lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Deadly Tennessee tornado strikes pre-Civil War church that offers Traditional Latin Mass

NASHVILLE , Tennessee , March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― The tornado that ripped through Tennessee on Tuesday badly damaged a historical Catholic Church .
According to Aleteia , Fr .
S. Bede Price of the Church of the Assumption was awoken by his frantic cat early on Tuesday morning , heard an explosion , went outside to investigate , and narrowly missed being hit by his own rectory chimney .
“ I was probably still half asleep and thought a plane had crashed , ” Fr .
Price told an interviewer yesterday .
“ So I went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chimney slid off the roof and missed me by about 25 feet , which scared me to death.
” The National Catholic Register ( NCR ) reported that the tornado itself , which cut through the Germantown district at about 1:00 a.m. , had passed only 100 yards away from the church .
It destroyed the north transept and sacristy and badly damaged the steeple and roof .
Despite the dark , the possibility of more tornadoes , and the danger of the bell tower falling through the roof , Price went inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reserved in the tabernacle .
“ Father was worried that the church might collapse , and so he removed the Blessed Sacrament , ” a spokesperson for the Church of the Assumption told LifeSiteNews .
“ The church was a mess [ and ] looked like it had been hit by a bomb.
” Price told Aleteia that glass was broken , pews were upturned , and that “ vestments had blown all over the place.
” “ I was afraid the church would collapse .
I was particularly afraid the bell-tower would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacrament out of the church and went out into the street , ” he continued .
“ By that time it was all over .
The whole thing must have taken all of 30 seconds .
My neighbor was there , and people started to come out and look around .
It was almost like we were in a movie .
We have a lot of old trees , which were torn up by the roots .
Power lines were down.
” Built in 1859 , the Church of the Assumption is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the Diocese of Nashville ’ s “ designated church ” for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass , which is also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or TLM .
While repairs are made to the building , the TLM will be celebrated in the Methodist Church across the street .
Parishioner Charlie Smith told Aleteia that the Church of the Assumption is dear to Catholics who love traditional worship .
“ Assumption has been the center of the traditional Catholic community in Nashville , ” he said .
“ It means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re hoping that it can be rebuilt , which I believe it can be , but it will be a long time before it will be back to the sort of grandeur it had before.
” The church is also home to a smaller Syro-Malabar community .
The spokesperson for the parish told LifeSiteNews that the south wall of the church or the roof is still moving and that “ any prayers for the structure of the church would be appreciated.
” The tornado that damaged the Church of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twisters that formed the weather system that terrorized central Tennessee on March 3 .
Twenty-four people were killed , and at least 22 were taken to hospital with injuries .
The dead include five children , and more than 20 people are missing .
According to Fox12 Tennessee , most people who died were in Putnam County , which is 80 miles east of Nashville .
According to the Diocese of Tennessee , none of its employees were hurt by the tornadoes .
President Donald Trump is expected to visit the area on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the historic church can be made here .

Worried the church might collapse, the priest went inside to save the Blessed Sacrament.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― The tornado that ripped through Tennessee on Tuesday badly damaged a historical Catholic Church.
According to Aleteia, Fr. S. Bede Price of the Church of the Assumption was awoken by his frantic cat early on Tuesday morning, heard an explosion, went outside to investigate, and narrowly missed being hit by his own rectory chimney.
“I was probably still half asleep and thought a plane had crashed,” Fr. Price told an interviewer yesterday.
“So I went out the front door, and the chimney slid off the roof and missed me by about 25 feet, which scared me to death.”
The National Catholic Register (NCR) reported that the tornado itself, which cut through the Germantown district at about 1:00 a.m., had passed only 100 yards away from the church. It destroyed the north transept and sacristy and badly damaged the steeple and roof.
Despite the dark, the possibility of more tornadoes, and the danger of the bell tower falling through the roof, Price went inside the church to rescue the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle.
“Father was worried that the church might collapse, and so he removed the Blessed Sacrament,” a spokesperson for the Church of the Assumption told LifeSiteNews.
“The church was a mess [and] looked like it had been hit by a bomb.”
Price told Aleteia that glass was broken, pews were upturned, and that “vestments had blown all over the place.”
“I was afraid the church would collapse. I was particularly afraid the bell-tower would collapse, so I took the Blessed Sacrament out of the church and went out into the street,” he continued.
“By that time it was all over. The whole thing must have taken all of 30 seconds. My neighbor was there, and people started to come out and look around. It was almost like we were in a movie. We have a lot of old trees, which were torn up by the roots. Power lines were down.”
Built in 1859, the Church of the Assumption is the second-oldest church in Tennessee. It is also the Diocese of Nashville’s “designated church” for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, which is also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or TLM. While repairs are made to the building, the TLM will be celebrated in the Methodist Church across the street.
Parishioner Charlie Smith told Aleteia that the Church of the Assumption is dear to Catholics who love traditional worship.
“Assumption has been the center of the traditional Catholic community in Nashville,” he said.
“It means a lot to a lot of people. We’re hoping that it can be rebuilt, which I believe it can be, but it will be a long time before it will be back to the sort of grandeur it had before.”
The church is also home to a smaller Syro-Malabar community.
The spokesperson for the parish told LifeSiteNews that the south wall of the church or the roof is still moving and that “any prayers for the structure of the church would be appreciated.”
The tornado that damaged the Church of the Assumption was one of a number of twisters that formed the weather system that terrorized central Tennessee on March 3. Twenty-four people were killed, and at least 22 were taken to hospital with injuries. The dead include five children, and more than 20 people are missing. According to Fox12 Tennessee, most people who died were in Putnam County, which is 80 miles east of Nashville.
According to the Diocese of Tennessee, none of its employees were hurt by the tornadoes.
President Donald Trump is expected to visit the area on Friday.
Donations for the repair of the historic church can be made here.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--AOC’s religious liberty rant flips Christian morality on its head

WASHINGTON , March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently declared in a tirade that she was “ tired ” of faith being “ weaponized ” and that the “ only time religious freedom is invoked is in the name of bigotry and discrimination.
” The impassioned speech by the 30-year-old New York Democratic congresswoman known colloquially as AOC went viral in a tweet on NowThisNews , which declared she had “ flipped the ‘ religious freedom ’ argument on its head.
” But if Ocasio-Cortez flipped anything on its head , it was reason , natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s according to a Catholic priest I consulted to help deconstruct AOC ’ s dramatic but morally unhinged address at the February 27 Congressional hearing on “ The Administration ’ s Religious Liberty Assault on LGBTQ rights , ” held by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform .
AOC spoke to “ Evan ” Minton , who was there to address the committee .
Minton is a biological woman who “ identities ” as a male and who is suing a Catholic hospital for refusing to perform a hysterectomy on her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ My faith commands me to treat Mr. Minton [ sic ] as holy because he [ sic ] is sacred because his [ sic ] life is sacred , because you are not to be denied anything that I am entitled to , that we are equal in the eyes of the law and we are equal in my faith in the eyes of the world , ” declared AOC .
“ It is part of my faith , that all people are holy , and all people are sacred , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure , Ocasio-Cortez did not specify that this faith is Christian , and while she has identified as Catholic in the past , she may no longer practice , pointed out Bill Donohue , president of the Catholic Civil Rights League .
Certainly , her statements are a distortion of Christian teaching , to put it mildly .
The Catholic Church does not teach that the human person is totally depraved as do some Protestants .
Every human person is sacred in the sense that God wills us to exist and created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consulted .
But that doesn ’ t mean we are all holy as she said .
We are sinners who need God ’ s mercy .
We are born with original sin and a strong tendency to sin .
Does Ocasio-Cortez regard President Trump as holy , one wonders .
Perhaps she would if he decided to identify as a woman .
Certainly , so upset was AOC at the treatment Minton had received she banged on the desk repeatedly .
“ There is nothing holy about rejecting medical care of people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounds of what their identity is .
There is nothing holy about turning someone away from a hospital , ” she contended .
But , clearly , cutting off healthy body parts and filling the body with hormones is not “ medical care ” at all .
It is dangerous , often irreversible , and anti-science and anti-medicine .
The priest I spoke with told me that good medical practice is rooted in the truth about the body .
A man is a man even if he is castrated .
Lying to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one .
It is wrong medically and psychologically .
AOC also lamented that it was difficult to listen to arguments “ weaponizing and using scripture to justify bigotry…White supremacists have done it , those who justify slavery did it , those who fought against integration did it and we ’ re seeing it today , ” she said .
“ There ’ s nothing holy about writing discrimination into the law and I am tired of …communities of faith being weaponized and being mischaracterized because the only time religious freedom is invoked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination.
” But , consistent with most of what AOC says , this is just not true .
The priest commented to me that there are no scriptures that specifically declare whites supreme .
Such a concept of white , brown and black skin colors are modern preoccupations and were not part of the biblical worldview .
Thus uses of Scripture in the past to support white supremacy were contrived , and a misuse of Scripture that all should rightly condemn .
However , Scripture does consistently and specifically condemn homosexual acts as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and “ teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman to death do them part , bearing fruit in their children.
” “ And as to the ‘ trans ’ issues , the Scriptures are clear God made us male and female .
A man can not become a woman .
That is scientifically impossible and it also violates God ’ s sovereign role as Creator , ” the priest pointed out .
“ It is not bigotry for believers to be humbly submitted to what we sincerely believe to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone agreed on these matters until about twenty minutes ago in our culture .
We are simply believing and teaching what we have always believed and taught.
” It ’ s also worth noting that “ bigotry ” is generally a word the left uses as an ad hominem attack .
“ In effect what they mean by the term is , ‘ You don ’ t agree with my agenda so you are a bigot , you are evil and must be marginalized.
’ It ’ s not bigotry and discrimination just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AOC ’ s contention that “ it is not up to us to deny medical care , it is up to us to feed the hungry to clothe the poor , to protect children and to love all people as ourselves , ” the priest asked her to join him in praying outside Planned Parenthood abortion facilities .
“ I ’ m just asking because you claim to love everyone and want to protect children.… Will you join us , or will you just be another hypocrite ?
”

