lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Vatican snubs Taiwan but thanks Communist China for medical supplies

VATICAN CITY , April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Although both Communist China and Taiwan have donated much-needed medical supplies to the Vatican as the coronavirus has overwhelmed the Italian peninsula , the Holy See publicly thanked China for its generosity but has remained silent about Taiwan ’ s .
“ In recent days , donations of medical supplies have arrived from China to the Vatican Pharmacy , ” said Matteo Bruni , director of the Vatican press office , who indicated that the gifts are “ an expression of the solidarity of the Chinese people … to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people struck by the COVID-19 and in the prevention of the coronavirus epidemic that is underway.
” “ The Holy See appreciates this generous gesture and expresses its gratitude to the bishops , the Catholic faithful , the institutions and all other Chinese citizens for this humanitarian initiative , assuring them of the esteem and prayers of the Holy Father , ” Bruni said in his April 9 statement .
On April 14 , the Taiwan Embassy to the Holy See released a statement that they had donated 280,000 medical masks to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals and various religious institutes in Italy , according to a report by Crux Rome correspondent Elise Ann Allen .
“ It is a sign of closeness to Pope Francis and to the Italian people , but also a help to the Italian church , which is very committed in accompanying the sick and the most needy who suffer from the coronavirus , ” Taiwan Ambassador Matthew Lee said .
“ This donation to the Vatican , ” the Ambassador said , “ is a concrete sign of sharing the efficiency of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gained in the field in recent years in the fight against viruses.
” However , the Vatican has so far refrained from making any public statements of gratitude for Taiwan ’ s donations , as it did for China , despite being Taiwan ’ s sole diplomatic ally in Europe , sending a strong signal of where the Vatican ’ s interests lie .
The Vatican recognizes Taiwan as the “ Republic of China ” -- as do the other 14 countries that keep diplomatic ties with the island -- under the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing and Taipei as both claiming to be the legitimate government of China .
Mainland China insists Taiwan is a Chinese province and has a policy of diplomatically isolating the Taiwanese .
The apparent snub to Taiwan while praising Mainland China ’ s generosity is a continuation of the Vatican ’ s policy of appeasing the Chinese Commmunist Party ( CCP ) under Pope Francis .
Taiwan , officially known as the Republic of China , and Mainland China , the People ’ s Republic of China , have been locked in political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil war .
The status of Taiwan as a self-governing entity separate from mainland China has been in question since losing its seat at the United Nations in 1971 .
At that time , the Republic of China lost its recognition as “ China ” to the communist mainland nation , the People ’ s Republic of China .
Under communist rule , the Catholic Church was forced to go “ underground ” in order to continue to function .
In 2018 , the Vatican forged an “ historic ” deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a high price to the clergy and laity of the faithful “ underground ” Catholic Church , which is being replaced with a “ sinicized ” version of the Church , professing allegiance not to the Roman Catholicism and the Gospel of Jesus Christ but to the Chinese Communist Party .
“ Given the Vatican ’ s ongoing courtship with mainland China in recent years , Taiwan likely won ’ t rock the boat by asking for public recognition , but the Vatican ’ s silence toward them , considering their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deafening , ” Crux ’ s Allen said .
“ If there is one thing ( the ) Vatican and the pope have shown during the coronavirus outbreak , it ’ s that both the spiritual silence of being lost for words in contemplating the mystery of Christ ’ s death and resurrection , and the political silence in key and strategic moments , can both speak louder than words , ” she concluded .

The Holy See praised the Chinese government while ignoring a gift of 280K medical masks from the Taiwanese people.
PETITION: Support Cardinal Zen's plea to stop the “murder of the Church in China” Sign the petition here.
VATICAN CITY, April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Although both Communist China and Taiwan have donated much-needed medical supplies to the Vatican as the coronavirus has overwhelmed the Italian peninsula, the Holy See publicly thanked China for its generosity but has remained silent about Taiwan’s.
“In recent days, donations of medical supplies have arrived from China to the Vatican Pharmacy,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, who indicated that the gifts are “an expression of the solidarity of the Chinese people … to all those who are committed in assisting people struck by the COVID-19 and in the prevention of the coronavirus epidemic that is underway.”
“The Holy See appreciates this generous gesture and expresses its gratitude to the bishops, the Catholic faithful, the institutions and all other Chinese citizens for this humanitarian initiative, assuring them of the esteem and prayers of the Holy Father,” Bruni said in his April 9 statement.
On April 14, the Taiwan Embassy to the Holy See released a statement that they had donated 280,000 medical masks to the Vatican, the Italian bishops, Italian hospitals and various religious institutes in Italy, according to a report by Crux Rome correspondent Elise Ann Allen.
“It is a sign of closeness to Pope Francis and to the Italian people, but also a help to the Italian church, which is very committed in accompanying the sick and the most needy who suffer from the coronavirus,” Taiwan Ambassador Matthew Lee said.
“This donation to the Vatican,” the Ambassador said, “is a concrete sign of sharing the efficiency of the manufacture of Taiwanese masks and the experience gained in the field in recent years in the fight against viruses.”
The Crux report continued:
However, the Vatican has so far refrained from making any public statements of gratitude for Taiwan’s donations, as it did for China, despite being Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Europe, sending a strong signal of where the Vatican’s interests lie. The Vatican recognizes Taiwan as the “Republic of China” — as do the other 14 countries that keep diplomatic ties with the island — under the “One China” policy that officially sees Beijing and Taipei as both claiming to be the legitimate government of China. Mainland China insists Taiwan is a Chinese province and has a policy of diplomatically isolating the Taiwanese. The apparent snub to Taiwan while praising Mainland China’s generosity is a continuation of the Vatican’s policy of appeasing the Chinese Commmunist Party (CCP) under Pope Francis.
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, and Mainland China, the People’s Republic of China, have been locked in political dispute for years as a result of civil war. The status of Taiwan as a self-governing entity separate from mainland China has been in question since losing its seat at the United Nations in 1971. At that time, the Republic of China lost its recognition as “China” to the communist mainland nation, the People’s Republic of China.
Under communist rule, the Catholic Church was forced to go “underground” in order to continue to function.
In 2018, the Vatican forged an “historic” deal with the CCP, but that deal has come at a high price to the clergy and laity of the faithful “underground” Catholic Church, which is being replaced with a “sinicized” version of the Church, professing allegiance not to the Roman Catholicism and the Gospel of Jesus Christ but to the Chinese Communist Party.
“Given the Vatican’s ongoing courtship with mainland China in recent years, Taiwan likely won’t rock the boat by asking for public recognition, but the Vatican’s silence toward them, considering their own coronavirus offerings, is nothing short of deafening,” Crux’s Allen said.
“If there is one thing (the) Vatican and the pope have shown during the coronavirus outbreak, it’s that both the spiritual silence of being lost for words in contemplating the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, and the political silence in key and strategic moments, can both speak louder than words,” she concluded.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Watch Trump’s coronavirus daily briefing for April 17 here

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WASHINGTON, D.C., April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – LifeSite has begun streaming President Donald Trump’s daily briefings about the coronavirus crisis. Here we present his April 17 briefing. Follow LifeSiteNews for future briefings.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--EWTN’s ‘papal posse’ criticizes Pope’s establishment of yet another female deacon commission

