lifesitenews--2020-07-03--French court acquits young people of ‘homophobia’ charges after their Catholic university denounced

French court acquits young people of ‘homophobia’ charges after their Catholic university denounced them

July 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A French Court of Appeal has found 12 college students who joined a spontaneous action against an “ LGBT rights ” stand in La Roche-sur-Yon , the administrative capital of the Vendée in the west of France , “ not guilty ” of homophobic insults and obstruction to a legal public demonstration .
The event had taken place last year on May 18 , leading to mainstream media outrage against the young adults .
They were immediately sanctioned by the Catholic University which most of them attended : ICES , “ Institut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vendée.
” Their acquittal by the Court of Appeal of Poitiers is a slap in the face of the ICES , whose president , Eric de Labarre , had presented their student rumpus as a “ grave incident , ” and announced that disciplinary action would be taken .
This was despite the fact that the “ attack ” took place after the end of the academic year – the students had just received their exam results – and outside the college campus that was closed at the time .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students at the ICES .
On May 20 , 2019 , de Labarre said : “ The ICES condemns all forms of violence used to promote any convictions whatsoever .
... Their attitude is detrimental to the reputation of the ICES , and as such they will not only be accountable before the courts , since a complaint has been lodged , but also before the ICES.
” University authorities went so far as to disclose the identity of students who had participated in the incident to the police .
LGBT activists were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students and the ICES adopted their vocabulary , speaking of their “ anti-homophobia stand.
” At no time did the Catholic university ’ s hierarchy recall that if respect for all persons is a necessity , the upholding of Catholic teaching is also .
While recognizing that their methods may have been ill-advised , several of the young anti-LGBT demonstrators insisted that they had been angered to see public promotion of moral disorder .
The public prosecutor of the Vendée , in a statement to the media , said at the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incidents and the fact that some of the young men happen to be studying at the ICES .
Now a civil court of penal justice has confirmed that their actions were not serious and did not deserve to be called homophobic or hateful .
Of the 12 young people who were judged in Poitiers , only three received light sanctions : modest fines and a number of hours of community work because they had hidden their faces with masks in the public square and stolen a rainbow flag .
These three young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The court also decided that there will be no trace of the judgement in their criminal record .
The incident in itself may be considered to have shown a lack of discretion on the part of the high-spirited young adults who , for the most part with heads and faces uncovered , walked through the LGBT exhibition charting “ Homofolie , ça suffit ” ( “ We ’ ve had enough of homofolly ” ) .
Videos posted on the Internet showed them toppling an iron fence , bursting a few balloons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag with them .
LGBT activists ran after them , filming the group with their smartphones .
Some pointed remarks were exchanged but there was no evidence of violence .
One week later , the local press reported that two septuagenarians present in the LGBT stand at the time claimed that they had been “ knocked over ” by one youth and given medical certificates of “ temporary incapacity for work ” of up to 10 days .
By that time , the incident had blown up into a major national news story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LGBT stand had been “ ransacked , ” even though three female LGBT activists present at the scene had acknowledged on television that the damage had been minimal and no one had been harmed .
The young men were soon picked up by the police , who made clear that they were acting on orders .
According to one of them speaking with LifeSite a police officer told them at the time that they had been asked to give priority to the affair over investigations that were being made in a rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tribunal of La Roche-sur-Yon in July 2019 , the most serious of the offences with which the 12 students were charged , “ homophobic insults , ” was not retained by the judges who considered them not guilty on that count .
Five of the defendants were given two-month suspended prison sentences and all were required to do community service for “ obstructing a demonstration.
” The accusation – the LGBT Center of the Vendée , the “ AIDES ” association against AIDS and the local Family Planning Association – appealed these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what they thought were “ homophobic insults.
” But their action backfired when the Court of Appeal not only rejected that demand but also invalidated the condemnation for “ obstructing a demonstration , ” leaving only minor charges that only incur fines at the most .
Benoît Fleury , one of the young men ’ s legal counsels , told Boulevard Voltaire , an independent news source in France , that the reign of law has been re-established , with proper interpretation of legal texts and definitions .
The defendants ’ lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only the slightest of damage had been done ; there was no trace of the bodily harm which had been mentioned in the media after the event .
A mountain had been made out of a molehill .
The ICES , in its bid to show “ respect ” for all persons , even in their activism for so-called “ LGBT rights , ” had clearly overreacted in expelling two students and submitting the others to stringent obligations , including a threat of expulsion if they were not in the University building at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in the incidents , A. , who was present at the Court of Appeal of Poitiers on Wednesday , told LifeSite that he would probably not be appealing the ICES sanctions on the grounds that there were no delicts to be sanctioned .
“ All I 'm asking for is a public apology , ” he said .
A. particularly underscored that the decision marks “ total victory ” against the ideological steamroller that had been set against them : “ Our immediate reaction is that we have obtained an immense victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main objective was to topple the accusations regarding obstruction and insults .
Our victory was complete because we overturned the machinery – including the political machinery – that was at work against us.
” “ The second point is that the ICES has committed a very serious fault in condemning and expelling or threatening to expel its members for offences that legally have no existence .
Two young men were expelled for mere police offences .
I was personally sentenced to 180 hours of community work by the University , and was under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have now been totally cleared of all charges .
Even the Court 's presiding judge commented on the ‘ exceptional ’ character of these sanctions .
The ICES was indeed overzealous in this affair , ” he noted .
LifeSite asked : Would they ask for the sanctions pronounced by the ICES against them to be lifted ?
“ It ’ s too late now to challenge the decisions made by the ICES but we demand an apology , because they dumped us and insulted us publicly : and we want a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so eager to condemn us , while we are innocent , ” came A.
’ s reply .
He added : “ If I had known one and a half years ago where I would be today I would still not have hesitated to act as I did .
But I wouldn ’ t do the same type of action tomorrow because we have neither the time nor the money to spend on this sort of thing again .
But deep down , we ’ re convinced that what we did was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we did on the financial , legal and social planes and we will not do it again , but we are not ashamed of what we did on May 18 and of our reactions afterwards.
” Reflecting on the meaning of the victory obtained in Poitiers , he said : “ To go a bit further , I believe there ’ s a sign of hope here .
I belong to a generation that is beginning to win , and the judgment we have obtained is an example of that .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the ideological machinery that was untouchable only 30 years ago , well , that 's good .
It 's something we have won , even if the price was high.
” Was that price financial or otherwise ?
“ The financial price was not the most important , ” said our interlocutor .
“ We were lucky to have lawyers who made gestures to help us and people who supported us .
What cost us most , and it was something that we had no idea of as 20 year-olds , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machinery that we did not know .
Within three days , our faces were on a number of internet sites , we received calls from the mainstream media , we were called every name in the book by the ICES , some of us were confronted by the police , others were kept in police custody , others still had their apartments raided .
For us it was truly a moral shock .
I think it made us stronger , but it meant hours of struggling and arguing to try to save our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

