lifesitenews--2020-07-18--Experts map out US bishops’ ‘social networks’ that helped cover-up ex-cardinal McCarrick’s sex abuse

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ITHACA , New York , July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― Sociologists have published a paper illustrating social networks between bishops in two national episcopal conferences and around the former cardinal Theodore McCarrick who was laicized over credible allegations of sexually abusing seminarians and priests .
“ This paper presents preliminary findings , using original network data for the Catholic Bishops ’ Conference of England and Wales ( CBCEW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic Bishops ( USCCB ) , ” the scholars explain .
“ These show how a network-informed approach may help with the urgent task of understanding the ecclesiastical cultures in which sexual abuse occurs , and/or is enabled , ignored , and covered up.
” “ Power , Preferment , and Patronage : Catholic Bishops , Social Networks , and the Affair ( s ) of Ex-Cardinal McCarrick ” was authored by Professor Stephen Bullivant of St. Mary ’ s University , London and Research Fellow Giovanni Radhitio Putra Sadewo of the Swinburne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was published online this week by Cornell University .
The study describes episcopal culture and presents three maps : relationships among bishops of the CBCEW , then among bishops of the USCCB , and finally of bishops to the disgraced former cardinal McCarrick .
The authors argue that an examination of relationships , social network analysis ( SNA ) , gives insights into cultures where patronage , preferment and reciprocity are important .
They believe that , like the Italian mafia and the Chinese political elite , Catholic bishops share this kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic theology professor as well as a sociologist , and Sadewo concede that there are theological reasons for episcopal church governance .
However , the hierarchical culture also gives rise to problems .
“ For example , these might include the potential for ambitious clergy ( or seminarians ) to actively seek the favour and patronage of their own ( and/or other influential ) bishops , or indeed for bishops to use the hope – or even promise – of preferment as a means of incentivizing or rewarding loyalty , ” the authors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain ‘ types ’ ... of priests being favoured and/or formed , in line with the type of their own bishop , and perhaps of a wider episcopal ‘ mould ’ or ‘ culture.
’ ” This is “ intensified ” by the fact that priests learn to be bishops “ through a process of imitation and socialization ” and this can lead to identifiable cliques of bishops bound together by ties of loyalty , similar behaviour , shared protégés , and a sense that if one member goes down , they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ special nature ” of the relationship between a seminarian or priest and his bishop .
Very different from that of an employee and an employer , a seminarian or priest owes his bishop both reverence and obedience , the authors note .
Then there is the issue of homosexuality .
This , the authors argue , has a “ important relevance for understanding the McCarrick case.
” “ Not least , there is clear potential for mutually compromised networks of homosexually active ( or once-active ) priests , such as McCarrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nephews , ’ ” they write .
“ The existence of ‘ homosexual subcultures ’ within U.S. Catholic seminaries or diocesan power structures , while understandably a sensitive topic , is well-established in the academic literature , as too are the disproportionately high numbers of same sex-attracted seminarians and clergy in the first place.
” The authors observe that given a number of factors in the relationship between homosexuality and the Church , and the potential for subordinates ’ exploitation by bishops , the risk of “ other McCarrick-esque cases ” is real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , episcopal culture can look like .
Bullivant and Sadewo describe how the former bishop , archbishop and cardinal openly courted young seminarians and priests .
They note that his subordinates , torn by conflicting loyalties , never upbraided him for his misconduct .
Rising from post to high-profile post , McCarrick became recognized as a “ kingmaker ” for episcopal appointments in both the United States and Rome .
“ Serious allegations ” about him were known by those “ in the highest echelons of the hierarchy ” but were merely “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ paid-off ” by his previous dioceses .
McCarrick was simply that influential among bishops .
Networks of bishops calculated and mapped out To map out the influence of bishops over one another , Bullivant and Sadewo collected information about which living bishops had served under each other as priests , auxiliary bishops , or in a high-trust diocesan position , like a bishop ’ s private secretary .
The higher the number of bishops each bishop had served , or had once been served by , the greater his influence was determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively small Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales ( CBCEW ) as their pilot project , and discovered that the largest net of influence spread out from its center-point , Cardinal Vincent Nichols of the Westminster Archdiocese .
“ The fact that the graph conforms , in these and other basic respects , to what any observer of English and Welsh Catholicism ‘ could have told you anyway ’ is a good sign , ” the authors argue .
“ A network map seeming to show , say , Nichols as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the long-retired auxiliaries as its kingpin , would be ( correctly ) suspected of having fatal methodological flaws.
” They note also the illustration sheds light on ecclesiastical politics in England and Wales .
A smaller network of bishops shown to be at a distance from the Nichols network thwarted his plan for the CBCEW to oppose Brexit , and Bishops Davies and Egan , who are often outside the “ CBCEW consensus , ” are also far from Nichols ’ network of influence .
When the two scholars addressed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that the ten living bishops/bishops emeriti with the highest “ indegree ” ― the largest number of bishops who had served under them―in 2018 , when the McCarrick scandal broke , were : Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Justin Rigali ( 22 ) ; former Cardinal McCarrick ( 17 ) ; Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Adam Maida ( 17 ) ; Cardinal Archbishop Sean O ’ Malley of Boston ( 15 ) ; Archbishop Jose Gómez of Los Angeles ( 14 ) ; Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington , D.C. ( 14 ) ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 13 ) ; Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia ( 12 ) ; Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Roger Mahony ( 12 ) ; and Cardinal Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago ( 11 . )
“ Given the nature of episcopal appointments , it is no surprise that ( bishops ) with highest in degree are ( or have been ) Ordinaries of large dioceses , which typically have a significant number of auxiliaries , and in many cases have been Ordinaries for a long period : the top three are all emeriti of one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Newark and D.C. ) and Rigali ( St Louis and Philadelphia ) – two major Archdioceses , ” the authors wrote .
They observed that three voting members of the Vatican ’ s Congregation for Bishops were also in this Top 10 , and that Cardinal Rigali had had a “ decades-long career within the Roman Curia prior to his appointment of Archbishop of St. Louis in 1994 … ” The scholars next designed an “ ego-network ” or “ personal community ” for Cardinal McCarrick , showing bishops who were within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It included 43 bishops , many of whom are significant influencers in their own right , like Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn , Archbishop John Myers of Newark , Cardinal Kevin Farrell , and Cardinal Wuerl .
“ At the most basic level , our network maps support the view that it is meaningful to talk in terms of there being defined “ cliques ” of bishops , ” the authors write .
Although reminding readers that “ network proximity ” to McCarrick or anyone else does not prove a bishop had knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his misdeeds , Bullivant and Sadewo argue that the existence of these cliques gives insights into two problems : the cover-up of sexual abuse and the in-house investigation of allegations against bishops .
The first problem is the invisible but apparent “ playbook for concealing the truth ” many dioceses seemed to be following when it came to handling clerical sexual abuse of children .
“ There is no evidence of any explicit conspiracy between Catholic dioceses to create a set of norms or procedures to be followed in such circumstances , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suppose that almost exactly the same ‘ solutions ’ arose complete independently , by spontaneous generation , in each chancery , ” the authors write .
“ Much more plausible , we contend , is to view this metaphorical “ playbook ” as a set of routinized practices and norms , or habitus … emerging and diffusing ‘ organically ’ within and through ecclesial networks.
” The second problem is the problem of conflict of interest when it comes to bishops investigating sexual misconduct allegations against other bishops .
“ … If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a diocese , then there is a strong likelihood of the current bishop being quite closely networked with him : even if neither has previously served under the other , the odds are good that they have mutual ties with other bishops who have , ” the authors observe .
“ And indeed , this is precisely what happened with McCarrick.
” The authors conclude with recommendations of six areas of further relational study : clerical ties other than Ordinary-subordinate , e.g .
among seminary classmates ; ecclesiastical “ family trees ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies ; how “ network pathologies ” may be reformed ” ; social networks within the Roman Curia ; and “ historically important moments of episcopal networking .
”