Ocasio-Cortez distorted reason, natural law, and Christian morality in her tirade on being 'tired' of faith being 'weaponized'
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently declared in a tirade that she was “tired” of faith being “weaponized” and that the “only time religious freedom is invoked is in the name of bigotry and discrimination.”
The impassioned speech by the 30-year-old New York Democratic congresswoman known colloquially as AOC went viral in a tweet on NowThisNews, which declared she had “flipped the ‘religious freedom’ argument on its head.”
'The only time religious freedom is invoked is in the name of bigotry and discrimination. I'm tired of it' — @AOC just flipped the entire ‘religious freedom’ argument on its head pic.twitter.com/yS57LNnpBb — NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 28, 2020
But if Ocasio-Cortez flipped anything on its head, it was reason, natural law, and Christian morality.
That’s according to a Catholic priest I consulted to help deconstruct AOC’s dramatic but morally unhinged address at the February 27 Congressional hearing on “The Administration’s Religious Liberty Assault on LGBTQ rights,” held by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
AOC spoke to “Evan” Minton, who was there to address the committee.
Minton is a biological woman who “identities” as a male and who is suing a Catholic hospital for refusing to perform a hysterectomy on her as part of her “gender-affirming healthcare.”
“My faith commands me to treat Mr. Minton [sic] as holy because he [sic] is sacred because his [sic] life is sacred, because you are not to be denied anything that I am entitled to, that we are equal in the eyes of the law and we are equal in my faith in the eyes of the world,” declared AOC.
“It is part of my faith, that all people are holy, and all people are sacred, unconditionally,” she said.
To be sure, Ocasio-Cortez did not specify that this faith is Christian, and while she has identified as Catholic in the past, she may no longer practice, pointed out Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic Civil Rights League.
Certainly, her statements are a distortion of Christian teaching, to put it mildly.
The Catholic Church does not teach that the human person is totally depraved as do some Protestants. Every human person is sacred in the sense that God wills us to exist and created us, noted the priest whom I consulted.
But that doesn’t mean we are all holy as she said. We are sinners who need God’s mercy. We are born with original sin and a strong tendency to sin.
Does Ocasio-Cortez regard President Trump as holy, one wonders. Perhaps she would if he decided to identify as a woman. Certainly, so upset was AOC at the treatment Minton had received she banged on the desk repeatedly.
“There is nothing holy about rejecting medical care of people, no matter who they are on the grounds of what their identity is. There is nothing holy about turning someone away from a hospital,” she contended.
But, clearly, cutting off healthy body parts and filling the body with hormones is not “medical care” at all. It is dangerous, often irreversible, and anti-science and anti-medicine.
The priest I spoke with told me that good medical practice is rooted in the truth about the body. A man is a man even if he is castrated. Lying to people and going along with their lies helps no one. It is wrong medically and psychologically.
AOC also lamented that it was difficult to listen to arguments “weaponizing and using scripture to justify bigotry…White supremacists have done it, those who justify slavery did it, those who fought against integration did it and we’re seeing it today,” she said.
“There’s nothing holy about writing discrimination into the law and I am tired of …communities of faith being weaponized and being mischaracterized because the only time religious freedom is invoked is in the name of bigotry and discrimination.”
But, consistent with most of what AOC says, this is just not true.
The priest commented to me that there are no scriptures that specifically declare whites supreme. Such a concept of white, brown and black skin colors are modern preoccupations and were not part of the biblical worldview. Thus uses of Scripture in the past to support white supremacy were contrived, and a misuse of Scripture that all should rightly condemn.
However, Scripture does consistently and specifically condemn homosexual acts as sinful, as well fornication and adultery, and “teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman to death do them part, bearing fruit in their children.”
“And as to the ‘trans’ issues, the Scriptures are clear God made us male and female. A man cannot become a woman. That is scientifically impossible and it also violates God’s sovereign role as Creator,” the priest pointed out.
“It is not bigotry for believers to be humbly submitted to what we sincerely believe to be revealed by God. Further, everyone agreed on these matters until about twenty minutes ago in our culture. We are simply believing and teaching what we have always believed and taught.”
It’s also worth noting that “bigotry” is generally a word the left uses as an ad hominem attack. “In effect what they mean by the term is, ‘You don’t agree with my agenda so you are a bigot, you are evil and must be marginalized.’ It’s not bigotry and discrimination just because she says so.”
As to AOC’s contention that “it is not up to us to deny medical care, it is up to us to feed the hungry to clothe the poor, to protect children and to love all people as ourselves,” the priest asked her to join him in praying outside Planned Parenthood abortion facilities.
“I’m just asking because you claim to love everyone and want to protect children.… Will you join us, or will you just be another hypocrite?”
Follow Lianne Lianne Laurence joined LifeSiteNews as its Toronto-based reporter in February 2015. She is the author of a 2004 biography of Canadian pro-life activist Joe Borowski, the former managing editor of Catholic Insight Magazine, and was staff writer and production assistant for The Christians, a 12-volume history published by Ted Byfield. She has a BA in Journalism and Communications (University of Regina) and is from Alberta.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Petition to ‘Shut Down Pornhub’ goes viral

March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – People from every walk of life are rallying behind a viral petition calling on the U.S. and Canadian governments to investigate and shut down Pornhub , whose parent company , MindGeek.com , is based in Canada .
“ Our petition against Pornhub , which has been signed more than 21,000 times in less than 24 hours , has literally gone viral , ” said Scott Schittl , LifeSite campaign coordinator .
In the last few weeks , public outcry has erupted against Pornhub after it was discovered that the massive porn site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human trafficking victim who was repeatedly raped .
When Pornhub was caught hosting these rape videos , it attempted to deny the fact , saying that the 15-year-old victim was a `` verified model with a valid ID . ''
“ People want to know if there are more victims of human trafficking , rape and child pornography still hosted on Pornhub , and they want to know if Pornhub has profited from these vile activities , ” said Schittl .
“ People , on the right and the left , want justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down.
” According to the latest research , the incidence of violence against women , human trafficking , harm to children , relationship damage and addiction have all increased as the consumption of pornography has increased .
Pornography has become a `` public health crisis , '' while our existing laws against obscenity remain unenforced .
Speaking about this particular case , Schittl offered the following observation : “ Pornhub isn ’ t a benign moderator of ‘ adult content , ’ and it ’ s good that people are beginning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used facilitate human and sex trafficking.
” The petition calls on the U.S. Attorney General and his Canadian counterpart to investigate and shut down Pornhub , and its parent company , MindGeek.com , based in Canada .
CLICK HERE to view petition to investigate and shut down Pornhub .
CLICK HERE to share this petition with like-minded family and friends on Facebook .
LifeSite ’ s John-Henry Westen exposed the true nature of MindGeek and its relationship to PornHub in a recent podcast .
Watch here : The John-Henry Westen Show is available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll be notified by YouTube when there is new content .
You can send feedback , or ideas for show topics by emailing [ email protected ] .

PETITION: Authorities must shut down Pornhub after showing videos of 15-year-old trafficking victim! Sign the petition here.
WARNING: This article contains disturbing information
March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – People from every walk of life are rallying behind a viral petition calling on the U.S. and Canadian governments to investigate and shut down Pornhub, whose parent company, MindGeek.com, is based in Canada.
“Our petition against Pornhub, which has been signed more than 21,000 times in less than 24 hours, has literally gone viral,” said Scott Schittl, LifeSite campaign coordinator.
In the last few weeks, public outcry has erupted against Pornhub after it was discovered that the massive porn site had been hosting videos of a 15-year-old human trafficking victim who was repeatedly raped.
When Pornhub was caught hosting these rape videos, it attempted to deny the fact, saying that the 15-year-old victim was a “verified model with a valid ID.”
“People want to know if there are more victims of human trafficking, rape and child pornography still hosted on Pornhub, and they want to know if Pornhub has profited from these vile activities,” said Schittl. “People, on the right and the left, want justice after this case…they want Pornhub investigated and shut down.”
According to the latest research, the incidence of violence against women, human trafficking, harm to children, relationship damage and addiction have all increased as the consumption of pornography has increased.
Pornography has become a “public health crisis,” while our existing laws against obscenity remain unenforced.
Speaking about this particular case, Schittl offered the following observation: “Pornhub isn’t a benign moderator of ‘adult content,’ and it’s good that people are beginning to understand how sites like Pornhub can be used facilitate human and sex trafficking.”
The petition calls on the U.S. Attorney General and his Canadian counterpart to investigate and shut down Pornhub, and its parent company, MindGeek.com, based in Canada.
CLICK HERE to view petition to investigate and shut down Pornhub.
CLICK HERE to share this petition with like-minded family and friends on Facebook.
LifeSite’s John-Henry Westen exposed the true nature of MindGeek and its relationship to PornHub in a recent podcast. Watch here:
The John-Henry Westen Show is available by video on the show’s YouTube channel or right here on the LifeSite blog.
It is also available in audio format on platforms such as Spotify, Soundcloud, and ACast. To subscribe to the audio version on various channels, visit the ACast webpage here.
There is a special email list for the show that notifies you every week when a new episode is posted. 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.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Columnist opines about Coronavirus being economically ‘beneficial’ in ‘culling elderly’

