lifesitenews--2020-02-20--I’m ex-gay. Fr. James Martin’s LGBT affirmation perverts the Gospel, enslaves souls in sin

WASHINGTON , DC , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Earlier this month , Fr .
James Martin , SJ came to the nation ’ s capital to speak to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities ( ACCU ) , urging school presidents to promote “ inclusion ” on their campuses by instituting “ LGBT-affirming liturgies , ” permitting students to choose their own pronouns , and holding “ Lavender Graduations.
” He was “ warmly welcomed ” by the gathering where he pitched a message which he has delivered , in one form or another , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parishes , in high schools and colleges , and church gatherings around the globe .
In 2018 , he grabbed his biggest stage and widest audience at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin , Ireland .
One of Martin ’ s admirers — or perhaps , enablers — is Pope Francis , who granted his fellow Jesuit a very public ‘ private audience , ’ in October , lending him the aura of papal approval regarding his mission to normalize homosexuality and transgenderism within the Roman Catholic Church .
We do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the optics were enough to bestow an implied imprimatur from the Holy See .
The Vatican meeting armor-plated Martin , rendering him unassailable to prelates like the now former Archbishop of Philadelphia , Charles Chaput , who in one of his last official efforts just days before Martin ’ s meeting with Pope Francis , issued a public correction of Martin and his teachings .
Rather than support Chaput ’ s effort , the vast majority of his brother bishops chose to remain silent , essentially lending their tacit approval to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clever .
He claims that nothing he preaches is opposed to Church teaching , and his fellow academics back him up because he has threaded the needle with such precision that they feel his messaging can not be outright condemned .
Prelates fear him , and conservative academics are confounded by him , and so the infiltration of his pro-LGBT messaging proceeds unimpeded into the lives of Catholics , especially young people .
Curiously , the loudest voices in the public square sounding the alarm about Martin tend to be men who formerly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Joseph Sciambra , Michael Voris , myself , and others .
We persist despite the fact that we are mostly ignored and sometimes ridiculed .
That ’ s OK , we have no reputation , social standing , or rank within the Church to protect , but being men , we do seek to protect Christ ’ s flock from wolves , from sexual revolutionaries and marauders .
Where does Fr .
Martin ’ s LGBT ‘ Catholic ’ teaching come from ?
In the same way that the Supreme Court of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magic in 1973 and pulled a ‘ constitutional right ’ to abortion from what some lawyers like to call the “ penumbra ” surrounding the U.S. Constitution , in a similar way , Martin relies on a shadowy interpretation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to justify his pro-LGBT messaging .
“ Penumbra ” is a term which , until the court ’ s Griswold v Connecticut decision , belonged pretty much exclusively to the world of astronomy .
From the Latin “ paene umbra ” meaning “ almost a shadow , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuzzy , partially shaded outer region of a shadow , for instance , as cast by the earth or moon over an area experiencing a partial eclipse .
The so-called right to take the life of an innocent unborn child could not be found in the constitution , but the authors of Roe v Wade were able to justify it according to their own shadowy interpretation of the Constitution .
Similarly , the Supreme Court ’ s 2015 ruling on same-sex “ marriage ” — and let ’ s call it what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-complementarity , anti-rational marriage — has no anchor in the Constitution .
It too was pulled from the shadowy twilight surrounding our Constitution , despite the enormous cumulative mass of human history , of every single major world religion and tradition , of biology , of human reason and natural powers of observation which weigh against what five men and women , robed in black , seated on the highest court in the land , have wrought .
One wonders : How had the so-called rights to abortion and to homosexual “ marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal minds for centuries , until a few justices finally ‘ discovered ’ these “ rights ” hidden in the shadows of the U.S. Constitution ?
Interestingly , these two landmark decisions which have most damaged society were based not on the Constitution , but on a miasma engulfing the Constitution in the minds of a few men .
Martin ’ s modus operandi is no different from these justices .
He has discovered what he believes is Christian affirmation for homosexuality and transgenderism emanating from the Bible and the Catechism , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was wise or bright enough to detect – until Martin came along .
Martin occupies this space that he has created — a fuzzy , indistinct region around Church teaching — by blurring the truth .
He takes irrefutable principles and precepts found in the heart of the Gospel , and states as fact conclusions drawn from his own shadowy interpretations of God ’ s Word .
He doesn ’ t outright challenge Church teaching – he doesn ’ t need to in order to accomplish his normalization goals .
As long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be in the light , he will be permitted to continue .
J.D .
Flynn , in an excellent essay published at First Things , explains Martin ’ s strategy this way : In a recent video justifying his positions , Martin stands in front of the washed-out colors of the rainbow flag , blurring his allegiance to that flag while simultaneously making clear those are in fact his true colors .
More significantly , by standing in front of those garish , ragged-edged blotches , Martin blurs his allegiance to Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Catholicism regarding homosexuality and transgenderism , Fr .
Martin draws countless Catholics away from God ’ s light and truth and into the demonic shadowlands of confusion and error .
Wherever he goes , Martin draws large groups of people , many of whom already walk in darkness when it comes to Catholic sexual teaching .
They , who are blind , turn to this Jesuit priest for guidance , allowing themselves to be led by the blind .
Instead of preaching to them the liberating truth of the Gospel , Fr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by affirming them in their disordered LGBT inclinations and desires .
“ Church teaching on LGBT people is a great deal more than just a few lines in the catechism that deal with homosexuality , ” said Martin in the video .
“ At heart , Church teaching is Jesus and his message of love , mercy , and compassion.
” Nobody would deny that , but the “ great deal more ” that he sees emanating from the catechism is his own shadowy interpretation , that reflects the teachings of this world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lies , more than it reflects the truth contained in the catechism .
Martin took a detour during his presentation to the ACCU , asserting that treating same-sex attracted and gender dysphoric students with “ respect , compassion and sensitivity , ” requires : • Calling people by their preferred names and pronouns ; Instead of leading people to actual Church teaching , he diverts them into the shadows where they find human affirmation , not life-giving Divine truth .
‘ Chastity needn ’ t be brought up to gays and lesbians ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on [ chastity ] is because every LGBT Catholic I ’ ve ever met , every member of their family , and pretty much every Catholic , already knows Church teaching on celibacy and chastity when it comes to homosexuality , ” claimed Martin .
But the fact that people may be familiar with the teaching does not mean that they are leading chaste lives .
Preaching chastity and helping same-sex attracted persons to live it is the most loving thing Martin could possibly do for those who come to him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he holds no one accountable , handing them empty affirmation and permission , not mercy .
Martin ’ s message keeps people chained to a debilitating sexual identity that the world has unfairly thrust upon them , rather than breaking those chains and delivering them into freedom .
In an astonishing statement at the end of the video , Martin catapults LGBT concerns into the same strata as abortion and euthanasia as he asserts that “ LGBT issues are life issues.
” He wants the Church to affirm the same-sex attracted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the gender dysphoric as “ trans men ” and “ trans women , ” in place of their true identity as children of God .
J.D .
Flynn is absolutely right : Martin ’ s message presents “ a vision of the human person at odds with Catholic teaching , and it urges a set of pastoral practices that will lead to heartbreak and disappointment , not to the freedom of Jesus Christ.
” Martin undermines clergy and laity who stalwartly embrace the Church ’ s wisdom and best pastoral practices regarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ most LGBT Catholics have been deeply wounded by the church.
” In the weekly intro to his famous TV show , Rod Serling described the Twilight Zone as “ the middle ground between light and shadow.
” That ’ s where Fr .
James Martin resides , and where he beckons others to join him .

'Fr. Martin draws countless Catholics away from God’s light and truth and into the demonic shadowlands of confusion and error.'
WASHINGTON, DC, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Earlier this month, Fr. James Martin, SJ came to the nation’s capital to speak to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), urging school presidents to promote “inclusion” on their campuses by instituting “LGBT-affirming liturgies,” permitting students to choose their own pronouns, and holding “Lavender Graduations.”