The sociologists mapped out webs of episcopal influence in both US and UK.
PETITION: Ask bishop to remove 'Catholic' from the University of Notre Dame if they refuse to rescind Pete Buttigieg's fellowship! Sign the petition here.
ITHACA, New York, July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― Sociologists have published a paper illustrating social networks between bishops in two national episcopal conferences and around the former cardinal Theodore McCarrick who was laicized over credible allegations of sexually abusing seminarians and priests.
“This paper presents preliminary findings, using original network data for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB),” the scholars explain.
“These show how a network-informed approach may help with the urgent task of understanding the ecclesiastical cultures in which sexual abuse occurs, and/or is enabled, ignored, and covered up.”
“Power, Preferment, and Patronage: Catholic Bishops, Social Networks, and the Affair(s) of Ex-Cardinal McCarrick” was authored by Professor Stephen Bullivant of St. Mary’s University, London and Research Fellow Giovanni Radhitio Putra Sadewo of the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. It was published online this week by Cornell University.
The study describes episcopal culture and presents three maps: relationships among bishops of the CBCEW, then among bishops of the USCCB, and finally of bishops to the disgraced former cardinal McCarrick.
The authors argue that an examination of relationships, social network analysis (SNA), gives insights into cultures where patronage, preferment and reciprocity are important. They believe that, like the Italian mafia and the Chinese political elite, Catholic bishops share this kind of culture.
Bullivant, who is a Catholic theology professor as well as a sociologist, and Sadewo concede that there are theological reasons for episcopal church governance. However, the hierarchical culture also gives rise to problems.
“For example, these might include the potential for ambitious clergy (or seminarians) to actively seek the favour and patronage of their own (and/or other influential) bishops, or indeed for bishops to use the hope – or even promise – of preferment as a means of incentivizing or rewarding loyalty,” the authors write.
“It could result in certain ‘types’ … of priests being favoured and/or formed, in line with the type of their own bishop, and perhaps of a wider episcopal ‘mould’ or ‘culture.’”
This is “intensified” by the fact that priests learn to be bishops “through a process of imitation and socialization” and this can lead to identifiable cliques of bishops bound together by ties of loyalty, similar behaviour, shared protégés, and a sense that if one member goes down, they will all go down.
Another issue is the “special nature” of the relationship between a seminarian or priest and his bishop. Very different from that of an employee and an employer, a seminarian or priest owes his bishop both reverence and obedience, the authors note.
Then there is the issue of homosexuality. This, the authors argue, has a “important relevance for understanding the McCarrick case.”
“Not least, there is clear potential for mutually compromised networks of homosexually active (or once-active) priests, such as McCarrick appears to have cultivated among his ‘nephews,’” they write.
“The existence of ‘homosexual subcultures’ within U.S. Catholic seminaries or diocesan power structures, while understandably a sensitive topic, is well-established in the academic literature, as too are the disproportionately high numbers of same sex-attracted seminarians and clergy in the first place.”
The authors observe that given a number of factors in the relationship between homosexuality and the Church, and the potential for subordinates’ exploitation by bishops, the risk of “other McCarrick-esque cases” is real.
The McCarrick case illustrates what ecclesiastical, episcopal culture can look like. Bullivant and Sadewo describe how the former bishop, archbishop and cardinal openly courted young seminarians and priests. They note that his subordinates, torn by conflicting loyalties, never upbraided him for his misconduct.
Rising from post to high-profile post, McCarrick became recognized as a “kingmaker” for episcopal appointments in both the United States and Rome. “Serious allegations” about him were known by those “in the highest echelons of the hierarchy” but were merely “dismissed”, “ignored” or “paid-off” by his previous dioceses. McCarrick was simply that influential among bishops.
Networks of bishops calculated and mapped out
To map out the influence of bishops over one another, Bullivant and Sadewo collected information about which living bishops had served under each other as priests, auxiliary bishops, or in a high-trust diocesan position, like a bishop’s private secretary. The higher the number of bishops each bishop had served, or had once been served by, the greater his influence was determined to be.
The authors chose the relatively small Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) as their pilot project, and discovered that the largest net of influence spread out from its center-point, Cardinal Vincent Nichols of the Westminster Archdiocese.
(Illustration below)
“The fact that the graph conforms, in these and other basic respects, to what any observer of English and Welsh Catholicism ‘could have told you anyway’ is a good sign,” the authors argue.
“A network map seeming to show, say, Nichols as a marginal figure within the CBCEW, or one of the long-retired auxiliaries as its kingpin, would be (correctly) suspected of having fatal methodological flaws.”
They note also the illustration sheds light on ecclesiastical politics in England and Wales. A smaller network of bishops shown to be at a distance from the Nichols network thwarted his plan for the CBCEW to oppose Brexit, and Bishops Davies and Egan, who are often outside the “CBCEW consensus,” are also far from Nichols’ network of influence.
When the two scholars addressed the larger project of the USCCB, they noted that the ten living bishops/bishops emeriti with the highest “indegree”― the largest number of bishops who had served under them―in 2018, when the McCarrick scandal broke, were: Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Justin Rigali (22); former Cardinal McCarrick (17); Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Adam Maida (17); Cardinal Archbishop Sean O’Malley of Boston (15); Archbishop Jose Gómez of Los Angeles (14); Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. (14); Cardinal Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York (13); Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia (12); Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Roger Mahony (12); and Cardinal Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago (11.)
“Given the nature of episcopal appointments, it is no surprise that (bishops) with highest in degree are (or have been) Ordinaries of large dioceses, which typically have a significant number of auxiliaries, and in many cases have been Ordinaries for a long period: the top three are all emeriti of one or – in the cases of McCarrick (Newark and D.C.) and Rigali (St Louis and Philadelphia) – two major Archdioceses,” the authors wrote.
They observed that three voting members of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops were also in this Top 10, and that Cardinal Rigali had had a “decades-long career within the Roman Curia prior to his appointment of Archbishop of St. Louis in 1994 … ”
The scholars next designed an “ego-network” or “personal community” for Cardinal McCarrick, showing bishops who were within two degrees of separation from him. It included 43 bishops, many of whom are significant influencers in their own right, like Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, Archbishop John Myers of Newark, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, and Cardinal Wuerl.
“At the most basic level, our network maps support the view that it is meaningful to talk in terms of there being defined “cliques” of bishops,” the authors write.
Although reminding readers that “network proximity” to McCarrick or anyone else does not prove a bishop had knowledge of, approved of, or emulated his misdeeds, Bullivant and Sadewo argue that the existence of these cliques gives insights into two problems: the cover-up of sexual abuse and the in-house investigation of allegations against bishops.
The first problem is the invisible but apparent “playbook for concealing the truth” many dioceses seemed to be following when it came to handling clerical sexual abuse of children.
“There is no evidence of any explicit conspiracy between Catholic dioceses to create a set of norms or procedures to be followed in such circumstances, and yet it also seems a stretch simply to suppose that almost exactly the same ‘solutions’ arose complete independently, by spontaneous generation, in each chancery,” the authors write.
“Much more plausible, we contend, is to view this metaphorical “playbook” as a set of routinized practices and norms, or habitus … emerging and diffusing ‘organically’ within and through ecclesial networks.”
The second problem is the problem of conflict of interest when it comes to bishops investigating sexual misconduct allegations against other bishops.
“ … If complaints are made against the former bishop of a diocese, then there is a strong likelihood of the current bishop being quite closely networked with him: even if neither has previously served under the other, the odds are good that they have mutual ties with other bishops who have,” the authors observe.
“And indeed, this is precisely what happened with McCarrick.”
The authors conclude with recommendations of six areas of further relational study: clerical ties other than Ordinary-subordinate, e.g. among seminary classmates; ecclesiastical “family trees” or “dynasties”; affirmative action policies; how “network pathologies” may be reformed”; social networks within the Roman Curia; and “historically important moments of episcopal networking.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Trump’s top diplomat defends American ‘rights tradition,’ blasts Marxist philosophy

