at the entire Mystical Body of Christ on earth .
According to the teaching of St. Augustine , the Pope is the “ figura ecclesiae ” and represents the whole Church .
[ 4 ] Against this background , she must understand that she is in the midst of an apocalyptic struggle in which everything is at stake .
This becomes even clearer when we consider the exact circumstances of the assassination attempt : The five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one hand , this unmistakably points to the year in which Freemasonry was founded , 1717 .
St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe witnessed their demonstration on St. Peter ’ s Square in Rome in 1917 .
The Apostle of the Immaculata read the professed plan of the Freemasons on the relevant flag : “ Satan shall reign in the Vatican , and the Pope shall be his slave.
” [ 5 ] On the other hand , in the same year 1917 , the October Revolution occurred in Russia with the manifestation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In these contexts , the attack on the head of the Catholic Church shows the hostile attempt to overcome her completely .
The aim of the attack in Rome was obviously to remove the God-given foundation of the Church in order to replace it with another “ leadership.
” Of course , this plan did not end with the assassination attempt , which failed from the enemy ’ s point of view – to the contrary .
Enlightening in this context is a letter of Sister Lucia to the Holy Father of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which she referred to the third part of the Secret : “ Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message , we see that it has been fulfilled , Russia has invaded the world with her errors .
And if we have not yet seen the complete fulfilment of the final part of this prophecy , we are going towards it little by little with great strides.
” [ 6 ] The theologian and writer Prof. Dr. George Weigel has analyzed the archives of the communist fight against Karol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has described the pertinent campaign as follows : “ This material illustrates how the communist governments and secret services infiltrated the Vatican and used diplomatic relations with the Holy See to promote their interests – as one might expect – and to strengthen their efforts to penetrate the highest levels of the Catholic Church ’ s leadership , especially the Vatican itself – an approach that many high-ranking dignitaries in the Vatican apparently did not see through.
” [ 7 ] The shocking confession of the well-known Dr. Bella Dodd , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USA , opens our eyes in a special way to the historical background .
After her conversion to the Catholic faith , the former activist gave sworn testimony about the deliberate infiltration of the Church .
According to her own testimony , she followed an order by Stalin at the time , which was issued to all Communist Party organizations to have agents without faith and morals infiltrate Catholic seminaries and religious orders .
[ 8 ] This plan from Moscow was implemented extremely effectively – right down to the Vatican .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In the 1930s we put 1100 men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within , right now they are in the highest places in the Church.
” [ 9 ] Dr. Bella Dodd left no doubt about the drastic consequences : “ You will not recognize the Catholic Church.
” [ 10 ] The philosopher Prof. Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand provides us with a profound analysis which clearly shows that the decisive battle is not outside but inside the Church herself : “ An unprejudiced look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vineyard can not overlook the fact that a ‘ fifth column ’ has formed in the Church ( it is also called a mafia by some , even on the Church side ) , a group of purposeful destroyers of the Church .
[ … ] Their systematic and refined undermining of Holy Mother Church also bears clear enough witness to the fact that this is a deliberate conspiracy on the hand of the Freemasons and the Communists , who – despite their differences and other enmities – work together for this goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arch-enemy , and for the Communists the main obstacle to the conquest of the world .
[ … ] But the incomprehensible thing is that this conspiracy exists within the Church , that there are bishops and even cardinals , and above all priests and religious who are a kind of Judas.
” [ 11 ] Bishop Dr. Rudolf Graber has dealt with the goal of the hostile strategy .
He quotes the so-called “ Alta Vendita ” – the Masonic plan for revolution within the Catholic Church .
In it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what we look for and have to await – just as the Jews await their Messiah – is a Pope according to our needs [ … ] We do not doubt our reaching this highest goal of our efforts.
” [ 12 ] In this context the famous word formulated by Cardinal Ciappi is of particular importance .
He was an expert on the Third Secret of Fatima and theologian of the Papal House from 1955 to 1989 .
In a letter to Prof. Baumgartner from Salzburg in 1995 , he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is predicted , among other things , that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.
” [ 13 ] A look into the Book of Revelation makes this clear .
The fire-red dragon ( cf .
Rev 12:3 ) represents atheistic communism , which seeks to destroy faith in God .
In this battle two beasts come to the aid of the dragon , who shows himself to have powerful strength .
The black beast , which resembles a panther ( cf .
Rev 13:1-2 ) , is Freemasonry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hides itself in the shadows to be able to penetrate everywhere unrecognized .
The throne and power of the dragon have been given to him ( cf .
Rev 13:2 ) .
The other beast is ecclesial Freemasonry : “ He had two horns like a lamb , but he spoke like a dragon ” ( Rev 13:11 ) .
This is a reference to the hierarchy of the Church , in which the mitre – with two horns – indicates the fullness of the priesthood .
The beast that comes up out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Christ the Lamb , but is a servant of Satan the dragon .
The False Prophet ( cf .
Rev 19:20 ) is the pseudo-religious leader of the anti-church and drives apostasy from the top .
He deceives and betrays the inhabitants of the earth ( cf .
Rev 13:14 ) and wants to lead people to worship the antichrist ( cf .
Rev 13:12 ) , of whom he is the forerunner .
A direct reference to the Third Secret of Fatima is also found in the Catechism of the Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers .
The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the ‘ mystery of iniquity ’ in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.
” [ 14 ] The Paschal Mystery of Christ is thus intensely renewed in his Mystical Body .
The Church will follow her Lord in his death and resurrection .
[ 15 ] This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pilgrim on the road to Fatima in May 2010 , explained the Third Secret : “ Consequently , I would say that , here too , beyond this great vision of the suffering of the Pope , [ … ] an indication is given of realities involving the future of the Church , which are gradually taking shape and becoming evident .
So it is true that , in addition to moment indicated in the vision , there is mention of , there is seen , the need for a passion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the person of the Pope , yet the Pope stands for the Church and thus it is sufferings of the Church that are announced .
[ … ] As for the new things which we can find in this message today , there is also the fact that attacks on the Pope and the Church come not only from without , but the sufferings of the Church come precisely from within the Church , from the sin existing within the Church .
This too is something that we have always known , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really terrifying way : that the greatest persecution of the Church comes not from her enemies without , but arises from sin within the Church ” .
[ 16 ] So , during this time , she experiences in everything the passion of Jesus and the abysmal iniquity of the betrayal .
Christ made the servant of the true Mercy , St .
Sister Faustina , experience all the bitterness of the Church ’ s agony of Gethsemane .
She wrote in her diary : “ On that day I suffered more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outwardly .
I did not know that one can suffer so much in a single day.
” The most terrible dimension of Gethsemane is the appearance of the traitor .
St .
Sister Faustina noted the date of this worst day of suffering .
It was December 17 , 1936 .
[ 1 ] John-Henry Westen , “ Two timely quotes from St. John Paul II on his feast day , ” in : LifeSiteNews , October 22 , 2014 ; The Wall Street Journal , November 9 , 1978 .
[ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ und das Gewissen der westlichen Welt [ Engl .
title : Communism and the Conscience of the West ] , Berlin 1950 , p. 12 .
[ translated from German ] [ 6 ] Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , The Message of Fatima ( June 26 , 2000 ) , Introduction .
[ 7 ] George Weigel , Der Papst der Freiheit .
Johannes Paul II .
Seine letzten Jahre und sein Vermächtnis [ Engl .
Title : The End and the Beginning : Pope John Paul II -- The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Legacy ] , Paderborn 2011 , p. 14 .
[ translated from German ] [ 8 ] Cf .