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – On April 8 , Pope Francis announced that he established yet another commission for the study of the female diaconate .
The responses to this new initiative are coming in , with “ progressive ” Catholics along with traditionally-minded Catholics both being critical of it .
For the progressivists , the members of the commission – some of whom are expressly against a female diaconate – do not show clear enough signs that the Pope wishes to establish such a new diaconate .
They are impatiently awaiting concrete steps on the part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this new commission is dealing with a question that they see as already solved .
For example , Father Gerald Murray , speaking with EWTN ’ s Raymond Arroyo on the April 16 Papal Posse , states explicitly that “ this commission should not be formed ” because “ it casts doubt on whether it is true that women ca n't be made deacons.
” Father Murray also explains that there had been earlier , before the pontificate of Pope Francis , already a commission of the Congregation for the Doctrine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to the conclusion that there is “ no historical evidence that this [ female diaconate ] ever existed ” and that there is “ no historical basis in Catholic doctrine to say that the diaconate can be received by women.
” Murray is not sure what this new commission will bring forth , and he adds that , looking at the members of the commission and at the reactions of progressivist Catholics to it ( see here an example ) , it is “ not a strong pro-deaconesses committee.
” Murray wonders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporizing ” and responding politely to the Amazon Synod 's request for a further investigation of the topic of female deacons .
His colleague at the Papal Posse , Dr. Robert Royal , adds that the Pope 's intention behind establishing a new female deacon commission is “ ambiguous.
” He hopes that the female diaconate “ is going to be dismissed as an impossibility for the Church.
” The previous 2016 commission does not give a clear answer that the Church ever had female deacons similar to the male deacons , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media in May of 2019 that “ the formulae of ordination for the [ female ] diaconate found until now are not the same as for the male diaconate and are more similar to what today would be the abbatial blessing of an abbess.
” However , Pope Francis never published the official findings of that 2016 commission .
Professor Manfred Hauke , one of the members of the new commission , explained in remarks to the German Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost that he does not yet know what the mission of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and theologian himself is a clear opponent of the female diaconate .
As he told LifeSite in January of 2019 , historical records show that the “ ancient Church was unacquainted with a female diaconate equivalent to the male diaconate.
” “ The history of the institution of deaconesses offers no solid basis , therefore , for the introduction of a sacramental female diaconate , ” he added .
Speaking with the Tagespost 's Rome Correspondent Guido Horst , Hauke thinks that there are several options of what this new female deacon commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could make a final official statement that an ordained female diaconate is not possible .
Second , it could arrive at a decision about introducing a “ non-sacramental female diaconate.
” Third , the commission could propose a sort of official blessing for women who are already working in pastoral care .
Hauke does not believe that the new commission could propose an ordained female diaconate , because Pope John Paul II 's 1994 document Ordinatio sacerdotalis had “ excluded ” a “ sacramental ordination of women , ” since the diaconate is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orders .
And this applies , Hauke adds , even though the female diaconate was “ not directly ” mentioned in the document .
It is “ part of the Church 's tradition , ” the German professor who lives and teaches in Lugano , Switzerland states , that the “ diaconate is part of the Sacrament of Holy Orders , which is based on the mission of the Apostles.
” Professor Hauke also points out in his comments to the Tagespost that he himself , together with Professor Helmut Holping , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 ( in Italian ) and in 2019 ( in German and Portuguese ) that was the result of a 2018 conference and that was personally handed to Pope Francis , on December 18 , 2019 .
He believes that this new book – to which also another member of the new female deacon commission , Santiago de Cura Elena , also contributed an essay – “ might have played a role ” in convincing the Pope that this door to the sacramental female diaconate was closed .
Hauke himself , together with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to present the book to the Pope and comment on it in conversation with him , as he told Guido Horst .
It is to be hoped that the fact that Pope Francis chose two of the authors of this new book as members of the new female deacon commission is a sign that he was convinced by their arguments and historical evidence .
As to the other possibility – namely , that there would be a proposal for a non-sacramental ordained female diaconate – we may remind our readers that this actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kasper proposal.
” In July of 2019 , Cardinal Walter Kasper told LifeSite that he is not in favor of further discussing the possibility of a sacramental female diaconate since there is not much historical evidence for it .
His idea was essentially about introducing a female ministry without ordination , but with a formal blessing ceremony by the Church .
Such women , according to this idea , would be able to wear a special garment , give out Holy Communion , hold a Liturgy of the Word , administer certain sacraments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including their priests .
“ The Church is free to carry out the vocation of women to these offices with the help of a non-sacramental , liturgical blessing ; and in the presence of the whole congregation and within the celebration of the Holy Eucharist ( for example in the context of the Prayers of the Faithful ) , ” Cardinal Kasper stated .
Kasper has been an influential prelate under Pope Francis and has helped to formulate Pope Francis ' proposal that some “ remarried ' divorcees , under certain conditions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing their sinful way of life .
The idea of a non-sacramental female ministry can also be found in Pope Francis ' post-synodal exhortation Querida Amazonia , his response to the Amazon Synod 's final document .
Only time will tell us what this new female deacon commission will bring about .

Canon lawyer Father Gerald Murray said the new commission shouldn't have been formed since it calls into question the truth that 'women can't be made deacons'
PETITION: Catholic women call on Pope to reject female diaconate at Amazon Synod Sign the petition here.
April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – On April 8, Pope Francis announced that he established yet another commission for the study of the female diaconate. The responses to this new initiative are coming in, with “progressive” Catholics along with traditionally-minded Catholics both being critical of it.
For the progressivists, the members of the commission – some of whom are expressly against a female diaconate – do not show clear enough signs that the Pope wishes to establish such a new diaconate. They are impatiently awaiting concrete steps on the part of the Pope.
For traditionally-minded Catholics, this new commission is dealing with a question that they see as already solved.
For example, Father Gerald Murray, speaking with EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo on the April 16 Papal Posse, states explicitly that “this commission should not be formed” because “it casts doubt on whether it is true that women can't be made deacons.”
Father Murray also explains that there had been earlier, before the pontificate of Pope Francis, already a commission of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) which had come to the conclusion that there is “no historical evidence that this [female diaconate] ever existed” and that there is “no historical basis in Catholic doctrine to say that the diaconate can be received by women.”
Murray is not sure what this new commission will bring forth, and he adds that, looking at the members of the commission and at the reactions of progressivist Catholics to it (see here an example), it is “not a strong pro-deaconesses committee.”
Murray wonders whether the Pope is here merely “temporizing” and responding politely to the Amazon Synod's request for a further investigation of the topic of female deacons. His colleague at the Papal Posse, Dr. Robert Royal, adds that the Pope's intention behind establishing a new female deacon commission is “ambiguous.” He hopes that the female diaconate “is going to be dismissed as an impossibility for the Church.”
The previous 2016 commission does not give a clear answer that the Church ever had female deacons similar to the male deacons, according to the Pope. He told the media in May of 2019 that “the formulae of ordination for the [female] diaconate found until now are not the same as for the male diaconate and are more similar to what today would be the abbatial blessing of an abbess.”
However, Pope Francis never published the official findings of that 2016 commission.
Professor Manfred Hauke, one of the members of the new commission, explained in remarks to the German Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost that he does not yet know what the mission of the new commission is.
The Catholic priest and theologian himself is a clear opponent of the female diaconate. As he told LifeSite in January of 2019, historical records show that the “ancient Church was unacquainted with a female diaconate equivalent to the male diaconate.” “The history of the institution of deaconesses offers no solid basis, therefore, for the introduction of a sacramental female diaconate,” he added.
Speaking with the Tagespost's Rome Correspondent Guido Horst, Hauke thinks that there are several options of what this new female deacon commission could bring about. First, it could prepare a final official statement that an ordained female diaconate is not possible. Second, it could arrive at a decision about introducing a “non-sacramental female diaconate.” Third, the commission could propose a sort of official blessing for women who are already working in pastoral care.
Hauke does not believe that the new commission could propose an ordained female diaconate, because Pope John Paul II's 1994 document Ordinatio sacerdotalis had “excluded” a “sacramental ordination of women,” since the diaconate is part of the three-fold Sacrament of Holy Orders. And this applies, Hauke adds, even though the female diaconate was “not directly” mentioned in the document.
It is “part of the Church's tradition,” the German professor who lives and teaches in Lugano, Switzerland states, that the “diaconate is part of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which is based on the mission of the Apostles.”
Professor Hauke also points out in his comments to the Tagespost that he himself, together with Professor Helmut Holping, had published a book on the diaconate in 2018 (in Italian) and in 2019 (in German and Portuguese) that was personally handed to Pope Francis, on December 18, 2019. He believes that this new book – to which also another member of the new female deacon commission, Professor Santiago de Cura Elena, also contributed an essay – “might have played a role” in convincing the Pope that this door to the sacramental female diaconate was closed.
Hauke himself, together with two of his colleagues, were able to present the book to the Pope and comment on it in conversation with him, as he told Guido Horst.
It is to be hoped that the fact that Pope Francis chose two of the authors of this new book as members of the new female deacon commission is a sign that he was convinced by their arguments and historical evidence.
As to the other possibility – namely, that there would be a proposal for a non-sacramental ordained female diaconate – we may remind our readers that this actually is a sort of a new “Kasper proposal.”
In July of 2019, Cardinal Walter Kasper told LifeSite that he is not in favor of further discussing the possibility of a sacramental female diaconate since there is not much historical evidence for it.
His idea was essentially about introducing a female ministry without ordination, but with a formal blessing ceremony by the Church. Such women, according to this idea, would be able to wear a special garment, give out Holy Communion, hold a Liturgy of the Word, administer certain sacraments, and even rule over parishes, including their priests.
“The Church is free to carry out the vocation of women to these offices with the help of a non-sacramental, liturgical blessing; and in the presence of the whole congregation and within the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (for example in the context of the Prayers of the Faithful),” Cardinal Kasper stated.
Kasper has been an influential prelate under Pope Francis and has helped to formulate Pope Francis' proposal that some “remarried' divorcees, under certain conditions, might be admitted to the sacraments without changing their sinful way of life.
The idea of a non-sacramental female ministry can also be found in Pope Francis' post-synodal exhortation Querida Amazonia, his response to the Amazon Synod's final document.
Only time will tell us what this new female deacon commission will bring about.
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--2020-04-17--Florida doctors arrested for stealing Trump flag from neighbor’s house