PHILADELPHIA , July 17 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — “ Our rights tradition is under assault , ” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned solemnly at the unveiling of a report of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights he founded over one year ago .
“ The vital 20th century human rights project has come unmoored , and it needs a re-grounding , ” Pompeo said Thursday in a rousing speech defending the exceptional character of the founding of America and the U.S. Constitution .
The Commission ’ s report will provide U.S. diplomats with “ advice on human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founding principles and the principles of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights , ” he explained .
“ It ’ s important for every American , for every American diplomat , to recognize how our founders understood unalienable rights , ” Pompeo said .
He described being “ spellbound ” by the founding of America and the U.S. Constitution as a cadet at West Point .
“ Without this grounding our efforts to protect and promote human rights is unmoored and , therefore , destined to fail , ” he explained .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ founders of America professed that “ each human being has inherent worth , just by virtue of his or her own humanity , ” calling it “ a deeply Biblical idea.
” “ It is clear — and this report makes it even more so — it is clear that unalienable rights are central to who we are as Americans .
But here ’ s where I come in as Secretary of State .
They have to underpin our foreign policy , ” he explained .
Pompeo said the report was “ very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debates about the founding of America that have ensued following the Black Lives Matter protesters across the nations during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Today , the very core of what it means to be an American , indeed the American way of life itself , is under attack .
Instead of seeking to improve America , too many leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles , ” Pompeo decried .
He specifically mentioned “ rioters pulling down statues ” and the New York Times 1619 project — a revisionist history project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founding .
Pompeo announced that the Times had turned down an article by Mary Ann Glendon , the chair of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights , explaining the report of the Commission .
“ They want you to believe that Marxist ideology that America is only the oppressors and the oppressed , ” he explained .
“ This is a dark vision of America ’ s birth .
I reject it .
It ’ s a disturbed reading of history .
It is a slander on our great people .
Nothing could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founding and the rights about which this report speaks , ” he exclaimed .
“ If we truly believe — if we truly believe that rights are unalienable , inviolate , enduring , indeed , universal , just as the founders did , then defending them ought to be the bedrock of our every diplomatic endeavor , ” Pompeo said .
He explained this might not mean interventions to “ to tackle all human rights violations everywhere and at all times , ” but that U.S. diplomats are “ forced to grapple with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promote and how to think about this.
” He described the report of the commission as “ a framework through which to ask the right questions and a basis for thoughtful , rational debate.
” “ I established this commission because America , uniquely among nations , has the capacity to champion human rights and the dignity of every human being made in the image of God , no matter their nation , ” Pompeo said .
“ But to do so effectively , we must insist on the rightness and the relevance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surely , if America loses them , she loses her soul and our capacity to do good around the world .
If we adhere to them , we will replenish that capacity , ” he underlined .
Published with permission from the Family Research Council .

'This is a dark vision of America’s birth. I reject it. It's a disturbed reading of history.'
PHILADELPHIA, July 17, 2020 (C-Fam) — “Our rights tradition is under assault,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned solemnly at the unveiling of a report of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights he founded over one year ago.
“The vital 20th century human rights project has come unmoored, and it needs a re-grounding,” Pompeo said Thursday in a rousing speech defending the exceptional character of the founding of America and the U.S. Constitution.
The Commission’s report will provide U.S. diplomats with “advice on human rights grounded in our nation’s founding principles and the principles of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” he explained.
“It’s important for every American, for every American diplomat, to recognize how our founders understood unalienable rights,” Pompeo said. He described being “spellbound” by the founding of America and the U.S. Constitution as a cadet at West Point.
“Without this grounding our efforts to protect and promote human rights is unmoored and, therefore, destined to fail,” he explained.
Pompeo, specifically pointed to how the founders of America professed that “each human being has inherent worth, just by virtue of his or her own humanity,” calling it “a deeply Biblical idea.”
“It is clear — and this report makes it even more so — it is clear that unalienable rights are central to who we are as Americans. But here’s where I come in as Secretary of State. They have to underpin our foreign policy,” he explained.
Pompeo said the report was “very timely,” in light of the debates about the founding of America that have ensued following the Black Lives Matter protesters across the nations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today, the very core of what it means to be an American, indeed the American way of life itself, is under attack. Instead of seeking to improve America, too many leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles,” Pompeo decried.
He specifically mentioned “rioters pulling down statues” and the New York Times 1619 project — a revisionist history project that is highly critical of the U.S. founding.
Pompeo announced that the Times had turned down an article by Mary Ann Glendon, the chair of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights, explaining the report of the Commission.
“They want you to believe that Marxist ideology that America is only the oppressors and the oppressed,” he explained.
“This is a dark vision of America’s birth. I reject it. It’s a disturbed reading of history. It is a slander on our great people. Nothing could be further from the truth of our founding and the rights about which this report speaks,” he exclaimed.
“If we truly believe — if we truly believe that rights are unalienable, inviolate, enduring, indeed, universal, just as the founders did, then defending them ought to be the bedrock of our every diplomatic endeavor,” Pompeo said.
He explained this might not mean interventions to “to tackle all human rights violations everywhere and at all times,” but that U.S. diplomats are “forced to grapple with the tough choices about which rights to promote and how to think about this.”
He described the report of the commission as “a framework through which to ask the right questions and a basis for thoughtful, rational debate.”
“I established this commission because America, uniquely among nations, has the capacity to champion human rights and the dignity of every human being made in the image of God, no matter their nation,” Pompeo said.
“But to do so effectively, we must insist on the rightness and the relevance of America’s founding principles. Surely, if America loses them, she loses her soul and our capacity to do good around the world. If we adhere to them, we will replenish that capacity,” he underlined.
Published with permission from the Family Research Council.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--UN human rights council approves abortionist as special expert on right to health

WASHINGTON , D.C. , July 17 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva recently approved the appointment of South African doctor Tlaleng Mofokeng as Special Rapporteur on the right to health .
Mofokeng is an outspoken advocate for “ sexual and reproductive health ” in the human rights arena and in her capacity as a doctor , “ provided abortion services for more than a decade.
” Mofokeng ’ s appointment was announced last week as the outgoing holder of the position , Dainius Pūras of Lithuania , delivered a presentation on mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position of the Special Rapporteur “ on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health ” was established in 2002 , and its holders serve six-year terms .
Special rapporteurs are part of the “ Special Procedures ” of the Human Rights Council , which include both thematic and country-specific mandates .
Prior to Pūras , the post was held by Anand Grover of India , who in 2011 was among the first UN experts to advance the notion that access to “ legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary component of the right to health .
This interpretation far exceeds the definition of the right to health in the International Covenant on Economic , Social and Cultural Rights ( ICESCR ) , which does not mention abortion , and flies in the face of the consensus among UN member states that abortion laws are a matter for national governments to determine .
Nevertheless , abortion advocates were quick to use Grover ’ s report to claim that laws restricting abortion in the United States — which has not ratified ICESCR — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special rapporteurs serve in an independent capacity and are not considered UN employees .
Their positions are unpaid and honorary , and their recommendations are not binding .
Nevertheless , they are influential on the global stage , and their independence makes them among the least accountable to constraint or reform within the UN system .
Like the observations of treaty monitoring bodies , which also notoriously exceed their mandates , the annual reports of special rapporteurs can feed into the work of other UN entities , be quoted in the work of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolutions adopted by the General Assembly .
Given Mofokeng ’ s career thus far , she is likely to exceed her mandate to an even greater extent than Grover .
“ I have been an abortion provider for as long as I have been a qualified doctor , ” she wrote in The Guardian , in an article that also condemned U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s expansion and reinstatement of the policy banning funding for foreign organizations that promote or provide abortions .
Mofokeng served as founding member and Vice Chairperson of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Africa and was recognized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a leader in the area of family planning in 2016 .
She published an article in Teen Vogue arguing that “ sex work , ” or prostitution , is a job like any other .
“ I am a doctor , an expert in sexual health , but when you think about it , aren ’ t I a sex worker ?
” she writes .
“ And in some ways , aren ’ t we all ?
”

'I have been an abortion provider for as long as I have been a qualified doctor,' Tlaleng Mofokeng recently declared. Now she will influence U.N. resolutions on health care.
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 17, 2020 (C-Fam) — The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva recently approved the appointment of South African doctor Tlaleng Mofokeng as Special Rapporteur on the right to health. Mofokeng is an outspoken advocate for “sexual and reproductive health” in the human rights arena and in her capacity as a doctor, “provided abortion services for more than a decade.”
Mofokeng’s appointment was announced last week as the outgoing holder of the position, Dainius Pūras of Lithuania, delivered a presentation on mental health to the Human Rights Council. The position of the Special Rapporteur “on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” was established in 2002, and its holders serve six-year terms.
Special rapporteurs are part of the “Special Procedures” of the Human Rights Council, which include both thematic and country-specific mandates.
Prior to Pūras, the post was held by Anand Grover of India, who in 2011 was among the first UN experts to advance the notion that access to “legal and safe abortion services” is a necessary component of the right to health. This interpretation far exceeds the definition of the right to health in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which does not mention abortion, and flies in the face of the consensus among UN member states that abortion laws are a matter for national governments to determine.
Nevertheless, abortion advocates were quick to use Grover’s report to claim that laws restricting abortion in the United States — which has not ratified ICESCR — violate international human rights standards.
UN special rapporteurs serve in an independent capacity and are not considered UN employees. Their positions are unpaid and honorary, and their recommendations are not binding. Nevertheless, they are influential on the global stage, and their independence makes them among the least accountable to constraint or reform within the UN system.
Like the observations of treaty monitoring bodies, which also notoriously exceed their mandates, the annual reports of special rapporteurs can feed into the work of other UN entities, be quoted in the work of various agencies and even cited in the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly.
Given Mofokeng’s career thus far, she is likely to exceed her mandate to an even greater extent than Grover. “I have been an abortion provider for as long as I have been a qualified doctor,” she wrote in The Guardian, in an article that also condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s expansion and reinstatement of the policy banning funding for foreign organizations that promote or provide abortions.
Mofokeng served as founding member and Vice Chairperson of the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition of South Africa and was recognized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a leader in the area of family planning in 2016. She published an article in Teen Vogue arguing that “sex work,” or prostitution, is a job like any other.
“I am a doctor, an expert in sexual health, but when you think about it, aren’t I a sex worker?” she writes. “And in some ways, aren’t we all?”
Published with permission from C-Fam.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Wave of burning, defacing churches threatens end of law and order in US