Iben Thranholm , „ Catholic abuse crisis is likely no accident , but a strategy to ‘ destroy Church from within ’ “ , in : LifeSiteNews , September 17 , 2018 .
[ 9 ] Bella V. Dodd , School of Darkness , Angelico Press reprint edition 2017 , Introduction ; originally published by P. J. Kenedy & Sons , New York 1954 .
[ 12 ] Rudolf Graber , Athanasius @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
title : Athanasius and the Church of our Time ] , Abensberg 1987 , 11th ed.
, p. 85 .
[ translated from German ] [ 13 ] Brian W. Harrison , “ Alice von Hildebrand Sheds New Light on Fatima , ” Introductory commentary , in : OnePeterFive , May 12 , 2016 .
[ 16 ] Pope Benedict XVI , Interview during the flight to Portugal , May 11 , 2010 [ 17 ] Tagebuch der Schwester Maria Faustyna Kowalska [ Diary of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska ] , Hauteville/Schweiz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 823 .
[ translated from German ]

The Third Secret given to Sister Lucia predicted, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top
August 15, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Father Frank Unterhalt, a German diocesan priest and speaker of a group of faithful priests called Communio veritatis, has written an article about the current crisis in the Catholic Church and linking it back to the message of Our Lady of Fatima. He quotes Cardinal Ciappi, a theologian of the Papal House from 1955 to 1989, who stated in 1995: “In the Third Secret it is predicted, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.”
In his statement (see full text below), Father Unterhalt of the Archdiocese of Paderborn sums up different aspects that help us to see that the Church has been infiltrated for quite some time now by anti-Catholic forces. Here, he quotes the former Communist Bella Dodd who admitted to having helped infiltrate the Church in the U.S. with some 1,100 communist priests, and he also refers back to the Freemasonic instruction “Alta Vendita” which aimed at receiving “a pope according to our needs.”
Father Unterhalt also quotes George Weigel who, after studying the communist archives, described in 2011 “how the communist governments and secret services infiltrated the Vatican and used diplomatic relations with the Holy See to promote their interests – as one might expect – and to strengthen their efforts to penetrate the highest levels of the Catholic Church’s leadership, especially the Vatican itself – an approach that many high-ranking dignitaries in the Vatican apparently did not see through.”
The German priest also reminds us that it was already Father Maximilian Kolbe, who in 1917 witnessed an appearance of Freemasons in Rome holding up a flag with the words “Satan shall reign in the Vatican, and the Pope shall be his slave.”
It was Pope Benedict XVI who announced in 2010 that the Third Secret of Fatima is about the fact that “the greatest persecution of the Church comes not from her enemies without, but arises from sin within the Church.”
Here, we might also be reminded of the fact that, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he had said that Freemasonry was the greatest danger for the Church.
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
Father Unterhalt does not mention the ongoing debate as to whether or not Rome has even fully published all the words of Sister Lucia of Fatima relating to the Third Secret, a discussion that is kept alive since the official publication of the Third Secret in Rome in June of 2000. In any event, the words of Cardinal Ciappi about an apostasy at the top of the Church as quoted by Father Unterhalt are not contained in the officially published Third Secret. It is to be hoped that future research will give us further light in this matter.
For example, Cardinal Silvio Oddi, who had been the secretary of Archbishop Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli – later Pope John XXIII – during the time the latter served as the apostolic nuncio in Paris, stated in 1990 in an interview about the Third Secret: “I would not be surprised if the Third Secret alluded to dark times for the Church: grave confusions and troubling apostasies within Catholicism itself … If we consider the grave crisis we have lived through since the [Second Vatican] Council, the signs that this prophecy has been fulfilled do not seem to be lacking.”
Father Unterhalt also reminds us that both the Book of Revelation and the Catechism of the Catholic Church speak to us about the loss of Faith at the end of times and of the final trials of the Church. Here he quotes the catechism as saying: “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the ‘mystery of iniquity’ in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.”
Father Unterhalt has been making strong statements in the last years that are pertaining to the preservation of the Catholic Faith. He and his priestly group Communio veritatis opposed, for example, the idea of intercommunion with Protestants; he publicly rebuked the head of the German bishops, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, for adapting the Catholic Church to the zeitgeist; and he condemned the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand while standing. Unterhalt also rejected Pope Francis’ new rule of giving Holy Communion to adulterers. Finally, he encouraged us to remain close to Our Lady, saying that “Many faithful are asking themselves today how one can withstand the current storm of the great test and remain in the true Faith. I would like to answer that with the famous words of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima: ‘My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which leads you to God!’”
***
Full statement by Father Frank Unterhalt
The Church lives through the Third Secret of Fatima
It is high time to understand the full meaning of the prophetic announcement made by Cardinal Wojtyła at the 1976 Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia: “We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the Gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously…”[1]
It is important to realize the full dimension of this dramatic appeal! Above all, one must consider what an anti-church needs at its head. In this sense, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen affirmed: “There will be a mystical Body of the antichrist, which will resemble in all its externals the Mystical Body of Christ.”[2]
During his visit to Germany in 1980, Pope John Paul II, when asked in Fulda how things were going with the Church in relation to the Third Secret of Fatima, replied with the following words: “We must prepare ourselves for great trials in the near future. Yes, they may even require giving our lives, and total dedication to Christ and for Christ! It can be softened by your and our prayer, but it cannot be averted. Only in this way can the true renewal of the Church arrive. How often has the renewal of the Church been born from blood. It will not be any different this time. Let us be strong and let us prepare and trust in Christ and His Holy Mother! Let us pray the Rosary very much and often!”[3]
Shortly after, this turned real for him. On May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God Mary in Fatima in 1917, the assassination attempt took place in Rome. Here the whole trial of which he spoke became visible in a dramatic picture. The direct attack against the Holy Father was not only directed at him, but at the entire Mystical Body of Christ on earth. According to the teaching of St. Augustine, the Pope is the “figura ecclesiae” and represents the whole Church.[4] Against this background, she must understand that she is in the midst of an apocalyptic struggle in which everything is at stake. This becomes even clearer when we consider the exact circumstances of the assassination attempt: The five shots were fired at 17:17.
On the one hand, this unmistakably points to the year in which Freemasonry was founded, 1717. St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe witnessed their demonstration on St. Peter’s Square in Rome in 1917. The Apostle of the Immaculata read the professed plan of the Freemasons on the relevant flag: “Satan shall reign in the Vatican, and the Pope shall be his slave.”[5]
On the other hand, in the same year 1917, the October Revolution occurred in Russia with the manifestation of atheist communism and the connected decisive struggle.
In these contexts, the attack on the head of the Catholic Church shows the hostile attempt to overcome her completely. The aim of the attack in Rome was obviously to remove the God-given foundation of the Church in order to replace it with another “leadership.”
