lifesitenews--2020-01-28--Fox stonewalls pro-life group from running ‘abortion survivors’ ad on Super Bowl Sunday

January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The pro-life group that created the powerful abortion survivor TV ad played at the March for Life last week is calling out Fox Sports Network for stonewalling them and refusing to approve their ad to run in a slot on Super Bowl Sunday this coming weekend .
Faces of Choice , a new non-profit whose ad featuring 14 survivors of abortion was shown at the March for Life , say they have been “ given the runaround ” by the network for six months .
The ad , which features the faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to raise awareness of the survivors of abortion who all univocally make it clear that they are persons and not a `` choice . ''
Faces of Choice applied to run a 30-second version of the ad .
The ad doesn ’ t mention abortion .
Faces of Choice says it has been carefully produced so that it is appropriate for the Super Bowl audience .
Lyric Gillett , founder of Faces of Choice , told LifeSiteNews she has invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of working hours after the network approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gillett told LifeSite that the application was originally made in July , but that over the following months , members of the Fox legal department made a series of further inquiries without ever approving the application .
Gillett said that they had answered every question the legal team asked and provided all necessary documentation .
“ We were one of the very first people to submit anything to them .
We met every single stipulation that they asked for and every time we met the line they moved the line further to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LifeSite .
Gillett says that she was initially advised that they would be informed if the application was successful in October 2019 .
But no answer was given .
“ We were told over and over again ‘ you ’ re going to get an answer ’ , but we never got anything , ” she said .
Gillett told LifeSite that at one stage , they were told by the Fox legal department that they wanted to know everybody who was donating towards or sponsoring the ad .
She told LifeSite that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request , ” they nevertheless provided information on major figures who had supported the effort .
In November last year , Gillett said that she wrote to the legal team saying that the delay in approving the ad meant that they risked going past the time of year when potential sponsors would commit to making financial donations .
She says that she was then told on a Friday that they would be given an answer on the following Monday , because the relevant personnel at Fox didn ’ t work over the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was informed that the advertising slots had sold out .
Advised by her experienced media buyer that additional slots always become available at a later date , Gillett asked the Fox legal team to authorize the application so that they would be eligible to secure any slots that might become available .
That request for authorization was refused .
When Fox announced last week that more slots had become available , Gillett re-submitted the application but has had no response thus far .
“ I think it ’ s very clever what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said ‘ no ’ then we could say ‘ this is asinine , look at the suitable ad that Fox rejected ’ , but they haven ’ t directly said ‘ no , ’ they ’ ve ignored us , wasted our time , refused to give an answer and refused to either give us clearance or simply say ‘ no , ’ ” Gillett said .
Gillett told LifeSite that the abortion survivors featured in the ad “ have been ignored their whole lives and that they now faced being ignored again.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the Faces of Choice application has not been approved or if they can provide any comment on the claim that Faces of Choice have “ been given the runaround ” by the network .
Fox did not respond by the time of publication .
In a press statement , Gillett stressed the potential positive impact the ad could have for the pro-life movement and unborn babies .
“ Every great human rights movement in history has been anchored in the stories and the faces of its victims , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do ; we simply want to tell their forgotten stories and there ’ s no larger mega-phone than the Super Bowl .
After months of correspondence with the Fox Sports Network , we are asking for a definitive answer immediately.
” Faces of Choice is now working on a campaign with My Faith Votes to run a petition and email campaign asking Fox Sports Network to approve and air the ad .
“ Fox Sports needs to hear from thousands of pro-life Americans , today , ” said CEO of My Faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no time to wait .
Go online now and sign the petition.
” Americans who want the ad accepted and played during the Super Bowl are encouraged to sign the petition and join the email campaign being run by Faces of Choice and My Faith Votes .
Last year ’ s Super Bowl reportedly averaged over 100 million viewers .
Yesterday , NBC News reported that two drag queens would feature in an ad for the hummus brand Sabra during the broadcast .
Readers may also wish to call Fox at @

PETITION: Boycott the Super Bowl for airing ad with drag queens. Sign the petition here.
January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The pro-life group that created the powerful abortion survivor TV ad played at the March for Life last week is calling out Fox Sports Network for stonewalling them and refusing to approve their ad to run in a slot on Super Bowl Sunday this coming weekend.
Faces of Choice, a new non-profit whose ad featuring 14 survivors of abortion was shown at the March for Life, say they have been “given the runaround” by the network for six months.
The ad, which features the faces and stories of abortion survivors, is designed to raise awareness of the survivors of abortion who all univocally make it clear that they are persons and not a “choice.” Faces of Choice applied to run a 30-second version of the ad. The ad doesn’t mention abortion. Faces of Choice says it has been carefully produced so that it is appropriate for the Super Bowl audience.
Lyric Gillett, founder of Faces of Choice, told LifeSiteNews she has invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of working hours after the network approved her storyboard for the advert months ago.
Gillett told LifeSite that the application was originally made in July, but that over the following months, members of the Fox legal department made a series of further inquiries without ever approving the application. Gillett said that they had answered every question the legal team asked and provided all necessary documentation.
“We were one of the very first people to submit anything to them. We met every single stipulation that they asked for and every time we met the line they moved the line further to request something else,” Gillett told LifeSite.
Gillett says that she was initially advised that they would be informed if the application was successful in October 2019. But no answer was given. “We were told over and over again ‘you’re going to get an answer’, but we never got anything,” she said.
Gillett told LifeSite that at one stage, they were told by the Fox legal department that they wanted to know everybody who was donating towards or sponsoring the ad. She told LifeSite that although this was “really an untenable request,” they nevertheless provided information on major figures who had supported the effort.
In November last year, Gillett said that she wrote to the legal team saying that the delay in approving the ad meant that they risked going past the time of year when potential sponsors would commit to making financial donations. She says that she was then told on a Friday that they would be given an answer on the following Monday, because the relevant personnel at Fox didn’t work over the weekend. The following Monday Gillett says she was informed that the advertising slots had sold out.
Advised by her experienced media buyer that additional slots always become available at a later date, Gillett asked the Fox legal team to authorize the application so that they would be eligible to secure any slots that might become available. That request for authorization was refused. When Fox announced last week that more slots had become available, Gillett re-submitted the application but has had no response thus far.
“I think it’s very clever what they’re doing. If they directly said ‘no’ then we could say ‘this is asinine, look at the suitable ad that Fox rejected’, but they haven’t directly said ‘no,’ they’ve ignored us, wasted our time, refused to give an answer and refused to either give us clearance or simply say ‘no,’” Gillett said.
Gillett told LifeSite that the abortion survivors featured in the ad “have been ignored their whole lives and that they now faced being ignored again.”
LifeSite has contacted Fox to ask why the Faces of Choice application has not been approved or if they can provide any comment on the claim that Faces of Choice have “been given the runaround” by the network. Fox did not respond by the time of publication.
In a press statement, Gillett stressed the potential positive impact the ad could have for the pro-life movement and unborn babies.
“Every great human rights movement in history has been anchored in the stories and the faces of its victims,” she said. “That’s what we aim to do; we simply want to tell their forgotten stories and there’s no larger mega-phone than the Super Bowl. After months of correspondence with the Fox Sports Network, we are asking for a definitive answer immediately.”
Faces of Choice is now working on a campaign with My Faith Votes to run a petition and email campaign asking Fox Sports Network to approve and air the ad.
“Fox Sports needs to hear from thousands of pro-life Americans, today,” said CEO of My Faith Votes, Jason Yates. “There’s no time to wait. Go online now and sign the petition.”
Americans who want the ad accepted and played during the Super Bowl are encouraged to sign the petition and join the email campaign being run by Faces of Choice and My Faith Votes.
Last year’s Super Bowl reportedly averaged over 100 million viewers. Yesterday, NBC News reported that two drag queens would feature in an ad for the hummus brand Sabra during the broadcast.
Contact information:
Barbara De Santis, Senior Vice President, Standards & Practices at Fox Corporation
Email: [email protected]
Readers may also wish to call Fox at 888-369-4762
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lifesitenews--2020-01-28--New documentary exposes direct link between abortion and US sex trafficking