The acquittal is a slap in the face to the Catholic university, which had announced disciplinary action against the students.
ANALYSIS
July 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A French Court of Appeal has found 12 college students who joined a spontaneous action against an “LGBT rights” stand in La Roche-sur-Yon, the administrative capital of the Vendée in the west of France, “not guilty” of homophobic insults and obstruction to a legal public demonstration.
The event had taken place last year on May 18, leading to mainstream media outrage against the young adults. They were immediately sanctioned by the Catholic University which most of them attended: ICES, “Institut catholique d’études supérieures de la Vendée.”
Their acquittal by the Court of Appeal of Poitiers is a slap in the face of the ICES, whose president, Eric de Labarre, had presented their student rumpus as a “grave incident,” and announced that disciplinary action would be taken. This was despite the fact that the “attack” took place after the end of the academic year – the students had just received their exam results – and outside the college campus that was closed at the time. In fact, not all the youngsters who joined were students at the ICES.
On May 20, 2019, de Labarre said: “The ICES condemns all forms of violence used to promote any convictions whatsoever. … Their attitude is detrimental to the reputation of the ICES, and as such they will not only be accountable before the courts, since a complaint has been lodged, but also before the ICES.” University authorities went so far as to disclose the identity of students who had participated in the incident to the police.
LGBT activists were calling for sanctions and expulsions for the students and the ICES adopted their vocabulary, speaking of their “anti-homophobia stand.”
At no time did the Catholic university’s hierarchy recall that if respect for all persons is a necessity, the upholding of Catholic teaching is also. While recognizing that their methods may have been ill-advised, several of the young anti-LGBT demonstrators insisted that they had been angered to see public promotion of moral disorder.
The public prosecutor of the Vendée, in a statement to the media, said at the time that there was “no link” between the incidents and the fact that some of the young men happen to be studying at the ICES.
Now a civil court of penal justice has confirmed that their actions were not serious and did not deserve to be called homophobic or hateful. Of the 12 young people who were judged in Poitiers, only three received light sanctions: modest fines and a number of hours of community work because they had hidden their faces with masks in the public square and stolen a rainbow flag. These three young men were not studying at the ICES. The court also decided that there will be no trace of the judgement in their criminal record.
The incident in itself may be considered to have shown a lack of discretion on the part of the high-spirited young adults who, for the most part with heads and faces uncovered, walked through the LGBT exhibition charting “Homofolie, ça suffit” (“We’ve had enough of homofolly”). Videos posted on the Internet showed them toppling an iron fence, bursting a few balloons with their cigarettes and taking a rainbow flag with them. LGBT activists ran after them, filming the group with their smartphones. Some pointed remarks were exchanged but there was no evidence of violence.
One week later, the local press reported that two septuagenarians present in the LGBT stand at the time claimed that they had been “knocked over” by one youth and given medical certificates of “temporary incapacity for work” of up to 10 days.
By that time, the incident had blown up into a major national news story, with many mainstream reports announcing that the LGBT stand had been “ransacked,” even though three female LGBT activists present at the scene had acknowledged on television that the damage had been minimal and no one had been harmed.
The young men were soon picked up by the police, who made clear that they were acting on orders. According to one of them speaking with LifeSite a police officer told them at the time that they had been asked to give priority to the affair over investigations that were being made in a rape case.
At the first hearing at the tribunal of La Roche-sur-Yon in July 2019, the most serious of the offences with which the 12 students were charged, “homophobic insults,” was not retained by the judges who considered them not guilty on that count. Five of the defendants were given two-month suspended prison sentences and all were required to do community service for “obstructing a demonstration.”
The accusation – the LGBT Center of the Vendée, the “AIDES” association against AIDS and the local Family Planning Association – appealed these light sentences because they wanted legal recognition of what they thought were “homophobic insults.”
But their action backfired when the Court of Appeal not only rejected that demand but also invalidated the condemnation for “obstructing a demonstration,” leaving only minor charges that only incur fines at the most.
Benoît Fleury, one of the young men’s legal counsels, told Boulevard Voltaire, an independent news source in France, that the reign of law has been re-established, with proper interpretation of legal texts and definitions. The defendants’ lawyers were able to demonstrate in Court that only the slightest of damage had been done; there was no trace of the bodily harm which had been mentioned in the media after the event.
A mountain had been made out of a molehill. The ICES, in its bid to show “respect” for all persons, even in their activism for so-called “LGBT rights,” had clearly overreacted in expelling two students and submitting the others to stringent obligations, including a threat of expulsion if they were not in the University building at given times.
One of the students involved in the incidents, A., who was present at the Court of Appeal of Poitiers on Wednesday, told LifeSite that he would probably not be appealing the ICES sanctions on the grounds that there were no delicts to be sanctioned. “All I'm asking for is a public apology,” he said.
A. particularly underscored that the decision marks “total victory” against the ideological steamroller that had been set against them: “Our immediate reaction is that we have obtained an immense victory on more than one count. Our main objective was to topple the accusations regarding obstruction and insults. Our victory was complete because we overturned the machinery – including the political machinery – that was at work against us.”
“The second point is that the ICES has committed a very serious fault in condemning and expelling or threatening to expel its members for offences that legally have no existence. Two young men were expelled for mere police offences. I was personally sentenced to 180 hours of community work by the University, and was under threat of 18 months suspension, while I have now been totally cleared of all charges. Even the Court's presiding judge commented on the ‘exceptional’ character of these sanctions. The ICES was indeed overzealous in this affair,” he noted.
LifeSite asked: Would they ask for the sanctions pronounced by the ICES against them to be lifted?
“It’s too late now to challenge the decisions made by the ICES but we demand an apology, because they dumped us and insulted us publicly: and we want a public apology because they were so quick and so eager to condemn us, while we are innocent,” came A.’s reply.
He added: “If I had known one and a half years ago where I would be today I would still not have hesitated to act as I did. But I wouldn’t do the same type of action tomorrow because we have neither the time nor the money to spend on this sort of thing again. But deep down, we’re convinced that what we did was good. We paid the price for what we did on the financial, legal and social planes and we will not do it again, but we are not ashamed of what we did on May 18 and of our reactions afterwards.”
Reflecting on the meaning of the victory obtained in Poitiers, he said: “To go a bit further, I believe there’s a sign of hope here. I belong to a generation that is beginning to win, and the judgment we have obtained is an example of that. If it can encourage others to stand up against the ideological machinery that was untouchable only 30 years ago, well, that's good. It's something we have won, even if the price was high.”
Was that price financial or otherwise? “The financial price was not the most important,” said our interlocutor. “We were lucky to have lawyers who made gestures to help us and people who supported us. What cost us most, and it was something that we had no idea of as 20 year-olds, was to become aware of the power of machinery that we did not know. Within three days, our faces were on a number of internet sites, we received calls from the mainstream media, we were called every name in the book by the ICES, some of us were confronted by the police, others were kept in police custody, others still had their apartments raided. For us it was truly a moral shock. I think it made us stronger, but it meant hours of struggling and arguing to try to save our own skin and to obtain justice.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-03--Massachusetts city approves polyamory, the inevitable consequence of gay ‘marriage’

July 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Earlier this year , a Utah Republican put forward a bill to decriminalize polygamy , receiving unanimous consent almost immediately from a key Senate committee .
At the time , I noted that this was unsurprising : Once marriage was redefined and placed in a panoply of morally acceptable romantic arrangements , it was only a matter of time before the number of partners would mean as much as the sex of the partners .
Which is to say , nothing .
Even promiscuous multi-taskers can demand that the government endorse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word “ family ” now has no readily available meaning , and as such , the goalposts are shifting accordingly .
On July 1 , the New York Times reported , the City Council of Somerville , Massachusetts “ now grants polyamorous groups the rights held by spouses in marriage , such as the right to confer health insurance benefits or make hospital visits.
” Councillor J.T .
Scott , who proudly noted that this was most likely the first municipal ordinance of this sort in the country ( although surely not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was simply a recognition of the large extended families that were once so common .
“ People have been living in families that include more than two adults forever , ” Scott said .
“ Here in Somerville , families sometimes look like one man and one woman , but sometimes it looks like two people everyone on the block thinks are sisters because they ’ ve lived together forever , or sometimes it ’ s an aunt and an uncle , or an aunt and two uncles , raising two kids.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he knows of “ at least two dozen polyamorous households in Somerville , ” a city of only 80,000 .
Thus , the demand for formal recognition of fornication was pressing .
On Twitter , Ryan T. Anderson , scholar and author of What is Marriage and When Harry Became Sally , noted that this had been inevitable .
He , and others , had predicted this before 2015 ’ s Obergefell decision : “ If the law redefines marriage to say the male-female aspect is arbitrary , what principle will be left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redefining marriage to include the same-sex couple , [ what about ] the throuple ?
Love equals love , after all.
” “ Once the law and culture says the male-female aspect of marriage violates justice and equality , ” Anderson added , “ we haven ’ t ‘ expanded ’ marriage , we ’ ve fundamentally redefined what it is .
And those redefinitions have no principled stopping point.
” The Somerville City Council passed the motion unanimously , and the author of the ordinance , Lance Davis , even attempted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t think it ’ s the place of the government to tell people what is or is not a family , ” he told the New York Times .
“ Defining families is something that historically we ’ ve gotten quite wrong as a society , and we ought not to continue to try and undertake to do so…Based on conversations I ’ ve had , the most important aspect is that the city is legally recognizing and validating people ’ s existence .
That ’ s the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Davis is concerned , the more the merrier .
If twenty people approach the city seeking to be registered as a collective domestic partnership , Davis is proud to facilitate that .
“ I say , well what if they do ?
” he said .
“ I see no reason to think that is more of an issue than two people.
” This new state of affairs ( ahem ) has created a raft of new opportunities for people , and Scott says that he has “ been inundated by calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers interested in pursuing a similar measure at the state or federal level.
” Because the ordinance does not specify that a romantic relationship is necessary , some people have already considered using it to “ platonically ” partner up .
As the New York Times observed : The status would allow them to buy a house together and share benefits , like health insurance , but also to have outside romantic partners , or add a third “ nesting partner ” if they wished .
Ms. Taylor said they had long held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the language her workplace used seemed to require that they be romantic partners .
“ That has not felt right , so we haven ’ t done it , ” she said .
“ Somerville is coming out and saying , ‘ Hey , family can be a lot of other things , other than just two people.
’ ” Once again , a government body is throwing its weight behind a new definition of family—and making a moral statement in the process .
By claiming that we do not know what a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming we can not know what a family is—and that , by definition , means it is whatever you want it to be .
After all , if gender is fluid , why not marriage ?

