lifesitenews--2020-09-17--Italian bishops’ newspaper defends Netflix film ‘Cuties’ accused of being ‘child porn’

PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
WARNING : The following report contains graphic descriptions of a sexual nature that are not suitable for all audiences .
ITALY , September 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The daily national newspaper of the Italian Catholic Bishops ’ Conference has published an article in defense of the recently released Netflix film “ Cuties ” which shows girls as young as 11 performing sexualized dance acts that critics have described as child pornography and as a promotion of pedophilia .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Netflix : there is no ‘ scandalous sexualisation of teenagers ’ as some of the 600,000 signatories of a petition have written , ” the byline the article published in Avvenire reads .
The article was authored by Andrea Fagioli .
The article contends that those who are objecting to the film “ either did n't view it or really limited themselves to the poster.
” “ Otherwise they did not understand it or they have watched it through an incorrect viewpoint , ” the article continues .
The French film “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in French ) follows the story of 11-year-old Amy , a Senegalese Muslim girl who lives in a poor neighborhood in France .
She joins a group of other young girls who perform hyper-sexualized dance routines , including imitating an adult “ twerking dance crew.
” Last month Netflix changed the poster and description advertising the film after a wave of online criticism .
Clips from the film released last week on social media provoked increased outrage online , with many saying the film is promoting pedophilia .
IMDb ’ s guide for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of times since the film has been released .
Last week , one detail outlined that in one scene “ A pair of tight leather pants on an 11 year old girl are forcefully pulled down in the midst of a scuffle ; the camera glances at her underwear exposed bum.
” Below is a list of scene descriptions from the film which all currently appear in IMDb ’ s guide for parents .
• When caught with her cousin 's phone , an 11-year-old girl locks herself in the bathroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a picture of her private area before publishing it online .
No nudity is actually shown .
However , The camera focuses on the child removing her jeans and her underwear and spreading her legs .
• Frequent scenes of 11-year-old girls dancing lewdly where the camera pans in and zooms in on the children 's buttocks and midsections ( both still in skin-tight clothes ) Close up shots of children dancing with their leg spread above their head while camera focus on crotch area .
• The little 11-year-old girls are slapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , kissing their hands and then touching their crotches , and rubbing their buttocks together , and making seductive faces while sticking their fingers in their mouth seducing the camera as well as people watching them .
• 11 year-old-girl gets in fight with older girl and during process of fight the older girl starts to pull off the younger girls pants down to her knees as her friends try to pull her away .
• Frequent close up/slow shots of underage girls midsections , crotch , buttocks , while dancing provocatively ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fours , legs spread , bending over ) and in minimal skin tight clothing or underwear .
• One child is doused with water while wearing a tiny tank top and teeny underwear that expose her butt cheeks ... .
child bounces as camera focuses on breasts and child gets on all fours and grinds pelvis into floor and twerks while camera films from behind with an up angle on child 's mostly bare bottom and underwear in crack .
• In one scene , two grown men watch a child dance suggestively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at her body and do n't tell her to stop .
• A dance on a staircase shows little girls in full face makeup licking their fingers , spreading their legs ( with barely there shorts ) twerking and grinding while the camera films as if at a strip club .
• In one dance scene , a child lifts her top exposing her bare breast • Little girl does laundry with black leather pants on and teeny shirt as she dances suggestively , flips her hair , and is filmed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day with the child 's bottom .
• In the schoolyard , two little girls physically fight while others cheer and they remove a little girls ( sic ) pants exposing her bottom and tiny underwear - especially troublesome is the camera focuses on her bottom and people take pictures of her bottom .
When the film was first released , the text which previously appeared on IMDb ’ s website included the following : Texas legislator Matt Schaefer has called for an investigation into the film .
Shaefer announced on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s Attorney General ’ s Office to “ investigate the Netflix film ‘ Cuties ’ for possible violations of child exploitation and child pornography laws.
” A number of US politicians have also condemned the film .
Senator Ted Cruz from Texas urged Attorney General Bill Barr in a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr that the Department of Justice must “ investigate the production and distribution of this film to determine whether Netflix , its executives , or the individuals involved in the filming and production of ‘ Cuties ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and distribution of child pornography.
” Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas , in a statement provided to The Daily Caller , said , “ There ’ s no excuse for the sexualization of children , and Netflix ’ s decision to promote the film ‘ Cuties ’ is disgusting at best and a serious crime at worst.
” Like Cruz , Cotton urged “ the Department of Justice to take action against Netflix for their role in pushing explicit depictions of children into American homes.
” Senator Mike Lee , R-Utah , wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While I have concerns with the movie ’ s young actresses ’ influence on other young girls , my larger concern is with the possibility that the inappropriate scenes might encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults.
” Robby Starbuck , a director and producer , said , “ The whole team behind Cuties needs to be investigated.
” Starbuck highlighted a January interview with Cuties director Maïmouna Doucouré in which she says that “ more than 700 young girls ” had auditioned for the film , “ none of whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set.
” “ As a director I call [ sic ] tell you it ’ s not normal to audition 700 little girls with no acting experience , ” Starbuck posted to Twitter .
“ What were they told to do during auditions ?
They preyed on inexperienced people starstruck by Hollywood.
” Lila Rose , founder and president of the pro-life group Live Action , has posted a series of tweets making the case that the filmmakers have broken U.S. law on “ child porn ” because the film “ blatantly zooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they dance suggestively , partially clothed , for adult audiences , as explicit sexual ‘ exploration.
’ ” Writing last week in an article for LifeSiteNews , Dr. Joseph Shaw , an Oxford University philosophy teacher and father of eight children , argued that the “ producers of the series are themselves sexualizing and exploiting the child actors , and serving up their sexualized performances for consumption by male critics like themselves.
” “ If there is a power dynamic going on here , the consumers are at the top , Netflix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle , and these poor children are at the bottom , ” Shaw writes .
“ The real story here is not about girls spontaneously organizing a twerking troupe in order to stick to ‘ the man ’ ; no , that is a made-up story .
What is happening in the real world is ‘ the man ’ corralling girls into a twerking troupe to tickle the jaded appetites of Netflix subscribers.
” Nevertheless , according to the article in Avvenire the film “ does not revolve around a ‘ scandalous sexualisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paedophilia ’ , instead of how some of the more than 600,000 signatories of a petition have written , against the colossus of the distribution of films and TV series through the internet.
” Fagioli claims that “ the director absolutely does not force her hand on the sensual aspect at all.
” “ [ O ] n the contrary , ” he continues , “ she tries to highlight , even if in a contradictable viewpoint , their innocence , the fact that they are children ( one is ugly , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) who do things out of their reach , that they never manage to arrive at the extreme consequences.
” The director of the film , Maimouna Doucouré , says that she was prompted to make the film after attending a local party and seeing “ a group of young girls aged around 11 years old , going up on stage and dancing in a very sensual way while wearing very revealing clothes.
” Reflecting on that event in an interview with Cineuropa , Doucouré says : “ I was rather shocked and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the image of sexual availability that they were projecting.
” The director says that the film was part of her effort to prompt debate about the growing trend of young girls attracting large numbers of social media followers by posting sexualized photos of themselves online .
“ I saw that some very young girls were followed by 400,000 people on social media and I tried to understand why .
There were no particular reasons , besides the fact that they had posted sexy or at least revealing pictures : that is what had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Doucouré said .
“ Today , the sexier and the more objectified a woman is , the more value she has in the eyes of social media .
And when you ’ re 11 , you don ’ t really understand all these mechanisms , but you tend to mimic , to do the same thing as others in order to get a similar result .
I think it is urgent that we talk about it , that a debate be had on the subject.
” But Dr. Chad Pecknold , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America and father of a six-year-old daughter , told CNA last month that attempting to start a debate by producing a film sexualising young children “ is a rationale that only Jeffrey Epstein could love.
” “ I was utterly shocked to see young girls just a bit older than my daughter in sexually suggestive poses , ” Pecknold said .
“ But my moral revulsion at what can only be the normalization of pedophilia only increased when I realized the producers claim to be criticizing the sexualization of children by , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political commentator Ben Shapiro has said that he thinks `` the actual message of the film is actually quite conservative.
” “ I have some complex thoughts about this film ‘ Cuties ’ , ” Shapiro says before beginning his analysis of the film .
“ Okay so the point of the movie is that France has basically broken down into a society where because of its multicultural ethos it tolerates radical fundamentalist Islam in which people are shipping in second wives from Senegal on the one hand and on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the secular hedonistic lifestyle that over-sexualizes children and that there 's bleed over effect from that sexual , that over-sexualized lifestyle from adults to children , ” he said during his show aired last week .
“ So that 's a pretty conservative message , ” he continued .
“ Like the actual message of the film is actually quite conservative . ''
In his Avvenire article , Fagioli even claims that “ if it is read correctly and presented well , Mignonnes can become an educational film.
” Catholic priest Fr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his popular blog , says Fagioli ’ s article is typical of what he says is the frequent demand of liberals “ that you deny the facts right in front of your eyes.
” “ This is what liberal obsession about understanding ‘ nuance ’ produces : dung for brains , ” Zuhlsdorf writes .
“ The Italian Bishops ’ newspaper defends “ Cuties ” .
What does that tell you ?
” Zuhlsdorf concludes .
A full list of contact details for the Avvenire newspaper can be found here .
Avennire is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Social Communications Of The Italian Episcopal Conference , whose director is named Corrado Dott .
Vincenzo .

PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
WARNING: The following report contains graphic descriptions of a sexual nature that are not suitable for all audiences.
ITALY, September 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The daily national newspaper of the Italian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published an article in defense of the recently released Netflix film “Cuties” which shows girls as young as 11 performing sexualized dance acts that critics have described as child pornography and as a promotion of pedophilia.
“There is no explanation for the campaign against Netflix: there is no ‘scandalous sexualisation of teenagers’ as some of the 600,000 signatories of a petition have written,” the byline the article published in Avvenire reads. The article was authored by Andrea Fagioli.
The article contends that those who are objecting to the film “either didn't view it or really limited themselves to the poster.”
“Otherwise they did not understand it or they have watched it through an incorrect viewpoint,” the article continues.
The French film “Cuties” (titled “Mignonnes” in French) follows the story of 11-year-old Amy, a Senegalese Muslim girl who lives in a poor neighborhood in France. She joins a group of other young girls who perform hyper-sexualized dance routines, including imitating an adult “twerking dance crew.”
Last month Netflix changed the poster and description advertising the film after a wave of online criticism.
Clips from the film released last week on social media provoked increased outrage online, with many saying the film is promoting pedophilia.
IMDb’s guide for parents for the film has been updated a number of times since the film has been released. Last week, one detail outlined that in one scene “A pair of tight leather pants on an 11 year old girl are forcefully pulled down in the midst of a scuffle; the camera glances at her underwear exposed bum.”
Below is a list of scene descriptions from the film which all currently appear in IMDb’s guide for parents.
When caught with her cousin's phone, an 11-year-old girl locks herself in the bathroom, pulls down her pants and snaps a picture of her private area before publishing it online. No nudity is actually shown. However, The camera focuses on the child removing her jeans and her underwear and spreading her legs.
Frequent scenes of 11-year-old girls dancing lewdly where the camera pans in and zooms in on the children's buttocks and midsections (both still in skin-tight clothes) Close up shots of children dancing with their leg spread above their head while camera focus on crotch area.
The little 11-year-old girls are slapping each other's buttocks in the film, kissing their hands and then touching their crotches, and rubbing their buttocks together, and making seductive faces while sticking their fingers in their mouth seducing the camera as well as people watching them.
11 year-old-girl gets in fight with older girl and during process of fight the older girl starts to pull off the younger girls pants down to her knees as her friends try to pull her away.
Frequent close up/slow shots of underage girls midsections, crotch, buttocks, while dancing provocatively (twerking, humping ground, on all fours, legs spread, bending over) and in minimal skin tight clothing or underwear.
One child is doused with water while wearing a tiny tank top and teeny underwear that expose her butt cheeks…. child bounces as camera focuses on breasts and child gets on all fours and grinds pelvis into floor and twerks while camera films from behind with an up angle on child's mostly bare bottom and underwear in crack.
In one scene, two grown men watch a child dance suggestively while other children encourage her…men look at her body and don't tell her to stop.
A dance on a staircase shows little girls in full face makeup licking their fingers, spreading their legs (with barely there shorts) twerking and grinding while the camera films as if at a strip club.
In one dance scene, a child lifts her top exposing her bare breast
Little girl does laundry with black leather pants on and teeny shirt as she dances suggestively, flips her hair, and is filmed from behind while the camera has a field day with the child's bottom.
In the schoolyard, two little girls physically fight while others cheer and they remove a little girls (sic) pants exposing her bottom and tiny underwear – especially troublesome is the camera focuses on her bottom and people take pictures of her bottom.
When the film was first released, the text which previously appeared on IMDb’s website included the following:
Parental Warning : During one of the many highly sexualized & erotic dance scenes that purposefully exploit & objectify numerous scantily clad under age girls, one of the female child dancers lifts up her cropped top to fully display her bare breast. This is lawfully defined as pedophilia and can be extremely distressing to many viewers. Trigger Warning : An 11 year old girl watches a female rap music video where naked women role play through dance both heterosexual & lesbian sex acts. An 11 year old female dance group then mimics these sexual moves via on themselves and on each other while the camera zooms in on their sexual body parts as they erotically writher. This can be highly distressing to many viewers. Female breast nudity of a minor during an erotic dance scene and lengthy & excessive closeup shots of breasts, bums and spread crotches of scantily clad 11 year old girls during numerous sexualized dance routines.
Texas legislator Matt Schaefer has called for an investigation into the film.
Shaefer announced on social media last week that he is asking the state’s Attorney General’s Office to “investigate the Netflix film ‘Cuties’ for possible violations of child exploitation and child pornography laws.”
I have asked Texas Attorney General Paxton’s office to investigate the @netflix film “Cuties” for possible violations of child exploitation and child pornography laws. #CUTIES #txlege — Matt Schaefer (@RepMattSchaefer) September 10, 2020
A number of US politicians have also condemned the film.
Senator Ted Cruz from Texas urged Attorney General Bill Barr in a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr that the Department of Justice must “investigate the production and distribution of this film to determine whether Netflix, its executives, or the individuals involved in the filming and production of ‘Cuties’ violated any federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography.”
Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas, in a statement provided to The Daily Caller, said, “There’s no excuse for the sexualization of children, and Netflix’s decision to promote the film ‘Cuties’ is disgusting at best and a serious crime at worst.”
Like Cruz, Cotton urged “the Department of Justice to take action against Netflix for their role in pushing explicit depictions of children into American homes.”
Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote a separate letter to Netflix. “While I have concerns with the movie’s young actresses’ influence on other young girls, my larger concern is with the possibility that the inappropriate scenes might encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults.”
Robby Starbuck, a director and producer, said, “The whole team behind Cuties needs to be investigated.”
Starbuck highlighted a January interview with Cuties director Maïmouna Doucouré in which she says that “more than 700 young girls” had auditioned for the film, “none of whom had ever done theatre before coming on set.”
“As a director I call [sic] tell you it’s not normal to audition 700 little girls with no acting experience,” Starbuck posted to Twitter. “What were they told to do during auditions? They preyed on inexperienced people starstruck by Hollywood.”
The whole team behind Cuties needs to be investigated. Look what I found. As a director I call tell you it’s not normal to audition 700 little girls with no acting experience. What were they told to do during auditions? They preyed on inexperienced people starstruck by Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/8hXBrVVvE0 — Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 11, 2020
Lila Rose, founder and president of the pro-life group Live Action, has posted a series of tweets making the case that the filmmakers have broken U.S. law on “child porn” because the film “blatantly zooms in on sexual parts of little girls as they dance suggestively, partially clothed, for adult audiences, as explicit sexual ‘exploration.’”
1. Whether the focal point of the visual depiction is on the child’s genitalia or pubic area; 2. Whether the setting of the depiction is sexually suggestive, that is, in a place or pose associated with sexual activity; — Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) September 10, 2020
6. Whether the depiction is designed to elicit a sexual response in the viewer. The #netflix film blatantly zooms in on sexual parts of little girls as they dance suggestively, partially clothed, for adult audiences, as explicit sexual “exploration.” It fails the Dost test. — Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) September 10, 2020
Writing last week in an article for LifeSiteNews, Dr. Joseph Shaw, an Oxford University philosophy teacher and father of eight children, argued that the “producers of the series are themselves sexualizing and exploiting the child actors, and serving up their sexualized performances for consumption by male critics like themselves.”
“If there is a power dynamic going on here, the consumers are at the top, Netflix as pimp or enabler is in the middle, and these poor children are at the bottom,” Shaw writes.
“The real story here is not about girls spontaneously organizing a twerking troupe in order to stick to ‘the man’; no, that is a made-up story. What is happening in the real world is ‘the man’ corralling girls into a twerking troupe to tickle the jaded appetites of Netflix subscribers.”
Nevertheless, according to the article in Avvenire the film “does not revolve around a ‘scandalous sexualisation of teenagers’ nor obviously ‘promotes paedophilia’, instead of how some of the more than 600,000 signatories of a petition have written, against the colossus of the distribution of films and TV series through the internet.”
Fagioli claims that “the director absolutely does not force her hand on the sensual aspect at all.”
“[O]n the contrary,” he continues, “she tries to highlight, even if in a contradictable viewpoint, their innocence, the fact that they are children (one is ugly, one is fat, one has pimples…) who do things out of their reach, that they never manage to arrive at the extreme consequences.”
The director of the film, Maimouna Doucouré, says that she was prompted to make the film after attending a local party and seeing “a group of young girls aged around 11 years old, going up on stage and dancing in a very sensual way while wearing very revealing clothes.”
Reflecting on that event in an interview with Cineuropa, Doucouré says: “I was rather shocked and I wondered if they were aware of the image of sexual availability that they were projecting.”
The director says that the film was part of her effort to prompt debate about the growing trend of young girls attracting large numbers of social media followers by posting sexualized photos of themselves online.
“I saw that some very young girls were followed by 400,000 people on social media and I tried to understand why. There were no particular reasons, besides the fact that they had posted sexy or at least revealing pictures: that is what had brought them this ‘fame’,” Doucouré said.
“Today, the sexier and the more objectified a woman is, the more value she has in the eyes of social media. And when you’re 11, you don’t really understand all these mechanisms, but you tend to mimic, to do the same thing as others in order to get a similar result. I think it is urgent that we talk about it, that a debate be had on the subject.”
But Dr. Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at the Catholic University of America and father of a six-year-old daughter, told CNA last month that attempting to start a debate by producing a film sexualising young children “is a rationale that only Jeffrey Epstein could love.”