July 17 , 2020 ( Family Research Council ) — It looked like something out of a 2015 news report — a picture from ISIS , maybe , torching its way through Mosul .
But the charred pews and collapsed roof were not the work of Islamic terrorists , but America 's own .
Over the weekend , the rioters , the same ones who wanted us to believe their cause is justice , came for our churches — using gasoline , lighters , gallons of paint , and vans to drive their message of destruction and chaos through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took more than 50 firefighters to put out the mountain of flames at San Gabriel Church , which — by Saturday night — was nothing but a rickety frame of smoldering ash .
“ It ’ s a tragic loss for our city , ” exhausted fire chief Antonio Negrete told reporters .
“ It ’ s our city identifier.
” Now , months shy of its 250-year birthday celebration , parishioners will be digging through the rubble instead .
While Californians watched helplessly as a town symbol burned , people in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were praying in the sanctuary when they heard a car crash through the foyer .
Seconds later , the smell of smoke clouded the entry .
Laughing about it later with police , the 23-year-old arsonist said he was on a “ mission.
” Turns out , it was a mission several radicals shared , as a wave of destruction hit as many as five more churches in 48 hours .
Even historically black congregations were targets , as Calvary Baptist in San Diego watched its building for children ’ s ministry burn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” blaze started in the attic .
In New York City , the mobs made bonfires out of two Virgin Mary statues , with words like “ IDOL ” scrawled in ugly black paint down others .
Tuesday , even a Jesus sculpture was decapitated .
Is this what it 's come to — blaming churches for George Floyd 's death ?
No , FRC ’ s Ken Blackwell points out , because this was never about George Floyd to begin with .
That was all a smokescreen to exploit the mobs ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter , Antifa , the anarchists , and vigilantes , they 're all “ trained Marxists.
” And Marxism “ has no place for God.
” Activist Jeffrey Shaun King was pretty clear about that from the get-go , implying that this was about a lot more than slavery and the Civil War .
“ All murals and stained-glass windows of white Jesus and his European mother and their white friends should also come down .
They are a gross form of white supremacy created as tools of oppression , racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus being white .
( He wasn ’ t . )
It 's about hating what Jesus and these churches represent : Truth .
“ You saw this with the French Revolution , ” Eric Metaxas pointed out .
“ There was [ an abhorrence ] at the bottom of it of God , of any kind of authority .
And these people are drunk with the idea that they can somehow be an authority themselves , they can seize power ...
If you really want to cut to the chase , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things .
You go right for God , you go right for the Virgin Mary , my goodness , you go for churches.
” If you want to know why the mainstream media isn ’ t covering these attacks — and many have wondered — it ’ s no secret .
They don ’ t want to expose this movement for what it is — a sham of racial equality and a revolt against the rule of law rooted in the transcendent truth of God .
Once that foundation for government is gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , it ’ s only a matter of time before America is a hollowed shell ready for transformation .
That ’ s why Americans , especially Christians , are making a huge mistake burying their head in the sand thinking this , too , shall pass .
It will pass , all right , along with our freedoms if we don ’ t wake up to the threat .
Some mayors and leaders made the mistake that if we just feed the mobs a few statues , they ’ ll go quietly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trouble with trying to reason with extremists , Conrad Black points out .
“ They don ’ t really want to reach an agreement .
They skulked forward hiding behind the skirts of respectable reform organizations who wish equality and brotherhood in America.
” Now , our monuments are n't just paying for it , but our faith communities too .
Back when ISIS marched through small Iraqi towns , destroying ancient artifacts and scared sites , the West was appalled .
We prided ourselves , Victor Davis Hanson says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never descend into such nihilism.
” What a difference five years makes .
Published with permission from the Family Research Council .

July 17, 2020 (Family Research Council) — It looked like something out of a 2015 news report — a picture from ISIS, maybe, torching its way through Mosul. But the charred pews and collapsed roof were not the work of Islamic terrorists, but America's own. Over the weekend, the rioters, the same ones who wanted us to believe their cause is justice, came for our churches — using gasoline, lighters, gallons of paint, and vans to drive their message of destruction and chaos through the heart of America's faithful.
It took more than 50 firefighters to put out the mountain of flames at San Gabriel Church, which — by Saturday night — was nothing but a rickety frame of smoldering ash. “It’s a tragic loss for our city,” exhausted fire chief Antonio Negrete told reporters. “It’s our city identifier.” Now, months shy of its 250-year birthday celebration, parishioners will be digging through the rubble instead.
While Californians watched helplessly as a town symbol burned, people in Florida’s Queen of Peace Catholic Church were praying in the sanctuary when they heard a car crash through the foyer. Seconds later, the smell of smoke clouded the entry. Laughing about it later with police, the 23-year-old arsonist said he was on a “mission.” Turns out, it was a mission several radicals shared, as a wave of destruction hit as many as five more churches in 48 hours. Even historically black congregations were targets, as Calvary Baptist in San Diego watched its building for children’s ministry burn to the ground after a “suspicious” blaze started in the attic.
In New York City, the mobs made bonfires out of two Virgin Mary statues, with words like “IDOL” scrawled in ugly black paint down others. Tuesday, even a Jesus sculpture was decapitated. Is this what it's come to — blaming churches for George Floyd's death? No, FRC’s Ken Blackwell points out, because this was never about George Floyd to begin with. That was all a smokescreen to exploit the mobs’ real agenda: fundamentally transforming America. Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the anarchists, and vigilantes, they're all “trained Marxists.” And Marxism “has no place for God.”
Activist Jeffrey Shaun King was pretty clear about that from the get-go, implying that this was about a lot more than slavery and the Civil War. “All murals and stained-glass windows of white Jesus and his European mother and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form of white supremacy created as tools of oppression, racist propaganda.” This isn’t about Jesus being white. (He wasn’t.) It's about hating what Jesus and these churches represent: Truth.
“You saw this with the French Revolution,” Eric Metaxas pointed out. “There was [an abhorrence] at the bottom of it of God, of any kind of authority. And these people are drunk with the idea that they can somehow be an authority themselves, they can seize power… If you really want to cut to the chase, you forget about [Confederate] generals and things. You go right for God, you go right for the Virgin Mary, my goodness, you go for churches.”
If you want to know why the mainstream media isn’t covering these attacks — and many have wondered — it’s no secret. They don’t want to expose this movement for what it is — a sham of racial equality and a revolt against the rule of law rooted in the transcendent truth of God. Once that foundation for government is gone, and these zealots are coming for it, it’s only a matter of time before America is a hollowed shell ready for transformation.
That’s why Americans, especially Christians, are making a huge mistake burying their head in the sand thinking this, too, shall pass. It will pass, all right, along with our freedoms if we don’t wake up to the threat. Some mayors and leaders made the mistake that if we just feed the mobs a few statues, they’ll go quietly into the night. That’s the trouble with trying to reason with extremists, Conrad Black points out. “They don’t really want to reach an agreement. They skulked forward hiding behind the skirts of respectable reform organizations who wish equality and brotherhood in America.” Now, our monuments aren't just paying for it, but our faith communities too.
Back when ISIS marched through small Iraqi towns, destroying ancient artifacts and scared sites, the West was appalled. We prided ourselves, Victor Davis Hanson says, “on the idea that liberal societies would never descend into such nihilism.” What a difference five years makes.
Published with permission from the Family Research Council.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--22-year-old Catholic woman explains why she only receives Holy Communion on tongue