July 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Earlier this year, a Utah Republican put forward a bill to decriminalize polygamy, receiving unanimous consent almost immediately from a key Senate committee. At the time, I noted that this was unsurprising: Once marriage was redefined and placed in a panoply of morally acceptable romantic arrangements, it was only a matter of time before the number of partners would mean as much as the sex of the partners. Which is to say, nothing. Even promiscuous multi-taskers can demand that the government endorse and financially support their sexual arrangements.
The word “family” now has no readily available meaning, and as such, the goalposts are shifting accordingly. On July 1, the New York Times reported, the City Council of Somerville, Massachusetts “now grants polyamorous groups the rights held by spouses in marriage, such as the right to confer health insurance benefits or make hospital visits.” Councillor J.T. Scott, who proudly noted that this was most likely the first municipal ordinance of this sort in the country (although surely not the last), attempted to pretend that this was simply a recognition of the large extended families that were once so common.
“People have been living in families that include more than two adults forever,” Scott said. “Here in Somerville, families sometimes look like one man and one woman, but sometimes it looks like two people everyone on the block thinks are sisters because they’ve lived together forever, or sometimes it’s an aunt and an uncle, or an aunt and two uncles, raising two kids.” That gibberish aside, Scott says he knows of “at least two dozen polyamorous households in Somerville,” a city of only 80,000. Thus, the demand for formal recognition of fornication was pressing.
On Twitter, Ryan T. Anderson, scholar and author of What is Marriage and When Harry Became Sally, noted that this had been inevitable. He, and others, had predicted this before 2015’s Obergefell decision: “If the law redefines marriage to say the male-female aspect is arbitrary, what principle will be left to retain monogamy? If justice demands redefining marriage to include the same-sex couple, [what about] the throuple? Love equals love, after all.”
“Once the law and culture says the male-female aspect of marriage violates justice and equality,” Anderson added, “we haven’t ‘expanded’ marriage, we’ve fundamentally redefined what it is. And those redefinitions have no principled stopping point.”
The Somerville City Council passed the motion unanimously, and the author of the ordinance, Lance Davis, even attempted to defend it in libertarian terms. “I don’t think it’s the place of the government to tell people what is or is not a family,” he told the New York Times. “Defining families is something that historically we’ve gotten quite wrong as a society, and we ought not to continue to try and undertake to do so…Based on conversations I’ve had, the most important aspect is that the city is legally recognizing and validating people’s existence. That’s the first time this is happening.”
And as far as Davis is concerned, the more the merrier. If twenty people approach the city seeking to be registered as a collective domestic partnership, Davis is proud to facilitate that. “I say, well what if they do?” he said. “I see no reason to think that is more of an issue than two people.”
This new state of affairs (ahem) has created a raft of new opportunities for people, and Scott says that he has “been inundated by calls and messages all day, including from lawyers interested in pursuing a similar measure at the state or federal level.” Because the ordinance does not specify that a romantic relationship is necessary, some people have already considered using it to “platonically” partner up. As the New York Times observed:
The status would allow them to buy a house together and share benefits, like health insurance, but also to have outside romantic partners, or add a third “nesting partner” if they wished. Ms. Taylor said they had long held back from registering as domestic partners because the language her workplace used seemed to require that they be romantic partners. “That has not felt right, so we haven’t done it,” she said. “Somerville is coming out and saying, ‘Hey, family can be a lot of other things, other than just two people.’”
Once again, a government body is throwing its weight behind a new definition of family—and making a moral statement in the process. By claiming that we do not know what a “family” is, they are claiming we cannot know what a family is—and that, by definition, means it is whatever you want it to be. After all, if gender is fluid, why not marriage?
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-03--REAL Women of Canada endorses Derek Sloan first, Leslyn Lewis second in Conservative leadership race

July 3 , 2020 ( Real Women of Canada ) – The Conservative Party of Canada leadership race is thankfully drawing to a close .
The race has been marred by unmistakable attempts by the Red Tory organizers of the race , and the Leadership Election Organizing Committee ( LEOC ) led by Liberal-lite Lisa Raitt ( former MP from Milton , Ontario ) , to eliminate the social conservative candidates from the race .
The LEOC was supported in this effort by the mainstream media , notably by columnist John Ivison of the National Post .
As a consequence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only two social conservative candidates remaining in the race .
They are Derek Sloan , MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington and a lawyer , and Leslyn Lewis , a Toronto lawyer .
REAL Women has carefully monitored this leadership race since it was launched in January 2020 .
This was not an easy undertaking , as it included reviewing the press releases and media interviews of the candidates , the debates and the position papers on their websites , etc .
We also checked out the backgrounds of each of the individual candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumed many hours .
REAL Women has now concluded that the following two candidates should be supported as Conservative leader .
They are : • MP Derek Sloan should be our first choice as Conservative leader .
• Leslyn Lewis should be marked as our second choice .
REAL Women does recommend that a vote be cast on the ballot for the two Red Tory candidates Peter MacKay and Erin O ’ Toole .
Neither of them is pro-life/family nor can they be trusted to take into consideration the social conservative position when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ballots by July 13 , 2020 .
One has to have renewed his/her membership with the Party by May 15 , 2020 , in order to receive a ballot .
If you do not receive a ballot by July 31 , call the Conservative Party Headquarters at 1-866-808-8407 .
When voting by mail , members must include a photocopy of one or more pieces of identification that provides their photo , their name and their current address .
All ballots must be received to 5:00 pm EDT , August 21 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Be sure to mail your ballot well ahead of this date because of the mail delays caused by COVID-19 .

Sloan and Lewis are now the only two social conservative candidates remaining in the race.
July 3, 2020 (Real Women of Canada) – The Conservative Party of Canada leadership race is thankfully drawing to a close. The race has been marred by unmistakable attempts by the Red Tory organizers of the race, and the Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) led by Liberal-lite Lisa Raitt (former MP from Milton, Ontario), to eliminate the social conservative candidates from the race. The LEOC was supported in this effort by the mainstream media, notably by columnist John Ivison of the National Post.
As a consequence of the LEOC, there are now only two social conservative candidates remaining in the race. They are Derek Sloan, MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington and a lawyer, and Leslyn Lewis, a Toronto lawyer.
REAL Women has carefully monitored this leadership race since it was launched in January 2020. This was not an easy undertaking, as it included reviewing the press releases and media interviews of the candidates, the debates and the position papers on their websites, etc. We also checked out the backgrounds of each of the individual candidates to analyse their history. This research consumed many hours.
REAL Women has now concluded that the following two candidates should be supported as Conservative leader. They are:
MP Derek Sloan should be our first choice as Conservative leader. Leslyn Lewis should be marked as our second choice.
REAL Women does not recommend that a vote be cast on the ballot for the two Red Tory candidates Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole. Neither of them is pro-life/family nor can they be trusted to take into consideration the social conservative position when making decisions.
Voting Procedure
The Party will mail out ballots by July 13, 2020. One has to have renewed his/her membership with the Party by May 15, 2020, in order to receive a ballot. If you do not receive a ballot by July 31, call the Conservative Party Headquarters at 1-866-808-8407. When voting by mail, members must include a photocopy of one or more pieces of identification that provides their photo, their name and their current address. All ballots must be received prior to 5:00 pm EDT, August 21, 2020 or they will not be processed. Be sure to mail your ballot well ahead of this date because of the mail delays caused by COVID-19.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-03--Happy Independence Day! The history of freedom in America

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 !
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Watch Mother Miriam's Live aired on 7.3.2020. In today’s episode, Mother speaks about the Declaration of Independence and America's freedom as we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July!
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Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live here.


lifesitenews--2020-07-03--President Trump tweets Catholic author’s warning that ‘there is a war against Christianity’