“I was utterly shocked to see young girls just a bit older than my daughter in sexually suggestive poses,” Pecknold said.
“But my moral revulsion at what can only be the normalization of pedophilia only increased when I realized the producers claim to be criticizing the sexualization of children by, in fact, sexualizing children.”
Prominent social and political commentator Ben Shapiro has said that he thinks “the actual message of the film is actually quite conservative.”
“I have some complex thoughts about this film ‘Cuties’,” Shapiro says before beginning his analysis of the film.
“Okay so the point of the movie is that France has basically broken down into a society where because of its multicultural ethos it tolerates radical fundamentalist Islam in which people are shipping in second wives from Senegal on the one hand and on the other hand is providing as a lived alternative the secular hedonistic lifestyle that over-sexualizes children and that there's bleed over effect from that sexual, that over-sexualized lifestyle from adults to children,” he said during his show aired last week.
“So that's a pretty conservative message,” he continued. “Like the actual message of the film is actually quite conservative.”
In his Avvenire article, Fagioli even claims that “if it is read correctly and presented well, Mignonnes can become an educational film.”
Catholic priest Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, in a post on his popular blog, says Fagioli’s article is typical of what he says is the frequent demand of liberals “that you deny the facts right in front of your eyes.”
“This is what liberal obsession about understanding ‘nuance’ produces: dung for brains,” Zuhlsdorf writes.
“The Italian Bishops’ newspaper defends “Cuties”. What does that tell you?” Zuhlsdorf concludes.
Contact information:
A full list of contact details for the Avvenire newspaper can be found here.
Avennire is a newspaper of the National Office For Social Communications Of The Italian Episcopal Conference, whose director is named Corrado Dott. Vincenzo.
Address: Circonvallazione Aurelia, 50 – 00165 Rome RM
Telephone: 06 66398209
E-mail: [email protected]
Related:
Vatican archbishop defends posting image of naked adults with naked children. Twitter censors image


lifesitenews--2020-09-17--Christians ‘have a responsibility’ to stop the Marxist revolution: Anti-Islamist activist censored b

Christians ‘have a responsibility’ to stop the Marxist revolution: Anti-Islamist activist censored by SPLC

PETITION : Break up Big Tech tyrants and defend free speech !
Sign the petition here .
September 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Today marks the official launch of LifeSite ’ s brand new series Uncensored : Big Tech vs. Free Speech .
For the last several months , LifeSite has been digging deep into the many claims of liberal bias and selective censorship of pro-life , pro-family , and conservative voices on social media .
Our research shows that Facebook , Google , YouTube , Twitter , and others have become far too dangerous for democracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed by many , many internal whistleblowers , is now visible to everyone thanks to their egregious behavior during the COVID-19 crisis and the run-up to the 2020 presidential election .
As will be shown in our reporting , these tech giants are not only extremely liberal , but they are largely unaccountable to the public .
They can and do sway public opinion in whatever direction they want , primarily by manipulating search results , tracking our online behavior , and by blocking truthful content from their platforms .
Brigitte Gabriel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an organization that warns about the threat of radical Islam in the West , knows first hand the heavy-handed approach Big Tech all too frequently takes .
During a sit-down interview with LifeSite , Gabriel recalled how she had been coordinating a fundraiser for ACT !
for America at President Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago estate .
It was nearly sold out .
Then , the Southern Poverty Law Center caught wind of it and leapt into action .
“ The Southern Poverty Law Center put out the hit article about us , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council on American Islamic Relations ( CAIR ) and then the Miami Herald [ and ] The New York Times , ” Gabriel said .
They called us “ a hate group…they literally got our event canceled.
” Tech giants “ think they are God and they are exercising their godly power over everybody else , ” she continued .
“ Because in today 's world , anytime you want to find out any information about somebody , what do you do ?
Google .
You go to the internet to find out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research anything about somebody , the first thing that comes up [ in the search results ] is the Southern Poverty Law Center ’ s labeling of ‘ hate groups.
’ ” “ And who are the ‘ hate groups ’ ?
Family Research Council is a hate group because they are pro-family ... My organization is a hate group because we sound the alarm about terrorism and protecting our constitutional freedom .
And so they try to character assassinate you .
And they control the language.
” Gabriel advised Christians and grassroots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political process .
Not only is the kitchen on fire , she argued , but “ the house ” is going up in smoke too .
“ We are in the middle of a Marxist revolution .
It 's not coming down the road .
It 's not on the horizon .
It 's now .
We are in the middle of it .
We are in the middle of the hurricane .
We need to wake up now.
” “ When the left calls you a name , ” Gabriel added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fail to debate you on the facts .
And because they know that the facts are on your side .
The only way they can silence you is by slapping a label on you .
And our people do not want to be labeled .
So they sat on the sidelines for too long.
” “ The squeaky wheel gets the oil .
The left has been squeaking and squeaking and squeaking and squeaking while our people were sitting in the corner praying and praying and hoping and believing and not wanting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are realizing that the left screamed so much that we are now afraid to even open our mouth .
And even those who are opening their mouth , they are being drowned by the loud screams of the left .
This is why we need to see a roaring on our side .
This is why we need to see an uprising on our side , democratically , peacefully , lovingly , with prayers.
” Gabriel concluded by reminding Christians about the example Christ himself set for us when he overturned the tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Jesus set the standards on how activism should be done .
When Jesus saw wrong , he walked into that Temple .
He threw the tables around…He spoke up .
He marched.
” “ We have a responsibility as Christians — to whom much is given , much is required — and as Christians , God does n't change the world through lightning in the sky .
God uses his people .
Me and you and everybody watching us right now — as instruments of change , as the instruments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we pray , we say , ‘ Please , God , use me .
Use me as your instrument .
Use me to make a difference in this world .
Use me to make a difference in people 's lives.
’ Well , God needs to use you to make a difference .
”

PETITION: Break up Big Tech tyrants and defend free speech! Sign the petition here.
September 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Today marks the official launch of LifeSite’s brand new series Uncensored: Big Tech vs. Free Speech.
For the last several months, LifeSite has been digging deep into the many claims of liberal bias and selective censorship of pro-life, pro-family, and conservative voices on social media.
Our research shows that Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and others have become far too dangerous for democracy. Their bias, which has previously been revealed by many, many internal whistleblowers, is now visible to everyone thanks to their egregious behavior during the COVID-19 crisis and the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.
As will be shown in our reporting, these tech giants are not only extremely liberal, but they are largely unaccountable to the public. They can and do sway public opinion in whatever direction they want, primarily by manipulating search results, tracking our online behavior, and by blocking truthful content from their platforms.
Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America, the nation’s largest national security grassroots organization dedicated to keeping America safe from all threats foreign and domestic, knows first hand the heavy-handed approach Big Tech all too frequently takes.
During a sit-down interview with LifeSite, Gabriel recalled how she had been coordinating a fundraiser for ACT for America at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. It was nearly sold out. Then, the Southern Poverty Law Center caught wind of it and leapt into action.
“The Southern Poverty Law Center put out the hit article about us, which was regurgitated the next morning by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and then the Miami Herald [and] The New York Times,” Gabriel said. They called us “a hate group…they literally got our event canceled.”
Tech giants “think they are God and they are exercising their godly power over everybody else,” she continued. “Because in today's world, anytime you want to find out any information about somebody, what do you do? Google. You go to the internet to find out some information about them. When you research anything about somebody, the first thing that comes up [in the search results] is the Southern Poverty Law Center’s labeling of ‘hate groups.’”
“And who are the ‘hate groups’? Family Research Council is a hate group because they are pro-family…My organization is a hate group because we sound the alarm about terrorism and protecting our constitutional freedom. And so they try to character assassinate you. And they control the language.”
Gabriel advised Christians and grassroots activists to take action by engaging in the political process. Not only is the kitchen on fire, she argued, but “the house” is going up in smoke too.
“We are in the middle of a Marxist revolution. It's not coming down the road. It's not on the horizon. It's now. We are in the middle of it. We are in the middle of the hurricane. We need to wake up now.”
“When the left calls you a name,” Gabriel added, “it’s because they fail to debate you on the facts. And because they know that the facts are on your side. The only way they can silence you is by slapping a label on you. And our people do not want to be labeled. So they sat on the sidelines for too long.”
“The squeaky wheel gets the oil. The left has been squeaking and squeaking and squeaking and squeaking while our people were sitting in the corner praying and praying and hoping and believing and not wanting to rock the boat. Well, we are realizing that the left screamed so much that we are now afraid to even open our mouth. And even those who are opening their mouth, they are being drowned by the loud screams of the left. This is why we need to see a roaring on our side. This is why we need to see an uprising on our side, democratically, peacefully, lovingly, with prayers.”
Gabriel concluded by reminding Christians about the example Christ himself set for us when he overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple.
“Jesus set the standards on how activism should be done. When Jesus saw wrong, he walked into that Temple. He threw the tables around…He spoke up. He marched.”
“We have a responsibility as Christians — to whom much is given, much is required — and as Christians, God doesn't change the world through lightning in the sky. God uses his people. Me and you and everybody watching us right now — as instruments of change, as the instruments in God's hand. This is why when we pray, we say, ‘Please, God, use me. Use me as your instrument. Use me to make a difference in this world. Use me to make a difference in people's lives.’ Well, God needs to use you to make a difference.”