January 27 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A new documentary exposes how abortion fuels the sex trafficking of women , including minors , in the United States .
Blind Eyes Opened debuted with a one-night-only event in over 500 U.S. theaters on January 23 .
The film was produced by the non-profit Christian film production outlet based in Tampa , Florida , Ships of Tarshish Inc. Its main message is that sex trafficking is happening right now in the United States and it makes the case that abortion is helping to make it happen .
“ They can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between sex trafficking and abortion because then that makes abortion part of the problem .
I mean abortion is the best thing on the planet for an abuser because it covers up and hides the abuse , ” former Planned Parenthood manager Abby Johnson and author of Unplanned is quoted as saying in the film .
Johnson is a pro-life advocate and founder of , And Then There Were None .
She makes an appearance in the documentary , specifically addressing the connection between abortion and sex trafficking .
“ Once you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you begin to see it everywhere – it ’ s in every single community , ” Geoffrey Rogers , Executive Producer of Blind Eyes Opened and CEO of the US Institute Against Human Trafficking , said in the film ’ s press release .
Blind Eyes Opened is filled with strong testimonies from those who have been victims of sex trafficking .
It tells the stories of many survivors whose trafficking began when they were young , and many of whose parents were complicit in trafficking .
It provides powerful interviews from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power and love of Christ ’ s healing .
Executive Producer and writer of the film Kerri Rogers said in the film ’ s press release : “ We absolutely need the church to engage in this crucial battle ; but first , followers of Christ have to allow themselves to see the problem , and that ’ s what this movie aims to do.
” “ If we ’ re going to truly overcome the evil of sex trafficking , hearts have to change ; and this only happens through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice defines sex trafficking as , “ a ) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force , fraud , or coercion , or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age ; or b ) The recruitment , harboring , transportation , provision , or obtaining of a person for labor or services , through the use of force , fraud , or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude , peonage , debt bondage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ § 7102 ( 9 ) ) .
” Alexis Walkenstein , President of AWE , Inc. , and the Catholic marketing and public relations representative for the film spoke to LifeSiteNews the week after its debut .
“ It opened successfully and had a strong response , ” said Walkenstein .
“ Sex trafficking is one of the prongs in the pro-life area , and it ’ s one of those things that is really hard for people to wrap their arms around , what is sex trafficking , human trafficking , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church , and puts kind of a call to action on the church… this is a huge issue , ” she added .
Walkenstein encourages churches to license screenings of Blind Eyes Opened to help get the message out about the film .
To arrange a screening or attend a showing of one that has already been scheduled , follow this link .
Walkenstein helped promote the powerful pro-life film Unplanned about Abby Johnson and her conversion to the pro-life cause .
The documentary makes a clear and explicit connection between abortion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serves as a vessel to fuel demand for sex trafficking , and allows girls trafficked for sex to be used over and over .
“ They stole my purity , my childhood ; the joy you ’ re supposed to have as a child , ” one victim from the film , Edie , is quoted as saying .
“ There were lots of opportunities for people to see , but they looked the other way.
” There are around 4.8 million people who are being sexually exploited worldwide .
More than one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the International Labour Organization .
Also , the average age a child when they first become a victim of sex trafficking is between 12-14 and 84 per cent of those in sex slavery were sexually abused as children .
( U.S. Department of Justice ) .
The documentary is a project that took six years to make .
Despite the darkness that it portrays , it does offer hope in revealing the infinite love and power of Christ , noted Walkenstein , which is pivotal in bringing healing to all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project called the film “ a powerful , heart-wrenching , and reverent exposé of the scourge of human trafficking in America .
While showing the prevalence and depravity of the industry , it reminds viewers that hope is stronger than darkness .
”

January 27, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A new documentary exposes how abortion fuels the sex trafficking of women, including minors, in the United States.
Blind Eyes Opened debuted with a one-night-only event in over 500 U.S. theaters on January 23. The film was produced by the non-profit Christian film production outlet based in Tampa, Florida, Ships of Tarshish Inc. Its main message is that sex trafficking is happening right now in the United States and it makes the case that abortion is helping to make it happen.
“They can’t admit that there is a connection between sex trafficking and abortion because then that makes abortion part of the problem. I mean abortion is the best thing on the planet for an abuser because it covers up and hides the abuse,” former Planned Parenthood manager Abby Johnson and author of Unplanned is quoted as saying in the film.
Johnson is a pro-life advocate and founder of, And Then There Were None. She makes an appearance in the documentary, specifically addressing the connection between abortion and sex trafficking.
“Once you’ve learned how to recognize human trafficking, you begin to see it everywhere – it’s in every single community,” Geoffrey Rogers, Executive Producer of Blind Eyes Opened and CEO of the US Institute Against Human Trafficking, said in the film’s press release.
Blind Eyes Opened is filled with strong testimonies from those who have been victims of sex trafficking. It tells the stories of many survivors whose trafficking began when they were young, and many of whose parents were complicit in trafficking. It provides powerful interviews from various perspectives, but also touches on the power and love of Christ’s healing.
Executive Producer and writer of the film Kerri Rogers said in the film’s press release: “We absolutely need the church to engage in this crucial battle; but first, followers of Christ have to allow themselves to see the problem, and that’s what this movie aims to do.” “If we’re going to truly overcome the evil of sex trafficking, hearts have to change; and this only happens through the love of Christ.”
The United States Department of Justice defines sex trafficking as, “a) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or b) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C. § 7102(9)).”
Alexis Walkenstein, President of AWE, Inc., and the Catholic marketing and public relations representative for the film spoke to LifeSiteNews the week after its debut. “It opened successfully and had a strong response,” said Walkenstein. “Sex trafficking is one of the prongs in the pro-life area, and it’s one of those things that is really hard for people to wrap their arms around, what is sex trafficking, human trafficking, and this documentary really exposes it to the church, and puts kind of a call to action on the church… this is a huge issue,” she added.
Walkenstein encourages churches to license screenings of Blind Eyes Opened to help get the message out about the film. To arrange a screening or attend a showing of one that has already been scheduled, follow this link.
Walkenstein helped promote the powerful pro-life film Unplanned about Abby Johnson and her conversion to the pro-life cause.
The documentary makes a clear and explicit connection between abortion and sex trafficking, notes Walkenstein. Abortion serves as a vessel to fuel demand for sex trafficking, and allows girls trafficked for sex to be used over and over.
“They stole my purity, my childhood; the joy you’re supposed to have as a child,” one victim from the film, Edie, is quoted as saying. “There were lots of opportunities for people to see, but they looked the other way.”
There are around 4.8 million people who are being sexually exploited worldwide. More than one million of these are kids, according to the International Labour Organization. Also, the average age a child when they first become a victim of sex trafficking is between 12-14 and 84 per cent of those in sex slavery were sexually abused as children. (U.S. Department of Justice).
The documentary is a project that took six years to make. Despite the darkness that it portrays, it does offer hope in revealing the infinite love and power of Christ, noted Walkenstein, which is pivotal in bringing healing to all of the victims.
Jason Evert of The Chastity Project called the film “a powerful, heart-wrenching, and reverent exposé of the scourge of human trafficking in America. While showing the prevalence and depravity of the industry, it reminds viewers that hope is stronger than darkness.”
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lifesitenews--2020-01-28--How Christian parents should teach their children about the meaning of sexuality