July 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – On July 2 , only hours after Dr. Taylor Marshall had given an interview to the U.S. cable network One America News ( OAN ) about the current crisis in America , President Donald Trump sent out a tweet highlighting the Catholic author ’ s warning .
“ Dr .
Taylor Marshall , author .
'There Is A War On Christianity ' .
@ OANN , ” Trump tweeted .
Marshall had pointed out that the current attacks on symbols and statues are finally not only about a presidential candidate , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his tweet , the President of the United States appears to endorse Dr. Marshall 's viewpoint that what is finally at stake in our current tulmults is a full undermining of the roots of American society , Christianity .
Yesterday , Marshall told Jack Posobiec of OAN that , “ with these riots and these hate groups ” it is not just about George Washington and other political figures , but “ they are now attacking Christian symbols , signs , crosses , statues.
” “ We are really in a war over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomist scholar and author of multiple books continued , and that civilization emerged “ from Christianity.
” “ The goodness that we have experienced , ” Marshall went on to say , “ in our nation emerged from a Christian culture .
And these atheists , these socialists , these Marxists , they know that and they are attacking it.
” Here , we might remember , that it was the founder of Marxism , Karl Marx himself , who had once stated that “ religion is the opium of the people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christianity .
Dr. Marshall described to Posobiec how only in recent days , there have been Catholic statues decapitated , the St. Louis statue in St. Louis assaulted , and two statues of St. Junipero Serra removed .
Serra , however , “ was a great champion for the rights of the Indigenous , ” explained the book author .
And at the time of St. Louis , in the 13th century , “ there were no inter-continental slave trades.
” “ They are taking the debates and controversies of our time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who come before us so that they can erase Christian memory , erase Christian civilization , ” the author added in the interview that now has been endorsed by President Trump .
“ They are actually going after what we believe in our hearts , ” Marshall added .
This Catholic author , who runs his own Youtube channel , also endorsed President Trump for re-election when he told Posobiec that even though Trump is trailing in the polls , “ I think people are realizing that ' I do n't want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I want the rule of law.
’ ” Marshall holds that the U.S. can cherish what is good in its country and history , while purging evils , such as abortion , as it has done in the past in cases such as with slavery .
“ As a nation , ” he explained , “ we have been able to – often through blood – repent and to change our ways.
” While he admits that “ Trump is not perfect , ” he adds that “ none of us is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even Catholic saints , and explains that “ we can work together , not to burn everything that 's America to the ground .
We can simply fix what is wrong and cherish what has been good and wholesome in our history.
” In a comment to LifeSite on the president ’ s tweet , Marshall said that “ people are realizing that we have shifted from a political battle to a spiritual battle.
” He also explicitly drew a link to the recent presidential endorsement of an open letter by Archbishop Carlo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s no longer merely 'Left Vs Right ' but people are realizing that it ’ s become 'Christ vs Satan ' as foretold in Genesis 3:15 .
I did an interview with Jack Posobiec of OANN on this topic and I was pleased and honored that President Trump not only watched the interview but tweeted and quoted me on this matter .
It shows that the spiritual struggle that Archbishop Viganò warned the President about is now becoming mainstream.
” Dr. Marshall , in his comments , also referred back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year on the very same topic : “ One year ago I wrote Infiltration : The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within [ see here a chapter and book review as published by LifeSite ] and I was called a conspiracy theorist back then .
But now people realize that our society ( Church and State ) are truly infiltrated from within .
This is not a conspiracy .
It ’ s become our daily reality .
We have seen the masks fall off both in the American demonstrations but also at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself .
President Trump is right to note 'There is a war against Christianity ' .
We must pray , do penance and seek Christ to win this war.
” On June 6 , Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò , the Italian prelate and former papal nuncio to the United States , had published an open letter to President Trump , in which he commented on the current crisis in the U.S. but also in the world : “ In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light and the children of darkness .
The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity , while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority , ” the prelate told President Trump .
He identifies those dark forces as being part of the “ deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards , so to speak , by now revealing their plans.
” Archbishop Viganò also added that “ the riots in these days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the virus is inevitably fading and that the social alarm of the pandemic is waning , necessarily have had to provoke civil disturbances.
” He sees that the goal behind these disturbances is to avoid President Trump 's re-election .
But the Italian prelate – similar to what Dr. Marshall is saying – also pointed to a Masonic background of much of today 's disturbances when he wrote that “ we learn once again that hidden behind these acts of vandalism and violence there are those who hope to profit from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build a world without freedom : Solve et Coagula , as the Masonic adage teaches.
” The archbishop praised the President 's acts in defense of the life of unborn babies and drew a parallel to the situation in the Catholic Church , in which he also sees a sort of a “ deep state ” among the leadership .
Archbishop Viganò concluded his open letter with his assurance of his prayers : “ Mr .
President , my prayer is constantly turned to the beloved American nation , where I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Pope Benedict XVI as Apostolic Nuncio.
” Only a few days later , President Trump retweeted this very open letter and said that he was “ honored ” by this “ incredible letter , ” inviting “ everyone , religious or not , ” to read it .
Thus , Trump 's endorsement of Dr. Marshall 's interview is the second time in the recent past that the President is aligning himself with those voices among Catholics that , though in a minority , are determined to fight for the authentic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a Christian civilization at large , against the globalist and Marxist social engineers who are out to wage a “ war against Christianity , ” in the words of Dr. Marshall .

With his tweet, the President appears to endorse the view that our current tumults come from an undermining of the Christian roots of American society.
July 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – On July 2, only hours after Dr. Taylor Marshall had given an interview to the U.S. cable network One America News (OAN) about the current crisis in America, President Donald Trump sent out a tweet highlighting the Catholic author’s warning. “Dr. Taylor Marshall, author. 'There Is A War On Christianity'. @OANN,” Trump tweeted. Marshall had pointed out that the current attacks on symbols and statues are finally not only about a presidential candidate, but about attacking our Christian civilization.
Dr. Taylor Marshall, author. “There Is A War On Christianity”. @OANN — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2020
With his tweet, the President of the United States appears to endorse Dr. Marshall's viewpoint that what is finally at stake in our current tulmults is a full undermining of the roots of American society, Christianity.
Yesterday, Marshall told Jack Posobiec of OAN that, “with these riots and these hate groups” it is not just about George Washington and other political figures, but “they are now attacking Christian symbols, signs, crosses, statues.” “We are really in a war over the heart of civilization,” the Thomist scholar and author of multiple books continued, and that civilization emerged “from Christianity.”
“The goodness that we have experienced,” Marshall went on to say, “in our nation emerged from a Christian culture. And these atheists, these socialists, these Marxists, they know that and they are attacking it.”
Here, we might remember, that it was the founder of Marxism, Karl Marx himself, who had once stated that “religion is the opium of the people,” and Communist countries have always suppressed Christianity.
Dr. Marshall described to Posobiec how only in recent days, there have been Catholic statues decapitated, the St. Louis statue in St. Louis assaulted, and two statues of St. Junipero Serra removed. Serra, however, “was a great champion for the rights of the Indigenous,” explained the book author. And at the time of St. Louis, in the 13th century, “there were no inter-continental slave trades.”
“They are taking the debates and controversies of our time and they are imputing them into these men who come before us so that they can erase Christian memory, erase Christian civilization,” the author added in the interview that now has been endorsed by President Trump. “They are actually going after what we believe in our hearts,” Marshall added.
This Catholic author, who runs his own Youtube channel, also endorsed President Trump for re-election when he told Posobiec that even though Trump is trailing in the polls, “I think people are realizing that 'I don't want to live in an America that is chaotic. I want the rule of law.’” Marshall holds that the U.S. can cherish what is good in its country and history, while purging evils, such as abortion, as it has done in the past in cases such as with slavery. “As a nation,” he explained, “we have been able to – often through blood – repent and to change our ways.”
While he admits that “Trump is not perfect,” he adds that “none of us is perfect,” nor previous Presidents or even Catholic saints, and explains that “we can work together, not to burn everything that's America to the ground. We can simply fix what is wrong and cherish what has been good and wholesome in our history.”
In a comment to LifeSite on the president’s tweet, Marshall said that “people are realizing that we have shifted from a political battle to a spiritual battle.” He also explicitly drew a link to the recent presidential endorsement of an open letter by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò to President Trump:
“It’s no longer merely 'Left Vs Right' but people are realizing that it’s become 'Christ vs Satan' as foretold in Genesis 3:15. I did an interview with Jack Posobiec of OANN on this topic and I was pleased and honored that President Trump not only watched the interview but tweeted and quoted me on this matter. It shows that the spiritual struggle that Archbishop Viganò warned the President about is now becoming mainstream.”
Dr. Marshall, in his comments, also referred back to a book that he had written last year on the very same topic: “One year ago I wrote Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within [see here a chapter and book review as published by LifeSite] and I was called a conspiracy theorist back then. But now people realize that our society (Church and State) are truly infiltrated from within. This is not a conspiracy. It’s become our daily reality. We have seen the masks fall off both in the American demonstrations but also at the Amazon Synod and within the Vatican itself. President Trump is right to note 'There is a war against Christianity'. We must pray, do penance and seek Christ to win this war.”
On June 6, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Italian prelate and former papal nuncio to the United States, had published an open letter to President Trump, in which he commented on the current crisis in the U.S. but also in the world: “In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I would call Biblical: the children of light and the children of darkness. The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity, while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority,” the prelate told President Trump. He identifies those dark forces as being part of the “deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards, so to speak, by now revealing their plans.”
Archbishop Viganò also added that “the riots in these days were provoked by those who, seeing that the virus is inevitably fading and that the social alarm of the pandemic is waning, necessarily have had to provoke civil disturbances.” He sees that the goal behind these disturbances is to avoid President Trump's re-election.
But the Italian prelate – similar to what Dr. Marshall is saying – also pointed to a Masonic background of much of today's disturbances when he wrote that “we learn once again that hidden behind these acts of vandalism and violence there are those who hope to profit from the dissolution of the social order so as to build a world without freedom: Solve et Coagula, as the Masonic adage teaches.”
The archbishop praised the President's acts in defense of the life of unborn babies and drew a parallel to the situation in the Catholic Church, in which he also sees a sort of a “deep state” among the leadership. Archbishop Viganò concluded his open letter with his assurance of his prayers: “Mr. President, my prayer is constantly turned to the beloved American nation, where I had the privilege and honor of being sent by Pope Benedict XVI as Apostolic Nuncio.”
Only a few days later, President Trump retweeted this very open letter and said that he was “honored” by this “incredible letter,” inviting “everyone, religious or not,” to read it.
Thus, Trump's endorsement of Dr. Marshall's interview is the second time in the recent past that the President is aligning himself with those voices among Catholics that, though in a minority, are determined to fight for the authentic and true Catholic Faith within the Church and for a Christian civilization at large, against the globalist and Marxist social engineers who are out to wage a “war against Christianity,” in the words of Dr. Marshall.
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-03--The unknowns at the end of a pontificate