PETITION : Ask bishop to remove 'Catholic ' from the University of Notre Dame if they refuse to rescind Pete Buttigieg 's fellowship !
Sign the petition here .
July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As part of a conference on the importance of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue , a young Austrian Catholic credited the Traditional Latin Mass with increasing her reverence for Holy Communion .
“ The fact that I started attending the Traditional Latin Mass , for me , it made an unbelievable difference , ” Theresa Habsburg told John-Henry Westen .
The conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together pro-life leaders and Catholic scholars to explain the need for Catholics to receive Holy Communion on the tongue .
Habsburg is a 22-year-old Austrian Catholic who organized a group of young Catholics after the height of the coronavirus pandemic to call on Austrian bishops to bring back the Mass .
During the conference , Habsburg joined Westen to discuss her devotion to receiving Holy Communion on the tongue .
She shares that she hasn ’ t always received Holy Communion on the tongue , but her understanding and reverence for the Holy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out that the lack of access to the sacraments , especially to the Holy Eucharist , during the coronavirus lockdown helped her see the importance of receiving Holy Communion and doing so in the proper manner .
“ I kind of came to realize how integral it is that we are able to receive the Eucharist and go to Mass .
I also with that , came to this very deep understanding that there is also a right way to receive Christ .
Because if we do believe what we say we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing to believe if you think about it , then I feel like there 's not much of a gray zone .
There ca n't be much of a gray zone … So if we actually believe we 're receiving the true body of Christ , if we actually believe that , then there is only one way to receive the body of Christ.
” Habsburg now sees the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue as the only way to receive Holy Communion .
We need to “ at least try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with as much humility and as much grace as possible or so to receive him in a way that is as worthy as we can.
” Finally , Habsburg encourages other young Catholics to seek out a deeper understanding of Holy Communion .
Specifically , Habsburg encourages young Catholics to attend the Traditional Latin Mass .
“ The fact that I started attending the Traditional Latin Mass for me it made an unbelievable difference … I was very skeptical at first , but to me that made a world of difference because in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Habsburg said .
“ The whole structure of the ( Latin ) Mass is so away from the self and towards God.
” Habsburg encourages Catholics young and old to delve deeper into their faith and truly understand their beliefs as she knows this will help bring them to see the necessity of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue .
“ It is a question of catechesis and understanding what you believe .
”

Theresa Habsburg said her reverence for the Holy Eucharist has been deeped by attending the Traditional Latin Mass.
PETITION: Ask bishop to remove 'Catholic' from the University of Notre Dame if they refuse to rescind Pete Buttigieg's fellowship! Sign the petition here.
July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As part of a conference on the importance of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, a young Austrian Catholic credited the Traditional Latin Mass with increasing her reverence for Holy Communion.
“The fact that I started attending the Traditional Latin Mass, for me, it made an unbelievable difference,” Theresa Habsburg told John-Henry Westen.
The conference hosted by Voice of the Family brought together pro-life leaders and Catholic scholars to explain the need for Catholics to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
Habsburg is a 22-year-old Austrian Catholic who organized a group of young Catholics after the height of the coronavirus pandemic to call on Austrian bishops to bring back the Mass.
During the conference, Habsburg joined Westen to discuss her devotion to receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. She shares that she hasn’t always received Holy Communion on the tongue, but her understanding and reverence for the Holy Eucharist has grown over time.
She points out that the lack of access to the sacraments, especially to the Holy Eucharist, during the coronavirus lockdown helped her see the importance of receiving Holy Communion and doing so in the proper manner.
“I kind of came to realize how integral it is that we are able to receive the Eucharist and go to Mass. I also with that, came to this very deep understanding that there is also a right way to receive Christ. Because if we do believe what we say we believe, which is quite an outrageous thing to believe if you think about it, then I feel like there's not much of a gray zone. There can't be much of a gray zone … So if we actually believe we're receiving the true body of Christ, if we actually believe that, then there is only one way to receive the body of Christ.”
Habsburg now sees the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue as the only way to receive Holy Communion. We need to “at least try to attain (the body of Christ) with as much humility and as much grace as possible or so to receive him in a way that is as worthy as we can.”
Finally, Habsburg encourages other young Catholics to seek out a deeper understanding of Holy Communion. Specifically, Habsburg encourages young Catholics to attend the Traditional Latin Mass.
“The fact that I started attending the Traditional Latin Mass for me it made an unbelievable difference … I was very skeptical at first, but to me that made a world of difference because in today’s world everything about you,” Habsburg said. “The whole structure of the (Latin) Mass is so away from the self and towards God.”
Habsburg encourages Catholics young and old to delve deeper into their faith and truly understand their beliefs as she knows this will help bring them to see the necessity of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue.
“It is a question of catechesis and understanding what you believe.”
Share


lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Going for an abortion, she missed the bus. Then her baby was saved

July 17 , 2020 ( Live Action News ) — Betty ( not her real name ) refers to the moment she found out she was pregnant as “ the worst.
” She felt “ hopeless and helpless ” and completely alone .
Without a home or a stable income , she felt her only choice was abortion , and made an appointment at a Marie Stopes abortion facility in the UK .
Unable to work because of extreme morning sickness , she was living in a room in an apartment .
Her boyfriend didn ’ t have a stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do was to have an abortion so things could “ go back to normal ” and eventually she ’ d return to work .
Abortion wasn ’ t what she wanted , but she felt as though it was what she had to do because of her situation .
“ I went to my GP and I told him ‘ I ’ m pregnant and I want to have an abortion , ’ ” she said in an essay for the group Be Here for Me .
“ He referred me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinic in Ealing .
I was 11 weeks pregnant.
” When she arrived at the facility , a pro-life woman named Lorraine was there , standing outside .
From the moment Betty met Lorraine , everything changed .
“ For me , it was definitely down to God that I missed a bus and was late because I may not have met Lorraine otherwise , ” she explained .
“ I was looking really quite haggard at this point because I was throwing up so much .
Lorraine smiled and gave me a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I thought , ‘ Ah , this person knows what I ’ m going through . '
” Betty told Lorraine about her concerns — her housing being number one .
Lorraine immediately called The Good Counsel Network to inquire about a safe place for Betty to live .
The pro-life organization helps women with pregnancy testing , moral support , medical information , legal advice , and practical assistance so that they can more readily choose life .
This made Betty rethink her abortion , but she still went into the abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full of women.
” When her name was called to go back for the abortion , Betty couldn ’ t go through with it .
Although the abortion worker was angry with her , she refused to be bullied into an abortion .
“ So I went outside and spoke to Lorraine again , ” she said .
“ She gave me another hug and told me ‘ Congratulations !
’ She called my boyfriend and told him the news and said that on Monday I would have a home !
I couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her boyfriend welcomed their son Isaiah , who has a safe place to live thanks to Lorraine and The Good Counsel Network , which also helped Betty apply for a visa to stay in the UK .
“ If somebody was not there to see me I could have gone through with the abortion , ” explained Betty .
“ Because I ’ d have gone into the clinic and there wouldn ’ t have been anyone there with another option .
Look at the child .
Sometimes I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him if I think about it .
If I [ didn ’ t ] find somebody that time I could have done it.
” Pro-life counseling is a necessity outside of abortion businesses because abortion workers are not trained to give pro-life options to women .
They are trained to sell abortions .
With over 70 % of post-abortive women stating they felt coerced to abort , ensuring that women have all of the facts and information before they choose to abort is vital to saving their babies ’ lives and their @ @ @ @ @