Share


lifesitenews--2020-09-17--Reflections on the necessity for widespread access to conditional baptism

September 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – “ Amen , amen I say to thee , unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost , he can not enter into the kingdom of God.
” ( Jn 3:5 ) 1 .
The sacrament of baptism is necessary for salvation .
Baptism is “ the outward washing of the body done together with the prescribed form of words.
” Baptism is valid when the required matter and form are used with the intention of doing what the Church does .
2 .
Baptism of blood and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salvation , whereby a person receives certain effects of the sacrament of baptism , but not the sacrament itself .
3 .
Only baptism by water confers an indelible sacramental character upon the soul .
Only baptism by water makes it possible for the other six sacraments to be validly received .
A person who is not baptised will not be validly confirmed or ordained , and will not validly receive the sacraments of Penance , Holy Communion , or Extreme Unction .
A non-baptised person can not enter into a sacramental marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest importance that each individual , and the Church as a whole , has moral certainty that a given Catholic has validly received the sacrament of baptism .
5 .
Moral certainty is that certainty which admits of no reasonable doubt .
In this it differs from absolute certainty , which would exclude all possible doubt .
6 .
Prior to the Second Vatican Council the formation of priests placed particular emphasis on the valid administration of the sacraments .
Priests knew the correct matter and form , and understood the far-reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be vigilant both of their own practice and that of others .
The words and rubrics of the received sacramental rites helped ensure the valid celebration of the sacraments .
Knowledge of the necessary matter and form of the sacraments , and especially of baptism , was widespread among the laity – who were often instructed how to baptise – and many would be able to identify invalid baptisms easily .
Parish priests , religious superiors , local Ordinaries , and the Holy See were assiduous in securing sacramental validity and in taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacraments .
7 .
As a result of the above any individual who was baptised by a Catholic priest and whose baptism was recorded in the appropriate register possessed moral certainty of the validity of their baptism , of their membership of the Mystical Body of Christ , and of their ability to validly receive the other sacraments of the Church .
8 .
Since the beginning of the prolonged period of crisis following the Second Vatican Council the conditions enumerated in section 6 no longer exist throughout much of the Church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clergy have received appropriate formation in the celebration of the sacraments .
It can no longer be assumed that they accept or understand the Church ’ s sacramental theology or what is required for the valid celebration of the sacraments .
Experimentation with sacramental and liturgical forms has been widespread .
Lay people are much less likely to be able to identify invalid sacraments and take effective action .
Bishops and superiors have neglected to govern the clergy and have not maintained discipline effectively .
9 .
There are a number of clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacraments , including baptism .
Other cases will no doubt come to light .
Many lay people and clergy have had personal experience of priests using invalid or doubtfully valid forms of absolution , and having failed to adhere to the words and rubrics of other sacramental rites .
10 .
A particularly disturbing example is that of Father Matthew Hood of the Archdiocese of Detroit .
He was “ ordained ” to the priesthood in 2017 but discovered in 2020 , after watching a home video , that his baptism had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , used the words “ we baptise ” instead of the correct form “ I baptise.
” The invalidity of his baptism – and of all the sacraments he thought he had received – was confirmed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith .
He had to be baptised , confirmed , and ordained absolutely .
All the Masses he had celebrated ( more than 1000 ) and all the absolutions he had given were invalid .
If he had not viewed that particular home video , this situation could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had become a bishop he may have “ ordained ” dozens of “ priests ” who would have perpetuated the invalid celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass , and of the sacraments of Penance , Confirmation and Extreme Unction , not to mention a whole range of other deleterious spiritual consequences .
Deacon Mark Springer had been invalidly baptising for a decade .
How many of those who received invalid baptism will now be baptised ?
How many souls will be eternally lost ?
How many other priests and deacons followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but have not been identified and perhaps will never be so ?
11 .
On 16 September 2020 it was revealed that Father Zachary Boazman , of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City , had been baptised , confirmed , and ordained after being invalidly baptised in the diocese of Fort Worth in 1992 .
As in the case of Fr .
Hood , the form “ we baptise ” was used in place of “ I baptise , ” and Fr .
Boazman only realised after watching a home video .
How many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fr .
Hood and Fr .
Boazman ?
It is highly unlikely that they are the only two examples .
12 .
Another instructive example is that of the parish of St. Mary ’ s in the Archdiocese of Brisbane , Australia .
In 2004 the Archdiocese announced that invalid baptisms – “ in the name of the redeemer , the liberator , and the sustainer ” – had been taking place for the last ten years in the parish and admitted that hundreds of children in the Archdiocese were in fact not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not removed until 2009 , after the Archbishop admitted ( in August 2008 ) that he was still unsure “ whether they baptise the correct way ” in the parish .
The breakdown of teaching , practice , and discipline in the post-conciliar Church is such that for 15 years invalid baptisms could take place publicly , close to the centre of one of Australia ’ s largest cities , without any effective action being taken .
13 .
As a consequence of this disintegration of Catholic teaching , practice , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral certainty that they have been validly baptised simply because there is a record of a baptism in a register .
There are reasonable grounds for considering that , as a result of the factors enumerated above , something may have occurred to render their baptism invalid .
14 .
Moral certainty can therefore only be attained by further investigation .
15 .
In many cases moral certainty will be attained because of factors such as the following : ( i ) an adult convert has a clear recollection of his own baptism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or other adults present at an infant baptism are morally certain of what they witnessed , ( iii ) the individual has later , personal , knowledge of the character and practice of the priest , ( iv ) other reliable individuals can testify to the character and practice of the priest , ( v ) the priest has a well-established reputation for adherence to the correct matter and form of the sacraments , and so on .
In these cases , the factors enumerated in sections 8-11 no longer offer grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been attained .
16 .
In a small number of cases clear evidence will be found of practices that render baptism invalid or doubtfully valid .
In these cases , it should be relatively easy for the individual concerned to receive absolute or conditional baptism as required .
17 .
However , it will often be the case – especially after many years have passed – that there is no reliable witness who can testify to what took place .
There may also be no priest or lay person who can give reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character and practice .
18 .
In such a case the individual concerned has no moral certainty as to the validity of his baptism .
He may presume , almost certainly correctly , that the overwhelming majority of baptisms have been valid , but he will also know that a significant minority of priests and deacons can not be relied upon to have baptised validly , because of the disintegration of doctrine and discipline in the Church .
Thus , in the absence of corroborating evidence , reasonable doubt remains and the validity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only .
19 .
The fact that the vast majority of baptisms are highly likely to have been valid in no way removes the reasonable grounds for doubt provided by the facts related in section 8-12 .
These can only be removed by the kind of verification specified in section 15 .
20 .
As baptism by water is necessary for salvation ( except in the extraordinary circumstances of baptism by blood and desire ) , for membership of the Church , and for the valid reception of all other sacraments , Catholics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but must , receive conditional baptism followed by conditional confirmation , and , if necessary , conditional ordination .
21 .
The contention of sections 8-19 is supported by the traditional practice of the Church of conditionally baptising the majority of converts from Protestantism , including from denominations which possessed a baptismal rite that was certainly valid .
The Westminster Synod of 1852 commanded that : In Ireland a Synod at Maynooth in 1875 determined that : The Holy Office decreed in 1878 that the baptism of a convert must be investigated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to be accepted without conditional baptism , if doubt remained the sacrament was to be conferred conditionally .
“ If there were one authorized mode of baptizing among the sects , and if the necessity and true significance of the sacrament were uniformly taught and put in practice among them , there would be little difficulty as to the status of converts from the sects .
But there is no such unity of teaching and practice among them , and consequently the particular case of each convert must be examined into when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Church .
For not only are there religious denominations in which baptism is in all probability not validly administered , but there are those also which have a ritual sufficient indeed for validity , but in practice the likelihood of their members having received baptism validly is more than doubtful .
As a consequence converts must be dealt with differently .
If it be certain that a convert was validly baptized in heresy , the sacrament is not repeated… If it be uncertain whether the convert 's baptism was valid or not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditionally .
In such cases the ritual is : `` If thou art not yet baptized , then I baptize thee in the name '' , etc… Practically , converts in the United States are almost invariably baptized either absolutely or conditionally , not because the baptism administered by heretics is held to be invalid , but because it is generally impossible to discover whether they had ever been properly baptized .
Even in cases where a ceremony had certainly been performed , reasonable doubt of validity will generally remain , on account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the mode of administration .
Still each case must be examined into ( S. C .
Inquis.
, 20 Nov. , 1878 ) lest the sacrament be sacrilegiously repeated.
” In England , as in the United States , conditional baptism was generally performed very freely .
For example , in 1957 in the diocese of Salford , England , priests were instructed that : In the period since the Second Vatican Council there has been a lack “ of unity of teaching and practice ” in the post-conciliar Church similar to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is this which necessitates individual examination of each person ’ s baptism , rather than an unquestioning reliance on baptismal registers .
The willingness of the Church to conditionally baptise converts from Protestantism , without any particularly protracted process of investigation , provides a clear and convincing precedent for clergy to conditionally baptise Catholics who , due to the crisis prevailing in the Church , lack moral certainty regarding the validity of their baptism .
Many of these objections have already been substantially dealt with above but it will be useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It may be suggested that conditional baptism would only be appropriate if there is concrete evidence that a particular baptism , or the routine practice of a particular priest , indicated invalidity and that in the absence of such evidence the doubt raised is merely “ negative ” and therefore can not be grounds for conditional baptism .