July 3 , 2020 ( Rorate Caeli ) – The demission of Benedict XVI will be remembered as one of the most catastrophic events of our century , as it opened the door , not only to a destructive pontificate , but above all to a situation of increasing chaos in the Church .
After seven years since that disastrous February 11 , 2013 , the life of Benedict XVI and the pontificate of Pope Francis are drawing inexorably to a close .
We don ’ t know which of the two events will precede the other , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Satan ” risks enveloping the Mystical Body of Christ as perhaps has never happened in history .
The Bergoglian pontificate has reached its end , perhaps not from a chronological point of view , but most certainly from the point of view of its revolutionary impact .
The Post-Amazonian Synod has been a failure and the Exhortation Querida Amazonia of last February 2 , was the tombstone placed on the many hopes of the progressive world , mainly in the German zone .
The Coronavirus , or Covid-19 , has definitively brought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , presenting us with a historical image of a solitary and defeated Pope , immersed in the emptiness of a spectral St. Peter ’ s Square .
On the other hand , Divine Providence , which always regulates all human events , allowed Benedict XVI to witness the debacle following his abdication .
But the worst is probably still to come .
It was logical to envision that with the cohabitation of “ two Popes ” in the Vatican , a part of the conservative world disgusted with Francis would have looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true Pope , ” set against “ the false prophet.
” Whilst convinced of Pope Francis ’ s errors , these conservatives didn ’ t want to follow the open way of the Correctio filialis delivered to Pope Francis on August 11 , 2016 .
The real reason for their reluctance is probably due to the fact that the Correctio accentuates how the roots of the Bergoglian deviations go back to the Papacies of Benedict XVI and John Paul II , and even before , to the Second Vatican Council .
For many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Paul II and Benedict XVI won ’ t admit any rupture , and since the Bergoglian papacy seems to embody the negation of this hermeneutic , the only solution to the problem is for Francis to be out of the picture .
And Benedict by giving himself the title Pope Emeritus , by continuing to wear white and imparting apostolic blessings , has engaged in gestures which seem to encourage this impervious work of substituting the new Pope with the old one .
The princeps argumentation is however the distinction between munus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to keep for himself a sort of mystical papacy , leaving Francis with the exercise of government .
The origin of the thesis goes back to a discourse by Monsignor Georg Gänswein of May 20 , 2016 at the Pontifical Gregorian University , wherein he stated that Pope Benedict had not abandoned his office , but had given it a new collegial dimension , rendering it a quasi-shared ministry ( “ als einen quasi gemeinsamen Dienst ” ) .
It has mattered naught that Monsignor Georg Gänswein , in a declaration to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaffirmed the validity of Benedict XVI ’ s renunciation of the Petrine Office , by stating that “ there is only one Pope legitimately elected - and it is Francis.
” By then the idea of a possible redefinition of the Petrine munus had been launched .
And faced with the objection that the Papacy is one and undivided and can not countenance any internal divisions , the response of these conservatives is that precisely this fact proves the invalidity of Benedict ’ s demission .
They say that Benedict ’ s intention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assuming the office capable of bifurcating in two ; but this is a substantial error , since the monarchal and unitary nature of the Papacy is of divine right .
Thus Benedict ’ s renunciation would be invalid .
It is easy to rebut that if it were proven Benedict XVI had the intention of splitting the papacy , by modifying the constitution of the Church , he would have fallen into heresy ; and since this heretical conception of the Papacy would certainly be anterior to his election , the election of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same reason his abdication is considered invalid .
He in no way would be Pope .
But these are abstract discourses , since God alone judges intentions , whereas Canon Law merely limits itself in evaluating the outward behavior of the baptized .
A well-known sentence of canon law , referred to by both Cardinal Walter Brandmüller and Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke , affirms that “ De internis non iudicat praetor ” : a judge does not judge interior things .
On the other hand Canon 1526 , § 1 of the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Onus probandi incumbit ei qui asserit ” ( the onus of providing the proofs falls to the one alleging ) .
There is a difference between a clue and a proof .
The clue suggests the possibility of a fact , the proof demonstrates the certainty .
Agatha Christie ’ s rule whereby three clues are a proof , is fine in literature but not in civil or ecclesiastical courts .
Furthermore , if Pope Benedict is the legitimate Pope , what would happen if from one day to the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he died , Pope Francis should pass away ?
Given the fact that many current cardinals were created by Pope Francis and none of the cardinal electors consider him an Anti-Pope , the apostolic succession would be interrupted , jeopardizing the visibility of the Church .
The paradox is that to prove the invalidity of Benedict ’ s renunciation juridical sophisms are employed , but then to resolve the problem of Benedict ’ s or Francis ’ s succession , extra-canonical solutions ought to be used .
The thesis of the French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whereby shortly before the end times , an “ angelic Pope ” would appear at the head of an invisible Church , is a myth spread by many pseudo-prophets , but never accepted by the Church .
Is this the road that a part of the conservative world is embarking on ?
It seems more logical to retain that the cardinals gathered together in conclave to elect a new Pope , after the death or the renunciation of the papacy by Pope Francis , would be aided by the Holy Spirit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cardinals might refuse the divine influx by electing a Pontiff worse than Pope Francis , it is also true that Providence might reserve unforeseen surprises , like it was for the election of Pius X or other great Popes in history .
What we need is a saintly Pope , even more than a `` next Pope . ''
With the title , The Next Pope , an excellent book by the English journalist Edward Pentin has just been released , published by Sophia Institute Press ( The Next Pope : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merit of this work of more than 700 pages , is to remind us that there will be a “ next Pope ” and offer us all the information necessary to enter the post-Franciscan era , by means of 19 “ papal candidate ” profiles .
We need to be convinced that the hermeneutic of continuity has failed , since we are going through a crisis which must be measured on facts , and not on the interpretations of facts .
“ The implausibility of this approach , ” Peter Kwasniewski correctly notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other signs , the infinitesimal success that conservatives have had in reversing the disastrous ‘ reforms , ’ trends , habits , and institutions established in the wake of and in the name of the last council , with papal approbation or toleration.
” Pope Francis has never theorized the hermeneutic of “ discontinuity ” but has sought to implement Vatican II in praxis and the only winning response to this praxis is in the concrete reality of theological , liturgical , canonical and moral facts , and not in sterile hermeneutic debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem will not be the continuity or the discontinuity of the next pontificate with Pope Francis , but its relationship with the historical knot of the Second Vatican Council .
Some conservatives want to eliminate Pope Francis , by means of canonical loopholes , in the name of the hermeneutic of continuity .
But if it ’ s possible to accuse a Pope for discontinuity with his predecessor , why not admit the possibility of the discontinuity of a Council with its precedents ?
In this context , the recent interventions on Vatican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana , Athanasius Schneider , are to be appreciated .
They have had the courage to face a theological and cultural debate which can not be evaded .
This work of historical and theological revision of Vatican II is necessary to dissipate the shadows thickening around the end of a papacy , and to avoid a division that might place good Catholics in front of a choice between a bad Pope , but legitimate , and an Anti-Pope of better doctrine , or “ mystical , ” but unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reprinted with permission from Rorate Caeli .