When she finally arrived at the facility, a pro-life woman was there, standing outside. Then everything changed.
July 17, 2020 (Live Action News) — Betty (not her real name) refers to the moment she found out she was pregnant as “the worst.” She felt “hopeless and helpless” and completely alone. Without a home or a stable income, she felt her only choice was abortion, and made an appointment at a Marie Stopes abortion facility in the UK.
Unable to work because of extreme morning sickness, she was living in a room in an apartment. Her boyfriend didn’t have a stable job. Betty decided the best thing to do was to have an abortion so things could “go back to normal” and eventually she’d return to work. Abortion wasn’t what she wanted, but she felt as though it was what she had to do because of her situation.
“I went to my GP and I told him ‘I’m pregnant and I want to have an abortion,’” she said in an essay for the group Be Here for Me. “He referred me to a clinic which they call Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing. I was 11 weeks pregnant.”
When she arrived at the facility, a pro-life woman named Lorraine was there, standing outside. From the moment Betty met Lorraine, everything changed.
“For me, it was definitely down to God that I missed a bus and was late because I may not have met Lorraine otherwise,” she explained. “I was looking really quite haggard at this point because I was throwing up so much. Lorraine smiled and gave me a big hug when I went over and I thought, ‘Ah, this person knows what I’m going through.'”
Betty told Lorraine about her concerns — her housing being number one. Lorraine immediately called The Good Counsel Network to inquire about a safe place for Betty to live. The pro-life organization helps women with pregnancy testing, moral support, medical information, legal advice, and practical assistance so that they can more readily choose life. This made Betty rethink her abortion, but she still went into the abortion business, which she said was “full of women.”
When her name was called to go back for the abortion, Betty couldn’t go through with it. Although the abortion worker was angry with her, she refused to be bullied into an abortion.
“So I went outside and spoke to Lorraine again,” she said. “She gave me another hug and told me ‘Congratulations!’ She called my boyfriend and told him the news and said that on Monday I would have a home! I couldn’t believe it!”
Betty and her boyfriend welcomed their son Isaiah, who has a safe place to live thanks to Lorraine and The Good Counsel Network, which also helped Betty apply for a visa to stay in the UK.
“If somebody was not there to see me I could have gone through with the abortion,” explained Betty. “Because I’d have gone into the clinic and there wouldn’t have been anyone there with another option. Look at the child. Sometimes I don’t want to talk about it in front of him if I think about it. If I [didn’t] find somebody that time I could have done it.”
Pro-life counseling is a necessity outside of abortion businesses because abortion workers are not trained to give pro-life options to women. They are trained to sell abortions. With over 70% of post-abortive women stating they felt coerced to abort, ensuring that women have all of the facts and information before they choose to abort is vital to saving their babies’ lives and their own health as well.
Published with permission from Live Action News.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--China stalls delivering aborted baby COVID vaccine to Canada for trials

ONTARIO , July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Canadian human trial of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine derived from fetal cells harvested from an aborted baby decades ago has been hindered due to Chinese customs delaying its shipment to Canada .
The delay of the vaccine known as Ad5-nCoV , which LifeSiteNews reported uses the HEK293 cell line made from fetal cells from a baby aborted decades ago , was first reported by iPolitics last week .
In May , prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau announced that Health Canada had approved the coronavirus vaccine Ad5-nCoV to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to iPolitics , Health Canada said Chinese customs officials are the ones responsible for delaying the shipment of the trial vaccine Ad5-nCoV .
Ad5-nCoV was co-developed by the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology and the Chinese firm CanSino Biologics Inc. ( CanSinoBIO ) .
On May 12 , Canada ’ s National Research Council ( NRC ) announced a collaboration with CanSinoBIO to test and develop Ad5-nCoV in Canada .
The clinical trials for Ad5-nCoV will be taking place at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University , which is in Halifax .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tested .
The iPolitics report says a spokesperson for the University of Dalhousie would not answer questions about the shipping delay .
They could not confirm if the delay was because of the increased political tension between Canada and China due to the extradition case of Meng Wanzhou , an executive from the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei who is under house arrest in British Columbia .
Meng was arrested by Canadian officials in 2018 at the request of the United States Justice Department , who accused her of violating Iranian sanctions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges .
Shortly after Meng ’ s arrest , a former Canadian diplomat , Michael Kovrig , and businessman Michael Spavor were arrested in China , which has fueled speculation that the communist Chinese regime did this as a retaliatory measure simply to exert pressure on Canada to release Meng .
Meng and the Chinese government have denied any wrongdoing and have demanded her release .
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has declined to release Meng and has admitted that there was a “ direct link ” between Meng ’ s arrest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last month , China charged the two Canadians held in custody with spying .
In June , Trudeau said that “ we deplore what China did.
” PETITION : No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus !
Sign the petition here .
Due to the vaccine delay , it remains uncertain when the trial will get underway .
However , a CTV report says Health Canada told reporters that once Chinese authorities allow the vaccine to be shipped , trials will begin after they arrive in Canada .
“ Once the Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will start the clinical trial for CanSino , under the regulatory supervision of Health Canada , ” said Andre Gagnon , a spokesman for Health Canada , to CTV News .
According to the iPolitics report , Dr. Scott Halperin , the director of the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University , told M.P.s that the trial is “ imminently going to start.
” “ Just finishing the final approvals that are required to have the vaccine shipped to Canada , ” said Halperin .
On Thursday , Trudeau said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with China on the Ad5-nCoV vaccine .
“ We ’ re obviously continuing to work with the Chinese government to ensure that this work can continue in an uninterrupted fashion , ” Trudeau told reporters .
In June , China approved Ad5-nCoV to be used for its military for one year and skipped the final phase of testing for the vaccine .
Ted Kuntz , president of Vaccine Choice Canada ( VCC ) , a not-for-profit society founded by families who have suffered from vaccine reactions and injuries , told LifeSiteNews in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of the coronavirus trial vaccine .
“ The decision by Health Canada to approve human trial testing for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine should concern us all , ” Kuntz said .
“ Bypassing standard and prudent safety protocols and rushing a vaccine to market not only increases the risk of producing a product that will cause more harm than good , it has the very real potential to severely undermine trust in our health professionals , our health agencies , and in the entire vaccine paradigm.
” Huawei was hoping to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a major part of Canada ’ s 5G network , but recently , both Bell and Telus have said they will partner with Nokia and Ericsson instead .
Canada remains the last country of the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance not to officially announce its refusal to work with Huawei .
All of the four other members , the U.S. , Great Britain , New Zealand , and Australia , have stopped Huawei from supplying 5G equipment .
A report two months ago by the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance said China deliberately lied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to spread globally .
In an email message sent to his followers this week , the Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidate and M.P .
Derek Sloan blasted Trudeau for not following the lead of the other four nations in banning Huawei .
“ The fact that Canada is now the only country in the Five Eyes to have not taken action to mitigate the security risk of using Huawei in our 5G network is an abject failure on the Trudeau government ’ s part to protect our national security , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government should announce sooner , rather than later , that Huawei will be banned [ . ]
... As Prime Minister , I will not allow Huawei 5G in Canada .
”