Of course, this plan did not end with the assassination attempt, which failed from the enemy’s point of view – to the contrary. Enlightening in this context is a letter of Sister Lucia to the Holy Father of May 12, 1982(!), in which she referred to the third part of the Secret: “Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled, Russia has invaded the world with her errors. And if we have not yet seen the complete fulfilment of the final part of this prophecy, we are going towards it little by little with great strides.”[6]
The theologian and writer Prof. Dr. George Weigel has analyzed the archives of the communist fight against Karol Wojtyła and Pope John Paul II, and has described the pertinent campaign as follows: “This material illustrates how the communist governments and secret services infiltrated the Vatican and used diplomatic relations with the Holy See to promote their interests – as one might expect – and to strengthen their efforts to penetrate the highest levels of the Catholic Church’s leadership, especially the Vatican itself – an approach that many high-ranking dignitaries in the Vatican apparently did not see through.”[7]
The shocking confession of the well-known Dr. Bella Dodd, a high-ranking member of the Communist Party in the USA, opens our eyes in a special way to the historical background. After her conversion to the Catholic faith, the former activist gave sworn testimony about the deliberate infiltration of the Church. According to her own testimony, she followed an order by Stalin at the time, which was issued to all Communist Party organizations to have agents without faith and morals infiltrate Catholic seminaries and religious orders.[8]
This plan from Moscow was implemented extremely effectively – right down to the Vatican. In the 1950s, she explained: “In the 1930s we put 1100 men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within, right now they are in the highest places in the Church.”[9]
Dr. Bella Dodd left no doubt about the drastic consequences: “You will not recognize the Catholic Church.”[10]
The philosopher Prof. Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand provides us with a profound analysis which clearly shows that the decisive battle is not outside but inside the Church herself: “An unprejudiced look at the present devastation of the Lord’s vineyard cannot overlook the fact that a ‘fifth column’ has formed in the Church (it is also called a mafia by some, even on the Church side), a group of purposeful destroyers of the Church. […] Their systematic and refined undermining of Holy Mother Church also bears clear enough witness to the fact that this is a deliberate conspiracy on the hand of the Freemasons and the Communists, who – despite their differences and other enmities – work together for this goal. For Freemasonry, the Church is the arch-enemy, and for the Communists the main obstacle to the conquest of the world. […] But the incomprehensible thing is that this conspiracy exists within the Church, that there are bishops and even cardinals, and above all priests and religious who are a kind of Judas.”[11]
Bishop Dr. Rudolf Graber has dealt with the goal of the hostile strategy. He quotes the so-called “Alta Vendita” – the Masonic plan for revolution within the Catholic Church. In it, it says: “What we demand, what we look for and have to await – just as the Jews await their Messiah – is a Pope according to our needs […] We do not doubt our reaching this highest goal of our efforts.”[12]
In this context the famous word formulated by Cardinal Ciappi is of particular importance. He was an expert on the Third Secret of Fatima and theologian of the Papal House from 1955 to 1989. In a letter to Prof. Baumgartner from Salzburg in 1995, he wrote: “In the Third Secret it is predicted, among other things, that the great apostasy in the Church will begin at the top.”[13]
A look into the Book of Revelation makes this clear.
The fire-red dragon (cf. Rev 12:3) represents atheistic communism, which seeks to destroy faith in God. In this battle two beasts come to the aid of the dragon, who shows himself to have powerful strength.
The black beast, which resembles a panther (cf. Rev 13:1-2), is Freemasonry. It acts in the background and hides itself in the shadows to be able to penetrate everywhere unrecognized. The throne and power of the dragon have been given to him (cf. Rev 13:2).
The other beast is ecclesial Freemasonry: “He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon” (Rev 13:11). This is a reference to the hierarchy of the Church, in which the mitre – with two horns – indicates the fullness of the priesthood. The beast that comes up out of the earth looks like a servant of Christ the Lamb, but is a servant of Satan the dragon.
The False Prophet (cf. Rev 19:20) is the pseudo-religious leader of the anti-church and drives apostasy from the top. He deceives and betrays the inhabitants of the earth (cf. Rev 13:14) and wants to lead people to worship the antichrist (cf. Rev 13:12), of whom he is the forerunner.
A direct reference to the Third Secret of Fatima is also found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the ‘mystery of iniquity’ in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.”[14]
The Paschal Mystery of Christ is thus intensely renewed in his Mystical Body. The Church will follow her Lord in his death and resurrection.[15]
This is why Pope Benedict XVI, as a pilgrim on the road to Fatima in May 2010, explained the Third Secret: “Consequently, I would say that, here too, beyond this great vision of the suffering of the Pope, […] an indication is given of realities involving the future of the Church, which are gradually taking shape and becoming evident. So it is true that, in addition to moment indicated in the vision, there is mention of, there is seen, the need for a passion of the Church, which naturally is reflected in the person of the Pope, yet the Pope stands for the Church and thus it is sufferings of the Church that are announced. […]
As for the new things which we can find in this message today, there is also the fact that attacks on the Pope and the Church come not only from without, but the sufferings of the Church come precisely from within the Church, from the sin existing within the Church. This too is something that we have always known, but today we are seeing it in a really terrifying way: that the greatest persecution of the Church comes not from her enemies without, but arises from sin within the Church”.[16]
So, during this time, she experiences in everything the passion of Jesus and the abysmal iniquity of the betrayal.
Christ made the servant of the true Mercy, St. Sister Faustina, experience all the bitterness of the Church’s agony of Gethsemane. She wrote in her diary: “On that day I suffered more than at any other time, inwardly and outwardly. I did not know that one can suffer so much in a single day.” The most terrible dimension of Gethsemane is the appearance of the traitor. St. Sister Faustina noted the date of this worst day of suffering. It was December 17, 1936.
Assumptio Beatae Mariae Virginis 2020
Pastor Frank Unterhalt
__________________
[1] John-Henry Westen, “Two timely quotes from St. John Paul II on his feast day,” in: LifeSiteNews, October 22, 2014; The Wall Street Journal, November 9, 1978.
[2] Fulton J. Sheen, Der Kommunismus und das Gewissen der westlichen Welt [Engl. title: Communism and the Conscience of the West], Berlin 1950, p. 12. [translated from German]
[3] Stimme des Glaubens [Voice of the Faith], October 1981.
[4] Cf. Augustine, Epistulae 53,2.
[5] Maria Winowska, Pater Maximilian Kolbe. Ein Leben im Dienst der Immaculata [Father Maximilian Kolbe: a Life serving the Immaculata], Freiburg/Schw. – Konstanz – München 1952, p. 41. [translated from German]
[6] Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, The Message of Fatima (June 26, 2000), Introduction.
[7] George Weigel, Der Papst der Freiheit. Johannes Paul II. Seine letzten Jahre und sein Vermächtnis [Engl. Title: The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II–The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy], Paderborn 2011, p. 14. [translated from German]
[8] Cf. Iben Thranholm, „Catholic abuse crisis is likely no accident, but a strategy to ‘destroy Church from within’“, in: LifeSiteNews, September 17, 2018.
[9] Bella V. Dodd, School of Darkness, Angelico Press reprint edition 2017, Introduction; originally published by P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York 1954.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Dietrich von Hildebrand, Der verwüstete Weinberg [Engl. title: The Devastated Vineyard], Regensburg 1973, 2nd ed., p. 11. [translated from German]
[12] Rudolf Graber, Athanasius und die Kirche unserer Zeit [Engl. title: Athanasius and the Church of our Time], Abensberg 1987, 11th ed., p. 85. [translated from German]
[13] Brian W. Harrison, “Alice von Hildebrand Sheds New Light on Fatima,” Introductory commentary, in: OnePeterFive, May 12, 2016.
[14] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 675.
[15] Cf. ibid., 677.
[16] Pope Benedict XVI, Interview during the flight to Portugal, May 11, 2010
[17] Tagebuch der Schwester Maria Faustyna Kowalska [Diary of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska], Hauteville/Schweiz 1991, 2nd ed., No. 823. [translated from German]
Translation by LifeSite’s Martin Bürger
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-19--Canadian pro-family group calls on parents to demand school boards drop WE Charity

TORONTO , Ontario , August 18 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The president of a Canadian pro-family group has said that now is the time for parents to be “ vigilant ” and speak out against WE Charity , to keep that organization from being a part of their children ’ s education in public school .