This argument could be rendered : “ If there is a record of the baptism , and it was performed by a minister within the Catholic Church , it must be regarded as valid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is otherwise.
” This was a perfectly reasonable position to hold prior to the Second Vatican Council because , as argued above , structures existed to protect sacramental integrity and provide the required moral certainty .
It is the breakdown of these structures that provides grounds for reasonable doubt .
It is certainly true that the scale of abuses will differ from place to place .
In some parts of the world it is likely that there have been thousands of cases , whereas in other parts of the world there may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument contained in this paper is therefore not perhaps equally applicable in all parts of the world .
And yet , baptism is so essential to salvation , and the very existence of the Church , that bishops should be assiduous in arriving at moral certainty and not merely assuming that no problem exists in their diocese or locality .
The crisis in the Church , which provides the grounds for doubt , is universal , even though the way it manifests is not uniform .
There were undoubtedly baptismal records for Fr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boazman , and on that basis , they were “ confirmed ” and “ ordained.
” Yet , the recorded “ baptisms , ” and many like them ( we know of hundreds ) , never in fact took place .
The consequences of relying on a certificate – and thus failing to acknowledge the potential impact of the ecclesiastical crisis on sacramental integrity – were devastating for hundreds of men and women who received invalid sacraments – including at the moment of death .
If Fr .
Hood or Fr .
Boazman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the situation would have been even more catastrophic .
In much of the world , it is no longer safe or reasonable to assume the validity of a baptism simply because a record of it exists .
There must also be ( i ) reliable witnesses to the event or ( ii ) moral certainty that the specific priest or deacon concerned could be relied upon to baptise validly .
Only when the unity of teaching and practice has been restored will it be possible once again to assume that the Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of valid sacraments .
2 .
Baptism can not be repeated without sacrilege It may be objected that repetition of the sacrament of baptism is sacrilegious and therefore great caution must be applied before having recourse to conditional baptism .
It is certainly true that the three sacraments which confer an indelible sacramental character – baptism , confirmation , and holy orders – can not be repeated .
However , in conditional baptism there is never any intention to repeat the sacrament , or to confer for a second time that which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doing so is deliberately excluded by the form used .
We have already seen that the traditional practice of the Church in regard to converts has been to confer conditional baptism very freely in order to eliminate any reasonable doubt of invalidity , including when the convert comes from a denomination which officially uses a certainly valid rite .
There is another instructive example of recourse to conditional baptism : the traditional practice of conditionally baptising infants previously baptised by a lay person e.g .
in danger of death .
There must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baptised children who had been baptised by lay people who it was known could be trusted to baptise correctly , e.g .
experienced midwives .
Nonetheless , these children were still conditionally baptised by the clergy .
Priests did not need to scruple over repeating a sacrament , they acted rightly in administering conditional baptism so that nobody might have any doubt , in the present or the future , that the individual concerned – perhaps a potential priest , bishop , or Pope – was truly a member of the Catholic Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the validity of their baptism might be accused of being scrupulous and be encouraged to simply “ trust in God.
” A faithful Catholic will trust that God will always impart sacramental grace when the correct matter and form is used with the correct intention .
He will not blindly trust in men , when the evidence of his own experience teaches him that a significant number of the post-conciliar clergy can not be trusted to act correctly when it comes to celebrating the sacraments .
Nobody who has experienced the frequency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of absolution , or liturgical texts , or expound a heretical understanding of the sacraments , could reasonably be expected to trust , prior to further investigation , that any given priest used the correct matter and form at their baptism .
To ask any individual to accept without question that a post-conciliar cleric , of whose personal integrity they know little , certainly baptised them validly , is unreasonable .
Concerned lay people may also be told that they have nothing to worry about because if they were not validly baptised , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baptism of desire is an extraordinary means of salvation .
St. Thomas Aquinas taught that it was possible that In this baptism of desire , or repentance , man cooperates with God and receives sanctifying grace prior to receiving the sacrament of baptism .
However , as stated above , baptism of desire does not confer an indelible sacramental character , and does not allow the valid reception of the other sacraments .
Every Catholic must have moral certainty that they have received valid baptism by water .
5 .
“ The sacraments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” OR “ The Church supplies !
” Each sacrament has matter and form .
The matter of baptism is the washing of the body with water .
This can occur by immersion , pouring , or sprinkling .
In the Roman rite the form of sacrament is “ I baptise you in the name of the Father , and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
” In the Byzantine rite the form “ The servant of God [ N ] is baptised in the name of the Father and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” is used .
If invalid matter and form is used the sacrament will not be conferred .
The Church can not “ supply ” anything to make up for the lack of the required matter and form .
Only jurisdiction – which is required for the valid celebration of certain sacraments – can ever be supplied by the Church , in certain circumstances , to enable the celebration of sacraments that would otherwise be rendered invalid by its lack .
6 .
“ If we conditionally baptise lots of people it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of baptism is necessary for salvation .
The hierarchy of the Church has the responsibility to guard those entrusted to it and ensure that not one is lost ( cf Jn 6:39 ) .
The hierarchy has already caused scandal and confusion by failing to ensure the integrity of the celebration of the sacraments .
It would be an even greater failing if bishops and priests were to refuse to act to remedy this failure by refusing to acknowledge the existence of significant numbers of invalid celebrations of the sacraments and by denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
If there is the slightest reasonable doubt that a baptism ( or confirmation or ordination ) was invalid , the clergy are obliged to administer conditional baptism ( and conditional confirmation or ordination ) .
For the past sixty years the Catholic Church has been enduring the worst crisis in her history .
Many clergy , poorly formed or adhering to heretical doctrine , have failed to ensure the integrity of the sacraments .
There are many documented cases of sacraments , including baptism , having been celebrated invalidly .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in large part because of the breakdown of ecclesiastical discipline .
This crisis in and of itself creates reasonable doubt as to the validity of many baptisms that can not be verified by reliable testimony of either ( i ) what took place on a particular occasion , or ( ii ) the established integrity of the celebration of the sacraments by the particular minister involved .
All Catholics who have a reasonable doubt , which still remains after a sufficient ( and not overly prolonged ) investigation of the facts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmation and , where necessary , conditional ordination .
“ See , here is water : what doth hinder me from being baptized ?
” ( Acts 8:36 )

The disintegration of formation and discipline means that the Church’s baptismal registers – in many parts of the world – no longer provide moral certainty as to validity of baptism. There is now an urgent need for widespread access to conditional baptism, confirmation, and ordination.
September 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – “Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:5)
Part I: Moral certainty and conditional baptism
1. The sacrament of baptism is necessary for salvation. Baptism is “the outward washing of the body done together with the prescribed form of words.” Baptism is valid when the required matter and form are used with the intention of doing what the Church does.
2. Baptism of blood and baptism of desire are extraordinary means of salvation, whereby a person receives certain effects of the sacrament of baptism, but not the sacrament itself.
3. Only baptism by water confers an indelible sacramental character upon the soul. Only baptism by water makes it possible for the other six sacraments to be validly received. A person who is not baptised will not be validly confirmed or ordained, and will not validly receive the sacraments of Penance, Holy Communion, or Extreme Unction. A non-baptised person cannot enter into a sacramental marriage.
4. It is therefore of the greatest importance that each individual, and the Church as a whole, has moral certainty that a given Catholic has validly received the sacrament of baptism.
5. Moral certainty is that certainty which admits of no reasonable doubt. In this it differs from absolute certainty, which would exclude all possible doubt.
6. Prior to the Second Vatican Council the formation of priests placed particular emphasis on the valid administration of the sacraments. Priests knew the correct matter and form, and understood the far-reaching consequences of invalid sacraments. Clergy would be vigilant both of their own practice and that of others. The words and rubrics of the received sacramental rites helped ensure the valid celebration of the sacraments. Knowledge of the necessary matter and form of the sacraments, and especially of baptism, was widespread among the laity – who were often instructed how to baptise – and many would be able to identify invalid baptisms easily. Parish priests, religious superiors, local Ordinaries, and the Holy See were assiduous in securing sacramental validity and in taking appropriate action in the case of doubtful sacraments.
7. As a result of the above any individual who was baptised by a Catholic priest and whose baptism was recorded in the appropriate register possessed moral certainty of the validity of their baptism, of their membership of the Mystical Body of Christ, and of their ability to validly receive the other sacraments of the Church.
8. Since the beginning of the prolonged period of crisis following the Second Vatican Council the conditions enumerated in section 6 no longer exist throughout much of the Church. It can no longer be assumed that clergy have received appropriate formation in the celebration of the sacraments. It can no longer be assumed that they accept or understand the Church’s sacramental theology or what is required for the valid celebration of the sacraments. Experimentation with sacramental and liturgical forms has been widespread. Lay people are much less likely to be able to identify invalid sacraments and take effective action. Bishops and superiors have neglected to govern the clergy and have not maintained discipline effectively.
9. There are a number of clearly documented examples of invalid celebrations of the sacraments, including baptism. Other cases will no doubt come to light. Many lay people and clergy have had personal experience of priests using invalid or doubtfully valid forms of absolution, and having failed to adhere to the words and rubrics of other sacramental rites.