January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The “ birds and the bees ” conversation that parents need to have with their children , in different ways at different times of maturation , will always be something of a challenge .
But Christian parents have several things going for them : first , the graces of the state of matrimony , which support them in all that they must do ; second , the simple fact that the truth of the matter , as it comes from God ’ s hand , is already good , fitting , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marked by the effects of the Fall .
When the time is right , smaller children can be told something like this : There ’ s a special kind of hug only for husbands and wives — people God has joined in marriage .
They become very close to each other , to show how much they love one another and to tell God that they are open to receiving the gift of a baby from Him , because He wants to give them the amazing gift of another person to love .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into mommy ’ s womb as a gift from this special hug .
That ’ s how you came to be here , and your brothers and sisters , too .
Beyond this germinal understanding , it can be helpful for parents to think about and discuss sexuality in terms of three major themes : ( 1 ) Adam and Eve , ( 2 ) Christ and the Church , ( 3 ) the evangelical counsels .
I ’ m certainly not suggesting that all of the following can be presented at once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspects can be brought out , one by one , as occasion permits .
( 1 ) When the first man was created , he was in a state of original solitude — not isolation , since he was with God , but still without a partner “ fit for him , ” of his own nature , with whom he could share a human life .
Man ’ s natural “ home ” is being together with another who completes him as well as other persons who proceed from that union .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by this bond between the first man and the first woman .
Fruitfulness is a fundamental natural good that allows the human race to exist ; it is also , consequently , a supernatural good , because it allows Christians to build up the Church by adding members to Christ .
This fertility of human nature is an expression of a generous and outward-oriented inner life , by which we can take part in the activity of creating that is proper to God .
( 2 ) The ultimate reason the two sexes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that all human couples represent , is the perfect and everlasting union of Christ and the Church ( cf .
Ephesians 5 ) .
In order for God to express His perfect love for mankind , He had to ensure first that there would be a relationship that is comprehensive , self-giving , fruitful , and stable .
Once this was in place , He could point us to it and say : “ That is how My love is — only better.
” Unfortunately , this created foreshadowing of the Incarnation was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be so damaged , yet not so much that the comparison is meaningless to us ; otherwise , Our Lord , St. Paul , and St. John would not have been able to use it at all .
( 3 ) These two points lead , finally , to a third .
It is not difficult to see how the truth that Christ is the perfect husband and the Church — in her heavenly glory , and wherever on Earth that glory is reflected in the life of grace — is His perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on celibate priesthood and religious life .
The man who wishes to follow Christ the High Priest should be like Him in not being married to a particular earthly spouse , since he is allowed to share in Christ ’ s unique marriage with His bride .
The priest is alter Christus : the image of Christ the Bridegroom .
Similarly , the woman who wishes to belong entirely to this heavenly Spouse must be His Bride and no one else ’ s : that is why the state of consecrated virginity is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It isn ’ t merely a spiritual desire to belong to Christ , which everyone should have ; it is a gift of one ’ s self in its entirety , body and soul , to Him alone , to the fullest degree possible in this life .
It is clear that Christ sacrificed many goods of human life ( “ the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head ” ) in order to show us the urgency and absoluteness of salvation .
A consecrate , celibate , or perpetually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the “ one thing needful ” chosen by Mary of Bethany .
Although many things matter relatively speaking , only one thing matters absolutely , and that is whether , after we die , our soul will go to Heaven ( immediately or after purgation ) or to Hell .
There are no other destinies than these two , and a human life is successful when it achieves eternal life , a failure when it loses happiness forever .
By teaching young children , from early on , the beauty of marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the calling to religious life or priesthood , there develops a context for teaching on more specific aspects of sexuality and the body , which are then able to be seen in their full meaning and appropriateness .
This way , one avoids the extremes of excessive anatomical-biological detail on the one hand and a puritanical spirit of shameful silence or denigration on the other .
The Catholic vision of creation , redemption , and sanctification offers us a golden mean .
It should be obvious that children must be shielded from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to good things , that they are not yet mentally and psychologically ready to process .
This is the reason why Christian parents are , or will soon be , morally obliged to homeschool their children : state educational systems are increasingly committed to a militant sexualization based on hedonism , relativism , and nihilism , which is destructive of the innocence and purity of children .
In my next column , I will look at the difficult question of how to talk about sexual evils , which are , alas , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times that they can not be entirely avoided .

January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The “birds and the bees” conversation that parents need to have with their children, in different ways at different times of maturation, will always be something of a challenge. But Christian parents have several things going for them: first, the graces of the state of matrimony, which support them in all that they must do; second, the simple fact that the truth of the matter, as it comes from God’s hand, is already good, fitting, and beautiful, even if it is also marked by the effects of the Fall.
When the time is right, smaller children can be told something like this:
There’s a special kind of hug only for husbands and wives — people God has joined in marriage. They become very close to each other, to show how much they love one another and to tell God that they are open to receiving the gift of a baby from Him, because He wants to give them the amazing gift of another person to love. So sometimes God will put a baby into mommy’s womb as a gift from this special hug. That’s how you came to be here, and your brothers and sisters, too.
Beyond this germinal understanding, it can be helpful for parents to think about and discuss sexuality in terms of three major themes: (1) Adam and Eve, (2) Christ and the Church, (3) the evangelical counsels. I’m certainly not suggesting that all of the following can be presented at once, but over time, these different aspects can be brought out, one by one, as occasion permits.
(1) When the first man was created, he was in a state of original solitude — not isolation, since he was with God, but still without a partner “fit for him,” of his own nature, with whom he could share a human life. Man’s natural “home” is being together with another who completes him as well as other persons who proceed from that union. Home, in fact, is defined by this bond between the first man and the first woman. Fruitfulness is a fundamental natural good that allows the human race to exist; it is also, consequently, a supernatural good, because it allows Christians to build up the Church by adding members to Christ. This fertility of human nature is an expression of a generous and outward-oriented inner life, by which we can take part in the activity of creating that is proper to God.
(2) The ultimate reason the two sexes were created, and the hidden truth that all human couples represent, is the perfect and everlasting union of Christ and the Church (cf. Ephesians 5). In order for God to express His perfect love for mankind, He had to ensure first that there would be a relationship that is comprehensive, self-giving, fruitful, and stable. Once this was in place, He could point us to it and say: “That is how My love is — only better.” Unfortunately, this created foreshadowing of the Incarnation was seriously damaged by sin and continues to be so damaged, yet not so much that the comparison is meaningless to us; otherwise, Our Lord, St. Paul, and St. John would not have been able to use it at all.
(3) These two points lead, finally, to a third. It is not difficult to see how the truth that Christ is the perfect husband and the Church — in her heavenly glory, and wherever on Earth that glory is reflected in the life of grace — is His perfect bride leads directly to the Catholic teaching on celibate priesthood and religious life. The man who wishes to follow Christ the High Priest should be like Him in not being married to a particular earthly spouse, since he is allowed to share in Christ’s unique marriage with His bride. The priest is alter Christus: the image of Christ the Bridegroom. Similarly, the woman who wishes to belong entirely to this heavenly Spouse must be His Bride and no one else’s: that is why the state of consecrated virginity is so noble and privileged in the Church. It isn’t merely a spiritual desire to belong to Christ, which everyone should have; it is a gift of one’s self in its entirety, body and soul, to Him alone, to the fullest degree possible in this life.
It is clear that Christ sacrificed many goods of human life (“the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head”) in order to show us the urgency and absoluteness of salvation. A consecrate, celibate, or perpetually continent life bears consistent and convincing witness to the “one thing needful” chosen by Mary of Bethany. Although many things matter relatively speaking, only one thing matters absolutely, and that is whether, after we die, our soul will go to Heaven (immediately or after purgation) or to Hell. There are no other destinies than these two, and a human life is successful when it achieves eternal life, a failure when it loses happiness forever.
(To read more about all these themes, see my article “This, Too, Reveals God: Sex and the Body in Catholic Theology.”)
By teaching young children, from early on, the beauty of marriage and family as well as the beauty of the calling to religious life or priesthood, there develops a context for teaching on more specific aspects of sexuality and the body, which are then able to be seen in their full meaning and appropriateness. This way, one avoids the extremes of excessive anatomical-biological detail on the one hand and a puritanical spirit of shameful silence or denigration on the other. The Catholic vision of creation, redemption, and sanctification offers us a golden mean.
It should be obvious that children must be shielded from premature exposure to evils, or even to good things, that they are not yet mentally and psychologically ready to process. This is the reason why Christian parents are, or will soon be, morally obliged to homeschool their children: state educational systems are increasingly committed to a militant sexualization based on hedonism, relativism, and nihilism, which is destructive of the innocence and purity of children.
In my next column, I will look at the difficult question of how to talk about sexual evils, which are, alas, so numerous and “loud” in our times that they cannot be entirely avoided.
Peter Kwasniewski, Thomistic theologian, liturgical scholar, and choral composer, is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College in California (B.A. Liberal Arts) and The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy). He taught at the International Theological Institute in Austria and the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Austria Program, then helped establish Wyoming Catholic College in 2006. There he taught theology, philosophy, music, and art history and directed the choirs until leaving in 2018 to devote himself full-time to writing and lecturing. Today he contributes regularly to many websites and publications, including New Liturgical Movement, OnePeterFive, LifeSiteNews, Rorate Caeli, The Remnant, and Catholic Family News, and has published thirteen books, including four on traditional Catholicism: Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis (Angelico, 2014, also available in Czech, Polish, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Belarusian), Noble Beauty, Transcendent Holiness (Angelico, 2017), Tradition and Sanity (Angelico, 2018), and Reclaiming Our Roman Catholic Birthright: The Genius and Timeliness of the Traditional Latin Mass (Angelico, 2020). His work has been translated into at least eighteen languages. Kwasniewski is a scholar of The Aquinas Institute in Green Bay, which is publishing the Opera Omnia of the Angelic Doctor, a Fellow of the Albertus Magnus Center for Scholastic Studies, and a Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center. He has published over a thousand articles on Thomistic thought, sacramental and liturgical theology, the history and aesthetics of music, and the social doctrine of the Church. For news, information, article links, sacred music, and the home of Os Justi Press, visit his personal website, www.peterkwasniewski.com.
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lifesitenews--2020-01-28--WATCH: Cdl Burke attended 2020 March for Life, thrilling young people