PRAYER PLEDGE : VP Pence is right .
We need prayer to fight coronavirus , not political antics !
Sign the petition here .
LONDON , England , March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― A UK columnist suggested that the Coronavirus may “ prove mildly beneficial ” from an economic perspective in “ culling ” the elderly .
In his March 3 article titled “ Does the Fed know something the rest of us do not with its panicked interest rate cut ?
” , Telegraph associate editor and financial columnist Jeremy Warner stated that “ there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US economy is about to fall off a cliff.
” He suggested that there may be a silver lining in the coronavirus cloud .
“ From an entirely disinterested economic perspective , COVID-19 might even prove mildly beneficial in the long term by disproportionately culling elderly dependents , ” Warner wrote .
“ This is a horrifying statement in the @ Telegraph , ” tweeted Catholic commentator Nick Donnelly .
“ It just shows how ingrained the culture of death has become in Western society.
” “ It just shows how ingrained the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society , ” he added .
On Gloria TV ’ s English-language website today , Tessa wrote , “ This is what happens when you reduce people to economic units .
Mere means of production .
Thank God for the Catholic faith and the upholding of the sanctity of human life .
The world would be grim indeed without it.
” The comments box attached to the report was filled with negative reactions .
“ I would say Jeremy is correct the Fed do know much more than his dawdling drivel , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is ] a grossly offensive bit of journalism.
” Geoffrey Nolan wrote , “ JW , that 's an appalling sentiment .
You 've taken leave of your senses.
” “ Speaking as an elderly dependant I would regret any culling coming in my direction , ” added Peter Armstrong .
“ Wake me up someone - was the above really in the article .
Culling the elderly ?
Moderator , what sort of people are you working with ?
” asked reader G DH , earning a stinging rebuke from Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dear , have I caused offence by pointing out the blindingly obvious ?
Had n't realised that the Telegraph website had become a safe place for the woke , ” the columnist retorted .
“ I do suffer from something called empathy , ” D GH responded .
“ Calling me a woke is n't very friendly but I do hope we can meet face to face one day and talk about the real economic problems facing the world.
” The comment was also discussed on social media .
Roberta Trew tweeted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is a disgusting statement to make about other human beings.
” A somewhat penitent Warner stated in the comments box to the original article that he should not have used the word “ cull ” but defended his economic argument .
“ On reflection , I should not have used the word ‘ cull ’ , ” he wrote on March 4 .
“ But I am unrepentant about the economic point I was trying to make .
Any thinning out of those of prime working age is a much bigger supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirees , ” he continued .
“ Obviously , for those affected it is a human tragedy whatever the age , but this is a piece about economics , not the sum of human misery .
”

The comment caused outrage: 'It just shows how ingrained the culture of death has become in Western society'
PRAYER PLEDGE: VP Pence is right. We need prayer to fight coronavirus, not political antics! Sign the petition here.
LONDON, England, March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― A UK columnist suggested that the Coronavirus may “prove mildly beneficial” from an economic perspective in “culling” the elderly.
In his March 3 article titled “Does the Fed know something the rest of us do not with its panicked interest rate cut?”, Telegraph associate editor and financial columnist Jeremy Warner stated that “there is nothing in the data to suggest the US economy is about to fall off a cliff.” He suggested that there may be a silver lining in the coronavirus cloud.
“From an entirely disinterested economic perspective, COVID-19 might even prove mildly beneficial in the long term by disproportionately culling elderly dependents,” Warner wrote.
The suggestion shocked many readers.
“This is a horrifying statement in the @Telegraph,” tweeted Catholic commentator Nick Donnelly. “It just shows how ingrained the culture of death has become in Western society.”
This is a horrifying statement in the @Telegraph It just shows how ingrained the culture of death has become in Western society. “COVID-19 might even prove mildly beneficial in the long term by disproportionately culling elderly dependents” writes @JeremyWarnerUK https://t.co/KdhR42gzuQ — Nick Donnelly (@ProtecttheFaith) March 5, 2020
“It just shows how ingrained the culture of death has become in Western society,” he added.
On Gloria TV’s English-language website today, Tessa wrote, “This is what happens when you reduce people to economic units. Mere means of production. Thank God for the Catholic faith and the upholding of the sanctity of human life. The world would be grim indeed without it.”
The comments box attached to the report was filled with negative reactions.
“I would say Jeremy is correct the Fed do know much more than his dawdling drivel,” Michael Flaherty wrote. “And [this is] a grossly offensive bit of journalism.”
Geoffrey Nolan wrote, “JW, that's an appalling sentiment. You've taken leave of your senses.”
“Speaking as an elderly dependant I would regret any culling coming in my direction,” added Peter Armstrong.
“Wake me up someone – was the above really in the article. Culling the elderly? Moderator, what sort of people are you working with?” asked reader G DH, earning a stinging rebuke from Warner himself.
“@D GH Oh dear, have I caused offence by pointing out the blindingly obvious? Hadn't realised that the Telegraph website had become a safe place for the woke,” the columnist retorted.
“I do suffer from something called empathy,” D GH responded.
“Calling me a woke isn't very friendly but I do hope we can meet face to face one day and talk about the real economic problems facing the world.”
The comment was also discussed on social media. Roberta Trew tweeted, “Jeremy Warner should be fired. That is a disgusting statement to make about other human beings.”
“How about ‘culling’ some business writers?” joked Tom Iarocci, MD.
A somewhat penitent Warner stated in the comments box to the original article that he should not have used the word “cull” but defended his economic argument.
“On reflection, I should not have used the word ‘cull’,” he wrote on March 4.
“But I am unrepentant about the economic point I was trying to make. Any thinning out of those of prime working age is a much bigger supply shock than the same thing among elderly retirees,” he continued.
“Obviously, for those affected it is a human tragedy whatever the age, but this is a piece about economics, not the sum of human misery.”
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Pro-abortion Elizabeth Warren drops out of presidential race

Her decision comes after a disappointing performance in this week ’ s Super Tuesday state primary contests , in which Warren failed to win in any of the 14 states and territories which voted , and finished third in her own state of Massachusetts .
“ We didn ’ t reach our goal , ” she told campaign staff in a call , “ but what we have done together — what you have done — has made a lasting difference .
It ’ s not the scale of the difference we wanted to make , but it matters — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to come.
” In an obvious reference to her recent bitter confrontations with pro-abortion former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg , Warren said : “ In this campaign , we have been willing to fight , and when necessary , we left plenty of blood and teeth on the floor .
And I can think of one billionaire who has been denied the chance to buy this election.
” Bloomberg dropped out yesterday and endorsed former vice president Joe Biden after spending $ 500 million in ads that yielded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delegate from American Samoa .
Warren has so far refrained from endorsing either Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders or Biden .
Many have speculated about the possibility of Warren becoming Sanders ’ running mate should he be the Democratic nominee .
“ She spoke with both men on Wednesday , according to their campaigns , ” the Associated Press reported .
“ She hasn ’ t made a decision and is assessing who would best uphold her agenda , according to a person familiar with her deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MSNBC it was “ too early ” to discuss whether Warren could serve as his running mate .
Biden has applauded her for her campaign , calling her “ the fiercest of fighters for middle class families.
” Despite his long history of gaffes , which in the last two weeks have included mixing up his wife and sister and forgetting “ the thing ” that the Declaration of Independence says created all men equal , Biden is currently leading the way in the race for the Democrat nomination , with a 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RealClearPolitics polling average .
He currently has 453 of the required 1,991 delegates to secure the nomination on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention , compared with Sanders on 382 delegates .
Hawaiian Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , who has distinguished herself from other candidates by saying she supports some mild limits on third trimester abortions , is the only woman still technically in the race for the nomination .
She won two delegates , also in American Samoa , and has 1.7 % support according to polls .
Warren ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous “ woke ” policies .
She recently urged Arizona lawmakers to reject a bill that would protect schoolgirls being forced to compete in sports with boys who claim to be girls .
Warren described the now-successfully passed Arizona House Bill 2706 as “ cruel.
” “ Trans athletes are not a threat , ” she tweeted .
“ We need to protect trans kids—and all LGBTQ+ kids—and ensure they feel safe and welcomed at school .
I urge the Arizona legislature to reject this cruel bill.
” She promised to ask a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection for Secretary of Education if she were to become president said she would include “ gender non-binary ” individuals in her White House cabinet .
She has also called for gender-confused male inmates to be placed with women in prisons .
Warren also displays her “ preferred pronouns ” on social media as a show of solidarity with transgender activists and vowed to wear a Planned Parenthood scarf to her inauguration .
Fox News host Tucker Carlson recently savaged Warren ’ s campaign saying that it will be remembered as having “ @ @ @ @ @