10. A particularly disturbing example is that of Father Matthew Hood of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was “ordained” to the priesthood in 2017 but discovered in 2020, after watching a home video, that his baptism had been invalid because the deacon, Mark Springer, used the words “we baptise” instead of the correct form “I baptise.” The invalidity of his baptism – and of all the sacraments he thought he had received – was confirmed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He had to be baptised, confirmed, and ordained absolutely. All the Masses he had celebrated (more than 1000) and all the absolutions he had given were invalid. If he had not viewed that particular home video, this situation could have continued for many decades. If he had become a bishop he may have “ordained” dozens of “priests” who would have perpetuated the invalid celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and of the sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Extreme Unction, not to mention a whole range of other deleterious spiritual consequences. Deacon Mark Springer had been invalidly baptising for a decade. How many of those who received invalid baptism will now be baptised? How many souls will be eternally lost? How many other priests and deacons followed the same practice as Deacon Springer, but have not been identified and perhaps will never be so?
11. On 16 September 2020 it was revealed that Father Zachary Boazman, of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, had been baptised, confirmed, and ordained after being invalidly baptised in the diocese of Fort Worth in 1992. As in the case of Fr. Hood, the form “we baptise” was used in place of “I baptise,” and Fr. Boazman only realised after watching a home video. How many other priests are in the situation of Fr. Hood and Fr. Boazman? It is highly unlikely that they are the only two examples.
12. Another instructive example is that of the parish of St. Mary’s in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia. In 2004 the Archdiocese announced that invalid baptisms – “in the name of the redeemer, the liberator, and the sustainer” – had been taking place for the last ten years in the parish and admitted that hundreds of children in the Archdiocese were in fact not baptised. Despite this the parish priest was not removed until 2009, after the Archbishop admitted (in August 2008) that he was still unsure “whether they baptise the correct way” in the parish. The breakdown of teaching, practice, and discipline in the post-conciliar Church is such that for 15 years invalid baptisms could take place publicly, close to the centre of one of Australia’s largest cities, without any effective action being taken.
13. As a consequence of this disintegration of Catholic teaching, practice, and discipline many Catholics can no longer have moral certainty that they have been validly baptised simply because there is a record of a baptism in a register. There are reasonable grounds for considering that, as a result of the factors enumerated above, something may have occurred to render their baptism invalid.
14. Moral certainty can therefore only be attained by further investigation.
15. In many cases moral certainty will be attained because of factors such as the following: (i) an adult convert has a clear recollection of his own baptism, (ii) parents, godparents, or other adults present at an infant baptism are morally certain of what they witnessed, (iii) the individual has later, personal, knowledge of the character and practice of the priest, (iv) other reliable individuals can testify to the character and practice of the priest, (v) the priest has a well-established reputation for adherence to the correct matter and form of the sacraments, and so on. In these cases, the factors enumerated in sections 8-11 no longer offer grounds for reasonable doubt and moral certainty has been attained.
16. In a small number of cases clear evidence will be found of practices that render baptism invalid or doubtfully valid. In these cases, it should be relatively easy for the individual concerned to receive absolute or conditional baptism as required.
17. However, it will often be the case – especially after many years have passed – that there is no reliable witness who can testify to what took place. There may also be no priest or lay person who can give reliable testimony of an individual priest’s character and practice.
18. In such a case the individual concerned has no moral certainty as to the validity of his baptism. He may presume, almost certainly correctly, that the overwhelming majority of baptisms have been valid, but he will also know that a significant minority of priests and deacons cannot be relied upon to have baptised validly, because of the disintegration of doctrine and discipline in the Church. Thus, in the absence of corroborating evidence, reasonable doubt remains and the validity of the baptism remains a probable opinion only.
19. The fact that the vast majority of baptisms are highly likely to have been valid in no way removes the reasonable grounds for doubt provided by the facts related in section 8-12. These can only be removed by the kind of verification specified in section 15.
20. As baptism by water is necessary for salvation (except in the extraordinary circumstances of baptism by blood and desire), for membership of the Church, and for the valid reception of all other sacraments, Catholics who lack moral certainty not only may, but must, receive conditional baptism followed by conditional confirmation, and, if necessary, conditional ordination.
21. The contention of sections 8-19 is supported by the traditional practice of the Church of conditionally baptising the majority of converts from Protestantism, including from denominations which possessed a baptismal rite that was certainly valid.
The Westminster Synod of 1852 commanded that:
“All converts from Protestantism be baptised conditionally, unless it is most surely ascertained from evidence beyond all doubt that all that regards the matter and form of the sacrament was duly performed.”
In Ireland a Synod at Maynooth in 1875 determined that:
“Converts to the Catholic religion in our territory are conditionally baptised because it is evident that there are very many among the Protestants who disregard baptism and others who administer it without using the proper matter and form. This usage we wish to be maintained unless it is quite evident from trustworthy testimonies that the person in question has been validly baptised.”
The Holy Office decreed in 1878 that the baptism of a convert must be investigated. If found to be valid it was to be accepted without conditional baptism, if doubt remained the sacrament was to be conferred conditionally.
As the Catholic Encyclopedia (1907) explains:
“If there were one authorized mode of baptizing among the sects, and if the necessity and true significance of the sacrament were uniformly taught and put in practice among them, there would be little difficulty as to the status of converts from the sects. But there is no such unity of teaching and practice among them, and consequently the particular case of each convert must be examined into when there is question of his reception into the Church. For not only are there religious denominations in which baptism is in all probability not validly administered, but there are those also which have a ritual sufficient indeed for validity, but in practice the likelihood of their members having received baptism validly is more than doubtful. As a consequence converts must be dealt with differently. If it be certain that a convert was validly baptized in heresy, the sacrament is not repeated… If it be uncertain whether the convert's baptism was valid or not, then he is to be baptized conditionally. In such cases the ritual is: “If thou art not yet baptized, then I baptize thee in the name”, etc… Practically, converts in the United States are almost invariably baptized either absolutely or conditionally, not because the baptism administered by heretics is held to be invalid, but because it is generally impossible to discover whether they had ever been properly baptized. Even in cases where a ceremony had certainly been performed, reasonable doubt of validity will generally remain, on account of either the intention of the administrator or the mode of administration. Still each case must be examined into (S. C. Inquis., 20 Nov., 1878) lest the sacrament be sacrilegiously repeated.”
In England, as in the United States, conditional baptism was generally performed very freely. For example, in 1957 in the diocese of Salford, England, priests were instructed that:
“All converts must be baptised at least conditionally, unless it is certain that they have already been validly baptised. Priests shall not decide in favour of the validity of a Baptism conferred in heresy without consulting the ordinary.”
In the period since the Second Vatican Council there has been a lack “of unity of teaching and practice” in the post-conciliar Church similar to that which prevails in many Protestant denominations. It is this which necessitates individual examination of each person’s baptism, rather than an unquestioning reliance on baptismal registers.
The willingness of the Church to conditionally baptise converts from Protestantism, without any particularly protracted process of investigation, provides a clear and convincing precedent for clergy to conditionally baptise Catholics who, due to the crisis prevailing in the Church, lack moral certainty regarding the validity of their baptism.
Part II: Reply to potential objections
Many of these objections have already been substantially dealt with above but it will be useful to consider them in more detail here.
1. Lack of positive probable doubt
It may be suggested that conditional baptism would only be appropriate if there is concrete evidence that a particular baptism, or the routine practice of a particular priest, indicated invalidity and that in the absence of such evidence the doubt raised is merely “negative” and therefore cannot be grounds for conditional baptism.
This argument could be rendered: “If there is a record of the baptism, and it was performed by a minister within the Catholic Church, it must be regarded as valid unless evidence comes to light that it is otherwise.”
This was a perfectly reasonable position to hold prior to the Second Vatican Council because, as argued above, structures existed to protect sacramental integrity and provide the required moral certainty.
It is the breakdown of these structures that provides grounds for reasonable doubt. It is certainly true that the scale of abuses will differ from place to place. In some parts of the world it is likely that there have been thousands of cases, whereas in other parts of the world there may have been few or even none. The argument contained in this paper is therefore not perhaps equally applicable in all parts of the world.
And yet, baptism is so essential to salvation, and the very existence of the Church, that bishops should be assiduous in arriving at moral certainty and not merely assuming that no problem exists in their diocese or locality.
The crisis in the Church, which provides the grounds for doubt, is universal, even though the way it manifests is not uniform.
There were undoubtedly baptismal records for Fr. Matthew Hood and Fr. Zachary Boazman, and on that basis, they were “confirmed” and “ordained.” Yet, the recorded “baptisms,” and many like them (we know of hundreds), never in fact took place. The consequences of relying on a certificate – and thus failing to acknowledge the potential impact of the ecclesiastical crisis on sacramental integrity – were devastating for hundreds of men and women who received invalid sacraments – including at the moment of death. If Fr. Hood or Fr. Boazman had been “consecrated” as bishops, the situation would have been even more catastrophic.
In much of the world, it is no longer safe or reasonable to assume the validity of a baptism simply because a record of it exists. There must also be (i) reliable witnesses to the event or (ii) moral certainty that the specific priest or deacon concerned could be relied upon to baptise validly.
Only when the unity of teaching and practice has been restored will it be possible once again to assume that the Church’s registers give an accurate account of valid sacraments.
2. Baptism cannot be repeated without sacrilege
It may be objected that repetition of the sacrament of baptism is sacrilegious and therefore great caution must be applied before having recourse to conditional baptism.
It is certainly true that the three sacraments which confer an indelible sacramental character – baptism, confirmation, and holy orders – cannot be repeated.
However, in conditional baptism there is never any intention to repeat the sacrament, or to confer for a second time that which has already been received, and the possibility of doing so is deliberately excluded by the form used.