“ Parents should act now to inform school boards that they expect them to protect children from being sucked into the cult-like circus that WE Charity has become , ” Teresa Pierre , Ph.D. , president and founder of Parents as First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ While chasing celebrity fame and amassing vast real estate holdings , WE Charity has lost track of the fact that the essence of charity is service to fellow human beings.
” Pierre ’ s message comes in light of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau ’ s current status as under investigation by the ethics commissioner for his ties to the WE Charity scandal .
Trudeau and now former finance minister Bill Morneau are under investigation and have issued apologies for not recusing themselves from their cabinet discussions to approve a now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract would have seen WE get up to $ 43.5 million to administer the Canada Student Service Grants program ( CSSG ) .
The CSSG was designed to give grants to students in kind for volunteering but has been put on hold after the WE Charity agreement was dissolved .
Trudeau is also facing a backlash because his mother and brother received an estimated $ 300,000 in the last four years to speak at WE events .
Morneau , Trudeau ’ s former finance minister , recently told the finance committee that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reimbursement for WE Charity travel expenses he had incurred for two family trips with the organization in 2017 .
Morneau resigned yesterday , saying it was the “ the right time ” for him to move on .
In a recent email , PAFE echoed what Pierre told LifeSiteNews , saying parents should demand that their local school boards cut all ties with WE Charity .
“ Unless your board has already cut ties to WE Charity , please write or call your trustee and ask him or her to propose a motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to WE Charity fundraising and curriculum use immediately be suspended and that all partnerships with WE Charity be severed , ” says an August 13 email message from PAFE .
“ As parents , we need to be vigilant about the messages our children receive at school and demand a higher standard than they have been receiving with WE !
” In a rare move for a Canadian prime minister , Trudeau appeared as a witness at the July 30 meeting to testify before the committee to speak to his government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pierre Poilievre repeatedly asked Trudeau in the July 30 meeting to come clean with the exact dollar amount his family has received from WE Charity appearances .
In its August 13 email , PAFE noted that the provincial governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan , and Ontario , have already announced that they are terminating their agreements between their schools and WE Charity .
The Ontario minister of education , Stephen Lecce , recently said his government ’ s relationship with WE is coming to an end .
He is encouraging all school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts and investigate existing contracts.
” PAFE noted that the Toronto District School Board , which serves as Canada ’ s largest school board , has announced a review of its relationship with WE Charity before its “ current partnership agreement ends in February 2021 and before any decision to continue with the partnership is made.
” Markus de Domenico , a trustee from the Toronto Catholic District School Board , has called on his board to suspend its participation in WE Charity events .
He has been pushing for a vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place on August 20 .
PAFE says that before the WE Charity scandal broke , there were around 3,200 schools across Ontario and “ 7,000 schools and groups actively engaged in WE Schools programming ” across Canada .
“ One of the positive effects of the scandal is that school boards and provincial governments are reviewing their relationships with WE and in some cases terminating partnerships with the charity , ” wrote PAFE .
PAFE also called into question the messaging the WE Charity events have been promoting to kids .
“ WE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ‘ social change ’ by holding assemblies , creating in-school clubs , and providing curriculum content .
Students from across Canada also attend WE Charity ’ s massive flagship event , the rock-concert-like ‘ We Day , ’ which is now cancelled , ” wrote PAFE .
WE Charity had announced that it is canceling WE Days “ indefinitely ” and is focusing on restructuring .
Performances at WE Days “ have been repeatedly criticized by family values organizations over the years for their raunchy lyrics and suggestive dance routines , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past email to supporters .
Recently , the leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois Party said that if Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau does not resign over the WE Charity scandal , he will be open to triggering an election this fall .

In the wake of a scandal implicating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a history of anti-family student programming, the group Parents as First Educators has had enough.
TORONTO, Ontario, August 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The president of a Canadian pro-family group has said that now is the time for parents to be “vigilant” and speak out against WE Charity, to keep that organization from being a part of their children’s education in public school.
“Parents should act now to inform school boards that they expect them to protect children from being sucked into the cult-like circus that WE Charity has become,” Teresa Pierre, Ph.D., president and founder of Parents as First Educators (PAFE), told LifeSiteNews.
“While chasing celebrity fame and amassing vast real estate holdings, WE Charity has lost track of the fact that the essence of charity is service to fellow human beings.”
Pierre’s message comes in light of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s current status as under investigation by the ethics commissioner for his ties to the WE Charity scandal.
Trudeau and now former finance minister Bill Morneau are under investigation and have issued apologies for not recusing themselves from their cabinet discussions to approve a now canceled contract with WE Charity.
The contract would have seen WE get up to $43.5 million to administer the Canada Student Service Grants program (CSSG).
The CSSG was designed to give grants to students in kind for volunteering but has been put on hold after the WE Charity agreement was dissolved.
Trudeau is also facing a backlash because his mother and brother received an estimated $300,000 in the last four years to speak at WE events.
Morneau, Trudeau’s former finance minister, recently told the finance committee that he wrote a check for $41,366 as reimbursement for WE Charity travel expenses he had incurred for two family trips with the organization in 2017.
Morneau resigned yesterday, saying it was the “the right time” for him to move on.
In a recent email, PAFE echoed what Pierre told LifeSiteNews, saying parents should demand that their local school boards cut all ties with WE Charity.
“Unless your board has already cut ties to WE Charity, please write or call your trustee and ask him or her to propose a motion to the board that all activities related to WE Charity fundraising and curriculum use immediately be suspended and that all partnerships with WE Charity be severed,” says an August 13 email message from PAFE.
“As parents, we need to be vigilant about the messages our children receive at school and demand a higher standard than they have been receiving with WE!”
In a rare move for a Canadian prime minister, Trudeau appeared as a witness at the July 30 meeting to testify before the committee to speak to his government’s relationship with WE Charity.
Conservative M.P. Pierre Poilievre repeatedly asked Trudeau in the July 30 meeting to come clean with the exact dollar amount his family has received from WE Charity appearances.
In its August 13 email, PAFE noted that the provincial governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and Ontario, have already announced that they are terminating their agreements between their schools and WE Charity.
The Ontario minister of education, Stephen Lecce, recently said his government’s relationship with WE is coming to an end. He is encouraging all school boards in Ontario to “halt all contracts and investigate existing contracts.”
PAFE noted that the Toronto District School Board, which serves as Canada’s largest school board, has announced a review of its relationship with WE Charity before its “current partnership agreement ends in February 2021 and before any decision to continue with the partnership is made.”
Markus de Domenico, a trustee from the Toronto Catholic District School Board, has called on his board to suspend its participation in WE Charity events. He has been pushing for a vote on the matter, which is to take place on August 20.
PAFE says that before the WE Charity scandal broke, there were around 3,200 schools across Ontario and “7,000 schools and groups actively engaged in WE Schools programming” across Canada.
“One of the positive effects of the scandal is that school boards and provincial governments are reviewing their relationships with WE and in some cases terminating partnerships with the charity,” wrote PAFE.
PAFE also called into question the messaging the WE Charity events have been promoting to kids.
“WE goes into schools to spread its message of ‘social change’ by holding assemblies, creating in-school clubs, and providing curriculum content. Students from across Canada also attend WE Charity’s massive flagship event, the rock-concert-like ‘We Day,’ which is now cancelled,” wrote PAFE.
WE Charity had announced that it is canceling WE Days “indefinitely” and is focusing on restructuring.
Performances at WE Days “have been repeatedly criticized by family values organizations over the years for their raunchy lyrics and suggestive dance routines,” observed PAFE’s Pierre in a past email to supporters.