March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Pro-abortion Senator Elizabeth Warren suspended her presidential campaign today.
Her decision comes after a disappointing performance in this week’s Super Tuesday state primary contests, in which Warren failed to win in any of the 14 states and territories which voted, and finished third in her own state of Massachusetts.
“We didn’t reach our goal,” she told campaign staff in a call, “but what we have done together — what you have done — has made a lasting difference. It’s not the scale of the difference we wanted to make, but it matters — and the changes will have ripples for years to come.”
In an obvious reference to her recent bitter confrontations with pro-abortion former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg, Warren said: “In this campaign, we have been willing to fight, and when necessary, we left plenty of blood and teeth on the floor. And I can think of one billionaire who has been denied the chance to buy this election.”
Bloomberg dropped out yesterday and endorsed former vice president Joe Biden after spending $500 million in ads that yielded just one small Super Tuesday victory, a delegate from American Samoa.
Warren has so far refrained from endorsing either Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders or Biden. Many have speculated about the possibility of Warren becoming Sanders’ running mate should he be the Democratic nominee.
“She spoke with both men on Wednesday, according to their campaigns,” the Associated Press reported. “She hasn’t made a decision and is assessing who would best uphold her agenda, according to a person familiar with her deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.”
Sanders told MSNBC it was “too early” to discuss whether Warren could serve as his running mate. Biden has applauded her for her campaign, calling her “the fiercest of fighters for middle class families.”
“Would you consider asking Sen. Warren to be your running mate?” pic.twitter.com/8FQn082aUQ — MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 5, 2020
Senator @EWarren is the fiercest of fighters for middle class families. Her work in Washington, in Massachusetts, and on the campaign trail has made a real difference in people's lives. We needed her voice in this race, and we need her continued work in the Senate. — Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 5, 2020
Despite his long history of gaffes, which in the last two weeks have included mixing up his wife and sister and forgetting “the thing” that the Declaration of Independence says created all men equal, Biden is currently leading the way in the race for the Democrat nomination, with a 1.5% lead over Sanders according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. He currently has 453 of the required 1,991 delegates to secure the nomination on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention, compared with Sanders on 382 delegates.
Hawaiian Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has distinguished herself from other candidates by saying she supports some mild limits on third trimester abortions, is the only woman still technically in the race for the nomination. She won two delegates, also in American Samoa, and has 1.7% support according to polls.
Warren’s campaign was marked by the promotion of numerous “woke” policies.
She recently urged Arizona lawmakers to reject a bill that would protect schoolgirls being forced to compete in sports with boys who claim to be girls. Warren described the now-successfully passed Arizona House Bill 2706 as “cruel.”
“Trans athletes are not a threat,” she tweeted. “We need to protect trans kids—and all LGBTQ+ kids—and ensure they feel safe and welcomed at school. I urge the Arizona legislature to reject this cruel bill.”
She promised to ask a “trans child” to approve her selection for Secretary of Education if she were to become president said she would include “gender non-binary” individuals in her White House cabinet. She has also called for gender-confused male inmates to be placed with women in prisons.
Warren also displays her “preferred pronouns” on social media as a show of solidarity with transgender activists and vowed to wear a Planned Parenthood scarf to her inauguration.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson recently savaged Warren’s campaign saying that it will be remembered as having “died by wokeness.”
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--How the Left is weaponizing Coronavirus in an attempt to destroy President Trump

PRAYER PLEDGE : VP Pence is right .
We need prayer to fight coronavirus , not political antics !
Sign the petition here .
March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – What ’ s the likely origin of the Coronavirus ?
Let ’ s start by following the bread crumbs : • Fact : China has a bioweapons program run out of two labs , the more advanced of which is the Wuhan Institute of Virology ( WIV ) .
• Fact : Chinese agents have stolen dangerous coronaviruses out of North American labs and taken them to WIV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working under the direction of the People ’ s Liberation Army , have genetically engineered at least one coronavirus to make it more infectious , reporting their “ achievement ” in the pages of the Journal of Virology .
• Fact : Chinese biotechnology labs , such as the WIV , have a history of accidentally releasing dangerous pathogens into the surrounding population .
• Fact : The Chinese coronavirus epidemic began in the city of Wuhan , the city where WIV is located .
These facts led me to conclude that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese coronavirus was the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
“ Don ’ t buy China ’ s story about a seafood market , ” I wrote in the New York Post .
“ The coronavirus may have leaked from a lab.
” The article was read millions of times , shared on Facebook hundreds of thousands of times , and led to appearances on Tucker Carlson and other shows .
But it also led to vicious attacks from the Left on me personally .
As we all have been recently reminded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many Leftists instinctively defend Communist regimes .
So I quite naturally thought that my “ crime ” was suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic may be the Chinese Communist Party ’ s fault .
But then I realized that most of my most vociferous critics were Democrat political operatives .
Take Judd Legum , for example , who launched a Twitter storm against me .
Mr. Legum just happens to have been the research director for Hillary Clinton ’ s failed run for the presidency .
“ This New York Post column is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the coronavirus , ” Legum tweeted out .
“ It has been promoted by a US Senator .
And it 's complete quackery .
The author , Steven Mosher , has no medical expertise .
He is the president of the Population Research Institute , an organization that opposes abortion AND contraception : ‘ Contraception facilitates the kind of relationship ... and moral character ... likely to lead to abortion.
’ `` “ Experts who have examined the genome sequence of the coronavirus say it is completely inconsistent with a bioweapon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fantasy invented by Mosher .
But that did n't stop his piece from being shared by a U.S .
Senator .
Mosher 's column was then aggregated by popular right-wing sites like The Daily Wire , which described it as `` reporting '' even though it contains absolutely no reporting !
It 's just a bunch of disparate facts strung together to support a conspiracy.
” Legum ’ s real purpose , however , is not so much to defend China as to attack Trump .
This comes through loud and clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tamping down this conspiracy theory , ” Legum writes , “ the Trump administration is fanning the flames .
Ken Cuccinelli acknowledged there was no evidence to support the conspiracy theory but refused to `` rule out '' anything .
Right now , the world needs accurate information to SAVE LIVES .
Instead , we get conspiracy theories by right-wing ideologues , amplified by GOP politicians , social media companies , and Fox.
” Now , Judd Legum is a Democrat political operative who , like all such operatives , is constantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President .
Their latest scam is to promote the completely false idea that the coronavirus epidemic is all Trump ’ s fault .
The Russia hoax has now morphed into the coronavirus hoax—the hysterical hyping of a flu epidemic -- which they hope will help ensure his defeat in November .
My real crime , in their eyes , is that I Got in the Way of An Attack on Trump .
That ’ s why I was subjected to the kind of irrational , hate-filled attack that the President puts up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blame for the epidemic where it belongs -- on the Chinese Communist Party -- I stepped on the political narrative that Democrat operatives are trying to promote .
I jeopardized their future job prospects with a Biden or Sanders administration .
I offended their delicate `` democratic socialist '' sensibilities where `` socialist '' China is concerned .
Of course they are mad at me .
I was blaming China .
They want everyone to blame Trump .
The truth is that the President quickly shut down flights from China to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headed by the Vice-President to deal with this new strain of the flu , and has unleashed the greatest innovation economy the world has ever seen to find treatments and a vaccine .
The U.S. is quite simply the safest place in the world to be right now .
Americans need to calm down and ignore the efforts of some to sow panic .
This is a viral flu , not the Black Death .
Steve Mosher is the President of the Population Research Institute and the author of Bully of Asia : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Threat to World Order .
He is following the coronavirus outbreak on Twitter @ StevenWMosher