He was “warmly welcomed” by the gathering where he pitched a message which he has delivered, in one form or another, hundreds of times in print, in parishes, in high schools and colleges, and church gatherings around the globe.
In 2018, he grabbed his biggest stage and widest audience at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin, Ireland.
One of Martin’s admirers — or perhaps, enablers — is Pope Francis, who granted his fellow Jesuit a very public ‘private audience,’ in October, lending him the aura of papal approval regarding his mission to normalize homosexuality and transgenderism within the Roman Catholic Church. We do not know what was said between the two, but the optics were enough to bestow an implied imprimatur from the Holy See.
The Vatican meeting armor-plated Martin, rendering him unassailable to prelates like the now former Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput, who in one of his last official efforts just days before Martin’s meeting with Pope Francis, issued a public correction of Martin and his teachings.
Rather than support Chaput’s effort, the vast majority of his brother bishops chose to remain silent, essentially lending their tacit approval to Martin’s ministry.
Martin is clever. He claims that nothing he preaches is opposed to Church teaching, and his fellow academics back him up because he has threaded the needle with such precision that they feel his messaging cannot be outright condemned.
Prelates fear him, and conservative academics are confounded by him, and so the infiltration of his pro-LGBT messaging proceeds unimpeded into the lives of Catholics, especially young people.
Curiously, the loudest voices in the public square sounding the alarm about Martin tend to be men who formerly lived as ‘gay,’ such as Joseph Sciambra, Michael Voris, myself, and others. We persist despite the fact that we are mostly ignored and sometimes ridiculed.
That’s OK, we have no reputation, social standing, or rank within the Church to protect, but being men, we do seek to protect Christ’s flock from wolves, from sexual revolutionaries and marauders.
Where does Fr. Martin’s LGBT ‘Catholic’ teaching come from?
In the same way that the Supreme Court of the United States performed a feat of magic in 1973 and pulled a ‘constitutional right’ to abortion from what some lawyers like to call the “penumbra” surrounding the U.S. Constitution, in a similar way, Martin relies on a shadowy interpretation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to justify his pro-LGBT messaging.
“Penumbra” is a term which, until the court’s Griswold v Connecticut decision, belonged pretty much exclusively to the world of astronomy. From the Latin “paene umbra” meaning “almost a shadow,” it is a word which describes the fuzzy, partially shaded outer region of a shadow, for instance, as cast by the earth or moon over an area experiencing a partial eclipse.
The so-called right to take the life of an innocent unborn child could not be found in the constitution, but the authors of Roe v Wade were able to justify it according to their own shadowy interpretation of the Constitution. Similarly, the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling on same-sex “marriage” — and let’s call it what it really is: Genderless, anti-conjugal, anti-complementarity, anti-rational marriage — has no anchor in the Constitution. It too was pulled from the shadowy twilight surrounding our Constitution, despite the enormous cumulative mass of human history, of every single major world religion and tradition, of biology, of human reason and natural powers of observation which weigh against what five men and women, robed in black, seated on the highest court in the land, have wrought.
One wonders: How had the so-called rights to abortion and to homosexual “marriage” eluded the nation’s brightest legal minds for centuries, until a few justices finally ‘discovered’ these “rights” hidden in the shadows of the U.S. Constitution? Interestingly, these two landmark decisions which have most damaged society were based not on the Constitution, but on a miasma engulfing the Constitution in the minds of a few men.
Martin’s modus operandi is no different from these justices. He has discovered what he believes is Christian affirmation for homosexuality and transgenderism emanating from the Bible and the Catechism, which no doctor of the Church or saint was wise or bright enough to detect – until Martin came along.
Martin occupies this space that he has created — a fuzzy, indistinct region around Church teaching — by blurring the truth. He takes irrefutable principles and precepts found in the heart of the Gospel, and states as fact conclusions drawn from his own shadowy interpretations of God’s Word.
He doesn’t outright challenge Church teaching – he doesn’t need to in order to accomplish his normalization goals. As long as he preaches from the shadows while claiming to be in the light, he will be permitted to continue.
J.D. Flynn, in an excellent essay published at First Things, explains Martin’s strategy this way:
There is a difference between choosing not to defy Catholic doctrine and choosing to teach it in its fullness. And the doctrine of the Church extends far beyond issues of sexuality. While Martin may not be teaching error on that subject, his work fails to express, or even take into account, Catholic teaching on a fundamental issue: what it means to be a person at all. The consequence of that failure is confusion.
Casting his own dark shadow
In a recent video justifying his positions, Martin stands in front of the washed-out colors of the rainbow flag, blurring his allegiance to that flag while simultaneously making clear those are in fact his true colors.
More significantly, by standing in front of those garish, ragged-edged blotches, Martin blurs his allegiance to Church teaching.
In preaching his shadowy interpretation of Catholicism regarding homosexuality and transgenderism, Fr. Martin draws countless Catholics away from God’s light and truth and into the demonic shadowlands of confusion and error. Wherever he goes, Martin draws large groups of people, many of whom already walk in darkness when it comes to Catholic sexual teaching. They, who are blind, turn to this Jesuit priest for guidance, allowing themselves to be led by the blind. Instead of preaching to them the liberating truth of the Gospel, Fr. Martin leads them into a pit by affirming them in their disordered LGBT inclinations and desires.
‘Love, mercy, and compassion’
“Church teaching on LGBT people is a great deal more than just a few lines in the catechism that deal with homosexuality,” said Martin in the video. “At heart, Church teaching is Jesus and his message of love, mercy, and compassion.”
Nobody would deny that, but the “great deal more” that he sees emanating from the catechism is his own shadowy interpretation, that reflects the teachings of this world and its ruler, the father of lies, more than it reflects the truth contained in the catechism.
Martin took a detour during his presentation to the ACCU, asserting that treating same-sex attracted and gender dysphoric students with “respect, compassion and sensitivity,” requires:
Calling people by their preferred names and pronouns;
Highlighting LGBT faculty and staff as role models;
Introducing LGBT-affirming spiritualities, theologies, liturgies.
Instead of leading people to actual Church teaching, he diverts them into the shadows where they find human affirmation, not life-giving Divine truth.
‘Chastity needn’t be brought up to gays and lesbians’
“One reason I don’t focus on [chastity] is because every LGBT Catholic I’ve ever met, every member of their family, and pretty much every Catholic, already knows Church teaching on celibacy and chastity when it comes to homosexuality,” claimed Martin.
But the fact that people may be familiar with the teaching does not mean that they are leading chaste lives. Preaching chastity and helping same-sex attracted persons to live it is the most loving thing Martin could possibly do for those who come to him, but he chooses not to. Instead, he holds no one accountable, handing them empty affirmation and permission, not mercy.
Martin’s message keeps people chained to a debilitating sexual identity that the world has unfairly thrust upon them, rather than breaking those chains and delivering them into freedom.
‘LGBT issues are life issues’
In an astonishing statement at the end of the video, Martin catapults LGBT concerns into the same strata as abortion and euthanasia as he asserts that “LGBT issues are life issues.”
He wants the Church to affirm the same-sex attracted as “gay” and “lesbian” and the gender dysphoric as “trans men” and “trans women,” in place of their true identity as children of God.
J.D. Flynn is absolutely right: Martin’s message presents “a vision of the human person at odds with Catholic teaching, and it urges a set of pastoral practices that will lead to heartbreak and disappointment, not to the freedom of Jesus Christ.”
Martin undermines clergy and laity who stalwartly embrace the Church’s wisdom and best pastoral practices regarding same-sex attraction, as he asserts that “most LGBT Catholics have been deeply wounded by the church.”
In the weekly intro to his famous TV show, Rod Serling described the Twilight Zone as “the middle ground between light and shadow.” That’s where Fr. James Martin resides, and where he beckons others to join him.