WASHINGTON , D.C. , January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The presence of Cardinal Raymond Burke at the 2020 March for Life inspired the dozens of students and young people with whom LifeSite spoke on- and off- camera about the historic event .
“ You are the young men and women , many of you born after 1973 , [ who ] are deeply conscious of what abortion , procured abortion , means .
And you are acting on that consciousness , which speaks to your own hearts in which God has inscribed his natural law , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and promote human life , ” Burked told a packed room of thousands of pro-life young people at the National Pro-Life Summit on Jan. 25 , 2020 in Washington D.C. one day after the March for Life .
Young people spoke with LifeSiteNews after the event , stating how much they were inspired and empowered by the Cardinal 's presence and his words .
Video captured of Burke at the March for Life , walking among the crowd has already gone viral , being view more than 34,000 times as of this writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning of the March for Life and then attended the march , which is the world ’ s largest annual human rights demonstration .
The next day , he delivered the invocation at the first-ever National Pro-Life Summit , an expansion of what in previous years was the Students for Life of America ( SFLA ) conference .
Live Action , Alliance Defending Freedom , and the Heritage Foundation joined SFLA in organizing and sponsoring the National Pro-Life Summit , which sought to cast “ a vision for a post-Roe America.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion Matt Birk , former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker , and a gamut of pro-life experts at whichever “ workshop track ” they chose : Leadership , Changing Minds , Bioethics , Empowering Women , and Winning Strategies .
Vice President Mike Pence ’ s daughter Charlotte was the keynote speaker .
More young activists were trained in one day at the National Pro-Life Summit than Planned Parenthood trained in an entire year , according to summit organizers and Planned Parenthood ’ s most recent annual report .
Young people also told LifeSiteNews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's address at the March for Life .
He was the first sitting U.S. president to ever attend the March for Life in person .
His speech energized pro-life advocates across the country .
“ To all the moms here today , we celebrate you and we declare that mothers are heroes , ” Trump said to roaring applause .
“ Your strength , devotion , and drive is what powers our nation .
Because of you , our country has been blessed with amazing souls who have changed the course of human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not know what our citizens yet unborn will achieve .
The dreams they will imagine .
The masterpieces they will create .
The discoveries they will make .
But we know this : every life brings love into this world .
Every child brings joy to a family .
Every person is worth protecting.
” “ And above all , we know that every human soul is divine and every human life , born and unborn , is made in the holy image of Almighty God .
”

'You are the young men and women, many of you born after 1973, [who] are deeply conscious of what abortion, procured abortion, means.'
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The presence of Cardinal Raymond Burke at the 2020 March for Life inspired the dozens of students and young people with whom LifeSite spoke on- and off- camera about the historic event.
“You are the young men and women, many of you born after 1973, [who] are deeply conscious of what abortion, procured abortion, means. And you are acting on that consciousness, which speaks to your own hearts in which God has inscribed his natural law, the first precept of which is to defend and promote human life,” Burked told a packed room of thousands of pro-life young people at the National Pro-Life Summit on Jan. 25, 2020 in Washington, D.C. one day after the March for Life.
Young people spoke with LifeSiteNews after the event, stating how much they were inspired and empowered by the Cardinal's presence and his words.
Video captured of Burke at the March for Life, walking among the crowd has already gone viral, being view more than 34,000 times as of this writing.
Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” was playing and the visual of @cardinalrlburke walking to the beat was too good not to record… #MarchForLife #SimplyTheBest pic.twitter.com/4T6uYRw0rT — Elizabeth Westhoff (@ESWesthoff) January 24, 2020
Burke offered a Traditional Latin Mass the morning of the March for Life and then attended the march, which is the world’s largest annual human rights demonstration. The next day, he delivered the invocation at the first-ever National Pro-Life Summit, an expansion of what in previous years was the Students for Life of America (SFLA) conference.
Live Action, Alliance Defending Freedom, and the Heritage Foundation joined SFLA in organizing and sponsoring the National Pro-Life Summit, which sought to cast “a vision for a post-Roe America.” Attendees heard from former NFL Super Bowl champion Matt Birk, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and a gamut of pro-life experts at whichever “workshop track” they chose: Leadership, Changing Minds, Bioethics, Empowering Women, and Winning Strategies. Vice President Mike Pence’s daughter Charlotte was the keynote speaker.
More young activists were trained in one day at the National Pro-Life Summit than Planned Parenthood trained in an entire year, according to summit organizers and Planned Parenthood’s most recent annual report.
Young people also told LifeSiteNews how they were inspired by President Trump's address at the March for Life. He was the first sitting U.S. president to ever attend the March for Life in person. His speech energized pro-life advocates across the country.
“To all the moms here today, we celebrate you and we declare that mothers are heroes,” Trump said to roaring applause. “Your strength, devotion, and drive is what powers our nation. Because of you, our country has been blessed with amazing souls who have changed the course of human history.”
He continued, “We cannot know what our citizens yet unborn will achieve. The dreams they will imagine. The masterpieces they will create. The discoveries they will make. But we know this: every life brings love into this world. Every child brings joy to a family. Every person is worth protecting.”“And above all, we know that every human soul is divine and every human life, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of Almighty God.”
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lifesitenews--2020-01-28--Are agnostic political leaders better than Christian leaders who are frauds?

January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — There is a theory going around that Britain ’ s prime minister , Boris Johnson , is going to grasp a historic opportunity to realign his Conservative Party in relation to emerging voting patterns .
It goes like this .
Johnson ’ s predecessor-but-one , David Cameron , combined austerity and globalisation with social liberalism , notably by forcing “ same-sex marriage ” through Parliament , against great opposition from inside his own party .
This did much to neutralise the opposition of the liberal media and arts establishment .
But things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political left has cut them adrift from their traditional working-class supporters , who value family and country .
Public finances don ’ t look quite as bad as before .
The vote to leave the European Union and the ferocious opposition to this by the political and media establishment has crystalized the break between the left and its traditional base .
Johnson ’ s strategy will be to pivot the Conservative Party into a more socially conservative , but less capitalist-friendly , party , to scoop up these newly available votes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States , and indeed , there are trends indicating a problem with left-wing parties losing their traditional supporters across the West .
How the parties of left and right respond to this is one of the great questions of our time .
Real life is always more complicated than the models beloved of political scientists .
Two things seem reasonably clear , however .
One is that there is an opportunity for political parties and movements in the “ socially conservative , ” or perhaps better “ culturally conservative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not line up with the left-right distinction of the recent past .
( Was it really a good idea for left-wing opponents of Britain ’ s departure from the European Union to brand it a “ right-wing ” project ?
Did this not make it inevitable that many traditionally left-voting “ leavers ” transferred their allegiance to the right ? )
The other is that this political space , if it does come to be represented successfully by political parties and movements , will not be represented by Christian leaders , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
The United States is something of an exception here , but in the UK and Europe , such leaders — cultural , intellectual , political — do not exist , and the voters I am talking about are not themselves predominantly church-going Christians .
They are , to be crass about it , mostly contraception-using , divorced and divorcing , pornography-consuming agnostics , who are nevertheless fed up with being told what to think ( and indirectly thrown out of work ) by clever-clever internationalist and politically correct media .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views and lifestyles have waned .
The clerical leadership of Catholic and most Protestant communities have increasingly identified themselves with issues beloved of left-wing parties that reject the old “ family issues ” completely .
This clerical leadership frequently views political leaders from its flocks who try to make something of family issues with disdain .
This makes it difficult to make a coherent public case for Christian values .
Boris Johnson has been married , and divorced , twice .
Some of his extramarital affairs have become well known .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anglican ( Episcopalian ) Church , but I don ’ t think he has any but the vaguest cultural affinity with Christianity .
In this , at least , he is typical of his generation .
Welcome to the post-Christian right .
He ’ s pro-abortion but keen on free speech .
We must take our comfort where we can find it .
Perhaps this will be a movement of an informed cultural respect for Christianity .
The atheist biologist Richard Dawkins could share his love of hymns .
The works of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation on the glories of Gothic architecture .
The agnostic Jordan Peterson could encourage young people to read the Bible .
If they are all simultaneously saying the metaphysical basis of the Christian religion is a lot of nonsense , we may still be better off than under the old kind of political leaders .
These were leaders who paid lip service to Christian institutions , and perhaps even nurtured “ personal ” religious faith , a faith they thought it would be impolite to talk about much , let alone act on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister , the Conservative Theresa May and the Labour Gordon Brown , were brought up by religious ministers .
Between them came David Cameron , a church-going Anglican ; before them , Tony Blair , whose faith journey actually led him to be received into the Catholic Church after his departure from office .
The degradation of the law and political culture under these four prime ministers was breathtaking : on euthanasia and abortion , homosexual “ marriage , ” experimentation on human embryos , and the creation of clones from them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world leader .
While as a voting bloc Catholics have almost zero influence on U.K. elections , we may at least be able to have a conversation with the proponents of the new politics .