Recently, the leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois Party said that if Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau does not resign over the WE Charity scandal, he will be open to triggering an election this fall.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-19--‘Non-binary’ activist held in custody in Poland after assaulting pro-lifer, vandalizing car

PETITION : Investigate George Soros ' role in funding domestic terrorism !
Sign the petition here .
WARSAW , Poland , August 18 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Poland ’ s first “ non-binary ” activist is in prison awaiting trial following a violent incident in which he attacked a pro-life and family activist and damaged a vehicle .
Michał Szutowski , who also goes by the feminine names “ Margot ” and “ Małgorzata ” and the surname “ Szutowicz , ” professes to believe that he is “ non-binary ” — i.e.
, neither a man nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader of a left-wing group called “ Stop Bzdurom ” ( “ Stop the nonsense ” ) .
According to various Polish media reports , on June 27 in Warsaw , Szutowski attacked a vehicle owned by the pro-life , pro-family group Fundacja PRO , which carried a sign reading , “ Stop Pedofilii ” ( “ Stop Pedophilia ” ) and warning parents about invasive sexual education .
The “ Stop Pedofilii ” campaign aims to keep children ’ s sexual education free from ideological coercion .
In the course of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Originally , a court decided that Szutowski should merely be fined 7,000 PLN ( $ 1,899 USD ) and placed under police supervision .
However , after an appeal by a prosecutor , a court decided that the activist should be imprisoned for two months to await trial .
According to the pro-LGBT Polish news website WP Wiadomości , Szutowski was originally jailed in Warsaw and has now been moved to a prison in Płock .
“ Michał Szutowicz ... is the first more widely known ‘ transgender ’ activist in Poland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email .
Górny explained that until now , only homosexual or transsexual activists had appeared in Poland ; Szutowicz/Szutowski is the first example of a transgender ( in this case “ non-binary ” ) activist .
“ He ’ s not insane ; he is premeditatedly carrying out the same program which has already been tested in many western countries with the goal of bringing about a cultural and anthropological revolution , ” Górny said .
“ Stop Bzdurom , ” which consists of a website for the leftist movement , was founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PRO ’ s “ Stop Pedofilii ” campaign , Górny explained .
“ Michał Szutowski and his companions have decided to fight with Fundacja not only with arguments but also with fists , ” he added .
“ In June they attacked Fundacja PRO ’ s van with the sign ‘ Stop Pedofilii ’ — they beat the driver , sliced the tires , damaged the tarpaulin , tore off the mirror and the registration plate , damaged the rearview camera , and smeared the vehicle with paint , ” he reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and not for voicing his opinions — that Michał Szutowski was arrested by police.
” According to the pro-life group Centrum Życia i Rodziny ( “ Center for Life and Family ” ) , fake news is being spread by officials in the European Union about Szutowski ’ s arrest and imprisonment , suggesting that Poland is violating the freedom of speech and assembly of people with same-sex attractions or gender dysphoria .
“ [ The ] European Union Commissioner for Equality , Helena Dalli , presents Polish authorities and police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Centrum ’ s website .
“ She has lately tweeted that ‘ Everyone in the EU , including # LGBTI persons , has the freedom to assemble and the right to conduct peaceful protest.
’ ” Dunja Mijatovic , the Council of Europe ’ s commissioner for human rights , tweeted suggestions that Szutowski had been arrested for professing his opinions .
“ I call for immediate release of LGBT activist Margot [ sic ] from .
@ stopbzdurom detained yesterday for blocking an anti-LGBT hate van & putting rainbow flags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote on August 8 .
“ Order to detain her [ sic ] for 2 months sends very chilling signal for # FreedomOfSpeech & # LGBT rights in # Poland.
” Mijatovic was criticized by popular Twitter commentator “ Based Poland , ” who responded : “ The transsexual activist physically attacked a pro-life activist , beating him up & vandalizing his car .
I say the transsexual should be released because of being transsexual .
Sorry , we have rule of law in Poland & attacking ppl is illegal here .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Polish voters may have recently re-elected President Andzej Duda , whose campaign promises included strong resistance to LGBT ideology , but this has only angered the small number of homosexual activists and their allies .
Last month , LGBT activists in Warsaw desecrated a statue of Christ of special importance to survivors of the Warsaw Uprising against the German Occupation of World War II : they gagged the figure with a mask marked with the anarchy symbol and put a rainbow flag between the figure and the cross .
Szutowski was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBT protests have followed since the July event .
As Mijatovic noted , 48 people were detained after they tried to prevent police from taking Szutowski into custody .
“ Today there is a very fierce culture war in Poland , ” Górny told LifeSiteNews .
“ Poland is the last large country in Europe in which the social consensus has a conservative-Christian character , and not liberal-left .
Abortion on demand is forbidden , ‘ homosexual marriage ’ is impossible , euthanasia is illegal.
” This is a matter of not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of the vast majority of Polish people , which Górny said is rooted in Christianity .
“ Poland ranks first in Europe regarding religious practises ; around 40 % of Catholics go to church every Sunday , ” he added .
The journalist believes that left-wing activists who want to change Poland ’ s essential character are funded from abroad by charities associated with George Soros , for example .
However , he also believes that leftists ’ attacks on citizens and on the Catholic Church are “ counterproductive.
” “ Poles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communists against the Church , ” Górny said .
“ Thus they don ’ t like ideological attacks and are on the side of the victim rather than on that of the aggressors.
” Naturally , there are competing narratives regarding who is the victim and who is the aggressor : the Polish far left and its allies abroad are portraying Michał Szutowski as the former and the conservative Polish government as the latter .
However , Górny believes that the majority of the Polish citizenry see matters quite differently .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group persecuted and repressed by [ our ] leaders but as an aggressive [ group ] striving to destroy social order , profane Christian and national symbols , and in addition to that , are generously financed by sponsors , ” he said .
“ In the West the liberal-left narrative dominates this conflict , but it ’ s different in Poland .
For the conservative majority Michał Szutowski is not a hero but a hooligan , who should answer before a court for assault and robbery .
”

The man considers himself neither male nor female and is called Poland's first transgender activist.
PETITION: Investigate George Soros' role in funding domestic terrorism! Sign the petition here.
WARSAW, Poland, August 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Poland’s first “non-binary” activist is in prison awaiting trial following a violent incident in which he attacked a pro-life and family activist and damaged a vehicle.
Michał Szutowski, who also goes by the feminine names “Margot” and “Małgorzata” and the surname “Szutowicz,” professes to believe that he is “non-binary” — i.e., neither a man nor a woman. He is also the leader of a left-wing group called “Stop Bzdurom” (“Stop the nonsense”).
According to various Polish media reports, on June 27 in Warsaw, Szutowski attacked a vehicle owned by the pro-life, pro-family group Fundacja PRO, which carried a sign reading, “Stop Pedofilii” (“Stop Pedophilia”) and warning parents about invasive sexual education. The “Stop Pedofilii” campaign aims to keep children’s sexual education free from ideological coercion. In the course of the attack, Szutowski assaulted the driver.
Originally, a court decided that Szutowski should merely be fined 7,000 PLN ($1,899 USD) and placed under police supervision. However, after an appeal by a prosecutor, a court decided that the activist should be imprisoned for two months to await trial. According to the pro-LGBT Polish news website WP Wiadomości, Szutowski was originally jailed in Warsaw and has now been moved to a prison in Płock.
“Michał Szutowicz … is the first more widely known ‘transgender’ activist in Poland,” journalist Grzegorz Górny told LifeSiteNews by email.
Górny explained that until now, only homosexual or transsexual activists had appeared in Poland; Szutowicz/Szutowski is the first example of a transgender (in this case “non-binary”) activist.