And anyone who gets in the way of their narrative becomes roadkill/collateral damage
PRAYER PLEDGE: VP Pence is right. We need prayer to fight coronavirus, not political antics! Sign the petition here.
March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – What’s the likely origin of the Coronavirus? Let’s start by following the bread crumbs:
Fact: China has a bioweapons program run out of two labs, the more advanced of which is the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
Fact: Chinese agents have stolen dangerous coronaviruses out of North American labs and taken them to WIV.
Fact: Chinese virologists, working under the direction of the People’s Liberation Army, have genetically engineered at least one coronavirus to make it more infectious, reporting their “achievement” in the pages of the Journal of Virology.
Fact: Chinese biotechnology labs, such as the WIV, have a history of accidentally releasing dangerous pathogens into the surrounding population.
Fact: The Chinese coronavirus epidemic began in the city of Wuhan, the city where WIV is located.
These facts led me to conclude that the most likely explanation for the origin of the Chinese coronavirus was the Wuhan Institute of Virology. “Don’t buy China’s story about a seafood market,” I wrote in the New York Post. “The coronavirus may have leaked from a lab.”
The article was read millions of times, shared on Facebook hundreds of thousands of times, and led to appearances on Tucker Carlson and other shows.
But it also led to vicious attacks from the Left on me personally. As we all have been recently reminded by Bernie Sanders’ love affair with Cuba, many Leftists instinctively defend Communist regimes. So I quite naturally thought that my “crime” was suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic may be the Chinese Communist Party’s fault.
But then I realized that most of my most vociferous critics were Democrat political operatives. Take Judd Legum, for example, who launched a Twitter storm against me. Mr. Legum just happens to have been the research director for Hillary Clinton’s failed run for the presidency.
“This New York Post column is one of the most widely shared pieces about the coronavirus,” Legum tweeted out. “It has been promoted by a US Senator. And it's complete quackery. The author, Steven Mosher, has no medical expertise. He is the president of the Population Research Institute, an organization that opposes abortion AND contraception: ‘Contraception facilitates the kind of relationship…and moral character… likely to lead to abortion.’ “
(As it happens, I have an advanced degree in the Biological Sciences. While at Stanford, I helped teach a course called “Human Biology,” and worked on a genetics project with Stanford geneticist Luigi Cavalli-Szorza. I have since published a number of articles in medical journals. But my chief qualification to evaluate the origin of the coronavirus is my understanding of the policies and practices of the Chinese Communist Party, which I have studied for most of my adult life. As far as attacking me on contraception, anyone who doesn’t believe that contraception leads to abortion hasn’t lived through the past half century.)
But Hillary’s “research director” wasn’t done.
“Experts who have examined the genome sequence of the coronavirus say it is completely inconsistent with a bioweapon,” wrote Legum. “This is a fantasy invented by Mosher. But that didn't stop his piece from being shared by a U.S. Senator. Mosher's column was then aggregated by popular right-wing sites like The Daily Wire, which described it as “reporting” even though it contains absolutely no reporting! It's just a bunch of disparate facts strung together to support a conspiracy.”
(The evidence suggests that it escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is one of two such biolabs known to be working on genetically engineering bioweapons. Way back in 2007-8, China's Ministry of Science and Technology was already funding research at the WIV that could be used to create a coronavirus harmful to humans. Read paragraph 4 of this article from 2008 published in the Journal of Virology by the Chinese scientists involved.)
Legum’s real purpose, however, is not so much to defend China as to attack Trump. This comes through loud and clear in his final Tweet:
“Instead of tamping down this conspiracy theory,” Legum writes, “the Trump administration is fanning the flames. Ken Cuccinelli acknowledged there was no evidence to support the conspiracy theory but refused to “rule out” anything. Right now, the world needs accurate information to SAVE LIVES. Instead, we get conspiracy theories by right-wing ideologues, amplified by GOP politicians, social media companies, and Fox.”
Now, Judd Legum is a Democrat political operative who, like all such operatives, is constantly looking to score cheap political points against the President. Their latest scam is to promote the completely false idea that the coronavirus epidemic is all Trump’s fault. The Russia hoax has now morphed into the coronavirus hoax—the hysterical hyping of a flu epidemic–which they hope will help ensure his defeat in November.
My real crime, in their eyes, is that I Got in the Way of An Attack on Trump. That’s why I was subjected to the kind of irrational, hate-filled attack that the President puts up with every single day.
By putting the blame for the epidemic where it belongs–on the Chinese Communist Party–I stepped on the political narrative that Democrat operatives are trying to promote. I jeopardized their future job prospects with a Biden or Sanders administration. I offended their delicate “democratic socialist” sensibilities where “socialist” China is concerned.
Of course they are mad at me. I was blaming China. They want everyone to blame Trump.
The truth is that the President quickly shut down flights from China to the U.S., set up a task force headed by the Vice-President to deal with this new strain of the flu, and has unleashed the greatest innovation economy the world has ever seen to find treatments and a vaccine.
The U.S. is quite simply the safest place in the world to be right now. Americans need to calm down and ignore the efforts of some to sow panic. This is a viral flu, not the Black Death.
Steve Mosher is the President of the Population Research Institute and the author of Bully of Asia: Why China’s Dream is the New Threat to World Order. He is following the coronavirus outbreak on Twitter @StevenWMosher
Follow Steven Steven Mosher is an internationally recognised authority on China and population issues as well as an acclaimed author and speaker and founder and head of the Population Research Institute. He was the first American social scientist to visit mainland China in 1979 where he witnessed women being forced to have abortion under the new “one-child-policy” which he then exposed to the world. Mr. Mosher was a pro-choice atheist at the time, but witnessing these traumatic abortions led him to reconsider his convictions and to eventually become a practicing, pro-life Roman Catholic. Mosher has appeared numerous times before the US Congress as an expert in world population, China and human Rights abuses. He has also made TV appearances on Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, 20/20, FOX and CNN news, as well as being a regular guest on talk radio shows across the nation. He is the author of the best-selling A Mother’s Ordeal: One woman’s Fight Against China’s One-Child-Policy. His latest book is Bully of Asia, exposing the threat of China to the entire world at this time. Articles by Steve have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, The New Republic, The Washington Post, National Review, Reason, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Freedom Review, Linacre Quarterly, Catholic World Report, Human Life Review, First Things, and numerous other publications. Steven Mosher lives in Virginia with his wife, Vera, and their nine children.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--German bishop seemingly mocks praying for priestly vocations

MAINZ , Germany , March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As they push to make celibacy optional to Catholic priests , one German bishop implied that praying for vocations to the priesthood does not work .
Speaking in a condescending tone , Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen told a press conference yesterday , “ You must have a lot of trust in God not to despair in the face of the success , or the little success , that we see not only here but also in Latin America.
” The question of prayer “ has to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a request , because God has to use people to realize this request.
” Overbeck is one of the most left-wing bishops in Germany .
In 2019 , he showed his openness to female “ priests.
” “ Can one , for instance , make a connection between access to the priesthood and the Y chromosome by justifying it with the will of Jesus ?
” Overbeck asked .
Yesterday ’ s press conference at the spring meeting of the German Bishops ’ Conference focused on Pope Francis ’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation Querida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for the subcommittee on Latin America of the German Bishops ’ Conference , there were archbishop Ludwig Schick , head of the commission on the worldwide Church ; Monsignor Pirmin Spiegel , who is involved with Misereor , a relief organization active in Latin America ; and Father Michael Heinz , who works for another relief organization , Adveniat , which is also active in that area .
Asked by LifeSiteNews at what point the panelists would stop the debate on celibacy and female “ ordinations , ” and why 2,000 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schick responded that women can not be ordained .
Pope Francis affirmed this in Querida Amazonia , Schick argued .
However , all panelists had admitted in the past , as well as at the press conference , that the final document of the Amazon Synod remains valid .
In it , the synod had requested “ the permanent diaconate [ sic ] for women.
” On the questions of celibacy , Schick said it was “ basically resolved.
” “ It is possible that married men are ordained .
We see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We see that , as exceptions , when somebody from the Protestant church , as pastor , converts to the Catholic Church , ” Schick told LifeSiteNews .
“ This could be expanded ; that would actually be nothing new , ” Schick said .
He was hopeful to find a solution with which “ as many people as possible ” can live .
Later , he explained that he can imagine “ a dispensation ” given to bishops in the Amazon , which would allow them to ordain properly formed married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah , prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments , recently pointed out that making exceptions regarding celibacy for those living in the Amazon region is a mistake .
“ An exception is transitory by definition and constitutes a parenthesis in the normal and natural state of things .
This was the case of Anglican pastors returning to full communion .
But the lack of a priest is not an exception .
It is the normal state of any nascent Church , as in the Amazon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West , ” Sarah said in an interview .
He also expressed his fear that the exception would become “ a permanent state , ” leading to a weakening of the principle of celibacy .
Cardinal Sarah explained that historically , “ things are very clear : from the year 305 , the Council of Elvira recalls the law , ‘ received from the apostles , ’ the continence of priests .
As the Church was just emerging from the age of martyrdom , one of her first concerns was to affirm that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their wives.
” Cardinal Gerhard Müller , former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , said in January that celibacy was asked from bishops , priests , and deacons from the very beginning .
“ In the Eastern Church – departing from the tradition of the early Church , and by no means in its continuation – it was allowed to priests and deacons by the Quinisext Council ( 691/692 ) , which was characteristically held in the imperial palace and not in a church , to continue married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he went on , married clergy were still asked to abstain from the marital act “ some time before the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
” Msgr .
Spiegel , who , just like Fr .
Heinz , was not dressed as a priest , claimed that the statues thrown into the Tiber during the Amazon synod by Austrian Catholic Alexander Tschugguel were not actually Pachamama statues .
He directly contradicted Pope Francis , who told the members of the Amazon Synod , “ I would like to say a word about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church at Traspontina , which were there without idolatrous intentions and were thrown into the Tiber.
” According to Spiegel , the statues only showed “ life and abundance of the Amazon region.
” He said there was “ no apostasy or idolatry ” featuring the Pachamama statues in various religious ceremonies in the Vatican .
Instead , he claimed in vague terms , those ceremonies were an expression “ of joy , of abundance , also of a vision of fullness of life .
This is connected to water.
” Spiegel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon region were not offended by Tschugguel throwing the statues into the Tiber , since water is so important to them .
“ He should have been better informed , ” Spiegel said , insinuating that Tschugguel ’ s goal was to offend the indigenous .
In reality , his intention was to remove the pagan statues from a Catholic church .

Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen is one of the most left-wing bishops in Germany.
PETITION: Join faithful German Catholics in resisting bishops’ plan to ‘Protestantize’ Church Sign the petition here.
MAINZ, Germany, March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As they push to make celibacy optional to Catholic priests, one German bishop implied that praying for vocations to the priesthood does not work.
Speaking in a condescending tone, Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen told a press conference yesterday, “You must have a lot of trust in God not to despair in the face of the success, or the little success, that we see not only here but also in Latin America.”
The question of prayer “has to be connected with the concrete realization of such a request, because God has to use people to realize this request.”
Overbeck is one of the most left-wing bishops in Germany.
In 2019, he showed his openness to female “priests.”
“Can one, for instance, make a connection between access to the priesthood and the Y chromosome by justifying it with the will of Jesus?” Overbeck asked.
Yesterday’s press conference at the spring meeting of the German Bishops’ Conference focused on Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia.
Alongside Overbeck, who is responsible for the subcommittee on Latin America of the German Bishops’ Conference, there were archbishop Ludwig Schick, head of the commission on the worldwide Church; Monsignor Pirmin Spiegel, who is involved with Misereor, a relief organization active in Latin America; and Father Michael Heinz, who works for another relief organization, Adveniat, which is also active in that area.
Asked by LifeSiteNews at what point the panelists would stop the debate on celibacy and female “ordinations,” and why 2,000 years of tradition are not convincing, Archbishop Schick responded that women cannot be ordained. Pope Francis affirmed this in Querida Amazonia, Schick argued.
However, all panelists had admitted in the past, as well as at the press conference, that the final document of the Amazon Synod remains valid. In it, the synod had requested “the permanent diaconate [sic] for women.”
On the questions of celibacy, Schick said it was “basically resolved.”
“It is possible that married men are ordained. We see that in the entire oriental tradition of Catholicism. We see that, as exceptions, when somebody from the Protestant church, as pastor, converts to the Catholic Church,” Schick told LifeSiteNews.
“This could be expanded; that would actually be nothing new,” Schick said. He was hopeful to find a solution with which “as many people as possible” can live.
Later, he explained that he can imagine “a dispensation” given to bishops in the Amazon, which would allow them to ordain properly formed married men to the priesthood.
Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, recently pointed out that making exceptions regarding celibacy for those living in the Amazon region is a mistake.
“An exception is transitory by definition and constitutes a parenthesis in the normal and natural state of things. This was the case of Anglican pastors returning to full communion. But the lack of a priest is not an exception. It is the normal state of any nascent Church, as in the Amazon, or dying Churches, as in the West,” Sarah said in an interview.
He also expressed his fear that the exception would become “a permanent state,” leading to a weakening of the principle of celibacy.
Cardinal Sarah explained that historically, “things are very clear: from the year 305, the Council of Elvira recalls the law, ‘received from the apostles,’ the continence of priests. As the Church was just emerging from the age of martyrdom, one of her first concerns was to affirm that priests must abstain from sexual relations with their wives.”
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said in January that celibacy was asked from bishops, priests, and deacons from the very beginning.
“In the Eastern Church – departing from the tradition of the early Church, and by no means in its continuation – it was allowed to priests and deacons by the Quinisext Council (691/692), which was characteristically held in the imperial palace and not in a church, to continue married life,” Müller clarified.
Nevertheless, he went on, married clergy were still asked to abstain from the marital act “some time before the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.”
Msgr. Spiegel, who, just like Fr. Heinz, was not dressed as a priest, claimed that the statues thrown into the Tiber during the Amazon synod by Austrian Catholic Alexander Tschugguel were not actually Pachamama statues.
He directly contradicted Pope Francis, who told the members of the Amazon Synod, “I would like to say a word about the Pachamama statues that were removed from the church at Traspontina, which were there without idolatrous intentions and were thrown into the Tiber.”
According to Spiegel, the statues only showed “life and abundance of the Amazon region.”
He said there was “no apostasy or idolatry” featuring the Pachamama statues in various religious ceremonies in the Vatican. Instead, he claimed in vague terms, those ceremonies were an expression “of joy, of abundance, also of a vision of fullness of life. This is connected to water.”
Spiegel also said that the people in the Amazon region were not offended by Tschugguel throwing the statues into the Tiber, since water is so important to them.
“He should have been better informed,” Spiegel said, insinuating that Tschugguel’s goal was to offend the indigenous. In reality, his intention was to remove the pagan statues from a Catholic church.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Trump, McConnell hammer Schumer for ‘threat’ against judges in abortion case

WASHINGTON , D.C. , March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fired back against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for comments he made Wednesday warning the Supreme Court not to render a pro-life verdict in its current abortion case .
Oral arguments began Wednesday over Louisiana ’ s requirement that abortion centers make arrangements for admitting women to nearby hospitals in cases of life-threatening complications .
The abortion industry ’ s attorneys argue the law is no different from the Texas law the Supreme Court struck down in 2016 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hellerstedt ; pro-lifers argue that Hellerstedt was not only wrongly decided but inapplicable to Louisiana ’ s situation .
During a pro-abortion rally outside the Supreme Court , Schumer had a message for President Donald Trump ’ s two additions to the Supreme Court , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
“ I wan na tell you , Gorsuch , I wan na tell you , Kavanaugh : you have released the whirlwind , and you will pay the price !
” the Democrat leader said .
“ You won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward with these awful decisions.
” Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts were among those who responded to the statement with strong disapproval : The next day , McConnell took to the Senate floor to address his Democrat counterpart ’ s words , Fox News reports .
“ There is nothing to call this except a threat , ” the GOP Senate leader said .
Responding to a Schumer spokesman ’ s follow-up claim that he was referring to Republican lawmakers rather than the judges he named , McConnell said , “ if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he said , we certainly can not know what he meant .
At the very best his comments were astonishingly reckless and extremely irresponsible.
” '' I should not have used the words I used ; they did n't come out the way I intended to , ” Schumer himself responded on the Senate floor , insisting he was referring only to political consequences rather than physical harm .
`` I 'm from Brooklyn .
We speak in strong language , '' he said , suggesting that “ strong language ” was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ’ s rights.
” “ As the highest ranked Democrat in the Senate , it is intolerable that Schumer would issue direct threats by name to two Supreme Court Justices if they did not vote his way on this case , ” Operation Rescue president Troy Newman responded .
“ I call on Chuck Schumer to resign .
Anyone who can make those kinds of direct and intimidating threats against the nation ’ s highest court is not fit to serve , and probably belongs behind bars.
” The Louisiana case is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hellerstedt precedent , which has been used to invalidate a broad range of modest abortion regulations as “ undue burdens ” on women .
It remains to be seen whether the court takes the opportunity to make a broader determination on the underlying legitimacy of Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood v. Casey , which force all fifty states to permit most abortions .
In January , more than 200 members of Congress signed a brief urging the court to use the case as an occasion to reconsider Roe .
Roe is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( numerous pro-abortion legal minds , including Ginsburg herself , have acknowledged the ruling ’ s flaws ) , but on its status as precedent , with the contemporary interpretation of the stare decisis doctrine holding that Roe ’ s lengthy history staying on the books grants it added weight .
Justice Clarence Thomas has forcefully rejected such arguments ; it remains to be seen how Roberts or President Trump ’ s two SCOTUS appointees , Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch , will weigh Roe ’ s precedent versus its substance .

Trump tweeted: 'This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer. If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW!'
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fired back against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for comments he made Wednesday warning the Supreme Court not to render a pro-life verdict in its current abortion case.
Oral arguments began Wednesday over Louisiana’s requirement that abortion centers make arrangements for admitting women to nearby hospitals in cases of life-threatening complications. The abortion industry’s attorneys argue the law is no different from the Texas law the Supreme Court struck down in 2016’s Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt; pro-lifers argue that Hellerstedt was not only wrongly decided but inapplicable to Louisiana’s situation.
During a pro-abortion rally outside the Supreme Court, Schumer had a message for President Donald Trump’s two additions to the Supreme Court, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“I wanna tell you, Gorsuch, I wanna tell you, Kavanaugh: you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price!” the Democrat leader said. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts were among those who responded to the statement with strong disapproval:
This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer. If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW! https://t.co/WqQUbyzaJU — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020
BREAKING from Chief Justice Roberts: pic.twitter.com/qO5PuHgLjr — Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) March 4, 2020
The next day, McConnell took to the Senate floor to address his Democrat counterpart’s words, Fox News reports.
“There is nothing to call this except a threat,” the GOP Senate leader said. Responding to a Schumer spokesman’s follow-up claim that he was referring to Republican lawmakers rather than the judges he named, McConnell said, “if he cannot even admit to saying what he said, we certainly cannot know what he meant. At the very best his comments were astonishingly reckless and extremely irresponsible.”
“I should not have used the words I used; they didn't come out the way I intended to,” Schumer himself responded on the Senate floor, insisting he was referring only to political consequences rather than physical harm. “I'm from Brooklyn. We speak in strong language,” he said, suggesting that “strong language” was warranted by the so-called threat to “women’s rights.”
“As the highest ranked Democrat in the Senate, it is intolerable that Schumer would issue direct threats by name to two Supreme Court Justices if they did not vote his way on this case,” Operation Rescue president Troy Newman responded. “I call on Chuck Schumer to resign. Anyone who can make those kinds of direct and intimidating threats against the nation’s highest court is not fit to serve, and probably belongs behind bars.”
The Louisiana case is likely to at the very least impact the Hellerstedt precedent, which has been used to invalidate a broad range of modest abortion regulations as “undue burdens” on women. It remains to be seen whether the court takes the opportunity to make a broader determination on the underlying legitimacy of Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which force all fifty states to permit most abortions. In January, more than 200 members of Congress signed a brief urging the court to use the case as an occasion to reconsider Roe.
Roe is largely defended not on its legal merits (numerous pro-abortion legal minds, including Ginsburg herself, have acknowledged the ruling’s flaws), but on its status as precedent, with the contemporary interpretation of the stare decisis doctrine holding that Roe’s lengthy history staying on the books grants it added weight. Justice Clarence Thomas has forcefully rejected such arguments; it remains to be seen how Roberts or President Trump’s two SCOTUS appointees, Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, will weigh Roe’s precedent versus its substance.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Top US pro-life group calls on Schumer to resign over remarks against SCOTUS justices