Welcome to the post-Christian right. We must take our comfort where we can find it.
January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — There is a theory going around that Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, is going to grasp a historic opportunity to realign his Conservative Party in relation to emerging voting patterns. It goes like this. Johnson’s predecessor-but-one, David Cameron, combined austerity and globalisation with social liberalism, notably by forcing “same-sex marriage” through Parliament, against great opposition from inside his own party. This did much to neutralise the opposition of the liberal media and arts establishment.
But things have moved on. The hyper-liberalism of the political left has cut them adrift from their traditional working-class supporters, who value family and country. Public finances don’t look quite as bad as before. The vote to leave the European Union and the ferocious opposition to this by the political and media establishment has crystalized the break between the left and its traditional base. Johnson’s strategy will be to pivot the Conservative Party into a more socially conservative, but less capitalist-friendly, party, to scoop up these newly available votes.
There is obviously a parallel with politics in the United States, and indeed, there are trends indicating a problem with left-wing parties losing their traditional supporters across the West. How the parties of left and right respond to this is one of the great questions of our time.
Real life is always more complicated than the models beloved of political scientists. Two things seem reasonably clear, however. One is that there is an opportunity for political parties and movements in the “socially conservative,” or perhaps better “culturally conservative,” area of opinion, which does not line up with the left-right distinction of the recent past. (Was it really a good idea for left-wing opponents of Britain’s departure from the European Union to brand it a “right-wing” project? Did this not make it inevitable that many traditionally left-voting “leavers” transferred their allegiance to the right?)
The other is that this political space, if it does come to be represented successfully by political parties and movements, will not be represented by Christian leaders, in the way it would have been fifty years ago. The United States is something of an exception here, but in the UK and Europe, such leaders — cultural, intellectual, political — do not exist, and the voters I am talking about are not themselves predominantly church-going Christians. They are, to be crass about it, mostly contraception-using, divorced and divorcing, pornography-consuming agnostics, who are nevertheless fed up with being told what to think (and indirectly thrown out of work) by clever-clever internationalist and politically correct media.
It’s not just that more traditional views and lifestyles have waned. The clerical leadership of Catholic and most Protestant communities have increasingly identified themselves with issues beloved of left-wing parties that reject the old “family issues” completely. This clerical leadership frequently views political leaders from its flocks who try to make something of family issues with disdain. This makes it difficult to make a coherent public case for Christian values.
Boris Johnson has been married, and divorced, twice. Some of his extramarital affairs have become well known. He was baptised a Catholic and confirmed in the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church, but I don’t think he has any but the vaguest cultural affinity with Christianity. In this, at least, he is typical of his generation. Welcome to the post-Christian right. He’s pro-abortion but keen on free speech. We must take our comfort where we can find it.
Perhaps this will be a movement of an informed cultural respect for Christianity. The atheist biologist Richard Dawkins could share his love of hymns. The works of the late agnostic Roger Scruton could educate the nation on the glories of Gothic architecture. The agnostic Jordan Peterson could encourage young people to read the Bible. If they are all simultaneously saying the metaphysical basis of the Christian religion is a lot of nonsense, we may still be better off than under the old kind of political leaders.
These were leaders who paid lip service to Christian institutions, and perhaps even nurtured “personal” religious faith, a faith they thought it would be impolite to talk about much, let alone act on. Johnson’s predecessors as prime minister, the Conservative Theresa May and the Labour Gordon Brown, were brought up by religious ministers. Between them came David Cameron, a church-going Anglican; before them, Tony Blair, whose faith journey actually led him to be received into the Catholic Church after his departure from office. The degradation of the law and political culture under these four prime ministers was breathtaking: on euthanasia and abortion, homosexual “marriage,” experimentation on human embryos, and the creation of clones from them, the U.K., tragically, became a world leader.
While as a voting bloc Catholics have almost zero influence on U.K. elections, we may at least be able to have a conversation with the proponents of the new politics.
Follow Joseph Dr Joseph Shaw has a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University, where he also gained a first degree in Politics and Philosophy and a graduate Diploma in Theology. He has published on Ethics and Philosophy of Religion and is the editor of The Case for Liturgical Restoration: Una Voce Position Papers on the Extraordinary Form (Angelico Press). He is the Chairman of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales and Secretary of Una Voce International. He teaches Philosophy in Oxford University and lives nearby with his wife and nine children.
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lifesitenews--2020-01-29--Trump admin hosts international strategy meeting for pro-life cause

WASHINGTON , D.C. , January 28 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — Two weeks ago , the Trump administration hosted an international strategy meeting for ambassadors , ministers , and other government officials to discuss a way forward for the pro-life cause internationally .
“ I stated this fact at the United Nations this past September , and I ’ ll repeat it here : there is no international human right to abortion .
On the other hand , there is an international human right to life , ” U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The meeting was attended by representatives of 34 countries representing 1.7 billion people .
“ President Trump has been clear , at the U.N. and on the world stage : Health care exists to improve health and preserve human life , ” Azar emphasized .
He thanked the countries for their help in promoting a positive vision for women ’ s health , protecting the lives of the most vulnerable , defending the important role of the family , and parents in particular , in the health and well-being of their children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azar described the group of countries at the gathering as a “ pro-life , pro-family , pro-sovereignty coalition that is a force to be reckoned with ” and invited countries to help grow the coalition .
“ We can not stand still , because we have much work to do in 2020 and beyond , ” Azar said .
“ If the other side ’ s goal of making abortion an international human right becomes a reality , it will mean all countries with laws protecting the unborn will be in violation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the consequences that could carry , ” Azar explained .
Azar urged countries not to be complacent and to see the covert campaign to promote abortion internationally for what it is .
“ I am sure you are all familiar with the constant drumbeat in the halls of the United Nations and the [ World Health Organization ] to normalize the terms ‘ sexual and reproductive health ’ and ‘ reproductive rights , ’ ” Azar said .
“ In this context , it is increasingly becoming clear that some U.N. agencies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to abortion , and we can not let this threat go unanswered , ” Azar concluded .
While setting high aspirations , Azar did not ask countries to aim for unattainable goals .
He said pro-life diplomacy in multilateral settings must be strategic in order to advance the pro-life cause effectively .
“ We can fight to insert language making it clear to U.N. agencies and other countries that national context and local laws take precedence on these matters , providing protections for our countries even when we don ’ t prevail on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He urged countries to work with Special Representative for Global Women ’ s Health , Valerie Huber on the next steps for the coalition in the coming months .
This latest coalition building initiative cements the unprecedented steps taken by the Trump administration over the last six months to build a coalition of countries to advance the pro-life cause internationally .
Last year , 24 of the 34 countries who attended the gathering issued public statements in support of U.S. pro-life diplomacy .
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway , Minister of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hungary , and the Deputy Chief of Mission Minister-Counselor Fernando Pimentel of Brazil also spoke at the meeting .
The meeting was not open to civil society .