We have already seen that the traditional practice of the Church in regard to converts has been to confer conditional baptism very freely in order to eliminate any reasonable doubt of invalidity, including when the convert comes from a denomination which officially uses a certainly valid rite.
There is another instructive example of recourse to conditional baptism: the traditional practice of conditionally baptising infants previously baptised by a lay person e.g. in danger of death.
There must have been many occasions when clergy conditionally baptised children who had been baptised by lay people who it was known could be trusted to baptise correctly, e.g. experienced midwives. Nonetheless, these children were still conditionally baptised by the clergy.
Priests did not need to scruple over repeating a sacrament, they acted rightly in administering conditional baptism so that nobody might have any doubt, in the present or the future, that the individual concerned – perhaps a potential priest, bishop, or Pope – was truly a member of the Catholic Church.
3. “Trust in God”
A lay person who raises concerns about the validity of their baptism might be accused of being scrupulous and be encouraged to simply “trust in God.”
A faithful Catholic will trust that God will always impart sacramental grace when the correct matter and form is used with the correct intention. He will not blindly trust in men, when the evidence of his own experience teaches him that a significant number of the post-conciliar clergy cannot be trusted to act correctly when it comes to celebrating the sacraments.
Nobody who has experienced the frequency with which post-conciliar clergy alter the form of absolution, or liturgical texts, or expound a heretical understanding of the sacraments, could reasonably be expected to trust, prior to further investigation, that any given priest used the correct matter and form at their baptism.
To ask any individual to accept without question that a post-conciliar cleric, of whose personal integrity they know little, certainly baptised them validly, is unreasonable.
4. “Baptism of desire”
Concerned lay people may also be told that they have nothing to worry about because if they were not validly baptised, they will receive baptism of desire.
Baptism of desire is an extraordinary means of salvation. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that it was possible that
“a man receives the effect of Baptism by the power of the Holy Ghost, not only without Baptism of Water, but also without Baptism of Blood: forasmuch as his heart is moved by the Holy Ghost to believe in and love God and to repent of his sins: wherefore this is also called Baptism of Repentance.”
In this baptism of desire, or repentance, man cooperates with God and receives sanctifying grace prior to receiving the sacrament of baptism. However, as stated above, baptism of desire does not confer an indelible sacramental character, and does not allow the valid reception of the other sacraments.
Every Catholic must have moral certainty that they have received valid baptism by water.
5. “The sacraments cannot be so easily invalidated!” OR “The Church supplies!”
Each sacrament has matter and form. The matter of baptism is the washing of the body with water. This can occur by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. In the Roman rite the form of sacrament is “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” In the Byzantine rite the form “The servant of God [N] is baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost” is used.
If invalid matter and form is used the sacrament will not be conferred. The Church cannot “supply” anything to make up for the lack of the required matter and form. Only jurisdiction – which is required for the valid celebration of certain sacraments – can ever be supplied by the Church, in certain circumstances, to enable the celebration of sacraments that would otherwise be rendered invalid by its lack.
6. “If we conditionally baptise lots of people it will cause scandal and confusion”
The sacrament of baptism is necessary for salvation. The hierarchy of the Church has the responsibility to guard those entrusted to it and ensure that not one is lost (cf Jn 6:39). The hierarchy has already caused scandal and confusion by failing to ensure the integrity of the celebration of the sacraments. It would be an even greater failing if bishops and priests were to refuse to act to remedy this failure by refusing to acknowledge the existence of significant numbers of invalid celebrations of the sacraments and by denying conditional sacraments to those in need of them.
If there is the slightest reasonable doubt that a baptism (or confirmation or ordination) was invalid, the clergy are obliged to administer conditional baptism (and conditional confirmation or ordination).
Conclusion
For the past sixty years the Catholic Church has been enduring the worst crisis in her history. Many clergy, poorly formed or adhering to heretical doctrine, have failed to ensure the integrity of the sacraments. There are many documented cases of sacraments, including baptism, having been celebrated invalidly. The full extent of the problem is unknown, in large part because of the breakdown of ecclesiastical discipline.
This crisis in and of itself creates reasonable doubt as to the validity of many baptisms that cannot be verified by reliable testimony of either (i) what took place on a particular occasion, or (ii) the established integrity of the celebration of the sacraments by the particular minister involved.
All Catholics who have a reasonable doubt, which still remains after a sufficient (and not overly prolonged) investigation of the facts, ought to receive conditional baptism and conditional confirmation and, where necessary, conditional ordination.
“See, here is water: what doth hinder me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36)
Matthew McCusker
11 September 2020
Amended 17 September 2020
Share


lifesitenews--2020-09-17--Are Mary’s prophetic warnings about Rome losing the faith coming true?

Formerly Heart to Heart with Mother Miriam , Mother Miriam Live brings you inspiration and solutions for life ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Miriam is a Catholic nun on a mission to bring hope to a world that @ @ @ @ @ let her share that hope and joy with you !
To tune into Mother Miriam @ @ @ @ @ Facebook page here every Monday to Friday at 10am .

To help keep this and other programs on the air, please donate here. In this episode, Mother Miriam talks about how Mary’s prophetic warnings about Rome losing the faith are coming true. You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page. Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live email updates here.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-09-17--Here is how LifeSite petitions have been very effective

September 17 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Petitions are often attacked as cold data-gathering operations engaged in by unscrupulous non-profit machines to grow their email lists and donor base .
Undoubtedly , some organizations use petitions in unethical ways for fraudulent purposes .
Even worse , some organizations use petitions quite successfully to promote evil agendas .
But many organizations do not .
As a long time pro-life activist , I have experienced both , and I can attest to the fact that well-run petitions are an essential aspect of effective public advocacy .
As the director of advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petitions that make a real impact almost every single week .
At LifeSiteNews , petitions are an integral part of our ability to identify , inform , mobilize , and stay connected with our supporters .
On pressing matters where public support can make a difference , petitions work .
To get an idea of how a petition comes to life at LifePetitions , consider how one of our most shocking petitions came to be .
Late last year , one of LifeSiteNews ’ s columnists , Jonathan Van Maren , reported on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was sex trafficked and was only rescued after the girl ’ s mother saw the abuse displayed on some of the world ’ s largest pornography sites .
A few months later , LifeSiteNews partnered with the Personhood Alliance in an investigative report of public police records .
Those records exposed the fact that the young sex trafficking victim had been further victimized by being coerced into an abortion by her captors .
This led LifeSiteNews and the Personhood Alliance to join together in launching a petition .
LifePetitions brought together 25,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida open an investigation into the abortion facility that had not complied with state and federal mandatory reporting laws .
Even after delivery of the petition had been complicated by the coronavirus lockdown , and after several conversations with members of the Florida government , Attorney General Ashley Moody responded directly to the petition with an official letter announcing her order to local law enforcement to open an investigation into the forced abortion .
The petition in this case allowed LifeSiteNews to put the necessary public attention and public pressure on Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a practical collaboration between two organizations that were then able to reach out to their respective members to put more pressure on public officials .
Lastly , the petition allowed us to identify those of people who are interested in staying informed about this issue and yes , if they believe in the value of the reporting , to support both organizations through their donations .
Petitions at LifeSiteNews are never one-off efforts .
They usually start with a news report on a topic important to our readers .
But because LifeSiteNews is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance the culture of life , we don ’ t just report the news , but try to find ways to have a direct impact on the side of life .
We don ’ t write a petition for every story – only for those where we think the voice of our readers could impact a situation .
If that is the case , the petition not only helps us give our readers a voice , but also allows us to know which stories the signers are most passionate about , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , we follow up the petition with ongoing reporting on the same topic .
In other words , our petitions are an integral part of ongoing coverage and advocacy .
The impact of LifePetitions is truly something of which we are proud .
Looking at petitions that have made a real difference recently we count the following successful petitions : • None Altman of St. James the Less parish in La Crosse , Wisconsin , after his bishop penned a public letter warning of possible Fr .
Altman is the priest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be Catholic and a Democrat .
Period.
” has covered the story of Fr .
Altman viral to this weekend ’ s prayer vigil outside the cathedral in La Crosse .
When the persecution from the hurch hierarchy started , we launched our petition , mobilizing our own members ( people who are already on our email lists ) to show support for F Altman .
Because of our reporting and with the help our members , we were also able to connect with parishioners and local supporters of Fr .
Altman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayer vigil and record a of the wonderful people who came out to pray for Fr .
Altman .
has been in contact with both the chancery and with Fr .
Altman , and both will be presented with physical copies of the petition with every name and state of residence on them .
• None , a priest persecuted by his bishop for speaking up against .
As a result of the petition , a relationship with local parishioners and supporters of Fr .
Rothrock and a physical copy of the petition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery went and helped the local group communicate their support of Fr .
Rothrock to almost 150 • None When the Navy ’ s Southwest Region announced it would be rescinding the contracts of its on-base Catholic priests , wrote and sent out a to its members to demand the rescission of this discriminatory order .
Within a day Trump administration .
Thanks to this and other actions by other concerned Catholics , the resident quickly overruled the Navy ’ s order and assured the American people that priests would continue to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and public health data launched a petition sending a strong message of rejection to these governors .
Although we were heavily censored on social media , the to the governors ’ offices in all 50 states .
then continued to cover events related to medical freedom , including on Thanks to the petition , this important coverage was able to be shared with all the petition signers .
• None to run a local petition asking distributors to boycott who were given instructions on how to contact the distributors to voice their concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petition , far from being a way to monopolize contacts , can actually be a way to build constructive collaboration among national and local organizations .