Follow Doug Doug Mainwaring is a journalist for LifeSiteNews, an author, and a marriage, family and children's rights activist. He has testified before the United States Congress and state legislative bodies, originated and co-authored amicus briefs for the United States Supreme Court, and has been a guest on numerous TV and radio programs. Doug and his family live in the Washington, DC suburbs.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-20--US bishop orders priest to delete blog criticizing Church’s sex abuse cover-up

MARTINSVILLE , Virginia , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A Catholic priest who joined Archbishop Viganò ’ s call for Pope Francis ’ resignation over the McCarrick scandal has been ordered by his bishop to take down his popular blog and to refrain from commenting on social media .
Fr .
Mark White serves as pastor of two rural parishes in the Diocese of Richmond , Virginia .
He used his blog to spotlight the ineffectiveness of the Church in dealing with the sexual abuse scandal , especially regarding the Church ’ s handling of the McCarrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , critical of Pope Francis , and sometimes used infelicitous language when pointing out the incompetence as well as the cover-up he witnessed in the Church ’ s hierarchy .
The drama began on November 2 , 2019 , when Bishop Barry Knestout and Vicar General Michael Boehling showed up unexpectedly as the noon Mass concluded at White ’ s St. Francis of Assisi Parish .
Fr .
White said that during the twenty-minute meeting , Bishop Knestout “ ordered me , in no uncertain terms , to keep silent .
To remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to publish nothing further–not even my Sunday homilies.
” In that same meeting , White said Knestout “ sternly threatened to remove me as pastor here if I did not silence myself.
” In a subsequent meeting with Bishop Knestout earlier this month , it seemed as if a truce had been reached and that Fr .
White ’ s job no longer hung in the balance .
On the following day , however , two priest officials of the Diocese of Richmond appeared at Saint Francis in Rocky Mount .
Episcopal Vicar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Msgr .
Sal Annonuevo read a statement to White confirming that he would be permitted to post his homilies on the parish websites , while continuing to be prohibited from otherwise commenting on his blog or social media .
When Fr .
White was asked by the pair to sign off on the statement that had been read to him without being allowed to actually read it first , he refused .
He told LifeSite he couldn ’ t be sure that what he was agreeing to in writing was what he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement regarding Fr .
White , claiming that it supports priests in “ speaking about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis.
” “ Bishop Barry C. Knestout has supported and continues to support the priests of our diocese in speaking about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis with their parishioners to help heal the Body of Christ .
All communications should be expressed with charity , further the Gospel message and respect the dignity of all individuals .
Bishop Knestout expects all clergy to express themselves in a manner that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , catechesis , and counseling within their parish communities , ” the diocese stated .
“ For priests who may be struggling themselves with the deep pain of the crisis or who are still trying to come to terms with it and with the pain it has brought survivors , the faithful and them personally , Bishop Knestout ’ s door is open to provide assistance to help them and to accompany them along the way , ” it added .
Fr .
White told LifeSiteNews that he “ never wanted to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Church at the expense of Bishop Barry Knestout.
” “ I believe in the Church , I believe in the hierarchy , I believe in Apostolic succession , ” he continued .
“ I ’ m not really a rebel , but by the same token , the unanswered questions and the lack of openness that I ’ ve been writing about is real , and so this kind of strife is inevitable until we get some kind of honesty.
” Fr .
White ’ s blog seems to have first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early September 2018 when Fr .
White posted an “ Open Letter to the Holy Father , ” a week after Archbishop Viganò ’ s testimony had been published .
In his September 1 posting , Fr .
White said , “ This summer our Church has suffered a public-relations catastrophe , ” that “ has wounded the hearts of the faithful sons and daughters of the Church.
” He begged Pope Francis to “ establish a procedure for selecting at random parish priests from around the world , to take the places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chapel .
Then vacate the Chair of Peter.
” “ You wrote the letter without having the courtesy to consult with me about such a controversial demand , ” wrote Bishop Knestout in a September 12 letter to White .
“ I found this disrespectful and not in keeping with the ecclesial communion that you and all priests in the diocese would ideally share with me as your bishop.
” When Fr .
White met with Bishop Knestout recently after having required him to remove his entire blog from public view , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had employed “ implied ” curse words , and had included numerous insults in his blog .
Fr .
White and two parishioners who were present at the meeting felt the Bishop didn ’ t fully explain himself , but surmised that the “ insults ” he might have been referring to included posts such as one where he had essentially called Washington , DC ’ s Cardinal Wuerl a liar for having claimed he was unaware of McCarrick ’ s history of predatory behavior .
Evidence proved that Wuerl had indeed lied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against McCarrick .
The implied curse words cited by Bishop Knestout are found in a November 8 , 2019 post titled “ Cowards Ad Limina , ” as the first group of U.S. bishops arrived in Rome to meet with Pope Francis .
Here ’ s the portion in question : We American Catholics want to take a step forward , towards restored confidence in the integrity of our institution .
That step involves one thing happening .
The See of Peter revealing , in full , everything they knew , and when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ask you , dear reader : How does an American bishop–who ostensibly pretends to care about his faithful people back home–how does he not get off the airplane at Fiumicino and immediately do this : Kneel at the Apostles ’ tombs .
Walk into the pope ’ s parlor .
Kiss the Ring of the Fisherman .
Then ask , “ Where is the g.d. McCarrick Report , Your Holiness ?
!
WTF ?
You are fricking killing us .
What in the actual f ?
” ( Or something to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cowards in miters will do no such thing .
Instead they will tweet things like , “ Oh , mother , bring me my aqua vitae !
I just got to meet the Successor of Peter !
And he has such twinkly eyes !
And amazing jowls .
So cute !
I just love him !
” …I , for one , object to our bishops going to Rome solely to fan-girl the pope .
I think we deserve more serious shepherds than this .
The post echoed the frustrations of rank and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who don ’ t seem to share their urgency in dealing with clergy sex abuse in general and the Holy See ’ s apparent reluctance to make public it ’ s report on McCarrick .
LifeSiteNews reached out to Bishop Barry Knestout hoping to receive an explanation about his actions regarding Fr .
White , including what specific harm he detects in White ’ s writings and whether his silencing of White was based on his own initiative or compelled by someone at the USCCB or the Vatican .
Deborah Cox , Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , responded , saying that LifeSiteNews ’ questions are related to personnel matters and “ we simply are unable to comment.
” Fr .
White ’ s presence on the internet began in 2008 when he started posting the texts of his homilies .
He set about using that platform to express his opinions about the Church ’ s fumbling in dealing with clergy sex abuse .
This happened after the revelations about then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick emerged in the summer of 2018 .
This was followed , in rapid succession , by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report exposing decades of clerical sex abuse and cover up by bishops , and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò ’ s testimony asserting that senior prelates had covered up McCarrick ’ s alleged sexual abuse of seminarians and priests .
Fr .
White told The Martinsville Bulletin that the weight of all that created the “ impetus – a psychological need in order to preserve my own faith to study the whole thing as carefully as I possibly could.
” The stunning revelations hit Fr .
White particularly hard because it was the powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him in 2003 .
“ For those of us who were in the McCarrick orbit , who were seminarians under him , ordained by him , worked with him , ” the revelations created “ a real crisis of faith , ” said White .
“ Up in New Jersey it was more widely known by rumor what he had been doing , ” recounted White , but when McCarrick came to Washington , DC , “ he said to us , ‘ You may have heard rumors about me and they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , ” continued White , “ and so the sense of betrayal by the institution is crushing .
“ It ’ s been a dark night of faith for us , ” said White of many of the men McCarrick ordained with whom he remains in contact .
Speaking for parish priests in general , White said , “ This institution has not been honest with us .
And for us to be on the front lines of dealing with [ the burgeoning scandal ] without any support behind us , without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth about all this , is really hard.
” In one of his blog postings , White addressed Bishop Knestout : “ You asked me to apologize to Pope Francis .