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2020 (C-Fam) — Two weeks ago, the Trump administration hosted an international strategy meeting for ambassadors, ministers, and other government officials to discuss a way forward for the pro-life cause internationally.
“I stated this fact at the United Nations this past September, and I’ll repeat it here: there is no international human right to abortion. On the other hand, there is an international human right to life,” U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said in remarks during a gathering at Blair House. The meeting was attended by representatives of 34 countries representing 1.7 billion people.
“President Trump has been clear, at the U.N. and on the world stage: Health care exists to improve health and preserve human life,” Azar emphasized.
He thanked the countries for their help in promoting a positive vision for women’s health, protecting the lives of the most vulnerable, defending the important role of the family, and parents in particular, in the health and well-being of their children, and promoting respect national sovereignty.
Azar described the group of countries at the gathering as a “pro-life, pro-family, pro-sovereignty coalition that is a force to be reckoned with” and invited countries to help grow the coalition.
“We cannot stand still, because we have much work to do in 2020 and beyond,” Azar said.
“If the other side’s goal of making abortion an international human right becomes a reality, it will mean all countries with laws protecting the unborn will be in violation of international human rights laws, with all the consequences that could carry,” Azar explained.
Azar urged countries not to be complacent and to see the covert campaign to promote abortion internationally for what it is.
“I am sure you are all familiar with the constant drumbeat in the halls of the United Nations and the [World Health Organization] to normalize the terms ‘sexual and reproductive health’ and ‘reproductive rights,’” Azar said.
“In this context, it is increasingly becoming clear that some U.N. agencies and countries want this to mean unfettered access to abortion, and we cannot let this threat go unanswered,” Azar concluded.
While setting high aspirations, Azar did not ask countries to aim for unattainable goals. He said pro-life diplomacy in multilateral settings must be strategic in order to advance the pro-life cause effectively.
“We can fight to insert language making it clear to U.N. agencies and other countries that national context and local laws take precedence on these matters, providing protections for our countries even when we don’t prevail on definitional issues,” he said.
He urged countries to work with Special Representative for Global Women’s Health, Valerie Huber on the next steps for the coalition in the coming months.
This latest coalition building initiative cements the unprecedented steps taken by the Trump administration over the last six months to build a coalition of countries to advance the pro-life cause internationally.
Last year, 24 of the 34 countries who attended the gathering issued public statements in support of U.S. pro-life diplomacy.
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, Minister of State for Family and Youth Affairs Katalin Novák of Hungary, and the Deputy Chief of Mission Minister-Counselor Fernando Pimentel of Brazil also spoke at the meeting. The meeting was not open to civil society.
Published with permission from C-Fam.
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lifesitenews--2020-01-29--Cardinal Sarah’s beautiful defense of priestly celibacy must be read

January 28 , 2020 ( The Catholic Thing ) — The publication of From the Depths of Our Hearts – Priesthood , Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church written by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Robert Cardinal Sarah , caused great unease among promoters of the ordination of married men to the priesthood in the Amazon region ( and , surprise , everywhere else ) .
Now that the controversy over the joint authorship has receded , it ’ s worth looking at what the two distinguished churchmen actually said on the subject .
Because they present an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pastoral value of priestly celibacy .
Their essays remind us that the celibate priesthood in the Latin Church is not a merely contingent choice made in a less enlightened period , nor a convenient managerial strategy for avoiding inheritance disputes and reducing clergy costs .
Celibacy is a radical call to those who would represent Christ to his people in persona Christi capitis , in the person of Christ the head of His Mystical Body , to embrace wholly Christ ’ s entire way of life .
To discard this requirement would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shepherds after the heart of Christ , the chief shepherd , who laid down His life for His sheep not simply at the crucifixion but at every moment .
Celibate priests bring Christ to the world in a way that powerfully proclaims that He is worth the total gift of one ’ s life .
When I read an advance English translation of the book , I was deeply moved , especially by Cardinal Sarah ’ s reflections on his own pastoral experiences .
Sarah writes , citing Pope Benedict XVI ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bolzano-Bressanone : “ How could a Christian community understand the priest if it is not obvious that he is ‘ removed from the common sphere ’ and ‘ delivered to God ’ ?
How could Christians understand that the priest gives himself to them if he is not entirely given over to the Father ?
” He continues : “ In early 1976 , when I was a young priest , I traveled to certain remote villages in Guinea .
Some of them had not had a visit from a priest for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missionaries had been expelled in 1967 by Sékou Touré .
...
I will never be able to forget their unimaginable joy when I celebrated Mass , which they had not experienced for such a long time .
Allow me to state forcefully and with certainty : I think that if they had ordained married men in each village , they would have extinguished the Eucharistic hunger of the faithful .
They would have cut the people off from that joy of receiving another Christ in the priest .
For , with the instinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a priest who has renounced marriage gives them the gift of his spousal love.
” ( Emphasis added ) As a celibate priest , Sarah knew the Lord ’ s gift of peace given to those who have left behind the blessing of wife and family , to follow Him : “ How many times , while walking for long hours between the villages , with a briefcase-altar on my head , under the blazing sun , I myself experienced the joy of self-giving for the Church-Bride .
... How I would love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience the welcome of a priest in an African village that recognizes Christ the Bridegroom in him : what an explosion of joy !
” The ordination of married men would deprive the young churches that are being evangelized of this experience of the presence and of the visit of Christ , delivered and given in the person of the celibate priest .
... A plan that would consist of depriving communities and priests of this joy is not a work of mercy .
As a son of Africa , I can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are being evangelized should be deprived of this encounter with a priesthood that is fully lived out .
The peoples of Amazonia have the right to a full experience of Christ the Bridegroom .
We can not offer them ‘ second-class ’ priests .
On the contrary , the younger a Church is , the more she needs an encounter with the radical character of the Gospel .
Perhaps the most patently objectionable reason given at the Synod on the Amazon for doing away with the requirement of priestly celibacy is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand celibacy .
Sarah is at his best when addressing this patronizing judgment : “ Through the instinct of faith , the faithful of all cultures unfailingly recognize Christ offered for all in the celibate priest .
Consequently , I would like to express my deep indignation when I hear it said that the ordination of married men is a necessity since the peoples of Amazonia do not understand celibacy or that this reality will always be foreign to their culture .
I see in this sort of argument a contemptuous , neocolonialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All the peoples of the world are capable of understanding the Eucharistic logic of priestly celibacy .
... Is it reasonable to think that God ’ s grace would be inaccessible to the peoples of Amazonia and that God would deprive them of the grace of priestly celibacy that the Church has guarded for centuries as a precious jewel ?
There is no culture that God ’ s grace can not reach and transform .
When God enters into a culture , he does not leave it intact .
He destabilizes and purifies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sarah then zeroes in on what is going on in these discussions : “ Some Western missionaries no longer understand the profound meaning of celibacy and project their doubts onto the Amazonian peoples.
” ( Emphasis added ) I would add that it is not just missionaries who fall into this way of thinking .
The rejection of the celibate priesthood by influential churchmen is a sign of the erosion of the supernatural sense in our times .
The reaffirmation of the value of celibacy by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church .
Published with permission from The Catholic Thing .