• None Last month Big Tech companies completely censored the frontline doctors who were trying to alert their fellow Americans of the benefits of current treatments for the coronavirus .
But were ready with a petition to support them .
Almost the petition .
They were able to directly receive information in their email inboxes that Big Tech rying at all costs to censor .
• None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against COVID-19 around the world that vaccine ever be mandated or forced upon unwilling citizens .
This petition has been delivered to the , and to the governments of and gathered the signatures of over 866 a very strong statement to the governments that if they attempt to impose mandatory vaccination , they will be met with stiff resistance .
It should be noted that these signers had the option to opt in or out of receiving news related to the topic of the petition , and a majority of them are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these petitions does not mean that every petition is heeded by its recipient .
But as shown by the petitions that we choose to do and those that we choose to pass on , as part of our process of determining whether to do a petition , LifeSiteNews always considers the likelihood of the petition making a real impact .
As can be seen from the above examples , petitions don ’ t just make a real difference on any particular campaign .
Petitions also help us identify supporters to our cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are of interest to them , and organize them into action .
Petitions are tools for identifying , informing , and mobilizing people .
Used ethically , petitions can be and are an incredible tool for evangelization .
But petitions can also be used , and are used every day , for evil and fraudulent purposes ; one need look no further than liberal petition platforms like MoveOn.org to see the nefarious impact petition platforms can have .
To completely reject all petitions is to reject a tool that can be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LifeSiteNews takes seriously our responsibility to use our LifePetitions platform ethically .
We will continue to fight with every tool at our disposal to advance the culture of life .
Whether it is through our ongoing news reporting at LifeSite or through LifePetitions , our promise to our readers is the same : leave no stone unturned in the search for the truth , and seek to restore a culture of life using every legitimate Christian means possible .

Petitions work for change if they are done with integrity. At LifeSiteNews, they are.
September 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Petitions are often attacked as cold data-gathering operations engaged in by unscrupulous non-profit machines to grow their email lists and donor base. Undoubtedly, some organizations use petitions in unethical ways for fraudulent purposes. Even worse, some organizations use petitions quite successfully to promote evil agendas. But many organizations do not. As a long time pro-life activist, I have experienced both, and I can attest to the fact that well–run petitions are an essential aspect of effective public advocacy.
As the director of advocacy at LifeSiteNews and LifePetitions, I see petitions that make a real impact almost every single week. At LifeSiteNews, petitions are an integral part of our ability to identify, inform, mobilize, and stay connected with our supporters. On pressing matters where public support can make a difference, petitions work.
To get an idea of how a petition comes to life at LifePetitions, consider how one of our most shocking petitions came to be.
Late last year, one of LifeSiteNews’s columnists, Jonathan Van Maren, reported on the gruesome story of a teenage girl who was sex trafficked and was only rescued after the girl’s mother saw the abuse displayed on some of the world’s largest pornography sites. A few months later, LifeSiteNews partnered with the Personhood Alliance in an investigative report of public police records. Those records exposed the fact that the young sex trafficking victim had been further victimized by being coerced into an abortion by her captors.
This led LifeSiteNews and the Personhood Alliance to join together in launching a petition. LifePetitions brought together 25,000 signers on the petition demanding that authorities in Florida open an investigation into the abortion facility that had not complied with state and federal mandatory reporting laws. Even after delivery of the petition had been complicated by the coronavirus lockdown, and after several conversations with members of the Florida government, Attorney General Ashley Moody responded directly to the petition with an official letter announcing her order to local law enforcement to open an investigation into the forced abortion.
The petition in this case allowed LifeSiteNews to put the necessary public attention and public pressure on Florida authorities. The petition also allowed for a practical collaboration between two organizations that were then able to reach out to their respective members to put more pressure on public officials. Lastly, the petition allowed us to identify those of people who are interested in staying informed about this issue and yes, if they believe in the value of the reporting, to support both organizations through their donations.
Petitions at LifeSiteNews are never one-off efforts. They usually start with a news report on a topic important to our readers. But because LifeSiteNews is a non-profit with the specific mission to advance the culture of life, we don’t just report the news, but try to find ways to have a direct impact on the side of life. We don’t write a petition for every story – only for those where we think the voice of our readers could impact a situation. If that is the case, the petition not only helps us give our readers a voice, but also allows us to know which stories the signers are most passionate about, and if they give us permission to communicate with them, we follow up the petition with ongoing reporting on the same topic. In other words, our petitions are an integral part of ongoing coverage and advocacy.
The impact of LifePetitions is truly something of which we are proud. Looking at petitions that have made a real difference recently we count the following successful petitions:
65 ,000 people signed a petition in support F ather James Altman of St. James the Less parish in La Crosse, Wisconsin, after his bishop penned a public letter warning of possible “ canonical penalties ” against the courageous priest. Fr. Altman is the priest in the viral video, “You cannot be Catholic and a Democrat. Period.” LifeSiteNews has covered the story of Fr. Altman from every angle, from the time Fr. Altman’s video started to go viral to this weekend’s prayer vigil outside the cathedral in La Crosse. When the persecution from the C hurch hierarchy started, we launched our petition, mobilizing our own members (people who are already on our email lists) to show support for F r. Altman. Because of our reporting and with the help our members, we were also able to connect with parishioners and local supporters of Fr. Altman who helped us boost attendance for the prayer vigil and record a video with the beautiful testimonies of the wonderful people who came out to pray for Fr. Altman. LifePetitions has been in contact with both the chancery and with Fr. Altman, and both will be presented with physical copies of the petition with every signer ’ s name and state of residence on them. 46 ,000 people signed a petition to support F ather Theodore Rothrock , a priest persecuted by his bishop for speaking up against Black Lives Matter . As a result of the petition, we formed a relationship with local parishioners and supporters of Fr. Rothrock and delivered a physical copy of the petition to Bishop Timothy Doherty’s residence . The video of the petition delivery went viral on You T ube and helped the local group communicate their support of Fr. Rothrock to almost 150 ,000 people on You T ube . When the Navy’s Southwest Region announced it would be rescinding the contracts of its on-base Catholic priests, LifePetitions wrote and sent out a petition to its members to demand the rescission of this discriminatory order. Within a day , over 10 ,000 people signed the petition, which w e sent directly to the Trump administration. Thanks to this and other actions by other concerned Catholics, the p resident quickly overruled the Navy’s order and assured the American people that priests would continue to be allowed to offer M ass on Navy bases. When American governors started to mandate the wearing of masks in public spaces against all scientific and public health data , LifeSiteNews launched a petition sending a strong message of rejection to these governors. Although we were heavily censored on social media, the petition went viral and over 100 ,000 people signed it. It is being delivered to the governors’ offices in all 50 states. LifeSiteNews then continued to cover events related to medical freedom, including on – the – ground coverage of medical freedom protests in Virginia and Idaho . Thanks to the petition, this important on-the-ground coverage was able to be shared with all the petition signers. When Raygun, an Iowa kids ’ clothing company , gave funds to promote abortion, Iowa pro-lifers reached out to LifeSiteNews and LifePetitions to run a local petition asking distributors to boycott Raygun . The petition reached hundreds of local activists , who were given instructions on how to contact the distributors to voice their concerns directly. This petition shows how a petition, far from being a way to monopolize contacts, can actually be a way to build constructive collaboration among national and local organizations. Last month Big Tech companies completely censored the frontline doctors who were trying to alert their fellow Americans of the benefits of current treatments for the coronavirus. But LifeSiteNews and LifePetitions were ready with a petition to support them. Almost 90 ,000 people signed the petition. They were able to directly receive information in their email inboxes that Big Tech , the liberal mainstream media, and many members of the U . S . C ongress are t rying at all costs to censor. As the push for the development of a vaccine against COVID-19 continues , we launched a petition alerting government authorities around the world that under no circumstance should a potential coronavirus vaccine ever be mandated or forced upon unwilling citizens. This petition has been delivered to the White House , and to the governments of Canada , the U . K . , and Australia . The petition went viral and gathered the signatures of over 866 ,000 people around the world . It made a very strong statement to the governments that if they attempt to impose mandatory coronavirus vaccination, they will be met with stiff resistance. It should be noted that these signers had the option to opt in or out of receiving news related to the topic of the petition, and a majority of them are in fact receiving the news and video reports related to medical freedom.
The success of these petitions does not mean that every petition is heeded by its recipient. But as shown by the petitions that we choose to do and those that we choose to pass on, as part of our process of determining whether to do a petition, LifeSiteNews always considers the likelihood of the petition making a real impact.
As can be seen from the above examples, petitions don’t just make a real difference on any particular campaign. Petitions also help us identify supporters to our cause, inform them of ongoing news stories that are of interest to them, and organize them into action.
Petitions are tools for identifying, informing, and mobilizing people. Used ethically, petitions can be and are an incredible tool for evangelization. But petitions can also be used, and are used every day, for evil and fraudulent purposes; one need look no further than liberal petition platforms like MoveOn.org to see the nefarious impact petition platforms can have.
To completely reject all petitions is to reject a tool that can be used for the greater glory of God.
LifeSiteNews takes seriously our responsibility to use our LifePetitions platform ethically.
We will continue to fight with every tool at our disposal to advance the culture of life. Whether it is through our ongoing news reporting at LifeSite or through LifePetitions, our promise to our readers is the same: leave no stone unturned in the search for the truth, and seek to restore a culture of life using every legitimate Christian means possible.
Share