“He’s not insane; he is premeditatedly carrying out the same program which has already been tested in many western countries with the goal of bringing about a cultural and anthropological revolution,” Górny said.
“Stop Bzdurom,” which consists of a website for the leftist movement, was founded in 2019 as a response to Fundacja PRO’s “Stop Pedofilii” campaign, Górny explained.
“Michał Szutowski and his companions have decided to fight with Fundacja not only with arguments but also with fists,” he added.
“In June they attacked Fundacja PRO’s van with the sign ‘Stop Pedofilii’ — they beat the driver, sliced the tires, damaged the tarpaulin, tore off the mirror and the registration plate, damaged the rearview camera, and smeared the vehicle with paint,” he reported.
“It was really for this reason — and not for voicing his opinions — that Michał Szutowski was arrested by police.”
According to the pro-life group Centrum Życia i Rodziny (“Center for Life and Family”), fake news is being spread by officials in the European Union about Szutowski’s arrest and imprisonment, suggesting that Poland is violating the freedom of speech and assembly of people with same-sex attractions or gender dysphoria.
“[The] European Union Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, presents Polish authorities and police officers as oppressive,” a spokesperson wrote on the Centrum’s website. “She has lately tweeted that ‘Everyone in the EU, including #LGBTI persons, has the freedom to assemble and the right to conduct peaceful protest.’”
Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, tweeted suggestions that Szutowski had been arrested for professing his opinions.
“I call for immediate release of LGBT activist Margot [sic] from .@stopbzdurom detained yesterday for blocking an anti-LGBT hate van & putting rainbow flags on #Warsaw monuments,” she wrote on August 8.
“Order to detain her [sic] for 2 months sends very chilling signal for #FreedomOfSpeech & #LGBT rights in #Poland.”
Mijatovic was criticized by popular Twitter commentator “Based Poland,” who responded: “The transsexual activist physically attacked a pro-life activist, beating him up & vandalizing his car. I say the transsexual should be released because of being transsexual. Sorry, we have rule of law in Poland & attacking ppl is illegal here. We won’t do any western experiments.”
Polish voters may have recently re-elected President Andzej Duda, whose campaign promises included strong resistance to LGBT ideology, but this has only angered the small number of homosexual activists and their allies.
Last month, LGBT activists in Warsaw desecrated a statue of Christ of special importance to survivors of the Warsaw Uprising against the German Occupation of World War II: they gagged the figure with a mask marked with the anarchy symbol and put a rainbow flag between the figure and the cross.
Szutowski was also linked with these desecrations, and more LGBT protests have followed since the July event. As Mijatovic noted, 48 people were detained after they tried to prevent police from taking Szutowski into custody.
“Today there is a very fierce culture war in Poland,” Górny told LifeSiteNews. “Poland is the last large country in Europe in which the social consensus has a conservative-Christian character, and not liberal-left. Abortion on demand is forbidden, ‘homosexual marriage’ is impossible, euthanasia is illegal.”
This is a matter of not just law, but the “social consciousness” of the vast majority of Polish people, which Górny said is rooted in Christianity.
“Poland ranks first in Europe regarding religious practises; around 40% of Catholics go to church every Sunday,” he added.
The journalist believes that left-wing activists who want to change Poland’s essential character are funded from abroad by charities associated with George Soros, for example. However, he also believes that leftists’ attacks on citizens and on the Catholic Church are “counterproductive.”
“Poles still remember the ruthless fight of the communists against the Church,” Górny said. “Thus they don’t like ideological attacks and are on the side of the victim rather than on that of the aggressors.”
Naturally, there are competing narratives regarding who is the victim and who is the aggressor: the Polish far left and its allies abroad are portraying Michał Szutowski as the former and the conservative Polish government as the latter. However, Górny believes that the majority of the Polish citizenry see matters quite differently.
“The LGBTQ movement is not perceived as a group persecuted and repressed by [our] leaders but as an aggressive [group] striving to destroy social order, profane Christian and national symbols, and in addition to that, are generously financed by sponsors,” he said.
“In the West the liberal-left narrative dominates this conflict, but it’s different in Poland. For the conservative majority Michał Szutowski is not a hero but a hooligan, who should answer before a court for assault and robbery.”
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lifesitenews--2020-08-19--US archbishop threatens priests with ‘suspension’ who go over 5 minutes in homily

SANTA FE , New Mexico , August 18 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Priests in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe have been threatened with suspension if their homilies go over the prescribed five-minute limit set by the archbishop on account of his fears of the faithful being longer in church during the COVID outbreak .
Yesterday , British journalist Damian Thompson published a photograph of instructions from the vicar general of the Santa Fe archdiocese to priests .
They contained a severe reproof to priests who have apparently been frightening the faithful by preaching for more than five minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some homilies going well over the 5 minute limit set by the Archbishop , ” wrote Fr .
Glennon Jones .
“ This not only increases exposure time to others , but increases the discomfiture to many congregants , to the point of some not attending Mass because of it , ” he continued .
“ If such long homilies continue , the AB will consider severer [ sic ] actions for subject clergy , up to and including possible suspension of the faculty to preach.
” Thompson stated that this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the part of Santa Fe archbishop John C. Wester .
“ Does he really think preaching for more than five minutes is a health risk ?
” he added to his tweet .
Thompson later posted his frustration that the archdiocese had not responded to his attempts to determine if the document was genuine .
“ I got this from a good source but it ’ s so ridiculous [ ... ] could it be a hoax ?
@ ASFOfficial needless to say aren ’ t taking calls .
Which if it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABJohnCWester ’ s reputation is on the line , ” he wrote .
Although the archdiocese did not respond to LifeSiteNews ’ s requests for comment , a spokesperson did speak to the Catholic News Agency , confirming the authenticity of the document .
“ The intent of Father Glenn Jones ’ memo was to underscore the seriousness of the pandemic , Archbishop ’ s great concern for human life and the health and safety of our parishioners , ” the official told CNA .
“ Our parishioners have also been informed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their concerns .
Thus , our priests have been reminded to abide by the protocol of preaching only short 3–5 minute homilies during these perilous times.
” PETITION : Support pastors fighting against oppressive state mandates !
Sign the petition here .
Wester is already a controversial figure thanks to his support of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests ( AUSCP ) .
In 2018 , Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute noted that the AUSCP supports the diaconal ordination of women “ among other abuses.
” Wester is the episcopal moderator for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the group ’ s virtual 2020 annual meeting .
The AUSCP ’ s episcopal moderator since 2016 , the archbishop allowed the group to have its 2018 meeting in Albuquerque .
“ John Wester has been a warm presence for us , ” said Fr .
Jim Schexnader at the 2020 meeting .
“ A supporter and resource to us .
Each assembly he has spent time with us and been open to all our hopes and struggles amid ministry in today ’ s Church and in our nation.
” Archbishop Wester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who endorsed Fr .
James Martin , S.J.
’ s pro-LGBT handbook Building a Bridge .
In response to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic , the ordinary of Santa Fe banned Communion on the tongue , denying that it was a more respectful way to receive the Eucharist and suggesting that it could transmit disease .
“ Receiving Communion in the hand is every bit as respectful as receiving on the tongue , ” he wrote in March .
“ There is nothing ontologically preferable to receiving on the tongue , ” he continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep in mind the importance of receiving Holy Communion and that we do not allow a secondary consideration to prevent us from this most special gift that the Lord has given to us .
People are dying from the flu and from COVID-19 .
I believe that this consideration as well as our other temporary liturgical procedures are part of our respect for the dignity and value of human life.