PENSACOLA , Florida , April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Husband-and-wife gynecologists in Florida have been arrested and charged for allegedly stealing a Trump 2020 flag from atop their neighbor ’ s house while their young children were forced to watch .
An arrest report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff ’ s Office states that Geoffrey Michael Fraiche and Laura Ann Webb-Fraiche drove a golf cart up to the house on April 7 , then climbed a ladder to take down the flag , WKRG reported .
The event was captured on Ring doorbell security video : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crying baby , were accompanying them .
The video shows the boy pleading with them not to go through with the act because it would land them in prison .
Their parents ignored the appeals , and Webb-Fraiche can be heard cheering “ yes , baby , yes !
” once the flag has been taken down .
The flag ’ s owner , real estate developer David Brannen , said the couple caused $ 500 worth of damage to the base of the flagpole , on top of the $ 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Pensacola News Journal that he decided to press charges not over the monetary value but because of the children ’ s presence .
“ I want everybody to understand that I ’ m just trying to protect these kids , ” Brannen told the News Journal .
“ That ’ s 90 percent of it .
It would be nice to get my stuff paid for , but … if I don ’ t get back the pole or whatnot , that ’ s not a big deal .
I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how serious this is.
” Another neighbor , Michael Preskitt , told the paper that Geoffrey Fraiche admitted to him what happened the next day , claiming “ we were just playing a game , and we were drunk.
” Preskitt said he told Fraiche that he needed to tell the truth .
“ That ’ s the terrible part of everything , ” he said .
“ You ’ re out at 9 or 10 at night , whenever that occurred , you ’ re intoxicated and you ’ ve got your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it even worse.
” Geoffrey Fraiche is listed as working at Sacred Heart Hospital and Laura Webb-Fraiche at West Florida Hospital .
Neither facility said much about the incident , though Ascension Sacred Heart said Fraiche was not their employee but rather a private doctor with a practice in the building .
A West Florida spokesman said simply that it does “ not condone these alleged actions , ” which are “ currently being assessed internally . ''
The couple has been charged with criminal mischief , trespassing , larceny and contributing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You can tell from their chipper mugshots that they still have n't grasped the severity of what they have done , ” PJ Media ’ s Megan Fox observed .

The husband and wife ignored their young son's pleas for them to stop.
PENSACOLA, Florida, April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Husband-and-wife gynecologists in Florida have been arrested and charged for allegedly stealing a Trump 2020 flag from atop their neighbor’s house while their young children were forced to watch.
An arrest report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office states that Geoffrey Michael Fraiche and Laura Ann Webb-Fraiche drove a golf cart up to the house on April 7, then climbed a ladder to take down the flag, WKRG reported.
The event was captured on Ring doorbell security video:
SHOCKING VIDEO! Physician-Parents possessed w @realDonaldTrump hatred so much that they steal a senior citizen's Trump flag w kids in tow. The little boy is begging them to stop. Apparently two medical degrees lack the decency & common sense of a child. Despicable parenting! pic.twitter.com/nZsLA09ob6 — Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 14, 2020
Their children, a small boy and a crying baby, were accompanying them. The video shows the boy pleading with them not to go through with the act because it would land them in prison. Their parents ignored the appeals, and Webb-Fraiche can be heard cheering “yes, baby, yes!” once the flag has been taken down.
The flag’s owner, real estate developer David Brannen, said the couple caused $500 worth of damage to the base of the flagpole, on top of the $200 value of the flag itself. He told the Pensacola News Journal that he decided to press charges not over the monetary value but because of the children’s presence.
“I want everybody to understand that I’m just trying to protect these kids,” Brannen told the News Journal. “That’s 90 percent of it. It would be nice to get my stuff paid for, but … if I don’t get back the pole or whatnot, that’s not a big deal. I just want to make sure these people know how serious this is.”
Another neighbor, Michael Preskitt, told the paper that Geoffrey Fraiche admitted to him what happened the next day, claiming “we were just playing a game, and we were drunk.” Preskitt said he told Fraiche that he needed to tell the truth.
“That’s the terrible part of everything,” he said. “You’re out at 9 or 10 at night, whenever that occurred, you’re intoxicated and you’ve got your children in a vehicle? That just made it even worse.”
Geoffrey Fraiche is listed as working at Sacred Heart Hospital and Laura Webb-Fraiche at West Florida Hospital. Neither facility said much about the incident, though Ascension Sacred Heart said Fraiche was not their employee but rather a private doctor with a practice in the building.
A West Florida spokesman said simply that it does “not condone these alleged actions,” which are “currently being assessed internally.”
The couple has been charged with criminal mischief, trespassing, larceny and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. “You can tell from their chipper mugshots that they still haven't grasped the severity of what they have done,” PJ Media’s Megan Fox observed.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--No, Oprah. COVID-19 is not ravaging us. Abortion is.

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – How is it that celebrities like Oprah see negative racial disparities in every facet of American life , except in the one industry that kills for a living ?
Oprah recently opined about the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus in black communities .
COVID-19 , according to the guru of talk , is “ taking us out.
” Honestly , this is what happens when you look at everything in life through the broken prism of race .
“ We as a people , as African Americans , have jobs that require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many African Americans , there isn ’ t this ability to telecommute , ” the multi-billionaire Oprah Winfrey told NBC News from the cushy confines of her multi-million dollar home .
First of all , stop racializing things Oprah .
People of every hue have these jobs and many are at higher risk of exposure regardless of their pigmentation .
Millions and millions of people of any color are not able to telecommute .
In fact , according to the Department of Labor , from 2017 to 2018 the vast majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 68 % of Asian Americans , 74 % of whites , 82 % of African-Americans , and 87 % of Hispanics .
There is no doubt that there are numerous health disparities in the black community that largely contribute to the disproportionate impact of this virus .
The public needs to be well-informed , not fed another us versus them narrative .
Race is the easy scapegoat , because in and out of a pandemic it doesn ’ t address personal responsibility and behaviors that lead to negative health outcomes .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these block parties , by the way ( here and here ) .
So while churchgoers in Kentucky were threatened by Governor Andy Beshear ( D-KY ) with having their licenses recorded and the state health department showing up at their doors to force quarantine them , hundreds of block partiers in Florida were merely asked to go home—no tickets , no heavy-handed State action .
Dare I say it looks like a case of black privilege ?
Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot , you know the one who chose separate and unequal treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of Chicagoans that hair care is not essential , said of the coronavirus ’ impact on African-Americans : “ the numbers take your breath away.
” Like Oprah , she told CBS News that the virus “ is devastating ” black communities .
As of April 15th , the Chicago Department of Public Health reported a total of 386 deaths : 48.3 % black , 21.4 % Hispanic , 20.8 % white , 3.7 % Asian , 5.8 % “ other , ” and 28.9 % unknown .
More importantly , 91 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the report , had underlying chronic health conditions .
I wonder if the 23,189 abortions in her county in 2018 take the pro-abortion mayor ’ s breath away ?
( Of course , Illinois doesn ’ t provide any racial demographic data .
Nationwide , abortions in the black community are 3-5 times higher than those in the majority population .
Every abortion is tragic , regardless of hue , but it ’ s always interesting to me when the needless human construct of “ race ” is conveniently and politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistical reporting that has marked health organizations like the CDC , it is globally evident that people who are elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes , hypertension , obesity , and lung-related issues are at much higher risk with COVID-19 .
Every life is precious , so let ’ s not claim a larger victimhood status .
People in poorer communities lack access to testing .
People in wealthier communities have similar lack of access .
Access to testing has been an abysmal failure , period .
This disease doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s ravaging our community , ” Oprah told the Today show .
In this time of pandemic panic , we don ’ t need hyperbole .
We need honesty .
Coronavirus is not “ ravaging ” the black community .
Violent crime is .
Fatherlessness is .
Abortion is .
Devotion to a political party that depends on perpetual narratives of victimhood is .
Sadly , Oprah and the entire leadership of the Democrat Party proudly support and promote the pandemic of abortion in the black community which disproportionately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable black lives every year .
The number of black lives taken out annually in America by abortion is more than twice the current number ( 138,101 as of April 16th ) of total coronavirus deaths worldwide .
Thirty-five percent of abortions in the U.S. are among African-Americans , according to the CDC .
If we applied that to the total number of U.S. abortions reported by the ( pro-abortion ) Guttmacher Institute in 2017 ( 862,320 abortions of which 301,812 of them were committed on black babies ) , there are an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion every single day .
Despite this , Oprah isn ’ t sounding any alarm about the violence of abortion .
She ’ s pushed abortion in numerous ways through her media empire , whether promoting “ Christian ” ( charlatan ) abortionist Dr. Willie Parker ( now seemingly silenced by accusations of being a sexual predator ) , hosting the pro-abortion United State of Women summit , or featuring the # ShoutYourAbortion hashtag movement in her magazine .
It ’ s sad how those who escaped the violence of abortion work to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s even more heartbreaking when you read these words from Oprah to her mother where she thanks her that she wasn ’ t aborted : “ Thank you .
Thank you , because I know it ’ s been hard for you .
It was hard for you as a young girl having a baby , in Mississippi .
No education .
No training .
No skills .
Seventeen , you get pregnant with this baby .
Lots of people would have told you to give that baby away .
Lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to abort that baby .
You didn ’ t do that .
I know that was hard .
I want you to know that no matter what , I know that you always did the best you knew how to do .
And look how it turned out.
” With or without great achievements , every human life has equal and irrevocable value .
No , Oprah .
Coronavirus isn ’ t ravaging us .
Believing lies about ourselves is .
We ’ re not victims .
We ’ re victors .
Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , from slavery to lynchings to Jim Crow .
We don ’ t need abortion .
We don ’ t need to make a colorblind virus racial .
We need each other , as we have throughout this flawed but great country ’ s history–black , white and every hue in between .
We ’ re always better when we ’ re united .