For what ?
For loving him enough to point out that we have reached a dangerous impasse ?
If the full truth about McCarrick does not come out , then how will any of us who have been touched by his ministry recover ?
” “ You write that I have done you wrong by ‘ addressing issues that directly affect ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Knestout in another blog posting .
“ Have you yourself suffered reprisals from the Holy See because of what I , one of your priests , has written ?
If so , I am sorry .
But you can hardly identify me as the villain in that scenario.
” Response from the public : Fr .
White is a hero When it became clear last week that Bishop Knestout hadn ’ t budged and was not interested in compromise of any sort , members of Fr .
White ’ s parishes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Connor , the former executive assistant to Bishop Richard Malone who blew the lid off a long-standing pattern of covering up clergy sex abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo , said on Facebook : Michael Hichborn , President of the Lepanto Insitute who also resides in Virginia , said it was a “ shame that Bishop Knestout appears to be going back on his words from 2018 , when he said , regarding the sex abuse crisis , that the Church 'must confess its sins and express contrition for what it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the same meeting , he decried Church leadership , who he said ‘ was not listening to the cries of those who have suffered , ' ” he added .
“ Those words ring hollow now that he is actively engaged in silencing a priest who has given hope and a voice to many faithful Catholics trying to wrap their heads around the crisis , ” continued Hichborn in a statement to LifeSiteNews .
“ For one who made such fanfare about atonement , he is now showing that he is really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bishops who preferred silence to facing the hard truths , '' he added .
Joseph Graf , a member of St. Francis of Assisi ’ s parish council , said that Father White “ asked the three essential questions that every bishop , every priest and every Catholic should ask themselves , namely : What do ( did ) you know ?
When did you know it ?
And what did you do about it ?
” “ In my opinion Fr .
Mark did the only thing a person of conscience can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he knew , ” Graf told LifeSiteNews in an email .
“ My claim is that if any bishop had ever acted responsibly when he became aware of this , the abuse would have been limited to sporadic instances .
The abuse became pervasive and prolonged because those in authority refused to deal with it.
” Graf noted that as Fr .
Mark became more aware , as more details emerged , he became more pointed in his blog .
“ I can imagine him saying to himself , ‘ They must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lying ?
’ In his blog he started asking [ the ] essential questions and sharing what he knew.
” “ The tone of the blog did shift in intensity , ” said Graf .
“ The language became more pointed .
I don ’ t remember any actual accusations being made .
But the facts that were presented were plenty accusatory in themselves.
” “ I am angered that this has happened , ” Richard Long , a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi , told The Martinsville Bulletin .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy dialogue among Catholics and the public .
Yes , he wrote about difficult topics .
Like the sex abuse scandal in the church.
” “ It was meaningful enough to actually keep me in the Church , when I considered leaving the Church , because of the abuse crisis , ” continued Long .
“ The desire of many bishops to silence people , especially a priest like Father Mark , is part of what led to such an abomination within the Catholic Church , ” he said .
“ Sweeping any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to future abuses .
Conversation is necessary for healing within the church to occur .
”

Fr. Mark White used his blog to spotlight the ineffectiveness of the Church in dealing with the sexual abuse scandal.
MARTINSVILLE, Virginia, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A Catholic priest who joined Archbishop Viganò’s call for Pope Francis’ resignation over the McCarrick scandal has been ordered by his bishop to take down his popular blog and to refrain from commenting on social media.
Fr. Mark White serves as pastor of two rural parishes in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. He used his blog to spotlight the ineffectiveness of the Church in dealing with the sexual abuse scandal, especially regarding the Church’s handling of the McCarrick revelations. He was, at times, critical of Pope Francis, and sometimes used infelicitous language when pointing out the incompetence as well as the cover-up he witnessed in the Church’s hierarchy.
The drama began on November 2, 2019, when Bishop Barry Knestout and Vicar General Michael Boehling showed up unexpectedly as the noon Mass concluded at White’s St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
Fr. White said that during the twenty-minute meeting, Bishop Knestout “ordered me, in no uncertain terms, to keep silent. To remove my blog from circulation entirely, and to publish nothing further–not even my Sunday homilies.”
In that same meeting, White said Knestout “sternly threatened to remove me as pastor here if I did not silence myself.”
In a subsequent meeting with Bishop Knestout earlier this month, it seemed as if a truce had been reached and that Fr. White’s job no longer hung in the balance. On the following day, however, two priest officials of the Diocese of Richmond appeared at Saint Francis in Rocky Mount. Episcopal Vicar Fr. Kevin Segerblom and Vicar Forane Msgr. Sal Annonuevo read a statement to White confirming that he would be permitted to post his homilies on the parish websites, while continuing to be prohibited from otherwise commenting on his blog or social media.
When Fr. White was asked by the pair to sign off on the statement that had been read to him without being allowed to actually read it first, he refused. He told LifeSite he couldn’t be sure that what he was agreeing to in writing was what he had heard.
The Diocese of Richmond issued a statement regarding Fr. White, claiming that it supports priests in “speaking about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis.”
“Bishop Barry C. Knestout has supported and continues to support the priests of our diocese in speaking about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis with their parishioners to help heal the Body of Christ. All communications should be expressed with charity, further the Gospel message and respect the dignity of all individuals. Bishop Knestout expects all clergy to express themselves in a manner that is respectful through their preaching, teaching, catechesis, and counseling within their parish communities,” the diocese stated.
“For priests who may be struggling themselves with the deep pain of the crisis or who are still trying to come to terms with it and with the pain it has brought survivors, the faithful and them personally, Bishop Knestout’s door is open to provide assistance to help them and to accompany them along the way,” it added.
Fr. White told LifeSiteNews that he “never wanted to become some kind of martyr for free speech in the Church at the expense of Bishop Barry Knestout.”
“I believe in the Church, I believe in the hierarchy, I believe in Apostolic succession,” he continued. “I’m not really a rebel, but by the same token, the unanswered questions and the lack of openness that I’ve been writing about is real, and so this kind of strife is inevitable until we get some kind of honesty.”
Fr. White’s 2018 ‘Open Letter to the Pope’
Fr. White’s blog seems to have first caught Bishop Knestout’s attention in early September 2018 when Fr. White posted an “Open Letter to the Holy Father,” a week after Archbishop Viganò’s testimony had been published.
In his September 1 posting, Fr. White said, “This summer our Church has suffered a public-relations catastrophe,” that “has wounded the hearts of the faithful sons and daughters of the Church.” He begged Pope Francis to “establish a procedure for selecting at random parish priests from around the world, to take the places of the Cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel. Then vacate the Chair of Peter.”
“You wrote the letter without having the courtesy to consult with me about such a controversial demand,” wrote Bishop Knestout in a September 12 letter to White. “I found this disrespectful and not in keeping with the ecclesial communion that you and all priests in the diocese would ideally share with me as your bishop.”
When Fr. White met with Bishop Knestout recently after having required him to remove his entire blog from public view, the Bishop justified his directive saying that White had employed “implied” curse words, and had included numerous insults in his blog.
Fr. White and two parishioners who were present at the meeting felt the Bishop didn’t fully explain himself, but surmised that the “insults” he might have been referring to included posts such as one where he had essentially called Washington, DC’s Cardinal Wuerl a liar for having claimed he was unaware of McCarrick’s history of predatory behavior.
Evidence proved that Wuerl had indeed lied about his knowledge of sex abuse allegations against McCarrick.