” Some scientists , priests , and theologians have argued that receiving Communion on the tongue from a skilled priest is , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hand .

Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe indicated that keeping people in church too long exposes them to a greater risk of catching COVID.
SANTA FE, New Mexico, August 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Priests in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe have been threatened with suspension if their homilies go over the prescribed five-minute limit set by the archbishop on account of his fears of the faithful being longer in church during the COVID outbreak.
Yesterday, British journalist Damian Thompson published a photograph of instructions from the vicar general of the Santa Fe archdiocese to priests. They contained a severe reproof to priests who have apparently been frightening the faithful by preaching for more than five minutes.
“We’ve received reports of some homilies going well over the 5 minute limit set by the Archbishop,” wrote Fr. Glennon Jones.
“This not only increases exposure time to others, but increases the discomfiture to many congregants, to the point of some not attending Mass because of it,” he continued.
“If such long homilies continue, the AB will consider severer [sic] actions for subject clergy, up to and including possible suspension of the faculty to preach.”
Thompson stated that this was “spectacular bullying of priests” on the part of Santa Fe archbishop John C. Wester.
“Does he really think preaching for more than five minutes is a health risk?” he added to his tweet.
Thompson later posted his frustration that the archdiocese had not responded to his attempts to determine if the document was genuine.
“I got this from a good source but it’s so ridiculous […] could it be a hoax? @ASFOfficial needless to say aren’t taking calls. Which if it’s a hoax is massively stupid because @ABJohnCWester’s reputation is on the line,” he wrote.
Although the archdiocese did not respond to LifeSiteNews’s requests for comment, a spokesperson did speak to the Catholic News Agency, confirming the authenticity of the document.
“The intent of Father Glenn Jones’ memo was to underscore the seriousness of the pandemic, Archbishop’s great concern for human life and the health and safety of our parishioners,” the official told CNA.
“Our parishioners have also been informed of the archdiocesan protocols and have expressed their concerns. Thus, our priests have been reminded to abide by the protocol of preaching only short 3–5 minute homilies during these perilous times.”
PETITION: Support pastors fighting against oppressive state mandates! Sign the petition here.
Wester is already a controversial figure thanks to his support of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP). In 2018, Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute noted that the AUSCP supports the diaconal ordination of women “among other abuses.” Wester is the episcopal moderator for the group and gave the keynote speech for the group’s virtual 2020 annual meeting. The AUSCP’s episcopal moderator since 2016, the archbishop allowed the group to have its 2018 meeting in Albuquerque.
“John Wester has been a warm presence for us,” said Fr. Jim Schexnader at the 2020 meeting. “A supporter and resource to us. Each assembly he has spent time with us and been open to all our hopes and struggles amid ministry in today’s Church and in our nation.”
Archbishop Wester was also one of four U.S. bishops who endorsed Fr. James Martin, S.J.’s pro-LGBT handbook Building a Bridge.
In response to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, the ordinary of Santa Fe banned Communion on the tongue, denying that it was a more respectful way to receive the Eucharist and suggesting that it could transmit disease.
“Receiving Communion in the hand is every bit as respectful as receiving on the tongue,” he wrote in March.
“There is nothing ontologically preferable to receiving on the tongue,” he continued erroneously.
“I ask that we keep in mind the importance of receiving Holy Communion and that we do not allow a secondary consideration to prevent us from this most special gift that the Lord has given to us. People are dying from the flu and from COVID-19. I believe that this consideration as well as our other temporary liturgical procedures are part of our respect for the dignity and value of human life.”
Some scientists, priests, and theologians have argued that receiving Communion on the tongue from a skilled priest is, in fact, less dangerous than receiving Communion in the hand.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-18--US bishops’ stand on Communion for pro-abortion politicians came from Theodore McCarrick

August 18 , 2020 ( CatholicCulture.org ) — After I posted yesterday on the Biden-Communion controversy , a few friendly readers asked me to explain how the American bishops settled on their current policy .
I ’ m happy to oblige .
The chief architect of the US bishops ’ current policy is : Theodore McCarrick .
Do I have your full attention now ?
The debate over whether pro-abortion politicians should be barred from Communion , which had been simmering in the US for years , came to a boil in 2004 , when the Democratic Party nominated Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmixed record of support for legal abortion , for the presidency .
With prominent prelates split , the US bishops ’ conference formed a committee to address the question , with then-Cardinal McCarrick as chairman .
The McCarrick committee sought advice from the Vatican , and received a reply from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger , in his capacity as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith .
McCarrick never voluntarily disclosed the contents of Cardinal Ratzinger ’ s letter .
When the US bishops gathered in Denver for their annual meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not ready with a final report — and would not be ready until well after the November election — he thought it was not “ pastorally wise and prudent ” to deny Communion to anyone , because it could “ turn the Eucharist into a perceived source of political combat.
” In making that judgment , McCarrick claimed that he had the support of Cardinal Ratzinger .
He conceded that Ratzinger “ recognizes that there are circumstances in which Holy Communion may be denied.
” But he claimed that the Vatican official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pastors , and leaders whether to pursue this path.
” That was false .
Having heard McCarrick ’ s report , the assembled bishops moved on to consideration of an election-year statement , Catholics in Political Life .
Despite the recommendation of the McCarrick committee , the full body of bishops did not recommend against denying Communion to abortion supporters .
Instead the bishops decided that “ such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles .
Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although the conference as a whole had not approved the suggestion of the McCarrick committee , the report from that committee remained posted on the web site of the US bishops ’ conference .
The letter from Cardinal Ratzinger was not posted .
McCarrick said that Ratzinger had requested that his letter be kept confidential .
That , too , was apparently false .
Two weeks after the US bishops ’ meeting , a veteran Vatican journalist , Sandro Magister of L ’ Espresso , posted the full text of Cardinal Ratzinger ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter , the London Daily Telegraph remarked , “ hugely embarrassed Cardinal McCarrick.
” The future Pope had not said what McCarrick claimed he said .
And as a result of McCarrick ’ s misleading report to his colleagues , the liberal British Catholic weekly , The Tablet , reported : “ America ’ s bishops have chosen not to follow Vatican guidelines over the distribution of Communion to pro-abortion politicians.
” In fact , Cardinal Ratzinger had written , if a Catholic is a prominent supporter of legal abortion , and persists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bishop , when he presents himself for Communion , “ the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.
” [ emphasis added ] If the US bishops had been presented with that argument by Cardinal Ratzinger — an argument strongly supporting the stand that had already been taken by then-Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln — would they have adopted a stronger line ?
We ’ ll never know , thanks to the characteristically manipulative role played by Theodore McCarrick .
A few other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia .
For example , if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war , he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion .
While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace , not war , and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals , it may still be permissible to take up arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recourse to capital punishment .
There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty , but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia .

Laying out the battle between McCarrick and Joseph Ratzinger over whether to give the Eucharist to politicians persisting in grave public sin.
August 18, 2020 (CatholicCulture.org) — After I posted yesterday on the Biden-Communion controversy, a few friendly readers asked me to explain how the American bishops settled on their current policy. I’m happy to oblige.
The chief architect of the US bishops’ current policy is: Theodore McCarrick.
Do I have your full attention now?
The debate over whether pro-abortion politicians should be barred from Communion, which had been simmering in the US for years, came to a boil in 2004, when the Democratic Party nominated Senator John Kerry, a Catholic with an unmixed record of support for legal abortion, for the presidency. With prominent prelates split, the US bishops’ conference formed a committee to address the question, with then-Cardinal McCarrick as chairman.
The McCarrick committee sought advice from the Vatican, and received a reply from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in his capacity as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. McCarrick never voluntarily disclosed the contents of Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter.