Speculation abounds that the delay is due to political tension between the two nations involving the extradition case of a Chinese national.
ONTARIO, July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian human trial of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine derived from fetal cells harvested from an aborted baby decades ago has been hindered due to Chinese customs delaying its shipment to Canada.
The delay of the vaccine known as Ad5-nCoV, which LifeSiteNews reported uses the HEK293 cell line made from fetal cells from a baby aborted decades ago, was first reported by iPolitics last week.
In May, prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau announced that Health Canada had approved the coronavirus vaccine Ad5-nCoV to be used in human clinical trials.
According to iPolitics, Health Canada said Chinese customs officials are the ones responsible for delaying the shipment of the trial vaccine Ad5-nCoV.
Ad5-nCoV was co-developed by the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology and the Chinese firm CanSino Biologics Inc. (CanSinoBIO).
On May 12, Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) announced a collaboration with CanSinoBIO to test and develop Ad5-nCoV in Canada.
The clinical trials for Ad5-nCoV will be taking place at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University, which is in Halifax. A total of 600 people are to be tested.
The iPolitics report says a spokesperson for the University of Dalhousie would not answer questions about the shipping delay.
They could not confirm if the delay was because of the increased political tension between Canada and China due to the extradition case of Meng Wanzhou, an executive from the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei who is under house arrest in British Columbia.
Meng was arrested by Canadian officials in 2018 at the request of the United States Justice Department, who accused her of violating Iranian sanctions. The U.S. wants Meng extradited to face charges.
Shortly after Meng’s arrest, a former Canadian diplomat, Michael Kovrig, and businessman Michael Spavor were arrested in China, which has fueled speculation that the communist Chinese regime did this as a retaliatory measure simply to exert pressure on Canada to release Meng.
Meng and the Chinese government have denied any wrongdoing and have demanded her release.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has declined to release Meng and has admitted that there was a “direct link” between Meng’s arrest and that of the two Canadians in China.
Last month, China charged the two Canadians held in custody with spying. In June, Trudeau said that “we deplore what China did.”
PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus! Sign the petition here.
Due to the vaccine delay, it remains uncertain when the trial will get underway. However, a CTV report says Health Canada told reporters that once Chinese authorities allow the vaccine to be shipped, trials will begin after they arrive in Canada.
“Once the Canadian Center for Vaccinology receives the vaccine candidate it will start the clinical trial for CanSino, under the regulatory supervision of Health Canada,” said Andre Gagnon, a spokesman for Health Canada, to CTV News.
According to the iPolitics report, Dr. Scott Halperin, the director of the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University, told M.P.s that the trial is “imminently going to start.”
“Just finishing the final approvals that are required to have the vaccine shipped to Canada,” said Halperin.
On Thursday, Trudeau said in a press conference that Canada is still working with China on the Ad5-nCoV vaccine.
“We’re obviously continuing to work with the Chinese government to ensure that this work can continue in an uninterrupted fashion,” Trudeau told reporters.
In June, China approved Ad5-nCoV to be used for its military for one year and skipped the final phase of testing for the vaccine.
Ted Kuntz, president of Vaccine Choice Canada (VCC), a not-for-profit society founded by families who have suffered from vaccine reactions and injuries, told LifeSiteNews in May that Canadians should be concerned about the safety of the coronavirus trial vaccine.
“The decision by Health Canada to approve human trial testing for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine should concern us all,” Kuntz said.
“Bypassing standard and prudent safety protocols and rushing a vaccine to market not only increases the risk of producing a product that will cause more harm than good, it has the very real potential to severely undermine trust in our health professionals, our health agencies, and in the entire vaccine paradigm.”
Huawei was hoping to be a prominent player in a bid to be a major part of Canada’s 5G network, but recently, both Bell and Telus have said they will partner with Nokia and Ericsson instead.
Canada remains the last country of the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance not to officially announce its refusal to work with Huawei. All of the four other members, the U.S., Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia, have stopped Huawei from supplying 5G equipment.
A report two months ago by the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance said China deliberately lied about the coronavirus outbreak and deliberately allowed it to spread globally.
In an email message sent to his followers this week, the Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidate and M.P. Derek Sloan blasted Trudeau for not following the lead of the other four nations in banning Huawei.
“The fact that Canada is now the only country in the Five Eyes to have not taken action to mitigate the security risk of using Huawei in our 5G network is an abject failure on the Trudeau government’s part to protect our national security,” wrote Sloan in his email.
“The government should announce sooner, rather than later, that Huawei will be banned[.] … As Prime Minister, I will not allow Huawei 5G in Canada.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Human rights groups sue Ontario govt to stop police accessing patient COVID-19 data

ONTARIO , July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A collection of human rights groups announced they are legally challenging the government of Ontario in provincial Superior Court to fight a decision to allow police access to information of residents who test positive for the coronavirus .
The group is made up of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association ( CCLA ) , the Aboriginal Legal Services ( ALS ) , the Black Legal Action Centre ( BLAC ) , and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario ( HALCO ) .
The collective made the announcement in a joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Individual Ontarians ’ health information is among the most sensitive personal information the government holds , ” Abby Deshman , Director of the Criminal Justice Program with the CCLA is quoted as saying in the news release .
“ Given the patchy nature of COVID testing and the risk of asymptomatic spread , police — like the rest of the population — need to be taking universal precautions to prevent the spread of COVID .
Sharing COVID test results with police is not necessary , and in fact undermines an effective public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Ontario government passed an emergency order which allows the police the ability to obtain sensitive personal information , such as an address and birth date , from those who test positive for the coronavirus .
At the time , the Ontario government argued for the law , with officials saying they had to do “ everything in our power to ensure the health and well-being of those working on the frontlines and provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs and keep Ontarians safe . ''
The emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act .
Since becoming law , a shared database has been made available to police services across the province .
PETITION : Investigate George Soros ' role in funding domestic terrorism !
Sign the petition here .
The group is challenging the Ontario government because its members argue that the sharing of medical records with police “ breaches provincial health privacy protections and violates individuals ’ constitutional rights to privacy and equality.
” They also say Ontario ’ s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act does not give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing of personal information with police , nor is the measure authorized by by Ontario ’ s emergency legislation .
“ Police involvement in public health matters impedes effective public health responses , ” said Khalid Janmohamed , who serves as a HALCO staff lawyer , in the news release .
“ People are less likely to get tested or seek treatment because they are afraid of being targeted by police .
We have seen this happen in relation to the criminalization of people living with HIV and people who use drugs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these harms with the sharing of COVID-19 diagnosis information with police .
Like in relation to HIV and drug use , for COVID-19 we need a public health response , not a public policing response.
” The group ’ s news release also says they wrote to Ontario ’ s solicitor general in April to share their concerns regarding the “ government ’ s decision to share sensitive personal health information with police.
” As of today , they have yet to receive a response .
Ontario is not the only Canadian province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police to access one ’ s personal medical information pertaining to the coronavirus .
In May , the health minister of Alberta utilized new coronavirus-related powers under Bill 10 to authorize health workers to give police confidential patient medical information .
The Alberta law is not as open as Ontario ’ s , however , as it applies only if an individual had purposefully put an officer at risk by sneezing or coughing on him Alberta ’ s law was blasted by the Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms ( JCCF ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alberta government over the constitutionality of Bill 10 .

'Sharing COVID test results with police is not necessary, and in fact undermines an effective public health approach to this pandemic.'
ONTARIO, July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A collection of human rights groups announced they are legally challenging the government of Ontario in provincial Superior Court to fight a decision to allow police access to information of residents who test positive for the coronavirus.
The group is made up of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), the Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS), the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO).
The collective made the announcement in a joint press release sent out yesterday.
“Individual Ontarians’ health information is among the most sensitive personal information the government holds,” Abby Deshman, Director of the Criminal Justice Program with the CCLA is quoted as saying in the news release.
“Given the patchy nature of COVID testing and the risk of asymptomatic spread, police — like the rest of the population — need to be taking universal precautions to prevent the spread of COVID. Sharing COVID test results with police is not necessary, and in fact undermines an effective public health approach to this pandemic.”
In April, the Ontario government passed an emergency order which allows the police the ability to obtain sensitive personal information, such as an address and birth date, from those who test positive for the coronavirus.
At the time, the Ontario government argued for the law, with officials saying they had to do “everything in our power to ensure the health and well-being of those working on the frontlines and provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs and keep Ontarians safe.”
The emergency order was passed under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Since becoming law, a shared database has been made available to police services across the province.
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The group is challenging the Ontario government because its members argue that the sharing of medical records with police “breaches provincial health privacy protections and violates individuals’ constitutional rights to privacy and equality.”
They also say Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act does not give the government the authority to enable the sharing of personal information with police, nor is the measure authorized by by Ontario’s emergency legislation.
“Police involvement in public health matters impedes effective public health responses,” said Khalid Janmohamed, who serves as a HALCO staff lawyer, in the news release.
“People are less likely to get tested or seek treatment because they are afraid of being targeted by police. We have seen this happen in relation to the criminalization of people living with HIV and people who use drugs. We are at dire risk of duplicating these harms with the sharing of COVID-19 diagnosis information with police. Like in relation to HIV and drug use, for COVID-19 we need a public health response, not a public policing response.”
The group’s news release also says they wrote to Ontario’s solicitor general in April to share their concerns regarding the “government’s decision to share sensitive personal health information with police.”
As of today, they have yet to receive a response.
Ontario is not the only Canadian province that has enacted laws to allow the police to access one’s personal medical information pertaining to the coronavirus.
In May, the health minister of Alberta utilized new coronavirus-related powers under Bill 10 to authorize health workers to give police confidential patient medical information.
The Alberta law is not as open as Ontario’s, however, as it applies only if an individual had purposefully put an officer at risk by sneezing or coughing on him
Alberta’s law was blasted by the Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), who announced a legal challenge to the Alberta government over the constitutionality of Bill 10.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Pro-LGBT Catholic priest denounces critics of ‘gender ideology’ as unscientific