The implied curse words cited by Bishop Knestout are found in a November 8, 2019 post titled “Cowards Ad Limina,” as the first group of U.S. bishops arrived in Rome to meet with Pope Francis. Here’s the portion in question:
We American Catholics want to take a step forward, towards restored confidence in the integrity of our institution. That step involves one thing happening. The See of Peter revealing, in full, everything they knew, and when, about the evil little Irish-American leprechaun. I ask you, dear reader: How does an American bishop–who ostensibly pretends to care about his faithful people back home–how does he not get off the airplane at Fiumicino and immediately do this: Kneel at the Apostles’ tombs. Walk into the pope’s parlor. Kiss the Ring of the Fisherman. Then ask, “Where is the g.d. McCarrick Report, Your Holiness?! WTF? You are fricking killing us. What in the actual f?” (Or something to that effect.) But these feminized cowards in miters will do no such thing. Instead they will tweet things like, “Oh, mother, bring me my aqua vitae! I just got to meet the Successor of Peter! And he has such twinkly eyes! And amazing jowls. So cute! I just love him!” […] …I, for one, object to our bishops going to Rome solely to fan-girl the pope. I think we deserve more serious shepherds than this.
The post echoed the frustrations of rank and file Catholics across the nation regarding prelates who don’t seem to share their urgency in dealing with clergy sex abuse in general and the Holy See’s apparent reluctance to make public it’s report on McCarrick.
LifeSiteNews reached out to Bishop Barry Knestout hoping to receive an explanation about his actions regarding Fr. White, including what specific harm he detects in White’s writings and whether his silencing of White was based on his own initiative or compelled by someone at the USCCB or the Vatican.
Deborah Cox, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Richmond, responded, saying that LifeSiteNews’ questions are related to personnel matters and “we simply are unable to comment.”
Betrayal
Fr. White’s presence on the internet began in 2008 when he started posting the texts of his homilies. He set about using that platform to express his opinions about the Church’s fumbling in dealing with clergy sex abuse. This happened after the revelations about then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick emerged in the summer of 2018. This was followed, in rapid succession, by the release of the massive Pennsylvania grand jury report exposing decades of clerical sex abuse and cover up by bishops, and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s testimony asserting that senior prelates had covered up McCarrick’s alleged sexual abuse of seminarians and priests.
Fr. White told The Martinsville Bulletin that the weight of all that created the “impetus – a psychological need in order to preserve my own faith to study the whole thing as carefully as I possibly could.”
The stunning revelations hit Fr. White particularly hard because it was the powerful, revered then-Cardinal McCarrick who had ordained him in 2003.
“For those of us who were in the McCarrick orbit, who were seminarians under him, ordained by him, worked with him,” the revelations created “a real crisis of faith,” said White.
“Up in New Jersey it was more widely known by rumor what he had been doing,” recounted White, but when McCarrick came to Washington, DC, “he said to us, ‘You may have heard rumors about me and they are not true.”
“And we believed him,” continued White, “and so the sense of betrayal by the institution is crushing.
“It’s been a dark night of faith for us,” said White of many of the men McCarrick ordained with whom he remains in contact.
Speaking for parish priests in general, White said, “This institution has not been honest with us. And for us to be on the front lines of dealing with [the burgeoning scandal] without any support behind us, without any really honest effort to tell the truth about all this, is really hard.”
In one of his blog postings, White addressed Bishop Knestout: “You asked me to apologize to Pope Francis. For what? For loving him enough to point out that we have reached a dangerous impasse? If the full truth about McCarrick does not come out, then how will any of us who have been touched by his ministry recover?”
“You write that I have done you wrong by ‘addressing issues that directly affect’ you,” wrote Fr. White to Knestout in another blog posting. “Have you yourself suffered reprisals from the Holy See because of what I, one of your priests, has written? If so, I am sorry. But you can hardly identify me as the villain in that scenario.”
Response from the public: Fr. White is a hero
When it became clear last week that Bishop Knestout hadn’t budged and was not interested in compromise of any sort, members of Fr. White’s parishes and other observers were angered.
Siobhan O’Connor, the former executive assistant to Bishop Richard Malone who blew the lid off a long-standing pattern of covering up clergy sex abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo, said on Facebook:
The Bishop of Richmond should be following Father White’s lead. Instead, he *silenced* him. Outrageous. The bad priests have gotten so much attention, but there ARE good ones out there. And even brave ones – like Father White.
Michael Hichborn, President of the Lepanto Insitute who also resides in Virginia, said it was a “shame that Bishop Knestout appears to be going back on his words from 2018, when he said, regarding the sex abuse crisis, that the Church 'must confess its sins and express contrition for what it has done and failed to do.”
“In the same meeting, he decried Church leadership, who he said ‘was not listening to the cries of those who have suffered,'” he added.
“Those words ring hollow now that he is actively engaged in silencing a priest who has given hope and a voice to many faithful Catholics trying to wrap their heads around the crisis,” continued Hichborn in a statement to LifeSiteNews.
“For one who made such fanfare about atonement, he is now showing that he is really no different than the rest of the bishops who preferred silence to facing the hard truths,” he added.
Joseph Graf, a member of St. Francis of Assisi’s parish council, said that Father White “asked the three essential questions that every bishop, every priest and every Catholic should ask themselves, namely: What do (did) you know? When did you know it? And what did you do about it?”
“In my opinion Fr. Mark did the only thing a person of conscience can do and that is to start sharing what he knew,” Graf told LifeSiteNews in an email. “My claim is that if any bishop had ever acted responsibly when he became aware of this, the abuse would have been limited to sporadic instances. The abuse became pervasive and prolonged because those in authority refused to deal with it.”
Graf noted that as Fr. Mark became more aware, as more details emerged, he became more pointed in his blog. “I can imagine him saying to himself, ‘They must have known,’ and ‘Are they lying?’ In his blog he started asking [the] essential questions and sharing what he knew.”
“The tone of the blog did shift in intensity,” said Graf. “The language became more pointed. I don’t remember any actual accusations being made. But the facts that were presented were plenty accusatory in themselves.”
“I am angered that this has happened,” Richard Long, a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi, told The Martinsville Bulletin. “[Father Mark's] blog created healthy dialogue among Catholics and the public. Yes, he wrote about difficult topics. Like the sex abuse scandal in the church.”
“It was meaningful enough to actually keep me in the Church, when I considered leaving the Church, because of the abuse crisis,” continued Long.
“The desire of many bishops to silence people, especially a priest like Father Mark, is part of what led to such an abomination within the Catholic Church,” he said. “Sweeping any of it under the rug will lead to future abuses. Conversation is necessary for healing within the church to occur.”
Contact information for respectful communications:
Bishop Knestout
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 359-5661
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lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Wedding vendors will be forced to participate in gay ‘marriages’ under new N. Ireland la

Wedding vendors will be forced to participate in gay ‘marriages’ under new N. Ireland law

February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A politician in Northern Ireland has pointed out that the new law legalizing same-sex “ marriage ” in the region will not allow civil registrars , hoteliers , florists , and wedding photographers to refuse their services for homosexual “ weddings.
” The Northern Ireland ( Executive Formation etc ) Act 2019 , the same piece of legislation that introduced new abortion laws into the region , has also legalized same-sex “ marriage , ” effective from January 13 of this year .
Same-sex “ marriage ” has been legal in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but until last month had not been imposed on Northern Ireland .
On January 20 the Northern Ireland Office ( NIO ) , the U.K. Government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs , launched a public consultation , focusing on questions around the freedom of various groups and individuals to opt out of such ceremonies .
Under the new laws , churches and other religious groups will not be compelled to celebrate such “ weddings.
” But Northern Ireland politician and Trade Union Voice leader , Jim Allister , has pointed out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that the protections afforded to churches and ministers of religion will not apply to registrars.
” “ There is no space for anyone to express an opinion on this in the response form , ” Alister said .
“ Why does the NIO choose to ignore this serious issue which impacts on the civil , religious , human and employment rights of registrars ?
” “ Here we have a situation where people have taken up the position of registrars under one set of conditions and now those conditions have been radically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If , as is often claimed , same sex marriage was really about rights , then this issue would have been addressed.
” Alister has also pointed out that paragraph 50 of the consultation states that the legal right to refuse to be involved with such ceremonies “ will not apply to service providers that are not religious bodies , such as hoteliers , wedding photographers [ , ] and florists.