April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – How is it that celebrities like Oprah see negative racial disparities in every facet of American life, except in the one industry that kills for a living?
Oprah recently opined about the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus in black communities. COVID-19, according to the guru of talk, is “taking us out.”
Honestly, this is what happens when you look at everything in life through the broken prism of race. “We as a people, as African Americans, have jobs that require us to be at work. For so many African Americans, there isn’t this ability to telecommute,” the multi-billionaire Oprah Winfrey told NBC News from the cushy confines of her multi-million dollar home. First of all, stop racializing things Oprah. People of every hue have these jobs and many are at higher risk of exposure regardless of their pigmentation. Millions and millions of people of any color are not able to telecommute.
In fact, according to the Department of Labor, from 2017 to 2018 the vast majority of Americans did not telework. This includes 68% of Asian Americans, 74% of whites, 82% of African-Americans, and 87% of Hispanics.
There is no doubt that there are numerous health disparities in the black community that largely contribute to the disproportionate impact of this virus. The public needs to be well-informed, not fed another us versus them narrative. Race is the easy scapegoat, because in and out of a pandemic it doesn’t address personal responsibility and behaviors that lead to negative health outcomes. I’m waiting for the Left to denounce these block parties, by the way (here and here). So while churchgoers in Kentucky were threatened by Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY) with having their licenses recorded and the state health department showing up at their doors to force quarantine them, hundreds of block partiers in Florida were merely asked to go home—no tickets, no heavy-handed State action. Dare I say it looks like a case of black privilege?
Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot, you know the one who chose separate and unequal treatment by getting a haircut while telling the rest of Chicagoans that hair care is not essential, said of the coronavirus’ impact on African-Americans: “the numbers take your breath away.” Like Oprah, she told CBS News that the virus “is devastating” black communities. As of April 15th, the Chicago Department of Public Health reported a total of 386 deaths: 48.3% black, 21.4% Hispanic, 20.8% white, 3.7% Asian, 5.8% “other,” and 28.9% unknown. More importantly, 91% of Chicago residents who died, according to the report, had underlying chronic health conditions. I wonder if the 23,189 abortions in her county in 2018 take the pro-abortion mayor’s breath away? (Of course, Illinois doesn’t provide any racial demographic data. Nationwide, abortions in the black community are 3-5 times higher than those in the majority population. Every abortion is tragic, regardless of hue, but it’s always interesting to me when the needless human construct of “race” is conveniently and politically invoked.)
Even with the shoddy statistical reporting that has marked health organizations like the CDC, it is globally evident that people who are elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and lung-related issues are at much higher risk with COVID-19. Every life is precious, so let’s not claim a larger victimhood status. People in poorer communities lack access to testing. People in wealthier communities have similar lack of access. Access to testing has been an abysmal failure, period. This disease doesn’t care which pigmentation your skin has. “It’s ravaging our community,” Oprah told the Today show. In this time of pandemic panic, we don’t need hyperbole. We need honesty. Coronavirus is not “ravaging” the black community. Violent crime is. Fatherlessness is. Abortion is. Devotion to a political party that depends on perpetual narratives of victimhood is.
Sadly, Oprah and the entire leadership of the Democrat Party proudly support and promote the pandemic of abortion in the black community which disproportionately kills hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable black lives every year. The number of black lives taken out annually in America by abortion is more than twice the current number (138,101 as of April 16th) of total coronavirus deaths worldwide. Thirty-five percent of abortions in the U.S. are among African-Americans, according to the CDC. If we applied that to the total number of U.S. abortions reported by the (pro-abortion) Guttmacher Institute in 2017 (862,320 abortions of which 301,812 of them were committed on black babies), there are an estimated 827 black lives wiped out by abortion every single day.
Despite this, Oprah isn’t sounding any alarm about the violence of abortion. She’s pushed abortion in numerous ways through her media empire, whether promoting “Christian” (charlatan) abortionist Dr. Willie Parker (now seemingly silenced by accusations of being a sexual predator), hosting the pro-abortion United State of Women summit, or featuring the #ShoutYourAbortion hashtag movement in her magazine. It’s sad how those who escaped the violence of abortion work to ensure that others don’t. It’s even more heartbreaking when you read these words from Oprah to her mother where she thanks her that she wasn’t aborted:
“Thank you. Thank you, because I know it’s been hard for you. It was hard for you as a young girl having a baby, in Mississippi. No education. No training. No skills. Seventeen, you get pregnant with this baby. Lots of people would have told you to give that baby away. Lots of people would’ve told you to abort that baby. You didn’t do that. I know that was hard. I want you to know that no matter what, I know that you always did the best you knew how to do. And look how it turned out.”
With or without great achievements, every human life has equal and irrevocable value. No, Oprah. Coronavirus isn’t ravaging us. Believing lies about ourselves is. We’re not victims. We’re victors. Black people have overcome so much in this country, from slavery to lynchings to Jim Crow. We don’t need abortion. We don’t need to make a colorblind virus racial. We need each other, as we have throughout this flawed but great country’s history–black, white and every hue in between. We’re always better when we’re united.
Follow Ryan Ryan Bomberger is an Emmy® Award-winning Creative Professional who founded The Radiance Foundation (TRF), a life-affirming 501(c)(3), along with his wife, Bethany. Ryan earned his Masters in Communications from Regent University where he was named the 2012Alumnus of the Year. He and Bethany also received the 2012 Messiah College Christian Stewardship Alumni Award. Ryan has several decades of experience in leadership as well as in mentoring and educating young people. As a creative director, writer, designer, motionographer, andpublic speaker, and citizen journalist he has been able to share with diverse audiences about Purpose and the Hope that transforms. Through ad campaigns, community outreach and live multi-media presentations, The Radiance Foundation addresses a myriad of social issues in the context of God-given purpose. They encourage their audiences to be active in their local community in efforts that help those in need.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Why are Catholic bishops so eager to avoid a fight over graphic sex ed?