CHICAGO , July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Catholic priest has described the use of the term “ gender ideology ” as the “ boogeyman ” of those promoting “ right-wing political and ecclesial agendas.
” In a June article published in the National Catholic Reporter , Father Daniel Horan , the Duns Scotus Chair of Spirituality at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago , attempts to cast the use of the term “ gender ideology ” as discrimation against “ LGBTQ people ” and comparable to historical examples of what he calls the Catholic Church ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course to correction.
” The term “ gender ideology ” is used frequently by Catholics and conservatives to refer to developments such as the global push to redefine marriage so as to include the possibility of so-called “ same-sex marriage ” and the increasing promotion of transgenderism , including the push to allow children to undergo so-called “ gender reassignment surgery.
” In their “ Declaration of Truths ” document published last year , Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Athanasius Schneider , together with several other bishops , stated : Spanish cardinal Antonio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideology is “ the biggest threat now facing humanity , ” while Polish archbishop Marek Jedraszewski has described gender ideology as the “ direct path to the self-destruction of our civilization.
” But Horan argues that rather than “ gender ideology , ” the real problematic ideology today is an “ uncritical promotion of 13th century pseudo-science and ancient philosophical theories that , while interesting and influential , are no longer sufficient to account for important developments in human knowledge and experience since the Middle Ages.
” Citing Pope Francis ’ s 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ the presentation of a nearly eight centuries-old understanding of the human person that is somehow complete in itself apart from whatever we might learn about humanity or the world subsequently is exactly the reduction of the faith to a ‘ museum piece.
’ ” Horan even goes so far as to suggest that St. Thomas Aquinas ’ s use of Aristotelian philosophy , controversial among thirteenth-century Catholics theologians , is comparable to those adopting novel ideas today “ arising from studies about sex and gender.
” The Chicago-based Franciscan cleric claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideology ’ generally do n't know what they are talking about ” and suggests that they should study the work of academics promoting the theory that “ gender ” and biological sex are not necessarily the same thing .
In 2015 , Horan celebrated the 2015 U.S. Supreme Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that the U.S. Constitution contains an inalienable right to same-sex “ marriage , ” writing in an article for the Jesuit publication America that “ [ a ] s a Christian , the ‘ joys and hopes ’ of the LGBT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the recognition of their human dignity and value , these are the ‘ joys and hopes ’ of me today.
” Horan concluded his recent article by asserting that there is “ no better time ” for Catholic leaders to “ learn more from natural and social sciences about the wondrous diversity of God 's creation , including the manifold experiences and identities within the human family ” than the month of June , when , as Horan claims , the “ world over commemorates LGBTQ pride month.
” The Catholic Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jesus .

In defense of the idea that men can be women and vice versa, Fr. Daniel Horan condemned opponents' 'uncritical promotion of 13th century pseudo-science and ancient philosophical theories.'
CHICAGO, July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic priest has described the use of the term “gender ideology” as the “boogeyman” of those promoting “right-wing political and ecclesial agendas.”
In a June article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Father Daniel Horan, the Duns Scotus Chair of Spirituality at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, attempts to cast the use of the term “gender ideology” as discrimation against “LGBTQ people” and comparable to historical examples of what he calls the Catholic Church’s “institutional sinfulness and its slow course to correction.”
The term “gender ideology” is used frequently by Catholics and conservatives to refer to developments such as the global push to redefine marriage so as to include the possibility of so-called “same-sex marriage” and the increasing promotion of transgenderism, including the push to allow children to undergo so-called “gender reassignment surgery.”
In their “Declaration of Truths” document published last year, Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Athanasius Schneider, together with several other bishops, stated:
Concerning gender theory, the declaration reaffirms that ‘the male and female sexes, man and woman, are biological realities created by the wise will of God.’ It therefore terms gender reassignment surgery a ‘rebellion against natural and divine law’ and a ‘grave sin.’
Spanish cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera said last year that gender ideology is “the biggest threat now facing humanity,” while Polish archbishop Marek Jedraszewski has described gender ideology as the “direct path to the self-destruction of our civilization.”
But Horan argues that rather than “gender ideology,” the real problematic ideology today is an “uncritical promotion of 13th century pseudo-science and ancient philosophical theories that, while interesting and influential, are no longer sufficient to account for important developments in human knowledge and experience since the Middle Ages.”
Citing Pope Francis’s 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Horan argues that “the presentation of a nearly eight centuries-old understanding of the human person that is somehow complete in itself apart from whatever we might learn about humanity or the world subsequently is exactly the reduction of the faith to a ‘museum piece.’”
Horan even goes so far as to suggest that St. Thomas Aquinas’s use of Aristotelian philosophy, controversial among thirteenth-century Catholics theologians, is comparable to those adopting novel ideas today “arising from studies about sex and gender.”
The Chicago-based Franciscan cleric claims that “those who invoke ‘gender ideology’ generally don't know what they are talking about” and suggests that they should study the work of academics promoting the theory that “gender” and biological sex are not necessarily the same thing.
In 2015, Horan celebrated the 2015 U.S. Supreme Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that the U.S. Constitution contains an inalienable right to same-sex “marriage,” writing in an article for the Jesuit publication America that “[a]s a Christian, the ‘joys and hopes’ of the LGBT women and men who have cried out for the recognition of their human dignity and value, these are the ‘joys and hopes’ of me today.”
Horan concluded his recent article by asserting that there is “no better time” for Catholic leaders to “learn more from natural and social sciences about the wondrous diversity of God's creation, including the manifold experiences and identities within the human family” than the month of June, when, as Horan claims, the “world over commemorates LGBTQ pride month.”
The Catholic Church traditionally dedicates June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-17--Young Catholic leaders pledge to receive Holy Communion only on tongue while kneeling

July 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A group of young Catholics has joined together to announce that out of reverence to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they will only receive Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling .
Their declaration first aired as part of the “ Love and reverence to Our Lord : Let ’ s always receive Holy Communion on the tongue ” conference .
The conference was organized by Voice of the Family and broadcast on LifeSite ’ s YouTube channel on Thursday , July 16 ( scroll below to watch the conference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Habsburg of the famous Habsburg dynasty and many other young Catholics from various places around the world .
Thursday ’ s webinar featured a talk by U.K.-based priest Fr .
Serafino Lanzetta on the theological reasons for receiving Holy Communion on the tongue .
Read about his lecture by clicking here .
LifeSite co-founder and editor in chief John-Henry also appeared at the conference .
He interviewed Dr. Peter Kwasniewksi , Alexander Tschugguel , and the aforementioned Theresa Habsburg .
Learn about what conference moderator and pro-life veteran John Smeaton had to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverently receiving the Eucharist by clicking here .
While the conference was free for all to view , it is no small expense to coordinate all the aspects needed to put on such an important event .
Please prayerfully consider donating through this secure link : https : //give.lifesitenews.com/ Sign up for LifeSite ’ s email list to receive all the latest pro-life and Catholic news updates .
Add your email here : https : //lifesite.kartra.com/page/subscribe Subscribe to the John-Henry Westen Show newsletter .
You ’ ll get all of John-Henry ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week : https : //lifesitenews.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe .
Lastly , be sure to “ like ” the John-Henry Westen Show on Facebook .

Their joint statement was apart of the 'Love and reverence to Our Lord: Let’s always receive Holy Communion on the tongue' conference
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July 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A group of young Catholics has joined together to announce that out of reverence to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they will only receive Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling.
Their declaration first aired as part of the “Love and reverence to Our Lord: Let’s always receive Holy Communion on the tongue” conference. The conference was organized by Voice of the Family and broadcast on LifeSite’s YouTube channel on Thursday, July 16 (scroll below to watch the conference in full).
The video features Theresa Habsburg of the famous Habsburg dynasty and many other young Catholics from various places around the world.
Thursday’s webinar featured a talk by U.K.-based priest Fr. Serafino Lanzetta on the theological reasons for receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. Read about his lecture by clicking here.
LifeSite co-founder and editor in chief John-Henry also appeared at the conference. He interviewed Dr. Peter Kwasniewksi, Alexander Tschugguel, and the aforementioned Theresa Habsburg.
Learn about what conference moderator and pro-life veteran John Smeaton had to say about the connection between being pro-life and reverently receiving the Eucharist by clicking here.
While the conference was free for all to view, it is no small expense to coordinate all the aspects needed to put on such an important event. Please prayerfully consider donating through this secure link: https://give.lifesitenews.com/
Sign up for LifeSite’s email list to receive all the latest pro-life and Catholic news updates. Add your email here: https://lifesite.kartra.com/page/subscribe
Subscribe to the John-Henry Westen Show newsletter. You’ll get all of John-Henry’s podcasts sent right to your inbox every week: https://lifesitenews.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe. Lastly, be sure to “like” the John-Henry Westen Show on Facebook.
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