” Alister said that people who refused to provide services for same-sex “ marriages ” would be stripped of legal protection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NIO doesn ’ t want to know , ” he concluded .
The NIO has responded to Alister ’ s comments , stating , “ Civil marriages and partnerships are secular in Northern Ireland and Registrars can not discriminate against couples on the basis of sexual orientation.
” “ Service providers are also required to comply with the relevant equality laws in Northern Ireland , ” the statement continued .
“ Registrars and service providers are treated in the same way in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have considered all of the responses to the consultations.
” The issue of whether individuals working in wedding-related services would be forced to be involved in same-sex “ weddings ” has been contentious around the world .
Last year a wedding photographer in Kentucky filed a lawsuit against a Louisville ordinance for trying to force her to lend her services to same-sex “ wedding ” ceremonies .
Earlier in 2019 , two calligraphers won a ruling at the Arizona Supreme Court that business owners have the right to choose not to provide certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Colorado baker Jack Phillips , who declined to create a cake celebrating a same-sex “ wedding , ” in June 2018 .
However , it ruled in favor of Phillips on the premise that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission hadn ’ t treated him fairly , and didn ’ t definitively settle the question of whether people can be forced to create art celebrating homosexual unions .
After his Supreme Court victory , LGBT activists took Phillips to court again over his refusal to bake a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , a Christian family-owned bakery in Northern Ireland was found by the U.K. Supreme Court to be not guilty of discriminating against an LGBT activist declining to bake a cake supporting same-sex “ marriage.
” The judges ruled in that case that “ the rights to freedom of thought , conscience and religion , and to freedom of expression were clearly engaged by this case ” and that “ they include the right not to be obliged to manifest beliefs one does not hold.
” Ciaran Kelly , the deputy director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support during that case , said : “ Since the courts have declared that support for traditional marriage is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society , it would be better still if small business owners like florists and photographers were left to operate according to their conscience on marriage too.
” Kelly said that the 2018 Supreme Court judgment had enshrined the “ freedom to disagree ” and stressed that other members of society will be impacted by the new legislation .
“ Let ’ s not forget teachers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ Whether it ’ s being required to wear a rainbow lanyard or to promote same-sex marriage , no one should be compelled to express a view that goes against their sincerely-held beliefs.
” Liam Gibson , political officer in Northern Ireland for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children ( SPUC ) , told LifeSiteNews that freedom of conscience and speech are seriously under attack :

'This legislation is being used to send a message to wider society that no one will be allowed to dissent from the tenets of the sexual revolution,' warned a Northern Ireland pro-life activist.
February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A politician in Northern Ireland has pointed out that the new law legalizing same-sex “marriage” in the region will not allow civil registrars, hoteliers, florists, and wedding photographers to refuse their services for homosexual “weddings.”
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, the same piece of legislation that introduced new abortion laws into the region, has also legalized same-sex “marriage,” effective from January 13 of this year.
Same-sex “marriage” has been legal in the rest of the U.K. since 2013, but until last month had not been imposed on Northern Ireland.
On January 20 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), the U.K. Government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs, launched a public consultation, focusing on questions around the freedom of various groups and individuals to opt out of such ceremonies. Under the new laws, churches and other religious groups will not be compelled to celebrate such “weddings.”
But Northern Ireland politician and Trade Union Voice leader, Jim Allister, has pointed out that paragraph 25 of the consultation “explicitly states that the protections afforded to churches and ministers of religion will not apply to registrars.”
“There is no space for anyone to express an opinion on this in the response form,” Alister said. “Why does the NIO choose to ignore this serious issue which impacts on the civil, religious, human and employment rights of registrars?”
“Here we have a situation where people have taken up the position of registrars under one set of conditions and now those conditions have been radically changed,” Alister continued. “If, as is often claimed, same sex marriage was really about rights, then this issue would have been addressed.”
Alister has also pointed out that paragraph 50 of the consultation states that the legal right to refuse to be involved with such ceremonies “will not apply to service providers that are not religious bodies, such as hoteliers, wedding photographers[,] and florists.”
Alister said that people who refused to provide services for same-sex “marriages” would be stripped of legal protection.
“This is intolerable and wrong but the NIO doesn’t want to know,” he concluded.
The NIO has responded to Alister’s comments, stating, “Civil marriages and partnerships are secular in Northern Ireland and Registrars cannot discriminate against couples on the basis of sexual orientation.”
“Service providers are also required to comply with the relevant equality laws in Northern Ireland,” the statement continued.
“Registrars and service providers are treated in the same way in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the UK. We will make further regulations once we have considered all of the responses to the consultations.”
The issue of whether individuals working in wedding-related services would be forced to be involved in same-sex “weddings” has been contentious around the world. Last year a wedding photographer in Kentucky filed a lawsuit against a Louisville ordinance for trying to force her to lend her services to same-sex “wedding” ceremonies. Earlier in 2019, two calligraphers won a ruling at the Arizona Supreme Court that business owners have the right to choose not to provide certain products to same-sex “weddings.”
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who declined to create a cake celebrating a same-sex “wedding,” in June 2018. However, it ruled in favor of Phillips on the premise that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission hadn’t treated him fairly, and didn’t definitively settle the question of whether people can be forced to create art celebrating homosexual unions.
After his Supreme Court victory, LGBT activists took Phillips to court again over his refusal to bake a “gender transition” cake.
In 2018, a Christian family-owned bakery in Northern Ireland was found by the U.K. Supreme Court to be not guilty of discriminating against an LGBT activist declining to bake a cake supporting same-sex “marriage.”
The judges ruled in that case that “the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and to freedom of expression were clearly engaged by this case” and that “they include the right not to be obliged to manifest beliefs one does not hold.”
Ciaran Kelly, the deputy director of The Christian Institute, which provided legal support during that case, said: “Since the courts have declared that support for traditional marriage is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society, it would be better still if small business owners like florists and photographers were left to operate according to their conscience on marriage too.”
Kelly said that the 2018 Supreme Court judgment had enshrined the “freedom to disagree” and stressed that other members of society will be impacted by the new legislation.
“Let’s not forget teachers and other public servants in all this,” he said. “Whether it’s being required to wear a rainbow lanyard or to promote same-sex marriage, no one should be compelled to express a view that goes against their sincerely-held beliefs.”
Liam Gibson, political officer in Northern Ireland for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), told LifeSiteNews that freedom of conscience and speech are seriously under attack:
The London Government was determined to impose “same-sex marriage” on Northern Ireland. It is not surprising, therefore, that the new regulations will force individuals and businesses to be directly involved in facilitating same-sex ceremonies. The fact that there will be no reasonable accommodation for people who have a moral objection to such ceremonies shows that the redefinition of marriage was not about promoting equality but about social engineering. There is really no danger that homosexual couples might not be able to find florists, photographers or bakers willing to provide their services unless the law compelled them to. This legislation is being used to send a message to wider society that no one will be allowed to dissent from the tenets of the sexual revolution. The homosexualist agenda is a serious threat to the primacy of conscience and freedom of speech.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Boy Scouts file for bankruptcy under weight of child sex abuse lawsuits

February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In a move that has been long speculated by many , the embattled Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) filed for bankruptcy Tuesday , concluding it to be the organization ’ s only choice in the face of years of costly lawsuits over decades of sexual abuse claims against employees and volunteers .
In 2012 , the Oregon Supreme Court ordered the release of 20,000 pages of confidential files the BSA kept on suspected abusers within the organization from 1965 to 1985 , though battles continued over abuse lawsuits and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public filings , the BSA ’ s legal bills to outside law firms amounted to $ 7.6 million in 2017 , $ 3.5 million in 2016 , and $ 859,347 in 2015 .
The BSA has been considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for more than a year , a move it believed would provide breathing room to negotiate settlements with plaintiffs .