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A stray item of good news , like an isolated beam of sunlight during a storm , emerges today on sex education in the U.K. Warwickshire County Council has withdrawn a particularly bad sex education program which it was imposing on its schools .
Christian Today reports about this program : Complaints by local families were backed up by the Evangelical group The Christian Institute , and the County Council has finally folded .
They ’ ll be using materials , soon to be published , from the central government instead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government materials may be better than what Warwickshire was doing , but they are sure to be completely unacceptable all the same .
You can see a full-length talk I gave on the general problem here , and I won ’ t go into all that .
A telling aspect of this story , however , is a later paragraph in the same report .
The writer , Will Jones , may be thinking primarily of Anglican “ church leaders , ” but Catholics have nothing to be proud of in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official body controlled by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales , the Catholic Education Service , have welcomed – yes , actually “ welcomed ” – recent government legislation making the sex education scheme more draconian and more compulsory that before .
The terms in which they welcomed it , suggesting that it would remain possible to deliver the sex ed curriculum in accordance with Catholic values , suggests that they have not bothered to read the relevant documents , but if it is ignorance , it is wilful ignorance .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our bishops are extremely eager to avoid a fight with the government over the issue , and the attitude of surrender to the sex ed agenda has even spread to the Holy See .
The excellent document produced on the subject by the Pontifical Council for the Family , The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality , is long forgotten : 1997 seems an age ago , and this Pontifical Council was abolished , as an independent entity , in 2016 .
Similarly , the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new mission in 2017 , with its associated Australian college closed .
Something similar happened to the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2016 , for , one can only assume , similar reasons .
The Church has a set of teachings on life and sexuality which are at odds with the attitudes not only of sinful humanity , but of increasingly assertive governments and intergovernmental institutions .
Old-fashioned ideas are now seen not as views demanding respect and accommodation , but as obstacles to progress which must be eliminated .
The second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment when the Church had to commit herself to an all-out war on these subjects , or abject surrender .
All-out war was inconceivable , so we ’ ve had surrender instead .
Why inconceivable , you may ask ?
You might think that the Church has been pushed into such a corner , such fundamental issues are now at stake , that a broader range of opinion within the Church would be prepared to make a stand than before .
Even liberal Catholics , surely , must balk at teaching “ self-stimulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They might indeed , but that is not how things are being presented to them .
It looks more like this .
The Church and Society are two separate things : religion is something which for now can be carried on in private , behind closed doors .
To preserve this area of privacy , we must not rock the boat about what Society is getting up to .
It is best to put our fingers in our ears and pretend not to notice .
When our children come home from school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can try to undo some of the damage , but they ’ ll almost certainly be lapsing from the Faith when they grow up , and they will need to live in Society , so they must learn its ways .
The rest of us won ’ t have to wait very long , anyway , before we are euthanized in a formerly Catholic hospital or care home , perhaps endowed with the proceeds of sale from the local parish church .
Perhaps future popes and bishops will see a way out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are waiting for that to happen , we need to attach ourselves to the small but growing movement of faithful Catholics who are doing what they can to resist it .

The official body controlled by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the Catholic Education Service, have welcomed – yes, actually 'welcomed' – recent government legislation making the sex education scheme more draconian and more compulsory that before.
PETITION: Urge US bishops to stop Catholic Relief Services' condom promotion Sign the petition here.
April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A stray item of good news, like an isolated beam of sunlight during a storm, emerges today on sex education in the U.K. Warwickshire County Council has withdrawn a particularly bad sex education program which it was imposing on its schools. Christian Today reports about this program:
The programme came to national notoriety last September when one family shared their concerns with the press about their two small children being taught the “rules for self-stimulation” at primary school. It was subsequently revealed that the lessons promoted transgenderism to 4-year-olds and homosexuality to 6-year-olds, that marriage and commitment were not mentioned once, and that traditional moral beliefs were likened to people who think sex is “rude” or “funny”.
Complaints by local families were backed up by the Evangelical group The Christian Institute, and the County Council has finally folded. They’ll be using materials, soon to be published, from the central government instead.
It’s a small victory: the government materials may be better than what Warwickshire was doing, but they are sure to be completely unacceptable all the same. You can see a full-length talk I gave on the general problem here, and I won’t go into all that. A telling aspect of this story, however, is a later paragraph in the same report.
Church leaders from across Warwickshire welcomed the move. They said, er, they said… sorry, actually they said nothing, at least not anything that has reached any public media outlet. Just as they apparently had nothing to say when the problems with the programme were first exposed.
The writer, Will Jones, may be thinking primarily of Anglican “church leaders,” but Catholics have nothing to be proud of in the response of their own bishops. The official body controlled by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the Catholic Education Service, have welcomed – yes, actually “welcomed” – recent government legislation making the sex education scheme more draconian and more compulsory that before. The terms in which they welcomed it, suggesting that it would remain possible to deliver the sex ed curriculum in accordance with Catholic values, suggests that they have not bothered to read the relevant documents, but if it is ignorance, it is wilful ignorance.
Over many years it has been apparent that our bishops are extremely eager to avoid a fight with the government over the issue, and the attitude of surrender to the sex ed agenda has even spread to the Holy See. The excellent document produced on the subject by the Pontifical Council for the Family, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, is long forgotten: 1997 seems an age ago, and this Pontifical Council was abolished, as an independent entity, in 2016. Similarly, the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences was renamed and given a new mission in 2017, with its associated Australian college closed.
Something similar happened to the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2016, for, one can only assume, similar reasons. The Church has a set of teachings on life and sexuality which are at odds with the attitudes not only of sinful humanity, but of increasingly assertive governments and intergovernmental institutions. Old-fashioned ideas are now seen not as views demanding respect and accommodation, but as obstacles to progress which must be eliminated. The second decade of the 20th century was the moment when the Church had to commit herself to an all-out war on these subjects, or abject surrender. All-out war was inconceivable, so we’ve had surrender instead.
Why inconceivable, you may ask? You might think that the Church has been pushed into such a corner, such fundamental issues are now at stake, that a broader range of opinion within the Church would be prepared to make a stand than before. Even liberal Catholics, surely, must balk at teaching “self-stimulation” to small children, for example.
They might indeed, but that is not how things are being presented to them. It looks more like this. The Church and Society are two separate things: religion is something which for now can be carried on in private, behind closed doors. To preserve this area of privacy, we must not rock the boat about what Society is getting up to. It is best to put our fingers in our ears and pretend not to notice. When our children come home from school filled up with all this stuff, we can try to undo some of the damage, but they’ll almost certainly be lapsing from the Faith when they grow up, and they will need to live in Society, so they must learn its ways. The rest of us won’t have to wait very long, anyway, before we are euthanized in a formerly Catholic hospital or care home, perhaps endowed with the proceeds of sale from the local parish church.
Perhaps future popes and bishops will see a way out of this death spiral. While we are waiting for that to happen, we need to attach ourselves to the small but growing movement of faithful Catholics who are doing what they can to resist it.
Follow Joseph Dr Joseph Shaw has a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University, where he also gained a first degree in Politics and Philosophy and a graduate Diploma in Theology. He has published on Ethics and Philosophy of Religion and is the editor of The Case for Liturgical Restoration: Una Voce Position Papers on the Extraordinary Form (Angelico Press). He is the Chairman of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales and Secretary of Una Voce International. He teaches Philosophy in Oxford University and lives nearby with his wife and nine children.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--How Catholic bishops betrayed UK parents fighting to protect kids from dirty sex-ed