January 28, 2020 (The Catholic Thing) — The publication of From the Depths of Our Hearts – Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church written by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Robert Cardinal Sarah, caused great unease among promoters of the ordination of married men to the priesthood in the Amazon region (and, surprise, everywhere else). Now that the controversy over the joint authorship has receded, it’s worth looking at what the two distinguished churchmen actually said on the subject.
Because they present an eloquent defense of the fundamental evangelical and pastoral value of priestly celibacy. Their essays remind us that the celibate priesthood in the Latin Church is not a merely contingent choice made in a less enlightened period, nor a convenient managerial strategy for avoiding inheritance disputes and reducing clergy costs.
Celibacy is a radical call to those who would represent Christ to his people in persona Christi capitis, in the person of Christ the head of His Mystical Body, to embrace wholly Christ’s entire way of life. To discard this requirement would be to deprive God’s people of shepherds after the heart of Christ, the chief shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep not simply at the crucifixion but at every moment. Celibate priests bring Christ to the world in a way that powerfully proclaims that He is worth the total gift of one’s life.
When I read an advance English translation of the book, I was deeply moved, especially by Cardinal Sarah’s reflections on his own pastoral experiences.
Sarah writes, citing Pope Benedict XVI’s address to the clergy of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone: “How could a Christian community understand the priest if it is not obvious that he is ‘removed from the common sphere’ and ‘delivered to God’? How could Christians understand that the priest gives himself to them if he is not entirely given over to the Father?”
He continues: “In early 1976, when I was a young priest, I traveled to certain remote villages in Guinea. Some of them had not had a visit from a priest for almost ten years, because the European missionaries had been expelled in 1967 by Sékou Touré. … I will never be able to forget their unimaginable joy when I celebrated Mass, which they had not experienced for such a long time. Allow me to state forcefully and with certainty: I think that if they had ordained married men in each village, they would have extinguished the Eucharistic hunger of the faithful. They would have cut the people off from that joy of receiving another Christ in the priest. For, with the instinct of faith, poor people know that a priest who has renounced marriage gives them the gift of his spousal love.” (Emphasis added)
As a celibate priest, Sarah knew the Lord’s gift of peace given to those who have left behind the blessing of wife and family, to follow Him: “How many times, while walking for long hours between the villages, with a briefcase-altar on my head, under the blazing sun, I myself experienced the joy of self-giving for the Church-Bride. … How I would love it if all my confreres could someday experience the welcome of a priest in an African village that recognizes Christ the Bridegroom in him: what an explosion of joy!”
Sarah continues:
The ordination of married men would deprive the young churches that are being evangelized of this experience of the presence and of the visit of Christ, delivered and given in the person of the celibate priest. … A plan that would consist of depriving communities and priests of this joy is not a work of mercy. As a son of Africa, I cannot in conscience support the idea that people who are being evangelized should be deprived of this encounter with a priesthood that is fully lived out. The peoples of Amazonia have the right to a full experience of Christ the Bridegroom. We cannot offer them ‘second-class’ priests. On the contrary, the younger a Church is, the more she needs an encounter with the radical character of the Gospel.
Perhaps the most patently objectionable reason given at the Synod on the Amazon for doing away with the requirement of priestly celibacy is that the people of the Amazon do not understand celibacy. Sarah is at his best when addressing this patronizing judgment: “Through the instinct of faith, the faithful of all cultures unfailingly recognize Christ offered for all in the celibate priest. Consequently, I would like to express my deep indignation when I hear it said that the ordination of married men is a necessity since the peoples of Amazonia do not understand celibacy or that this reality will always be foreign to their culture. I see in this sort of argument a contemptuous, neocolonialist and infantilizing mentality that shocks me. All the peoples of the world are capable of understanding the Eucharistic logic of priestly celibacy. … Is it reasonable to think that God’s grace would be inaccessible to the peoples of Amazonia and that God would deprive them of the grace of priestly celibacy that the Church has guarded for centuries as a precious jewel? There is no culture that God’s grace cannot reach and transform. When God enters into a culture, he does not leave it intact. He destabilizes and purifies it. He transforms and divinizes it.”
Sarah then zeroes in on what is going on in these discussions: “Some Western missionaries no longer understand the profound meaning of celibacy and project their doubts onto the Amazonian peoples.” (Emphasis added) I would add that it is not just missionaries who fall into this way of thinking.
The rejection of the celibate priesthood by influential churchmen is a sign of the erosion of the supernatural sense in our times. The reaffirmation of the value of celibacy by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Sarah is a providential gift to the Church.
Published with permission from The Catholic Thing.
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lifesitenews--2020-01-29--Amazing pro-life stories abound at San Francisco Walk for Life 2020

SAN FRANCISCO , Calif. , January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Energized by President Donald J. Trump ’ s history-making appearance at the March for Life in Washington , D.C. on the previous day , thousands of pro-life supporters descended upon San Francisco , California for the 16th Annual Walk for Life .
Eva Muntean , co-founder of Walk for Life West Coast , kicked off the pre-march rally with an amazing story about a man named Michael who had lost three children to abortion .
“ Michael heard about the walk in 2011 and he has walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Muntean .
“ He started by himself carrying a handmade Walk for Life sign as a way to come to terms with his own abortions.
” “ Those around him probably wondered what he was doing , but each year he shared his experience , and more and more men decided to join him , ” she said .
This year , about seventy men are with him .
“ What makes this story unique ?
” asked Muntean .
“ All of this is happening in the California Prison System , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ The walks I am telling you about are happening in the prison yard , ” she said .
“ This year , Michael has organized enough men to walk in four of the yards at Valley State Prison , ” who would be joining in solidarity with the marchers on San Francisco ’ s Market Street .
Fr .
Frank Pavone , founder of Priests for Life , emphasized the importance of political engagement .
“ It ’ s an election year , and if God ’ s people vote pro-life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , Planned Parenthood completely defunded , ” declared Pavone .
“ We could see the Supreme Court solidly more pro-life , ” Pavone continued , hinting at the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be overturned .
But this will occur only if we elect politicians “ who know the difference between serving the public and killing the public.
” “ In 2020 , the momentum is on our side , and never has the political divide been wider , ” Pavone noted .
Kathy Folan took to the stage to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college student she chose adoption for her son conceived in rape .
“ Giving birth to Nathan did not destroy my life as the abortion side would like you to think is the only [ possible ] outcome , but [ instead ] gave reason to a painful experience , ” said Folan .
“ He is the beauty that came out of a very dark place.
” Then , to the great delight of the crowd , Nathan , now a successful businessman and pro-life advocate , joined his birth mom on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pro-life ” but who think rape should be an exception to abortion restrictions , he said , “ I want everyone to realize — especially the ‘ excepters ’ — that you ’ re talking about me , and everyone like me.
” “ Life is life , no exceptions .
Life is a gift , no exceptions .
Life is precious , no exceptions , ” he added .
Rally organizers had another surprise in store .
At last year ’ s Walk for Life , seven very pregnant moms appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ megaphone/bullhorn so the crowd could hear the heartbeats of their soon-to-be-born children .
Four of those moms returned to the Walk for Life rally and presented their kids to the captivated crowd .
The other three mom-and-child pairs who couldn ’ t be present appeared in pictures on the Jumbotron .
In a somber moment , Eva Muntean noted that it would have been “ perfectly legal ” to kill those babies last year before they were born .
Wrapping up the rally , Rev .
Clenard Howard Childress , Jr. declared , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ Abortion and Roe v. Wade ’ s days are numbered !
” Behind him a man held a sign : “ Black lives matter in the womb , too .
”