The organization made the decision official this week , saying it will help the BSA fairly compensate victims and preserve its long-term future , Fox News reported .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting , ” BSA president and CEO Roger Mosby said in a statement .
“ We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children .
While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered , we believe the Chapter 11 process – with the proposed Trust structure – will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA 's important mission.
” The move will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the local councils that oversee them are distinct entities under the law .
Still , the news holds grave ramifications for the reputation of the long-standing youth institution , donations to local programs , and the future of Scouting .
“ You ’ re talking about thousands of perpetrators , '' said Seattle attorney Michael Pfau , who has represented more than 300 Boy Scout accusers across the country .
`` You ’ re talking about tens of thousands of victims .
This will be the largest bankruptcy the country has ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest corporate bankruptcies.
” The child abuse scandal has gone hand in hand with a steady decline in the BSA ’ s memberships and donations over the past several years , which pro-family observers attribute in part to the Christian boys ’ organization ’ s surrender to the Left on LGBT policy and gender exclusivity .
The BSA began allowing openly homosexual boys to join in 2013 , openly homosexual adult leaders in 2015 , and “ transgender ” members in 2017 .
The organization announced in early 2018 that their main scouting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BSA ” and accept girls , as would its Cub Scouts program for children age nine and younger .
In summer 2018 , it was even revealed that the World Organization of the Scout Movement ( WOSM ) would make condoms available to minors at the 24th World Scout Jamboree , which was being hosted by the BSA .

'You’re talking about tens of thousands of victims. This will be the largest bankruptcy the country has ever seen,' an attorney representing victims says.
February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In a move that has been long speculated by many, the embattled Boy Scouts of America (BSA) filed for bankruptcy Tuesday, concluding it to be the organization’s only choice in the face of years of costly lawsuits over decades of sexual abuse claims against employees and volunteers.
In 2012, the Oregon Supreme Court ordered the release of 20,000 pages of confidential files the BSA kept on suspected abusers within the organization from 1965 to 1985, though battles continued over abuse lawsuits and the release of post-1985 files. According to public filings, the BSA’s legal bills to outside law firms amounted to $7.6 million in 2017, $3.5 million in 2016, and $859,347 in 2015.
The BSA has been considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for more than a year, a move it believed would provide breathing room to negotiate settlements with plaintiffs. The organization made the decision official this week, saying it will help the BSA fairly compensate victims and preserve its long-term future, Fox News reported.
“The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting,” BSA president and CEO Roger Mosby said in a statement. “We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children. While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process – with the proposed Trust structure – will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA's important mission.”
The move will not automatically affect individual Scouting programs, as the local councils that oversee them are distinct entities under the law. Still, the news holds grave ramifications for the reputation of the long-standing youth institution, donations to local programs, and the future of Scouting.
“You’re talking about thousands of perpetrators,” said Seattle attorney Michael Pfau, who has represented more than 300 Boy Scout accusers across the country. “You’re talking about tens of thousands of victims. This will be the largest bankruptcy the country has ever seen, and likely one of the largest corporate bankruptcies.”
The child abuse scandal has gone hand in hand with a steady decline in the BSA’s memberships and donations over the past several years, which pro-family observers attribute in part to the Christian boys’ organization’s surrender to the Left on LGBT policy and gender exclusivity.
The BSA began allowing openly homosexual boys to join in 2013, openly homosexual adult leaders in 2015, and “transgender” members in 2017. The organization announced in early 2018 that their main scouting program would be renamed simply “Scouts BSA” and accept girls, as would its Cub Scouts program for children age nine and younger. In summer 2018, it was even revealed that the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) would make condoms available to minors at the 24th World Scout Jamboree, which was being hosted by the BSA.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Pope thanks Cdl. Müller, says he ‘liked’ his commentary on Amazon exhortation

ROME , Italy , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Pope Francis said he liked Cardinal Gerhard Müller ’ s commentary on the apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia , which was published several months after the conclusion of the Amazon Synod in the Vatican last fall .
The Holy Father had sent a handwritten letter to the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ( CDF ) , thanking him for “ the document on the post-synodal exhortation ‘ Querida Amazonia , ’ which I liked , ” reported Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hope that Querida Amazonia could have a reconciling effect , “ reducing internal Church factions , ideological fixations and the danger of inner emigration or open resistance.
” In that context , Müller continued , it is to be hoped “ that the interpreters of this document will refrain from unnecessary harshness and take up the concerns of the Holy Father like true sons and daughters of the Church in a spirit of agreement and collaboration.
” Among other aspects , he especially praised the part of the apostolic exhortation where Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Spouse of the community that celebrates the Eucharist through the figure of a man who presides as a sign of the one Priest .
This dialogue between the Spouse and his Bride , which arises in adoration and sanctifies the community , should not trap us in partial conceptions of power in the Church .
The Lord chose to reveal his power and his love through two human faces : the face of his divine Son made man and the face of a creature , a woman , Mary.
” For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sense of the defined doctrine of faith , “ that the priest is sacramentally conformed to Christ , the head of the Church , by virtue of ordination .
Therefore , only a man can symbolically and sacramentally represent Christ as the Bridegroom of the Church.
” Francis ’ and Müller ’ s new appreciation of one another comes after both had been critical of each other in the past .
The German cardinal found fault with Pope Francis in 2017 for the way in which he was dismissed from his position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an interview with German newspaper Passauer Neue Presse , the cardinal said that on the last working day of his five-year term as a prefect of the Congregation for the faith , Pope Francis informed him ‘ within a minute ’ of the decision not to extend his mandate , ” the Catholic Herald reported .
Müller said that Pope Francis “ did not give a reason , ” adding , “ Just as he gave no reason for dismissing three highly competent members of the CDF a few months earlier.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doing things .
As a bishop , you can not treat people in this way , ” Müller explained .
“ I have said this before – the Church ’ s social teaching must also be applied to the way employees are treated here in the Vatican.
” Müller had also criticized the use of Pachamama during religious ceremonies in the Vatican as part of the Amazon Synod .
“ This whole sad story will give support to many aggressive , anti-Catholic sects in South America and elsewhere who in their polemics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Pope who they obey is the Antichrist , ” Müller said .
“ Hundreds of thousands of Catholics in the Amazon region and wherever the videos of this Roman spectacle have been seen will leave the Church in protest .
Did anyone think about these consequences or did they just assume this was collateral damage ?
” However , Müller later showed his appreciation for the line drawn in the apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia between “ worship of the Creator and worship of the created as if it were God.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mozambique , Francis was asked about Müller and his interventions that seem to have a “ critical view of the current pontificate.
” “ He has good intentions , he is a good man .
The Pope likes him .
But he is like a child , ” Pope Francis replied .
Now , it looks “ like olive branches have been exchanged , ” Fr .
John Zuhlsdorf commented on his popular blog .
In the article published by Corriere della Sera , Müller is quoted as saying the progressive parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propaganda to end priestly celibacy.
” Müller said that their goal was not simply to have married priests in the Amazon region , but to push for the end of celibacy in Europe , as well .
“ Fortunately , the Pope blocked the maneuver , ” he stated .
“ Those forty or so Indians with feathers on their heads , colored faces , and idols of Mother Earth , received by the Pope , did not seem to me to come from the Amazon forest .
I have the impression that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from São Paulo , and hosted in Rome in five-star hotels , paid for by the German bishops , ” Müller added .
Other members of the clergy have been less optimistic than Cardinal Müller about Querida Amazonia .
Bishop Athanasius Schneider , while praising the Pope ’ s decision not to weaken the laws of celibacy or open the door to female “ deacons , ” criticized the “ lamentable doctrinal ambiguities and errors ” of the exhortation .
Schneider called “ highly problematic ” the document ’ s “ implicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The bishop also pointed to the exhortation ’ s assertion that Christians may “ take up an indigenous symbol in some way , without necessarily considering it as idolatry ” and its designation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “ mother of all creatures.