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In April 2019 , SPUC launched a final , last-ditch , effort in the House of Lords to stop compulsory Relationships Education in primary schools , and Relationships and Sex Education in secondary schools , pointing out to our supporters the sad reality that “ despite the mounting public opposition , especially from parents ” , the House of Commons had voted to approve the regulations … which deny parents the right of withdrawal , by a large margin ( 538 to 21 ) .
” SPUC ’ s last-ditch effort in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one important reason why it did so can be found in a letter received by one of the Society ’ s supporters from Lord Elton , a Conservative Peer : the Catholic bishops of England and Wales were supporting the Government ’ s anti-life , anti-family legislation .
“ Thank you for contacting me about the Relationships Education etc Statutory Instrument .
I well understand your concerns .
As that measure had already been accepted by the Church of England , welcomed by the Roman Catholic Church [ my emphasis ] passed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no possibility of rejecting it .
What some of us managed to do in the discussion of it in this House was to make the Government aware of the grave concern of many members of all three Abrahamic Faiths , to press for close study of its effects in practice and for a report thereon with attention given to the experience and opinions of parents – and children – that could be considered by both Houses of Parliament etc … ” The Catholic Bishops ’ ( of England and Wales ) policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RSE guidelines was clearly of great political importance for the ( then ) Government .
Their support was emphasised , for example , in the following statement from Nick Gibb , Minister for School Standards , in the House of Commons debate ( entitled Parental Involvement in Teaching : Equality Act ) on 25th June 2019 .
Mr Gibb said : “ The guidance was carefully crafted to build the widest possible consensus for this policy , which is why it went through this House with an overwhelming majority and the other House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are opposed to it are at the other end of that consensus .
I am afraid that it is unlikely that we will bring those extreme ends of the debate into that consensus , but I am very content that we have secured the support of the Catholic Church [ my emphasis ] , the Church of England and organisations such as Stonewall for the guidance we have created.
” And Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP , speaking in the same House of Commons debate praised the Minister ’ s intervention thus : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have objections as being at the real fringes .
The difficulty is that if there is a requirement on headteachers to consult , and that opens the door for these fringe elements to hijack and disrupt , how should headteachers respond ?
Will the Department issue guidance to prevent that from happening ?
Will he ensure that even when consultation happens , it is not consultation with a veto by those fringe groups , but consultation to bring people along , as this is happening and it is not a question of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just so that everyone can understand how .
That is what we mean by consultation in this case .
… ” Dr Tom Rogers , in an article for Calx Mariae , explains in detail the exact nature of the Catholic bishops ’ support for the Government – support which , as Mr Russell-Moyle MP emphasised , left good parents out in the cold ( “ at the real fringes ” ) .
Dr Rogers shows how the bishops : • welcomed LGBT-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education in schools in England • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Work Act ( 2017 ) maintains the parents ’ right to withdraw their children from sex education parts of RSE • wrongly stated that religious schools will be able to teach RSE in accordance with their faith • said , on the subject of homosexuality , that an “ exalted form of love exists just as powerfully in relationships between people of the same sex as it does in heterosexual relationships ” and , in the same passage , wrongly depicted Catholic teaching as opposing “ discrimination against homosexuality ” ( my emphasis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” against homosexual persons , as the Catholic Catechism states • offered lesson material which encourages children to judge and challenge their own parents ’ and families ’ attitudes , based on provided examples of expressions of ‘ homophobia ’ including typical comments made whilst watching television programmes – thus effectively encouraging children to report to the school their parents ’ moral outlook on homosexuality • welcomed as “ compatible with the Catholic model curriculum ” the government ’ s Final draft guidance on relationships education , relationships and sex education and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an intimidatory way the obligation of schools to teach LGBT content ; and in which abortion is presented as one of the available options during pregnancy to which pupils must be signposted without any reference to parents .
Both the Government ’ s Guidance on relationships education , relationships and sex education and the House of Commons debate on 25th June last year make very clear that what ’ s at stake here is effectively outlawing of the practice of Catholic teaching which upholds the sanctity of human life , the innocence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties and moral obligation of parents to be the primary educators of their children .
Parents who want to uphold these values are to be left , as Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP accurately put it , “ at the real fringes ” Naturally , in achieving their objective , the support provided to the Government by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales , was of considerable political significance .
In my next blogpost , I will focus on the terrifying moral seriousness of what the Catholic bishops of England and Wales have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the late Carlo Cardinal Caffarra at the fourth annual Rome Life Forum , organised by Voice of the Family , on May 19 , 2017 .

PETITION: Urge US bishops to stop Catholic Relief Services' condom promotion Sign the petition here.
April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In April 2019, SPUC launched a final, last-ditch, effort in the House of Lords to stop compulsory Relationships Education in primary schools, and Relationships and Sex Education in secondary schools, pointing out to our supporters the sad reality that “despite the mounting public opposition, especially from parents”, the House of Commons had voted to approve the regulations … which deny parents the right of withdrawal, by a large margin (538 to 21).”
SPUC’s last-ditch effort in the House of Lords failed – and one important reason why it did so can be found in a letter received by one of the Society’s supporters from Lord Elton, a Conservative Peer: the Catholic bishops of England and Wales were supporting the Government’s anti-life, anti-family legislation.
Lord Elton said:
“Thank you for contacting me about the Relationships Education etc Statutory Instrument. I well understand your concerns. As that measure had already been accepted by the Church of England, welcomed by the Roman Catholic Church [my emphasis] passed with approval by the House of Commons there was no possibility of rejecting it. What some of us managed to do in the discussion of it in this House was to make the Government aware of the grave concern of many members of all three Abrahamic Faiths, to press for close study of its effects in practice and for a report thereon with attention given to the experience and opinions of parents – and children – that could be considered by both Houses of Parliament etc …”
The Catholic Bishops’ (of England and Wales) policy of support for the Government’s RSE guidelines was clearly of great political importance for the (then) Government. Their support was emphasised, for example, in the following statement from Nick Gibb, Minister for School Standards, in the House of Commons debate (entitled Parental Involvement in Teaching: Equality Act) on 25th June 2019. Mr Gibb said:
“The guidance was carefully crafted to build the widest possible consensus for this policy, which is why it went through this House with an overwhelming majority and the other House without a Division. Those people who are opposed to it are at the other end of that consensus. I am afraid that it is unlikely that we will bring those extreme ends of the debate into that consensus, but I am very content that we have secured the support of the Catholic Church [my emphasis], the Church of England and organisations such as Stonewall for the guidance we have created.”
And Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP, speaking in the same House of Commons debate praised the Minister’s intervention thus:
“I thank the Minister for describing the people who have objections as being at the real fringes. The difficulty is that if there is a requirement on headteachers to consult, and that opens the door for these fringe elements to hijack and disrupt, how should headteachers respond? Will the Department issue guidance to prevent that from happening? Will he ensure that even when consultation happens, it is not consultation with a veto by those fringe groups, but consultation to bring people along, as this is happening and it is not a question of if, when and how; this is just so that everyone can understand how. That is what we mean by consultation in this case. …”
Dr Tom Rogers, in an article for Calx Mariae, explains in detail the exact nature of the Catholic bishops’ support for the Government – support which, as Mr Russell-Moyle MP emphasised, left good parents out in the cold (“at the real fringes”). Dr Rogers shows how the bishops:
welcomed LGBT-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education in schools in England
wrongly stated that the Children and Social Work Act (2017) maintains the parents’ right to withdraw their children from sex education parts of RSE
wrongly stated that religious schools will be able to teach RSE in accordance with their faith
said, on the subject of homosexuality, that an “exalted form of love exists just as powerfully in relationships between people of the same sex as it does in heterosexual relationships” and, in the same passage, wrongly depicted Catholic teaching as opposing “discrimination against homosexuality ” (my emphasis) as distinct from “unjust discrimination” against homosexual persons, as the Catholic Catechism states
” (my emphasis) as distinct from “unjust discrimination” against homosexual persons, as the Catholic Catechism states offered lesson material which encourages children to judge and challenge their own parents’ and families’ attitudes, based on provided examples of expressions of ‘homophobia’ including typical comments made whilst watching television programmes – thus effectively encouraging children to report to the school their parents’ moral outlook on homosexuality
welcomed as “compatible with the Catholic model curriculum” the government’s Final draft guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education (February 2019) which reaffirms in an intimidatory way the obligation of schools to teach LGBT content; and in which abortion is presented as one of the available options during pregnancy to which pupils must be signposted without any reference to parents.
Both the Government’s Guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education and the House of Commons debate on 25th June last year make very clear that what’s at stake here is effectively outlawing of the practice of Catholic teaching which upholds the sanctity of human life, the innocence of children, and the rights and duties and moral obligation of parents to be the primary educators of their children. Parents who want to uphold these values are to be left, as Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP accurately put it, “at the real fringes”
Naturally, in achieving their objective, the support provided to the Government by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, was of considerable political significance. In my next blogpost, I will focus on the terrifying moral seriousness of what the Catholic bishops of England and Wales have done in light of an unforgettable address given by the late Carlo Cardinal Caffarra at the fourth annual Rome Life Forum, organised by Voice of the Family, on May 19, 2017.
John Smeaton is the Chief executive officer of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). He has worked fulltime in the pro-life movement for more than four decades. He was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where he graduated in English Language and Literature. He qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. He is married to Josephine. He has a grown-up family and lives in north London.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Obama calls on Democrats to ‘go further’ in pushing ‘unfinished’ leftist agenda on America

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – After months of silence and speculation , former President Barack Obama formally endorsed his former Vice President , Joe Biden , in his campaign for President of the United States on April 14 .
In the process , Obama called for a far more aggressive “ progressive ” agenda than the one he campaigned on himself .
“ I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency , but if I were running today , I wouldn ’ t run the same race or have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2008 , ” Obama said .
“ The world is different ; there ’ s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards .
We have to look to the future .
Bernie understands that , and Joe understands that.
” “ It is one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major-party nominee in history , ” he continued .
“ Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down , it was already clear that we needed real structural change.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs , ” the former president declared .
“ We have to go further to give everybody a great education , a lasting career and a stable retirement .
We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act , but it ’ s also time to go further .
We should make plans affordable for everyone , provide everyone with a public option , expand Medicare and finish the job so that health care isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody.
” Obama ’ s own record was by no means moderate , from his support for abortion-on-demand to his expansive use of executive authority to his signature accomplishment : the Affordable Care Act ( Obamacare ) , under which the federal government took an unprecedented degree of control over the US healthcare industry .
Beyond the examples Obama laid out of Biden going even further left , the presumptive Democrat nominee has been running on a pro-abortion platform that pledged direct taxpayer funding of abortion and contraception at home and abroad and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion policies , even on modest regulations such as ultrasound requirements or waiting periods ; as well as an LGBT platform that would elevate homosexual and transgender “ acceptance ” above religious liberty and conscience rights .
This week , he also said that the COVID-19 crisis presents an “ opportunity now to significantly change the mindset of the American people ” on the subject of climate change , getting the country to “ think much bigger than we have before ” and enact spending and regulations Americans “ weren ’ t ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago.
” Biden may be the last Democrat standing in the party ’ s primary to decide who challenges President Donald Trump , but mounting concerns about the 77-year-old candidate ’ s mental sharpness have prompted speculation that Democrats may attempt to replace him at the party convention with a younger candidate , such as New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
Biden also faces a sexual assault claim from former Senate staffer Tara Reade .