Rally organizers had multiple surprises and a number of inspiring stories prepared for the thousands who descended on San Francisco for the 16th annual Walk for Life.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Energized by President Donald J. Trump’s history-making appearance at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on the previous day, thousands of pro-life supporters descended upon San Francisco, California for the 16th Annual Walk for Life.
Eva Muntean, co-founder of Walk for Life West Coast, kicked off the pre-march rally with an amazing story about a man named Michael who had lost three children to abortion.
“Michael heard about the walk in 2011 and he has walked with us every year since,” said Muntean. “He started by himself carrying a handmade Walk for Life sign as a way to come to terms with his own abortions.”
“Those around him probably wondered what he was doing, but each year he shared his experience, and more and more men decided to join him,” she said.
This year, about seventy men are with him.
“What makes this story unique?” asked Muntean. “All of this is happening in the California Prison System, where Michael is serving a life sentence.”
“The walks I am telling you about are happening in the prison yard,” she said. “This year, Michael has organized enough men to walk in four of the yards at Valley State Prison,” who would be joining in solidarity with the marchers on San Francisco’s Market Street.
Fr. Frank Pavone, founder of Priests for Life, emphasized the importance of political engagement.
“It’s an election year, and if God’s people vote pro-life, we could see one year from today, Planned Parenthood completely defunded,” declared Pavone. “We could see the Supreme Court solidly more pro-life,” Pavone continued, hinting at the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be overturned.
But this will occur only if we elect politicians “who know the difference between serving the public and killing the public.”
“In 2020, the momentum is on our side, and never has the political divide been wider,” Pavone noted.
Kathy Folan took to the stage to tell her inspiring story about how as a college student she chose adoption for her son conceived in rape.
“Giving birth to Nathan did not destroy my life as the abortion side would like you to think is the only [possible] outcome, but [instead] gave reason to a painful experience,” said Folan. “He is the beauty that came out of a very dark place.”
Then, to the great delight of the crowd, Nathan, now a successful businessman and pro-life advocate, joined his birth mom on stage.
To those who identify as “pro-life” but who think rape should be an exception to abortion restrictions, he said, “I want everyone to realize — especially the ‘excepters’ — that you’re talking about me, and everyone like me.”
“Life is life, no exceptions. Life is a gift, no exceptions. Life is precious, no exceptions,” he added.
Rally organizers had another surprise in store. At last year’s Walk for Life, seven very pregnant moms appeared on stage, each armed with a megaphone/bullhorn so the crowd could hear the heartbeats of their soon-to-be-born children.
Four of those moms returned to the Walk for Life rally and presented their kids to the captivated crowd. The other three mom-and-child pairs who couldn’t be present appeared in pictures on the Jumbotron.
In a somber moment, Eva Muntean noted that it would have been “perfectly legal” to kill those babies last year before they were born.
Wrapping up the rally, Rev. Clenard Howard Childress, Jr. declared, “Our time has come!” and “Abortion and Roe v. Wade’s days are numbered!”
Behind him a man held a sign: “Black lives matter in the womb, too.”
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lifesitenews--2020-01-29--Stadium bars Franklin Graham from preaching to appease LGBT activists, Graham responds

LIVERPOOL , England , January 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― A leading American evangelist has responded to the cancellation of his appearance with a Gospel message .
The Rev .
Franklin Graham , who was supposed to appear at the ACC Liverpool stadium on June 12 of this year , issued the following statement on social media yesterday : A letter to the LGBTQ community in the UK — It is said by some that I am coming to the UK to bring hateful speech to your community .
This is just not true .
I am coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Good News that God loves the people of the UK , and that Jesus Christ came to this earth to save us from our sins .
The rub , I think , comes in whether God defines homosexuality as sin .
The answer is yes .
But God goes even further than that , to say that we are all sinners — myself included .
The Bible says that every human being is guilty of sin and in need of forgiveness and cleansing .
The penalty of sin is spiritual death — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s why Jesus Christ came .
He became sin for us .
He didn ’ t come to condemn the world , He came to save the world by giving His life on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins .
And if we ’ re willing to accept Him by faith and turn away from our sins , He will forgive us and give us new life — eternal life — in Him .
My message to all people is that they can be forgiven and they can have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Good News .
That is the hope people on every continent around the world are searching for .
In the UK as well as in the United States , we have religious freedom and freedom of speech .
I ’ m not coming to the UK to speak against anybody , I ’ m coming to speak for everybody .
The Gospel is inclusive .
I ’ m not coming out of hate , I ’ m coming out of love .
I invite everyone in the LGBTQ community to come and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will be bringing from God ’ s Word , the Bible .
You are absolutely welcome .
Graham , 67 , the son of internationally renowned preacher Billy Graham , had planned an eight-city tour of the United Kingdom .
However , his plans to appear at the ACC Liverpool stadium were overset after a group called the Liverpool Labour [ Party ] LGBT Network circulated a petition against his “ platforming ” and sent it to the Liverpool City Council .
The group objected to Graham ’ s religious beliefs concerning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance might “ incite hateful mobilisation and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community.
” The petition had garnered fewer than 500 signatures by the time this article went to print .
It attracted the attention of newspaper Liverpool Echo , which also quoted the Liverpool Region Pride Foundation ’ s letter to the Liverpool City Council , Liverpool ’ s Mayor Joe Anderson , and the CEO of ACC Liverpool : On January 24 , the ACC Liverpool stadium issued a press release saying Graham ’ s appearance there would no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past few days we have been made aware of a number of statements which we consider to be incompatible with our values , ” the press release stated .
“ In light of this we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city .
We have informed the organisers of the event that the booking will no longer be fulfilled , ” it continued .
“ We are proud to represent all communities and will continue to move forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive profile , major events and economic impact for Liverpool City Region.
” This is not the first time Franklin Graham has encountered the ire of British “ cancel culture.
” In 2018 , over six thousand Britons , including some parliamentarians , signed a petition to bar the evangelical preacher from entrance to the U.K .
They dubbed the Christian missionary a “ hate preacher.
” Bus advertisements for Graham ’ s “ Festival of Hope ” were banned .
Nevertheless , on September 22 of that year , Graham appeared in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he preached to a crowd of over 2,000 people .

'It is said by some,' Graham wrote after his event was canceled, 'that I am coming to the UK to bring hateful speech to your community. This is just not true.'
LIVERPOOL, England, January 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― A leading American evangelist has responded to the cancellation of his appearance with a Gospel message.
The Rev. Franklin Graham, who was supposed to appear at the ACC Liverpool stadium on June 12 of this year, issued the following statement on social media yesterday:
A letter to the LGBTQ community in the UK — It is said by some that I am coming to the UK to bring hateful speech to your community. This is just not true. I am coming to share the Gospel, which is the Good News that God loves the people of the UK, and that Jesus Christ came to this earth to save us from our sins. The rub, I think, comes in whether God defines homosexuality as sin. The answer is yes. But God goes even further than that, to say that we are all sinners — myself included. The Bible says that every human being is guilty of sin and in need of forgiveness and cleansing. The penalty of sin is spiritual death — separation from God for eternity. That’s why Jesus Christ came. He became sin for us. He didn’t come to condemn the world, He came to save the world by giving His life on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins. And if we’re willing to accept Him by faith and turn away from our sins, He will forgive us and give us new life — eternal life — in Him. My message to all people is that they can be forgiven and they can have a right relationship with God. That’s Good News. That is the hope people on every continent around the world are searching for. In the UK as well as in the United States, we have religious freedom and freedom of speech. I’m not coming to the UK to speak against anybody, I’m coming to speak for everybody. The Gospel is inclusive. I’m not coming out of hate, I’m coming out of love. I invite everyone in the LGBTQ community to come and hear for yourselves the Gospel messages that I will be bringing from God’s Word, the Bible. You are absolutely welcome.
Graham, 67, the son of internationally renowned preacher Billy Graham, had planned an eight-city tour of the United Kingdom. However, his plans to appear at the ACC Liverpool stadium were overset after a group called the Liverpool Labour [Party] LGBT Network circulated a petition against his “platforming” and sent it to the Liverpool City Council. The group objected to Graham’s religious beliefs concerning homosexuality and said they feared that his appearance might “incite hateful mobilisation and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community.”
The petition had garnered fewer than 500 signatures by the time this article went to print. It attracted the attention of newspaper Liverpool Echo, which also quoted the Liverpool Region Pride Foundation’s letter to the Liverpool City Council, Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson, and the CEO of ACC Liverpool:
Graham is well known for their [sic] outspoken views about the LGBT+ community, including promoting hate of LGBT+ people as more important than education and openly supporting conversion [sic] therapy and the vicious attacks on our community in Russia amongst many other poisonous views.
On January 24, the ACC Liverpool stadium issued a press release saying Graham’s appearance there would no longer be “going ahead.”
“Over the past few days we have been made aware of a number of statements which we consider to be incompatible with our values,” the press release stated.
“In light of this we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city. We have informed the organisers of the event that the booking will no longer be fulfilled,” it continued.
“We are proud to represent all communities and will continue to move forward with our aim as a business to drive profile, major events and economic impact for Liverpool City Region.”
This is not the first time Franklin Graham has encountered the ire of British “cancel culture.” In 2018, over six thousand Britons, including some parliamentarians, signed a petition to bar the evangelical preacher from entrance to the U.K. They dubbed the Christian missionary a “hate preacher.” Bus advertisements for Graham’s “Festival of Hope” were banned. Nevertheless, on September 22 of that year, Graham appeared in the English seaside town of Blackpool, where he preached to a crowd of over 2,000 people.
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