July 3, 2020 (Rorate Caeli) – The demission of Benedict XVI will be remembered as one of the most catastrophic events of our century, as it opened the door, not only to a destructive pontificate, but above all to a situation of increasing chaos in the Church. After seven years since that disastrous February 11, 2013, the life of Benedict XVI and the pontificate of Pope Francis are drawing inexorably to a close. We don’t know which of the two events will precede the other, but in both cases, the “smoke of Satan” risks enveloping the Mystical Body of Christ as perhaps has never happened in history.
The Bergoglian pontificate has reached its end, perhaps not from a chronological point of view, but most certainly from the point of view of its revolutionary impact. The Post-Amazonian Synod has been a failure and the Exhortation Querida Amazonia of last February 2, was the tombstone placed on the many hopes of the progressive world, mainly in the German zone. The Coronavirus, or Covid-19, has definitively brought to an end the ambitious pontifical projects for 2020, presenting us with a historical image of a solitary and defeated Pope, immersed in the emptiness of a spectral St. Peter’s Square. On the other hand, Divine Providence, which always regulates all human events, allowed Benedict XVI to witness the debacle following his abdication. But the worst is probably still to come.
It was logical to envision that with the cohabitation of “two Popes” in the Vatican, a part of the conservative world disgusted with Francis would have looked to Benedict, considering him the “true Pope,” set against “the false prophet.” Whilst convinced of Pope Francis’s errors, these conservatives didn’t want to follow the open way of the Correctio filialis delivered to Pope Francis on August 11, 2016. The real reason for their reluctance is probably due to the fact that the Correctio accentuates how the roots of the Bergoglian deviations go back to the Papacies of Benedict XVI and John Paul II, and even before, to the Second Vatican Council.
For many conservatives, instead, the hermeneutic of John Paul II and Benedict XVI won’t admit any rupture, and since the Bergoglian papacy seems to embody the negation of this hermeneutic, the only solution to the problem is for Francis to be out of the picture.
And Benedict by giving himself the title Pope Emeritus, by continuing to wear white and imparting apostolic blessings, has engaged in gestures which seem to encourage this impervious work of substituting the new Pope with the old one. The princeps argumentation is however the distinction between munus and ministerium, whereby it seemed Benedict wanted to keep for himself a sort of mystical papacy, leaving Francis with the exercise of government. The origin of the thesis goes back to a discourse by Monsignor Georg Gänswein of May 20, 2016 at the Pontifical Gregorian University, wherein he stated that Pope Benedict had not abandoned his office, but had given it a new collegial dimension, rendering it a quasi-shared ministry (“als einen quasi gemeinsamen Dienst”).
It has mattered naught that Monsignor Georg Gänswein, in a declaration to LifeSiteNews on February 14, 2019, reaffirmed the validity of Benedict XVI’s renunciation of the Petrine Office, by stating that “there is only one Pope legitimately elected – and it is Francis.” By then the idea of a possible redefinition of the Petrine munus had been launched. And faced with the objection that the Papacy is one and undivided and cannot countenance any internal divisions, the response of these conservatives is that precisely this fact proves the invalidity of Benedict’s demission. They say that Benedict’s intention was that of maintaining the papacy, assuming the office capable of bifurcating in two; but this is a substantial error, since the monarchal and unitary nature of the Papacy is of divine right. Thus Benedict’s renunciation would be invalid.
It is easy to rebut that if it were proven Benedict XVI had the intention of splitting the papacy, by modifying the constitution of the Church, he would have fallen into heresy; and since this heretical conception of the Papacy would certainly be anterior to his election, the election of Benedict should be considered invalid for the same reason his abdication is considered invalid. He in no way would be Pope. But these are abstract discourses, since God alone judges intentions, whereas Canon Law merely limits itself in evaluating the outward behavior of the baptized.
A well-known sentence of canon law, referred to by both Cardinal Walter Brandmüller and Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, affirms that “De internis non iudicat praetor”: a judge does not judge interior things. On the other hand Canon 1526, § 1 of the new Code of Canon Law points out that: “Onus probandi incumbit ei qui asserit” (the onus of providing the proofs falls to the one alleging). There is a difference between a clue and a proof. The clue suggests the possibility of a fact, the proof demonstrates the certainty. Agatha Christie’s rule whereby three clues are a proof, is fine in literature but not in civil or ecclesiastical courts.
Furthermore, if Pope Benedict is the legitimate Pope, what would happen if from one day to the next he should die, or instead, before he died, Pope Francis should pass away? Given the fact that many current cardinals were created by Pope Francis and none of the cardinal electors consider him an Anti-Pope, the apostolic succession would be interrupted, jeopardizing the visibility of the Church. The paradox is that to prove the invalidity of Benedict’s renunciation juridical sophisms are employed, but then to resolve the problem of Benedict’s or Francis’s succession, extra-canonical solutions ought to be used.
The thesis of the French visionary Jean de Roquetaillade (1310-1365), whereby shortly before the end times, an “angelic Pope” would appear at the head of an invisible Church, is a myth spread by many pseudo-prophets, but never accepted by the Church. Is this the road that a part of the conservative world is embarking on? It seems more logical to retain that the cardinals gathered together in conclave to elect a new Pope, after the death or the renunciation of the papacy by Pope Francis, would be aided by the Holy Spirit. And if it’s true that the cardinals might refuse the divine influx by electing a Pontiff worse than Pope Francis, it is also true that Providence might reserve unforeseen surprises, like it was for the election of Pius X or other great Popes in history.
What we need is a saintly Pope, even more than a “next Pope.”
With the title, The Next Pope, an excellent book by the English journalist Edward Pentin has just been released, published by Sophia Institute Press (The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates). The principal merit of this work of more than 700 pages, is to remind us that there will be a “next Pope” and offer us all the information necessary to enter the post-Franciscan era, by means of 19 “papal candidate” profiles.
We need to be convinced that the hermeneutic of continuity has failed, since we are going through a crisis which must be measured on facts, and not on the interpretations of facts. “The implausibility of this approach,” Peter Kwasniewski correctly notes, “is demonstrated by, among other signs, the infinitesimal success that conservatives have had in reversing the disastrous ‘reforms,’ trends, habits, and institutions established in the wake of and in the name of the last council, with papal approbation or toleration.”
Pope Francis has never theorized the hermeneutic of “discontinuity” but has sought to implement Vatican II in praxis and the only winning response to this praxis is in the concrete reality of theological, liturgical, canonical and moral facts, and not in sterile hermeneutic debate. In this regard, the real problem will not be the continuity or the discontinuity of the next pontificate with Pope Francis, but its relationship with the historical knot of the Second Vatican Council. Some conservatives want to eliminate Pope Francis, by means of canonical loopholes, in the name of the hermeneutic of continuity. But if it’s possible to accuse a Pope for discontinuity with his predecessor, why not admit the possibility of the discontinuity of a Council with its precedents?
In this context, the recent interventions on Vatican II by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò and the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Athanasius Schneider, are to be appreciated. They have had the courage to face a theological and cultural debate which cannot be evaded. This work of historical and theological revision of Vatican II is necessary to dissipate the shadows thickening around the end of a papacy, and to avoid a division that might place good Catholics in front of a choice between a bad Pope, but legitimate, and an Anti-Pope of better doctrine, or “mystical,” but unfortunately illegitimate.
Translated by Francesca Romana and reprinted with permission from Rorate Caeli.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-04--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