'The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that, and Joe understands that.'
April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – After months of silence and speculation, former President Barack Obama formally endorsed his former Vice President, Joe Biden, in his campaign for President of the United States on April 14. In the process, Obama called for a far more aggressive “progressive” agenda than the one he campaigned on himself.
“I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency, but if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008,” Obama said. “The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that, and Joe understands that.”
“It is one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major-party nominee in history,” he continued. “Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.”
“So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs,” the former president declared. “We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career and a stable retirement. We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it’s also time to go further. We should make plans affordable for everyone, provide everyone with a public option, expand Medicare and finish the job so that health care isn’t just a right but a reality for everybody.”
Obama’s own record was by no means moderate, from his support for abortion-on-demand to his expansive use of executive authority to his signature accomplishment: the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), under which the federal government took an unprecedented degree of control over the US healthcare industry.
Beyond the examples Obama laid out of Biden going even further left, the presumptive Democrat nominee has been running on a pro-abortion platform that pledged direct taxpayer funding of abortion and contraception at home and abroad and would ban states from setting their own abortion policies, even on modest regulations such as ultrasound requirements or waiting periods; as well as an LGBT platform that would elevate homosexual and transgender “acceptance” above religious liberty and conscience rights.
This week, he also said that the COVID-19 crisis presents an “opportunity now to significantly change the mindset of the American people” on the subject of climate change, getting the country to “think much bigger than we have before” and enact spending and regulations Americans “weren’t ready to do even two, three years ago.”
Biden may be the last Democrat standing in the party’s primary to decide who challenges President Donald Trump, but mounting concerns about the 77-year-old candidate’s mental sharpness have prompted speculation that Democrats may attempt to replace him at the party convention with a younger candidate, such as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Biden also faces a sexual assault claim from former Senate staffer Tara Reade.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Dark night of the soul: Faithful Catholic escapes death from coronavirus

Dan Burke , the former president of EWTN News , sat down with John-Henry Westen today to discuss his recent @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 virus .
Burke said that there was a “ spiritual darkness ” that he @ @ @ @ @ virus when he was in the hospital that was unlike anything he had gone through @ @

Dan Burke, the former president of EWTN News, sat down with John-Henry Westen today to discuss his recent diagnosis and recovery from the COVID-19 virus. Burke said that there was a “spiritual darkness” that he experienced while suffering from the virus when he was in the hospital that was unlike anything he had gone through before.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Why Christian parents need to be extra careful about what shows their kids in quarantine watch

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As many of the COVID-19 lockdowns enter their second month and patience begins to run thin , some conservatives have taken to making wry , half-serious , silver lining observations .
Hey , at least kids are home with their parents and Drag Queen Story hours are cancelled , is one common sentiment .
And I get the drift : If churches are shut down , at least there is small solace in the fact that the sexual revolutionaries have been confined to their homes along with the rest of us .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be cautious .
It is easy to think that with kids at home , they are more protected—after all , they ’ re not getting poisoned by public school sex-ed designed to confuse them about gender or being exposed to whatever our schools had planned for Pride Month .
But keep in mind that the vast majority of children are first exposed to sexually explicit material by finding digital pornography on one of the innumerable devices that now litter our homes—and if parents are not vigilant , this time at home could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think this is a primary concern , check out the 23 reasons I gave in a column last month on why you should stay away from porn , ending with an interview with Kirsten Jenson of Protect Young Minds on how parents can porn-proof their homes . )
In addition to the omnipresent danger of digital porn , parents should also consider another factor : Today ’ s children ’ s entertainment has been thoroughly colonized by the LGBT movement .
Once upon a time , parents could ignore what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the culture would not work to actively thwart Christian values .
Sesame Street didn ’ t feature cross-dressing LGBT activists and stuck to teaching the alphabet and simple virtues , and as one friend recently pointed out , Mr. Rogers ’ Neighborhood , back in the 1960s , featured songs with lines such as “ only boys can be the daddies and only girls can be the mommies.
” We ’ ve come a long way from there to here .
It wasn ’ t so long ago that preachers like Jerry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that one of the Teletubbies was gay .
These days , you ’ d be crucified for suggesting there is anything wrong with featuring LGBT characters in children ’ s cartoons .
In fact , it is downright trendy to use beloved children ’ s stories to teach children about the LGBT agenda .
Disney , a company as recognizably American as Coca Cola , has been flirting with the LGBT movement for years , and this year finally came out with an animated Disney-Pixar film featuring an LGBT character—just as we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film bombed at the box office . )
It ’ s not just Disney , either .
PBS ’ famous Arthur cartoon series ( which once featured Steven Crowder as the voice of The Brain ) decided to have the teacher Mr. Ratburn come out as gay and marry his male partner in an episode titled “ Mr .
Ratburn and the Special Someone.
” ( There was an uproar after broadcasters in Alabama declined to televise the episode . )
Despite some protest at this , PBS is doubling down , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clifford the Big Red Dog series—but adding lesbian moms to the story to give children exposure to alternative family arrangements .
A reboot of Cinderella will also feature a cross-dressing Billy Porter as the Fairy Godmother .
This is all to say that if parents wish to protect their children from the influences of the Sexual Revolution , they can take nothing for granted .
Netflix is packed with shows for teens featuring LGBT material ( not to mention extraordinarily pornographic and sexually violent content ) , but also features LGBT cartoon characters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming the norm in children ’ s entertainment , with USA Today reporting that the radical activist group GLAAD is often called in by networks to review children ’ s storylines .
Parents who allow their children to watch the cartoon network on TV or surf the children ’ s section on Netflix are , whether they realize it or not , giving the LGBT movement access to the minds of their children .
Not so very long ago , it was possible to assume that the culture was not actively working to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it pertains to sexuality .
This is no longer the case .
Parents can not assume that their children will not be exposed to sexual themes and practices they morally oppose at an early age , even if they are keeping so-called “ adult entertainment ” or even entertainment created for teens away from them .
The truth is that today , parents have to consciously opt out of nearly all of mainstream culture in the knowledge that much of the storytelling is designed to push a worldview directly hostile to the Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , but it is essential that we educate ourselves on this .
I know many are tempted , as quarantine drags on , to put their children in front of screens and play kids ’ cartoons or animated stories in order to get some household chores done or just distract them for a moment .
But be very careful about which storytellers you are giving access to your children , and be aware of the fact that your children are growing up in a very different world than the one you grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , he interviews FH Buckley to discuss the current political situation in America and how secession could be looming on the horizon .
Buckley ’ s newest book American Secession : The Looming Threat of a National Breakup , details the current division and high tensions being faced by Americans might just culminate in something we have n't seen since the civil war .
You can subscribe here and @ @ @ @ @ @