When the US bishops gathered in Denver for their annual meeting, McCarrick reported that although his committee was not ready with a final report — and would not be ready until well after the November election — he thought it was not “pastorally wise and prudent” to deny Communion to anyone, because it could “turn the Eucharist into a perceived source of political combat.”
In making that judgment, McCarrick claimed that he had the support of Cardinal Ratzinger. He conceded that Ratzinger “recognizes that there are circumstances in which Holy Communion may be denied.” But he claimed that the Vatican official “clearly leaves to us as teachers, pastors, and leaders whether to pursue this path.” That was false.
Having heard McCarrick’s report, the assembled bishops moved on to consideration of an election-year statement, Catholics in Political Life. Despite the recommendation of the McCarrick committee, the full body of bishops did not recommend against denying Communion to abortion supporters. Instead the bishops decided that “such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles. Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the most prudent course of pastoral action.”
Although the conference as a whole had not approved the suggestion of the McCarrick committee, the report from that committee remained posted on the web site of the US bishops’ conference. The letter from Cardinal Ratzinger was not posted. McCarrick said that Ratzinger had requested that his letter be kept confidential. That, too, was apparently false.
Two weeks after the US bishops’ meeting, a veteran Vatican journalist, Sandro Magister of L’Espresso, posted the full text of Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter. The contents of that letter, the London Daily Telegraph remarked, “hugely embarrassed Cardinal McCarrick.” The future Pope had not said what McCarrick claimed he said. And as a result of McCarrick’s misleading report to his colleagues, the liberal British Catholic weekly, The Tablet, reported: “America’s bishops have chosen not to follow Vatican guidelines over the distribution of Communion to pro-abortion politicians.”
In fact, Cardinal Ratzinger had written, if a Catholic is a prominent supporter of legal abortion, and persists in that support despite private admonitions from his bishop, when he presents himself for Communion, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.” [emphasis added]
If the US bishops had been presented with that argument by Cardinal Ratzinger — an argument strongly supporting the stand that had already been taken by then-Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln — would they have adopted a stronger line? We’ll never know, thanks to the characteristically manipulative role played by Theodore McCarrick.
* * *
A few other excerpts from the Ratzinger letter:
The practice of indiscriminately presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion, merely as a consequence of being present at Mass, is an abuse that must be corrected.
Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.
… the minister of Holy Communion may find himself in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone, such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin.
When ‘these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible,’ and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.”
Published with permission from CatholicCulture.org.
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lifesitenews--2020-08-18--University prof threatens to kick students from class who argue against BLM, abortion, LGBT

PETITION : Support school choice and call on the U.S. Senate to pass the SCHOOL Act !
Sign the petition here .
AMES , Iowa , August 18 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – After a professor at Iowa State University forbade students from questioning gay “ marriage , ” abortion , or the Black Lives Matter movement , she was told , after pushback , to change the course syllabus to protect students ’ freedom of speech .
According to The College Fix , English professor Chloe Clark ’ s English 250 course syllabus stated that students “ can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its base that one side doesn ’ t deserve the same basic human rights as you do ( i.e .
no arguments against gay marriage , abortion , Black Lives Matter , etc. )
.
I take this seriously.
” The syllabus , obtained by Young America ’ s Foundation ( YAF ) , stated , “ ( A ) ny instances of othering that you participate in intentionally ( racism , sexism , ableism , homophobia , sorophobia , transphobia , classism , mocking of mental health issues , body shaming , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for dismissal from the classroom.
” The prof ’ s syllabus sparked a debate on Twitter .
State Rep. Skyler Wheeler , a member of Iowa ’ s house education committee , tweeted that Iowa State University “ wants more of your tax money so they can give it to professors like this.
” Likewise , the Iowa State College Republicans tweeted their disappointment in the professor ’ s behavior .
“ It ’ s a shame that low quality professors use their power over students to suppress free speech !
” On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor ’ s syllabus had been reviewed and found to be “ inconsistent ” with the university ’ s standards .
“ The syllabus statement as written was inconsistent with the university ’ s standards and its commitment to the First Amendment rights of students , ” the statement read .
“ After reviewing this issue with the faculty member , the syllabus has been corrected to ensure it is consistent with university policy.
” “ Moreover , the faculty member is being provided additional information regarding the First Amendment policies of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa State is firmly committed to protecting the First Amendment rights of its students , faculty , and staff .
With respect to student expression in the classroom , including the completion of assignments , ” the statement concluded , “ the university does not take disciplinary action against students based on the content or viewpoints expressed in their speech.
” YAF spokesman Spencer Brown told The College Fix , “ It is hopeful news to see a university take the side of the First Amendment and the free expression rights of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a faculty member ran so far afoul of basic educational practice and the Constitution that such a retraining of this kind is necessary.
” “ Based on what we at YAF see and hear from our student activists , ” he continued , “ many administrators and professors could use a refresher on the First Amendment as the fall semester begins .
”

PETITION: Support school choice and call on the U.S. Senate to pass the SCHOOL Act! Sign the petition here.
AMES, Iowa, August 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – After a professor at Iowa State University forbade students from questioning gay “marriage,” abortion, or the Black Lives Matter movement, she was told, after pushback, to change the course syllabus to protect students’ freedom of speech.
According to The College Fix, English professor Chloe Clark’s English 250 course syllabus stated that students “cannot choose any topic that takes at its base that one side doesn’t deserve the same basic human rights as you do (i.e. no arguments against gay marriage, abortion, Black Lives Matter, etc.). I take this seriously.”
The syllabus, obtained by Young America’s Foundation (YAF), stated, “(A)ny instances of othering that you participate in intentionally (racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, sorophobia, transphobia, classism, mocking of mental health issues, body shaming, etc.) in class are grounds for dismissal from the classroom.”
The prof’s syllabus sparked a debate on Twitter. State Rep. Skyler Wheeler, a member of Iowa’s house education committee, tweeted that Iowa State University “wants more of your tax money so they can give it to professors like this.”
@IowaStateU wants more of your tax money so they can give it to professors like this. https://t.co/Rt4rF68a9o — Skyler Wheeler (@skyler_wheeler) August 17, 2020
Likewise, the Iowa State College Republicans tweeted their disappointment in the professor’s behavior. “It’s a shame that low quality professors use their power over students to suppress free speech!”
It’s a shame that low quality professors use their power over students to suppress free speech! https://t.co/9PsP1ASO3i — College Republicans at Iowa State�� (@IStateCRs) August 17, 2020
On Monday, the university stated that the professor’s syllabus had been reviewed and found to be “inconsistent” with the university’s standards.
“The syllabus statement as written was inconsistent with the university’s standards and its commitment to the First Amendment rights of students,” the statement read. “After reviewing this issue with the faculty member, the syllabus has been corrected to ensure it is consistent with university policy.”
“Moreover, the faculty member is being provided additional information regarding the First Amendment policies of the university,” it continued.
“Iowa State is firmly committed to protecting the First Amendment rights of its students, faculty, and staff. With respect to student expression in the classroom, including the completion of assignments,” the statement concluded, “the university does not take disciplinary action against students based on the content or viewpoints expressed in their speech.”
YAF spokesman Spencer Brown told The College Fix, “It is hopeful news to see a university take the side of the First Amendment and the free expression rights of its students — still, it is shameful that a faculty member ran so far afoul of basic educational practice and the Constitution that such a retraining of this kind is necessary.”
“Based on what we at YAF see and hear from our student activists,” he continued, “many administrators and professors could use a refresher on the First Amendment as the fall semester begins.”
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