July 4 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united daily in prayer , in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade .
Catholics from all over the world—from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , Pakistan , Singapore , the Philippines , India , Indonesia , Australia , New Zealand , Thailand , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Brazil , and other countries—are gathering daily to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Pillari , J.C.L.
, an American priest currently studying in Italy .
Our goal is , by means of this daily rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima , the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
To help obtain that goal , Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide rosary crusade : O Immaculate Heart of Mary , you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother .
Look upon the distress in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church .
In Fatima you warned against these errors , as you spoke about the errors of Russia .
You are the Mediatrix of all graces .
Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope : that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart , so that Russia will be converted , a period of peace will be granted to the world , and your Immaculate Heart will triumph , through an authentic renewal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purity of the Catholic Faith , of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life .
O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother , turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer .
Amen .
+ Athanasius Schneider , Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady ’ s message at Fatima , and about what you can do , please read Cardinal Burke ’ s 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //voiceofthefamily.com/full-text-cardinal-burkes-historic-call-for-consecration-of-russia/ ) .
As St. Padre Pio once said , “ The rosary is the weapon for these times.
” Through prayer , God can shape history , change the world , and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world , through the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
Join us today !
Send photos or videos of you and your family praying the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-07-05--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

July 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united daily in prayer , in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade .
Catholics from all over the world—from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , Pakistan , Singapore , the Philippines , India , Indonesia , Australia , New Zealand , Thailand , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Brazil , and other countries—are gathering daily to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Pillari , J.C.L.
, an American priest currently studying in Italy .
Our goal is , by means of this daily rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima , the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
To help obtain that goal , Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide rosary crusade : O Immaculate Heart of Mary , you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother .
Look upon the distress in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church .
In Fatima you warned against these errors , as you spoke about the errors of Russia .
You are the Mediatrix of all graces .
Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope : that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart , so that Russia will be converted , a period of peace will be granted to the world , and your Immaculate Heart will triumph , through an authentic renewal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purity of the Catholic Faith , of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life .
O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother , turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer .
Amen .
+ Athanasius Schneider , Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady ’ s message at Fatima , and about what you can do , please read Cardinal Burke ’ s 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //voiceofthefamily.com/full-text-cardinal-burkes-historic-call-for-consecration-of-russia/ ) .
As St. Padre Pio once said , “ The rosary is the weapon for these times.
” Through prayer , God can shape history , change the world , and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world , through the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
Join us today !
Send photos or videos of you and your family praying the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]


lifesitenews--2020-07-07--Priest outlines Bible-based philosophical and moral principles of America in July 4 homily

PETITION : Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues !
Sign the petition here .
July 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – It ’ s always gratifying when the words of Scripture we hear in church correspond directly with what ’ s happening in daily life .
The Gospel reading for July 4th weekend is a perfect example .
This was Jesus ’ invitation in Matthew 11 to put on his “ yoke , ” that is to become his follower and live by his teaching .
The image of a yoke may seem antiquated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since we know it as a device used to harness draft animals for hard work in pre-machine days .
But to Jesus ’ listeners , the word “ yoke ” had another connotation as well .
People of his time were accustomed to bearing a heavy “ yoke ” of laws — royal laws , Roman laws , and most important , the Law of Moses , ( the Torah ) which prescribed 613 Mitzvot ( commandments ) governing every aspect of Jewish religious and civic life .
When Jesus asked people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t adding to their burdens .
Rather , he was offering them freedom : “ My yoke is easy , and my burden is light.
” This passage has special , and obvious , relevance to our celebration of July 4th .
Independence Day commemorates the beginning of our effort to liberate ourselves from the heavy burdens imposed on us by an imperial master .
July 4th is all about freedom .
The roots of that freedom — the principles on which our nation is built — are in the Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were intimately familiar .
The first principle is limited government .
You might ask where this principle can be found in Scripture .
The Bible ( 2nd Samuel ) tells of how King David ordered that a census be taken of the people .
This angered God .
In Jewish understanding you had the right to count only those things that belonged to you .
The people belonged to God , not to the king .
Hence , the principle that there are limits to the government ’ s authority over the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the market .
We are entitled to the fruits of our labor , and free to exchange our products .
This too is scriptural , as Jesus pointed out when he observed that “ A worker is worthy of his wage.
” The third principle is implicit in the first two .
We need a strong civil society — one in which we have confidence that our rights are protected , our possessions recognized as our own , and the obligations of contracts honored when we take part in an exchange ( that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
We depend on the government to ensure those conditions through law : as little law as possible , and as much as necessary .
These principles are supported by moral precepts ( or pillars ) .
The most important is the primacy of the family .
Families are the essential building blocks of society .
They offer us protections and economic resources to shield us from dominance by the government , provide for our health and well being , educate the young , and support our dealings in the marketplace ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most productive work was done in the family household ) .
But families are under attack today .
The widespread celebration of sexual perversion has made immoral behavior common and accepted , brought it into our homes , forced it upon our children .
It has changed the very definition of family , which now is no longer specific to a married man and woman along with their offspring .
A family can be pretty much anything you want it to be .
In fact , a Massachusetts town recently granted legal recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners of whatever sex ) .
Another key moral precept is trust .
It ’ s what undergirds civil society , giving us confidence that our rights will be protected , our property secure .
Trust is being undermined by a growing attitude of entitlement , by which increasing numbers of people see themselves as free to steal , pillage , loot , and destroy , all in the name of some vague imperative of “ social justice.
” But this is the opposite of true “ social justice , ” which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel safe , property is protected , and human life — all human life — is honored .
Those who celebrate perversion , or who make false social justice claims as a cover for entitlement , are liars .
They ’ re destroying society by creating chaos .
They ’ re working for the devil , because the devil loves chaos .
The only answer to all of this is that yoke Jesus talked about .
Even as our taking it on ourselves is a step toward freedom , it also entails certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom possible .
Those demands may be lighter than the Law of Moses , but they make a claim on our hearts nonetheless .
There are also certain risks involved .
One of Jesus ’ famous “ Beatitudes ” speaks of those who suffer for righteousness sake .
Some people are suffering right now .
These are truths which have always been proclaimed by the Church .
But then , the Church is under attack too , its position in society being steadily marginalized , its ability to speak truth increasingly curtailed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its traditional role as society ’ s guide has never been more urgent .
The salvation of souls depends on it .
The nation depends on it .
Freedom depends on it .
Take on Jesus ’ yoke — the right yoke — embrace it .
As St. Paul wrote in his Letter to the Galatians : A priest of the Diocese of Camden , New Jersey , Rev .
Michael P. Orsi currently serves as parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish in Naples , Florida .
He is host of “ Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cable television series devoted to pro-life issues , and his writings appear in numerous publications and online journals .
His TV show episodes can be viewed online here .

PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
July 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – It’s always gratifying when the words of Scripture we hear in church correspond directly with what’s happening in daily life. The Gospel reading for July 4th weekend is a perfect example. This was Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to put on his “yoke,” that is to become his follower and live by his teaching.
The image of a yoke may seem antiquated to us, and perhaps slightly unpleasant, since we know it as a device used to harness draft animals for hard work in pre-machine days. But to Jesus’ listeners, the word “yoke” had another connotation as well.
People of his time were accustomed to bearing a heavy “yoke” of laws — royal laws, Roman laws, and most important, the Law of Moses, (the Torah) which prescribed 613 Mitzvot (commandments) governing every aspect of Jewish religious and civic life.
When Jesus asked people to put on his yoke, he wasn’t adding to their burdens. Rather, he was offering them freedom: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This passage has special, and obvious, relevance to our celebration of July 4th. Independence Day commemorates the beginning of our effort to liberate ourselves from the heavy burdens imposed on us by an imperial master. July 4th is all about freedom.
The roots of that freedom — the principles on which our nation is built — are in the Bible, a book with which The Founders were intimately familiar.
The first principle is limited government. You might ask where this principle can be found in Scripture. The Bible (2nd Samuel) tells of how King David ordered that a census be taken of the people. This angered God. In Jewish understanding you had the right to count only those things that belonged to you.
The people belonged to God, not to the king. Hence, the principle that there are limits to the government’s authority over the people.
The second principle is freedom of the market. We are entitled to the fruits of our labor, and free to exchange our products. This too is scriptural, as Jesus pointed out when he observed that “A worker is worthy of his wage.”
The third principle is implicit in the first two. We need a strong civil society — one in which we have confidence that our rights are protected, our possessions recognized as our own, and the obligations of contracts honored when we take part in an exchange (that we get what has been agreed upon). We depend on the government to ensure those conditions through law: as little law as possible, and as much as necessary.
These principles are supported by moral precepts (or pillars). The most important is the primacy of the family. Families are the essential building blocks of society. They offer us protections and economic resources to shield us from dominance by the government, provide for our health and well being, educate the young, and support our dealings in the marketplace (until the growth of modern industries, most productive work was done in the family household).
But families are under attack today. The widespread celebration of sexual perversion has made immoral behavior common and accepted, brought it into our homes, forced it upon our children.
It has changed the very definition of family, which now is no longer specific to a married man and woman along with their offspring. A family can be pretty much anything you want it to be. In fact, a Massachusetts town recently granted legal recognition to “polyamorous” relationships (multiple partners of whatever sex).
Another key moral precept is trust. It’s what undergirds civil society, giving us confidence that our rights will be protected, our property secure. Trust is being undermined by a growing attitude of entitlement, by which increasing numbers of people see themselves as free to steal, pillage, loot, and destroy, all in the name of some vague imperative of “social justice.”
But this is the opposite of true “social justice,” which is only possible in a society where people feel safe, property is protected, and human life — all human life — is honored.
Those who celebrate perversion, or who make false social justice claims as a cover for entitlement, are liars. They’re destroying society by creating chaos. They’re working for the devil, because the devil loves chaos.
The only answer to all of this is that yoke Jesus talked about. Even as our taking it on ourselves is a step toward freedom, it also entails certain attitudes and standards of behavior that make freedom possible. Those demands may be lighter than the Law of Moses, but they make a claim on our hearts nonetheless.
There are also certain risks involved. One of Jesus’ famous “Beatitudes” speaks of those who suffer for righteousness sake. Some people are suffering right now.
These are truths which have always been proclaimed by the Church. But then, the Church is under attack too, its position in society being steadily marginalized, its ability to speak truth increasingly curtailed.
The need for the Church to reclaim its traditional role as society’s guide has never been more urgent. The salvation of souls depends on it. The nation depends on it. Freedom depends on it.
Take on Jesus’ yoke — the right yoke — embrace it. As St. Paul wrote in his Letter to the Galatians:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
A priest of the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, Rev. Michael P. Orsi currently serves as parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish in Naples, Florida. He is host of “Action for Life TV,” a weekly cable television series devoted to pro-life issues, and his writings appear in numerous publications and online journals. His TV show episodes can be viewed online here.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-07--JK Rowling slams ‘new kind of conversion therapy’ that pushes gender-confused kids to transition