April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As many of the COVID-19 lockdowns enter their second month and patience begins to run thin, some conservatives have taken to making wry, half-serious, silver lining observations. Hey, at least kids are home with their parents and Drag Queen Story hours are cancelled, is one common sentiment. And I get the drift: If churches are shut down, at least there is small solace in the fact that the sexual revolutionaries have been confined to their homes along with the rest of us.
But I do want to warn parents to be cautious. It is easy to think that with kids at home, they are more protected—after all, they’re not getting poisoned by public school sex-ed designed to confuse them about gender or being exposed to whatever our schools had planned for Pride Month. But keep in mind that the vast majority of children are first exposed to sexually explicit material by finding digital pornography on one of the innumerable devices that now litter our homes—and if parents are not vigilant, this time at home could be dangerous. (For those who don’t think this is a primary concern, check out the 23 reasons I gave in a column last month on why you should stay away from porn, ending with an interview with Kirsten Jenson of Protect Young Minds on how parents can porn-proof their homes.)
In addition to the omnipresent danger of digital porn, parents should also consider another factor: Today’s children’s entertainment has been thoroughly colonized by the LGBT movement.
Once upon a time, parents could ignore what their children were watching in the knowledge that the culture would not work to actively thwart Christian values. Sesame Street didn’t feature cross-dressing LGBT activists and stuck to teaching the alphabet and simple virtues, and as one friend recently pointed out, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, back in the 1960s, featured songs with lines such as “only boys can be the daddies and only girls can be the mommies.” We’ve come a long way from there to here.
It wasn’t so long ago that preachers like Jerry Falwell could be mercilessly mocked for claiming that one of the Teletubbies was gay. These days, you’d be crucified for suggesting there is anything wrong with featuring LGBT characters in children’s cartoons. In fact, it is downright trendy to use beloved children’s stories to teach children about the LGBT agenda. Disney, a company as recognizably American as Coca Cola, has been flirting with the LGBT movement for years, and this year finally came out with an animated Disney-Pixar film featuring an LGBT character—just as we all knew they eventually would. (The film bombed at the box office.)
Follow Jonathon van Maren on Facebook
It’s not just Disney, either. PBS’ famous Arthur cartoon series (which once featured Steven Crowder as the voice of The Brain) decided to have the teacher Mr. Ratburn come out as gay and marry his male partner in an episode titled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone.” (There was an uproar after broadcasters in Alabama declined to televise the episode.) Despite some protest at this, PBS is doubling down, having decided earlier this year to reboot their Clifford the Big Red Dog series—but adding lesbian moms to the story to give children exposure to alternative family arrangements. A reboot of Cinderella will also feature a cross-dressing Billy Porter as the Fairy Godmother.
This is all to say that if parents wish to protect their children from the influences of the Sexual Revolution, they can take nothing for granted. Netflix is packed with shows for teens featuring LGBT material (not to mention extraordinarily pornographic and sexually violent content), but also features LGBT cartoon characters intended for children. LGBT content is becoming the norm in children’s entertainment, with USA Today reporting that the radical activist group GLAAD is often called in by networks to review children’s storylines. Parents who allow their children to watch the cartoon network on TV or surf the children’s section on Netflix are, whether they realize it or not, giving the LGBT movement access to the minds of their children.
Not so very long ago, it was possible to assume that the culture was not actively working to subvert the Christian worldview, especially as it pertains to sexuality. This is no longer the case. Parents cannot assume that their children will not be exposed to sexual themes and practices they morally oppose at an early age, even if they are keeping so-called “adult entertainment” or even entertainment created for teens away from them. The truth is that today, parents have to consciously opt out of nearly all of mainstream culture in the knowledge that much of the storytelling is designed to push a worldview directly hostile to the Christian faith.
Many parents do not realize this, but it is essential that we educate ourselves on this. I know many are tempted, as quarantine drags on, to put their children in front of screens and play kids’ cartoons or animated stories in order to get some household chores done or just distract them for a moment. But be very careful about which storytellers you are giving access to your children, and be aware of the fact that your children are growing up in a very different world than the one you grew up in.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, he interviews FH Buckley to discuss the current political situation in America and how secession could be looming on the horizon. Buckley’s newest book American Secession: The Looming Threat of a National Breakup, details the current division and high tensions being faced by Americans might just culminate in something we haven't seen since the civil war.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-17--Former EWTN News President: Communion in the hand leads to desecration at every Mass

April 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Dan Burke , the former president of EWTN News , is calling on Catholics to “ stop desecrating ” Christ by receiving the Eucharist in the hand and to start receiving it on their tongue while kneeling , the “ humbler ” way to receive it .
Burke was just released from the hospital after nearly losing his life to the coronavirus .
He made his remarks during a taping of a special episode of the John-Henry Westen Show earlier today .
“ I 've come out of this with a resolute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that is , “ to cry out to the laity to repent and to stop desecrating Christ .
Stop receiving him in a matter that is destructive , that allows for the stealing of the host , that allows for the dropping of particles , and the trampling of the Lord under our feet !
” Burke is the chairman of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and recently published a new book entitled Spiritual Warfare and Discernment of Spirits ( Sophia Institute Press ) .
The book was released before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was going to die from due to an underlying asthma condition .
During his conversation with Westen , Burke explained that what “ struck ” him the most during his illness is that Catholics have to repent and stop offending God with liturgical irreverence .
“ There are no issues of irreverence in the Latin Mass…there might be internally , but certainly not externally , as a norm .
In the Ordinary Form of the Mass , every single day the Lord is desecrated — every single day , grave irreverence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grave sins…against God himself in the realm of worship.
” “ 90 percent of the time , priests are unfaithful to their vows in the way that they provide the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they 're making stuff up , ” he continued .
The laity too “ need to repent for usurping the role of the priest ” at mass .
They also need to repent for “ receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin.
” “ I believe that the highest order of demons are concerned with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worship of God , ” he said .
Asked what he would do if a priest refused to adminster the Eucharist to him while kneeling , Burke said , “ I would stay kneeling and see what happens ... you have to take a spiritual stand.
” If he was in a diocese where he couldn ’ t reverently receive the Lord , Burke said he would “ leave the diocese.
” Westen brought up how 1 Corinthians 11 : 27 warns against receiving communion unworthily .
Burke responded by saying , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that that passage never appears in the Ordinary Form lectionary.
” Burke also relayed a story about how Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze once told him that communion in the hand “ has been a disaster.
” The John-Henry Westen Show is available by video on the show ’ s YouTube channel and right here on my LifeSite blog .
It is also available in audio format on platforms such as Spotify , Soundcloud , and ACast .
We are awaiting approval for iTunes and Google Play as well .
To subscribe to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ACast webpage here .
We ’ ve created a special email list for the show so that we can notify you every week when we post a new episode .
Please sign up now by clicking here .
You can also subscribe to the YouTube channel , and you ’ ll be notified by YouTube when there is new content .
You can send me feedback , or ideas for show topics by emailing [ email protected ] .

'Stop receiving Him in a matter that is destructive, that allows for the stealing of the host...and the trampling of the Lord under our feet!' Burke exclaimed.
April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Dan Burke, the former president of EWTN News, is calling on Catholics to “stop desecrating” Christ by receiving the Eucharist in the hand and to start receiving it on their tongue while kneeling, the “humbler” way to receive it.
Burke was just released from the hospital after nearly losing his life to the coronavirus. He made his remarks during a taping of a special episode of the John-Henry Westen Show earlier today.
“I've come out of this with a resolute resoluteness,” Burke told Westen. And that is, “to cry out to the laity to repent and to stop desecrating Christ. Stop receiving him in a matter that is destructive, that allows for the stealing of the host, that allows for the dropping of particles, and the trampling of the Lord under our feet!”
Burke is the chairman of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and recently published a new book entitled Spiritual Warfare and Discernment of Spirits (Sophia Institute Press). The book was released before he caught the coronavirus, which he believed he was going to die from due to an underlying asthma condition.
During his conversation with Westen, Burke explained that what “struck” him the most during his illness is that Catholics have to repent and stop offending God with liturgical irreverence.
“There are no issues of irreverence in the Latin Mass…there might be internally, but certainly not externally, as a norm. In the Ordinary Form of the Mass, every single day the Lord is desecrated — every single day, grave irreverence. Every single day we commit the most grave sins…against God himself in the realm of worship.”
“90 percent of the time, priests are unfaithful to their vows in the way that they provide the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they're making stuff up,” he continued. The laity too “need to repent for usurping the role of the priest” at mass. They also need to repent for “receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin.”
“I believe that the highest order of demons are concerned with the disruption of worship, the proper worship of God,” he said.
Asked what he would do if a priest refused to adminster the Eucharist to him while kneeling, Burke said, “I would stay kneeling and see what happens…you have to take a spiritual stand.” If he was in a diocese where he couldn’t reverently receive the Lord, Burke said he would “leave the diocese.”
Westen brought up how 1 Corinthians 11: 27 warns against receiving communion unworthily. Burke responded by saying, “I think it's a demonic reality that that passage never appears in the Ordinary Form lectionary.”
Burke also relayed a story about how Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze once told him that communion in the hand “has been a disaster.”
The John-Henry Westen Show is available by video on the show’s YouTube channel and right here on my LifeSite blog.
It is also available in audio format on platforms such as Spotify, Soundcloud, and ACast. We are awaiting approval for iTunes and Google Play as well. To subscribe to the audio version on various channels, visit the ACast webpage here.
We’ve created a special email list for the show so that we can notify you every week when we post a new episode. Please sign up now by clicking here. You can also subscribe to the YouTube channel, and you’ll be notified by YouTube when there is new content.
You can send me feedback, or ideas for show topics by emailing [email protected].
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