WASHINGTON , D.C. , March 5 , 2020 ( Operation Rescue ) — Yesterday , as the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing an important abortion case , June Medical Services v. Russo , Sen. Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) publicly threatened Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh while speaking to a crowd of abortion supporters , as evidenced in a widely shared video clip of his remarks .
“ And they ’ re taking away fundamental rights .
I want to tell you , Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch : You have unleashed a whirlwind , and you will pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cheering crowd .
“ You won ’ t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.
” “ As the highest ranked Democrat in the Senate , it is intolerable that Schumer would issue direct threats by name to two Supreme Court Justices if they did not vote his way on this case , ” said Troy Newman , President of Operation Rescue .
“ I call on Chuck Schumer to resign .
Anyone who can make those kinds of direct and intimidating threats against the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve , and probably belongs behind bars.
” After Schumer ’ s remarks , Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rebuke to Schumer , saying in a statement , “ Justices know that criticism comes with the territory , but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate , they are dangerous.
” “ In all the contentious cases that have come before the Supreme Court , it is not a coincidence that an abortion case would prompt such alarming conduct .
Abortion is central to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , and they obviously will stop at nothing to protect it , ” said Newman .
Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-MO ) announced plans to file a motion to censure Schumer for his threatening comments .
“ I would call on Schumer to apologize , but we all know he has no shame .
So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of # SupremeCourt , ” Hawley wrote in a post on Twitter.com .
“ We support Sen. Hawley ’ s motion to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Operation Rescue calls on the Department of Justice to investigate Schumer and his threats as crimes , ” said Newman .
“ When a man called our office and threatened to do us harm because we did not comply with his demands , he was arrested and is now serving time in Federal Prison .
If there is to be equal justice , Schumer should not be held above the law .
”

'You have unleashed a whirlwind, and you will pay the price,' Schumer said at a pro-abortion rally, directing his remark to Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh.
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2020 (Operation Rescue) — Yesterday, as the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing an important abortion case, June Medical Services v. Russo, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) publicly threatened Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh while speaking to a crowd of abortion supporters, as evidenced in a widely shared video clip of his remarks.
“And they’re taking away fundamental rights. I want to tell you, Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch: You have unleashed a whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer shouted to the cheering crowd. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Now @chuckschumer is threatening Supreme Court Justices personally, to the point of implying their physical safety is endangered. Disgusting, shameful, and frankly, WEAK https://t.co/4E67VWerVv — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 5, 2020
“As the highest ranked Democrat in the Senate, it is intolerable that Schumer would issue direct threats by name to two Supreme Court Justices if they did not vote his way on this case,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “I call on Chuck Schumer to resign. Anyone who can make those kinds of direct and intimidating threats against the nation’s highest court is not fit to serve, and probably belongs behind bars.”
After Schumer’s remarks, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rebuke to Schumer, saying in a statement, “Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous.”
“In all the contentious cases that have come before the Supreme Court, it is not a coincidence that an abortion case would prompt such alarming conduct. Abortion is central to the Democrat’s subversive plans for America, and they obviously will stop at nothing to protect it,” said Newman.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced plans to file a motion to censure Schumer for his threatening comments.
“I would call on Schumer to apologize, but we all know he has no shame. So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of #SupremeCourt,” Hawley wrote in a post on Twitter.com.
I would call on Schumer to apologize, but we all know he has no shame. So tomorrow I will introduce a motion to censure Schumer for his pathetic attempt at intimidation of #SupremeCourt — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 5, 2020
“We support Sen. Hawley’s motion to censure Schumer, but in addition, Operation Rescue calls on the Department of Justice to investigate Schumer and his threats as crimes,” said Newman. “When a man called our office and threatened to do us harm because we did not comply with his demands, he was arrested and is now serving time in Federal Prison. If there is to be equal justice, Schumer should not be held above the law.”
Published with permission from Operation Rescue.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Young woman calls on UK Bishops to fulfill duty to fight for unborn: ‘shout it from the roofto

Young woman calls on UK Bishops to fulfill duty to fight for unborn: ‘shout it from the rooftops!’

March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — It ’ s always encouraging to see young people engaged in the fight for the unborn .
At this year ’ s March for Life in Washington D.C. , I had the privilege to speak with an inspiring young woman doing extremely important work for the pro-life cause .
Eden Linton works for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children in the United Kingdom .
As you ’ ll see on this special edition of the John-Henry Westen Show , she is a warrior for unborn babies .
Among other things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.K. to fulfill their “ duty ” to fight for the unborn .
Watch my interview with her below .
Also , be sure to visit her website , Abortion .
It 's a Black and White issue .
Click here : www.blackwhiteissue.com 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ] .

Eden Linton is a pro-life activist who works for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children in the United Kingdom.
March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — It’s always encouraging to see young people engaged in the fight for the unborn. At this year’s March for Life in Washington D.C., I had the privilege to speak with an inspiring young woman doing extremely important work for the pro-life cause.
Eden Linton works for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children in the United Kingdom. As you’ll see on this special edition of the John-Henry Westen Show, she is a warrior for unborn babies.
Among other things, Eden calls on Bishops and laity in the U.K. to fulfill their “duty” to fight for the unborn.
Watch my interview with her below. Also, be sure to visit her website, Abortion. It's a Black and White issue. Click here: www.blackwhiteissue.com
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].
Follow John-Henry John-Henry is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.com. He and his wife Dianne and their eight children live in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada. He has spoken at conferences and retreats, and appeared on radio and television throughout North America, Europe and Asia. John-Henry founded the Rome Life Forum an annual strategy meeting for pro-life leaders worldwide. He co-founded Voice of the Family and serves on the executive of the Canadian National March for Life Committee, and the annual National Pro-Life Youth Conference. He is a consultant to Canada’s largest pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition, and serves on the executive of the Ontario branch of the organization. He has run three times for political office in the province of Ontario representing the Family Coalition Party. John-Henry earned an MA from the University of Toronto in School and Child Clinical Psychology and an Honours BA from York University in Psychology.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Young woman calls on UK Bishops to fulfill ‘duty’ to fight for unborn

At the 2020 March for Life in Washington , John-Henry spoke with Eden Linton , a pro-life activist who works @ @ @ @ @ Protection of Unborn Children .
She calls on Bishops and laity to fulfill their “ @ @ @ @ @ the fight for the unborn .

At the 2020 March for Life in Washington, John-Henry spoke with Eden Linton, a pro-life activist who works for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. She calls on Bishops and laity to fulfill their “duty” to engage in the fight for the unborn.
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lifesitenews--2020-03-05--Belgium euthanasia stats show troubling increases, social acceptance