PETITION : Tell Trump Christians can ’ t accept SCOTUS ruling imposing LGBT ideology !
Sign the petition here .
July 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – It appears that the war of words between J.K. Rowling and trans activists will not be resulting in a ceasefire anytime soon .
Since the publication of her essay explaining why she is opposed to many of the aims of the transgender movement ( while emphasizing her support for many aspects of the LGBT agenda overall ) , trans activists have been trolling her page with increasing hysteria and vitriol .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a child with cancer was immediately swarmed by trans activists , demanding that the heretic recant .
Yesterday , Rowling spoke out again , tweeting in part that “ Many health professionals are concerned that young people struggling with their mental health are being shunted towards hormones and surgery when this may not be in their best interests .
Many , myself included , believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people , who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual function.
” To back this up , she tweeted a recent BBC investigation into the Tavistock Clinic , which features the concerns of many former employees .
In response to all of this , trans activists launched the hashtag # TransPeopleAreRealPeople , with thousands of tweets condemning Rowling and many people posting personal stories and photos of themselves before and after transition .
In tweet after tweet , the assertion “ trans people are real people !
” was bandied about as if that were the fact being questioned .
I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J.K. Rowling brawl here , as I ’ ve covered that extensively in previous columns .
But I do think it is important to point out that trans activists are once again doing what they do best : Gaslighting the public .
Rowling has made some important critiques of trans ideology , and she has done so from a pro-LGBT , feminist perspective .
Her views have been formed primarily by her discussions with members of those progressive communities .
She is not a social conservative , and she has no objections to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sexual Revolution .
Most importantly , neither she nor anyone else is saying that “ trans people don ’ t exist.
” Neither she nor anyone else is saying that trans people are not “ real people.
” Nobody is trying to “ erase trans people.
” That is not the assertion Rowling is making from a progressive standpoint , and it is not the assertion myself and others are making from a socially conservative standpoint .
That is not the debate here , and trans activists are only attempting to reframe the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and avoid rebutting the actual assertions being made .
It would be foolish and ignorant to say that such people “ don ’ t exist.
” What we are saying is that biological men can not become biological women .
We are saying that someone can not change genders simply be choosing to identify as the opposite sex .
We are saying that biological men should not be permitted access to female-only spaces .
We are saying that the spike — by thousands of percentage points — in girls choosing to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragic consequences .
But trans activists do not want to engage with those critiques .
They would rather babble on about how they are being “ erased ” and how we claim that they “ do not exist.
” How , exactly , could we have a debate about trans ideology with people who don ’ t exist ?
This argument is simultaneously nonsensical and , of course , accepted at face value by most of the media establishment .
By claiming that our objections to their ideology constitute “ erasing ” people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their views ( like Rowling ’ s ) appear to be somehow dangerous , or even violent .
Speech is violence now , according to many progressive activists .
And thus it is easier for them to pretend that their opponents , who are responding to their assertions , are actually saying that the very folks they are responding to “ don ’ t exist.
” That is a much safer avenue of attack than , say , explaining why tens of thousands of girls are suddenly identifying as boys .
Unsurprisingly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have those discussions .
Jonathon ’ s new podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , he interviews famed Chesterton scholar and founder of the Chesterton society and the Chesterton schools , Dale Ahlquist .
They discusss what G.K. Chesterton would think of the riots happening in the United States and the current state of the world .
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below :

In turn, trans activists blasted the author for voicing her concerns about the 'mental health' of young people being pushed toward hormones and surgery.
PETITION: Tell Trump Christians can’t accept SCOTUS ruling imposing LGBT ideology! Sign the petition here.
July 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – It appears that the war of words between J.K. Rowling and trans activists will not be resulting in a ceasefire anytime soon. Since the publication of her essay explaining why she is opposed to many of the aims of the transgender movement (while emphasizing her support for many aspects of the LGBT agenda overall), trans activists have been trolling her page with increasing hysteria and vitriol. Even a tweet Rowling sent out to encourage a child with cancer was immediately swarmed by trans activists, demanding that the heretic recant.
Yesterday, Rowling spoke out again, tweeting in part that “Many health professionals are concerned that young people struggling with their mental health are being shunted towards hormones and surgery when this may not be in their best interests. Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function.”
To back this up, she tweeted a recent BBC investigation into the Tavistock Clinic, which features the concerns of many former employees.
In response to all of this, trans activists launched the hashtag #TransPeopleAreRealPeople, with thousands of tweets condemning Rowling and many people posting personal stories and photos of themselves before and after transition. In tweet after tweet, the assertion “trans people are real people!” was bandied about as if that were the fact being questioned.
I don’t want to review the entire J.K. Rowling brawl here, as I’ve covered that extensively in previous columns. But I do think it is important to point out that trans activists are once again doing what they do best: Gaslighting the public. Rowling has made some important critiques of trans ideology, and she has done so from a pro-LGBT, feminist perspective. Her views have been formed primarily by her discussions with members of those progressive communities. She is not a social conservative, and she has no objections to nearly any of the tenets of the Sexual Revolution.
Most importantly, neither she nor anyone else is saying that “trans people don’t exist.” Neither she nor anyone else is saying that trans people are not “real people.” Nobody is trying to “erase trans people.” That is not the assertion Rowling is making from a progressive standpoint, and it is not the assertion myself and others are making from a socially conservative standpoint. That is not the debate here, and trans activists are only attempting to reframe the debate so that they can attack straw men and avoid rebutting the actual assertions being made.
It would be foolish and ignorant to say that such people “don’t exist.” What we are saying is that biological men cannot become biological women. We are saying that someone cannot change genders simply be choosing to identify as the opposite sex. We are saying that biological men should not be permitted access to female-only spaces. We are saying that the spike — by thousands of percentage points — in girls choosing to identify as boys is dangerous and will have tragic consequences. But trans activists do not want to engage with those critiques. They would rather babble on about how they are being “erased” and how we claim that they “do not exist.”
How, exactly, could we have a debate about trans ideology with people who don’t exist? This argument is simultaneously nonsensical and, of course, accepted at face value by most of the media establishment. By claiming that our objections to their ideology constitute “erasing” people, they make even mild divergence from their views (like Rowling’s) appear to be somehow dangerous, or even violent. Speech is violence now, according to many progressive activists. And thus it is easier for them to pretend that their opponents, who are responding to their assertions, are actually saying that the very folks they are responding to “don’t exist.” That is a much safer avenue of attack than, say, explaining why tens of thousands of girls are suddenly identifying as boys.
Unsurprisingly, trans activists don’t want to have those discussions.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, he interviews famed Chesterton scholar and founder of the Chesterton society and the Chesterton schools, Dale Ahlquist. They discusss what G.K. Chesterton would think of the riots happening in the United States and the current state of the world.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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