March 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The Belgian euthanasia commission received 12.6 percent more declarations in 2019 as compared with 2018 , despite worry on the part of the pro-euthanasia lobby that the first ever public prosecution of the potentially illegal “ mercy-killing ” of a mentally ill woman would lead to more cautiousness on the part of physicians .
The Tine Nys affair wound up at the end of January with the acquittal of three doctors involved in the “ medical ” killing of the 38-year-old , but “ fear ” had set in during the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the major arguments for the defense that the widely publicized trial had already hampered Belgians ’ access to legal euthanasia .
This has now been proved untrue .
Two thousand six hundred fifty-five persons were euthanized in Belgium last year .
Only five years earlier , in 2015 , the threshold of 2,000 yearly euthanasias was crossed .
After a period of relative stability , statistics are clearly on the rise , and officials expect the symbolic number of 3,000 legal killings to be reached in the not too distant future .
Patrik @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who as a member of the information forum on chosen death is charged with helping people to obtain information on euthanasia and palliative care during the end of life , told nieuwsblad.be that euthanasia is becoming more and more socially acceptable .
“ It is widely supported and accepted .
You can ’ t capsize such an enormous tanker with a little boat like the euthanasia trial , ” he said .
Vankrunkelsven expects euthanasia statistics to reach a ceiling at some point , but the fact is that in Belgium , obtaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy .
Besides , doctors can now more or less count on impunity , even when circumstances are questionable , to say the least , and when the euthanized patient ’ s near and dear ones take them to court , as happened in the Nys affair .
Of the 2,655 cases reported to the official euthanasia commission in 2019 , not a single one was disapproved .
Seventy-three point six percent were approved without question , 9.8 percent led to enquiries for administrative reasons , and the rest led to medical questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executing doctors .
But none was forwarded to the public prosecutor .
The cases include one involving a non-emancipated minor whose request was deemed acceptable regarding the law insofar as the young person was considered competent to make that decision .
In 2018 , two such euthanasias took place , respectively on a 9- and an 11-year-old .
In 2019 , 27 patients were killed in application of advance directives , meaning that they were not in a condition where they could repeat a death wish that had been formulated before they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unconsciousness was deemed irreversible .
This type of situation can be expected to become more frequent , as the Belgian parliament is in the process of extending the validity of such advance directives or “ living wills ” indefinitely .
Full details on 2019 euthanasias will become available when the Belgian euthanasia commission publishes its twice-yearly public report over 2018–2019 .
For the time being , it has published general statistics regarding age , place of execution , sex ( over 52 percent of victims are women ) , and so on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ euthanasias ( 2.053 ) were performed in Dutch-speaking Flanders against 22.7 percent ( 603 ) in French-speaking Wallonia , even though Flanders represents only about 57 to 60 percent of the total population of fewer than 11.5 million souls .
No explanations have been suggested for this discrepancy .
Some speculate that this could be linked to improper reporting in Wallonia , or preference in this region for palliative care , or the increased use of terminal sedation , which is not technically counted as euthanasia .
According to executing doctors , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 in Belgium were performed on patients who had reached the terminal phase of their illness , while the rest had months or even years to live .
No fewer than eight patients were over 100 years old .
But only 67.8 percent of the total were over 70 , with the largest single group being the 70- to 79-year-olds ( 28.4 percent ) .
Under-40s accounted for 1.5 percent of all cases , and almost a third , 30.7 , were in the 40 to 69 age bracket .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of interesting lessons to teach the rest of the world , where euthanasia is becoming more and more widely available , with most recent legal moves in that direction having taken place in Germany and Portugal .
Social acceptance is obviously going together with increased rejection of suffering and also , according to members of the euthanasia commission , with ever larger numbers of elderly people .
Sixty-two pointo five percent of euthanasia victims in Belgium last year had cancer , and 17.3 percent had multiple diseases , while neuropathologies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 percent .
One point eight percent of all cases — 49 patients — involved no physical illness at all , but psychiatric or behavioral disorders , including cognitive disease .
When euthanasia was made legal in Belgium in 2002 , hopeless , unbearable physical suffering was put forward to gain acceptance for the transgressive law .
But plain physical suffering was invoked in only 12.8 percent of “ mercy-killings ” last year .
Eighty-two point eight percent involved both physical and psychological suffering .
The remaining 4.3 percent involved psychological suffering only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release makes clear that this should not be confused with psychiatric disorder : the statistic points to people who have a physical illness that does not cause much pain or whose pain can be alleviated through painkillers , but who suffer because of loss of “ dignity ” or autonomy .
It should be underscored that the head of the Belgian euthanasia commission is an enthusiastic proponent of the “ right ” to choose death , Pr .
Wim Distelmans .
Distelmans has personally performed a number of controversial euthanasias , including on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body to look like a man ; deaf twins ; and a depressed 64-year-old , Godelieve De Troyer , whose family he did not trouble to give prior warning .
This is the man who is supposed to check whether the law is being upheld .
In the French-speaking part of Belgium , another well known lobbyist for euthanasia , Jacqueline Herremans , is a member of the federal euthanasia commission .
She describes herself on her Twitter account as “ pro-choice ” and with the words “ Ni dieu , ni maître @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Things could not be clearer .

Analysis
March 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The Belgian euthanasia commission received 12.6 percent more declarations in 2019 as compared with 2018, despite worry on the part of the pro-euthanasia lobby that the first ever public prosecution of the potentially illegal “mercy-killing” of a mentally ill woman would lead to more cautiousness on the part of physicians.
The Tine Nys affair wound up at the end of January with the acquittal of three doctors involved in the “medical” killing of the 38-year-old, but “fear” had set in during the previous months. It was indeed one of the major arguments for the defense that the widely publicized trial had already hampered Belgians’ access to legal euthanasia.
This has now been proved untrue. Two thousand six hundred fifty-five persons were euthanized in Belgium last year. Only five years earlier, in 2015, the threshold of 2,000 yearly euthanasias was crossed. After a period of relative stability, statistics are clearly on the rise, and officials expect the symbolic number of 3,000 legal killings to be reached in the not too distant future.
Patrik Vankrunkelsven, a “LEIF” doctor who as a member of the information forum on chosen death is charged with helping people to obtain information on euthanasia and palliative care during the end of life, told nieuwsblad.be that euthanasia is becoming more and more socially acceptable.
“It is widely supported and accepted. You can’t capsize such an enormous tanker with a little boat like the euthanasia trial,” he said. Vankrunkelsven expects euthanasia statistics to reach a ceiling at some point, but the fact is that in Belgium, obtaining a lethal shot is becoming ever more easy. Besides, doctors can now more or less count on impunity, even when circumstances are questionable, to say the least, and when the euthanized patient’s near and dear ones take them to court, as happened in the Nys affair.
Of the 2,655 cases reported to the official euthanasia commission in 2019, not a single one was disapproved. Seventy-three point six percent were approved without question, 9.8 percent led to enquiries for administrative reasons, and the rest led to medical questions being asked or remarks being made to the executing doctors. But none was forwarded to the public prosecutor.
The cases include one involving a non-emancipated minor whose request was deemed acceptable regarding the law insofar as the young person was considered competent to make that decision. In 2018, two such euthanasias took place, respectively on a 9- and an 11-year-old.
In 2019, 27 patients were killed in application of advance directives, meaning that they were not in a condition where they could repeat a death wish that had been formulated before they lost their mental competence. Their state of unconsciousness was deemed irreversible.
This type of situation can be expected to become more frequent, as the Belgian parliament is in the process of extending the validity of such advance directives or “living wills” indefinitely.
Full details on 2019 euthanasias will become available when the Belgian euthanasia commission publishes its twice-yearly public report over 2018–2019. For the time being, it has published general statistics regarding age, place of execution, sex (over 52 percent of victims are women), and so on.
Strangely enough, 77.3 percent of euthanasias (2.053) were performed in Dutch-speaking Flanders against 22.7 percent (603) in French-speaking Wallonia, even though Flanders represents only about 57 to 60 percent of the total population of fewer than 11.5 million souls. No explanations have been suggested for this discrepancy. Some speculate that this could be linked to improper reporting in Wallonia, or preference in this region for palliative care, or the increased use of terminal sedation, which is not technically counted as euthanasia.
According to executing doctors, a majority (83.1 percent) of euthanasias in 2019 in Belgium were performed on patients who had reached the terminal phase of their illness, while the rest had months or even years to live.
No fewer than eight patients were over 100 years old. But only 67.8 percent of the total were over 70, with the largest single group being the 70- to 79-year-olds (28.4 percent). Under-40s accounted for 1.5 percent of all cases, and almost a third, 30.7, were in the 40 to 69 age bracket.
As a pioneer in legal euthanasia, Belgium has a number of interesting lessons to teach the rest of the world, where euthanasia is becoming more and more widely available, with most recent legal moves in that direction having taken place in Germany and Portugal.
Social acceptance is obviously going together with increased rejection of suffering and also, according to members of the euthanasia commission, with ever larger numbers of elderly people.
Sixty-two pointo five percent of euthanasia victims in Belgium last year had cancer, and 17.3 percent had multiple diseases, while neuropathologies and circulatory and respiratory diseases accounted for some 12 percent.
One point eight percent of all cases — 49 patients — involved no physical illness at all, but psychiatric or behavioral disorders, including cognitive disease.
When euthanasia was made legal in Belgium in 2002, hopeless, unbearable physical suffering was put forward to gain acceptance for the transgressive law. But plain physical suffering was invoked in only 12.8 percent of “mercy-killings” last year. Eighty-two point eight percent involved both physical and psychological suffering. The remaining 4.3 percent involved psychological suffering only. The commission’s official press release makes clear that this should not be confused with psychiatric disorder: the statistic points to people who have a physical illness that does not cause much pain or whose pain can be alleviated through painkillers, but who suffer because of loss of “dignity” or autonomy.
It should be underscored that the head of the Belgian euthanasia commission is an enthusiastic proponent of the “right” to choose death, Pr. Wim Distelmans. Distelmans has personally performed a number of controversial euthanasias, including on a woman who regretted having mutilated her body to look like a man; deaf twins; and a depressed 64-year-old, Godelieve De Troyer, whose family he did not trouble to give prior warning. This is the man who is supposed to check whether the law is being upheld.
In the French-speaking part of Belgium, another well known lobbyist for euthanasia, Jacqueline Herremans, is a member of the federal euthanasia commission. She describes herself on her Twitter account as “pro-choice” and with the words “Ni dieu, ni maître”: “Neither God nor master.”
Things could not be clearer.
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