” Another of the document ’ s “ main erroneous tendencies ” is the “ promotion of naturalism ” and “ slight echoes of pantheism and a hidden Pelagianism , ” Schneider added .
Italian theologian Msgr .
Nicola Bux explained in comments to LifeSiteNews that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of concentration on God Himself and the salvation of souls .
Instead , he identified in the document a danger of allowing the Church to slip into “ pantheism without noticing it .
”

The Pope and the German cardinal had been critical of each other in the past.
ROME, Italy, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis said he liked Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s commentary on the apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia, which was published several months after the conclusion of the Amazon Synod in the Vatican last fall.
The Holy Father had sent a handwritten letter to the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), thanking him for “the document on the post-synodal exhortation ‘Querida Amazonia,’ which I liked,” reported Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
In his commentary, Cardinal Müller expressed his hope that Querida Amazonia could have a reconciling effect, “reducing internal Church factions, ideological fixations and the danger of inner emigration or open resistance.”
In that context, Müller continued, it is to be hoped “that the interpreters of this document will refrain from unnecessary harshness and take up the concerns of the Holy Father like true sons and daughters of the Church in a spirit of agreement and collaboration.”
Among other aspects, he especially praised the part of the apostolic exhortation where Pope Francis speaks of Jesus Christ appearing “as the Spouse of the community that celebrates the Eucharist through the figure of a man who presides as a sign of the one Priest. This dialogue between the Spouse and his Bride, which arises in adoration and sanctifies the community, should not trap us in partial conceptions of power in the Church. The Lord chose to reveal his power and his love through two human faces: the face of his divine Son made man and the face of a creature, a woman, Mary.”
For Müller, this states clearly, in the sense of the defined doctrine of faith, “that the priest is sacramentally conformed to Christ, the head of the Church, by virtue of ordination. Therefore, only a man can symbolically and sacramentally represent Christ as the Bridegroom of the Church.”
Francis’ and Müller’s new appreciation of one another comes after both had been critical of each other in the past.
The German cardinal found fault with Pope Francis in 2017 for the way in which he was dismissed from his position as prefect of the CDF.
“In an interview with German newspaper Passauer Neue Presse, the cardinal said that on the last working day of his five-year term as a prefect of the Congregation for the faith, Pope Francis informed him ‘within a minute’ of the decision not to extend his mandate,” the Catholic Herald reported.
Müller said that Pope Francis “did not give a reason,” adding, “Just as he gave no reason for dismissing three highly competent members of the CDF a few months earlier.”
“I cannot accept this way of doing things. As a bishop, you cannot treat people in this way,” Müller explained. “I have said this before – the Church’s social teaching must also be applied to the way employees are treated here in the Vatican.”
Müller had also criticized the use of Pachamama during religious ceremonies in the Vatican as part of the Amazon Synod.
“This whole sad story will give support to many aggressive, anti-Catholic sects in South America and elsewhere who in their polemics maintain that Catholics are idol worshipers and that the Pope who they obey is the Antichrist,” Müller said.
“Hundreds of thousands of Catholics in the Amazon region and wherever the videos of this Roman spectacle have been seen will leave the Church in protest. Did anyone think about these consequences or did they just assume this was collateral damage?”
However, Müller later showed his appreciation for the line drawn in the apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia between “worship of the Creator and worship of the created as if it were God.”
In 2019, on his way to Mozambique, Francis was asked about Müller and his interventions that seem to have a “critical view of the current pontificate.”
“He has good intentions, he is a good man. The Pope likes him. But he is like a child,” Pope Francis replied.
Now, it looks “like olive branches have been exchanged,” Fr. John Zuhlsdorf commented on his popular blog.
In the article published by Corriere della Sera, Müller is quoted as saying the progressive parts of the German Church gave “millions for propaganda to end priestly celibacy.”
Müller said that their goal was not simply to have married priests in the Amazon region, but to push for the end of celibacy in Europe, as well. “Fortunately, the Pope blocked the maneuver,” he stated.
“Those forty or so Indians with feathers on their heads, colored faces, and idols of Mother Earth, received by the Pope, did not seem to me to come from the Amazon forest. I have the impression that they were brought to Italy from Brasilia, from São Paulo, and hosted in Rome in five-star hotels, paid for by the German bishops,” Müller added.
Other members of the clergy have been less optimistic than Cardinal Müller about Querida Amazonia.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider, while praising the Pope’s decision not to weaken the laws of celibacy or open the door to female “deacons,” criticized the “lamentable doctrinal ambiguities and errors” of the exhortation.
Schneider called “highly problematic” the document’s “implicit endorsement of a pantheistic and pagan spirituality.” The bishop also pointed to the exhortation’s assertion that Christians may “take up an indigenous symbol in some way, without necessarily considering it as idolatry” and its designation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “mother of all creatures.”
Another of the document’s “main erroneous tendencies” is the “promotion of naturalism” and “slight echoes of pantheism and a hidden Pelagianism,” Schneider added.
Italian theologian Msgr. Nicola Bux explained in comments to LifeSiteNews that he sees in the new exhortation a lack of concentration on God Himself and the salvation of souls. Instead, he identified in the document a danger of allowing the Church to slip into “pantheism without noticing it.”
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lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Therapy ban will make spiritual counseling a crime in Canada: psychotherapist

TORONTO , Ontario , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The federal bill criminalizing “ conversion therapy ” in Canada will outlaw praying and spiritual counseling for individuals with unwanted same-sex attraction , a Christian psychotherapist warns .
“ The ultimate goal is to silence the Christian church in Canada .
It is to silence us from talking .
It ’ s totally totalitarian , ” the retired expert in counseling survivors of complex trauma told participants at a Campaign Life Coalition clergy luncheon this week .
“ It ’ s about banning ... the central ministry of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s about banning the ministry to the brokenhearted , ” said Dr. Ann Gillies , author of the 2017 book Closing the Floodgates , an analysis of propaganda promoting the sexual revolution .
“ And it ’ s banning the ability of conversion , not conversion therapy , but the power of God to change people .
That ’ s really what ’ s at the heart of this bill.
” Gillies told pastors and priests at the event organized by Canada ’ s national pro-life , pro-family political lobbying group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill S-202 because she ’ s been “ impacted by the LGBTQ community for 40 years.
” It began when her first husband “ told me he was gay , ” she related .
In the 14 years they were together , she was unaware he had “ many , many homosexual affairs.
” Then her son told her , shortly after she married her current husband , that his father had sexually abused him for more than a decade .
Gillies described the “ horrific ” and “ traumatizing ” ordeal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son testifying for three days , and her ex-husband being acquitted .
He currently lives in Toronto ’ s “ gay ” village , where he is “ protected by activists ” despite being an alleged pedophile , she said .
Her son lived the homosexual life in Toronto for 11 years , then decided to leave .
He went through years of therapy , first anger management , then sex addiction therapy , and is now married and the father of four children .
“ I would say I have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gillies said .
“ I feel called to do this.
” Indeed , both Gillies and her son appeared on Sandy Renaldo ’ s CTV W5 “ investigative ” piece on so-called conversion therapy in Canada , entitled “ Thy Will Be Done , ” a program Gillies described as “ absolutely biased ” and a “ direct assault on the church.
” Her son spoke about his life in Toronto ’ s “ gay village ” – which was edited out .
“ And he talked very clearly about , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he felt love there and cared for and he enjoyed it .
He enjoyed it .
And he told Sandy Renaldo , ‘ It is the most promiscuous community you could ever find .
So it took a long time for me to be free of it , ’ ” Gillies said .
“ We need to hear his voice .
We need to hear other voices .
We need those who have been through ... these programs that have helped people to help them , not hurt them , not to harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to listen to them .
But they need to start speaking out , ” she said .
‘ A strict agenda to go after the churches ’ Renaldo also interviewed Dr. Kristopher Wells , the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at MacEwan University in Edmonton , Alberta .
Wells is “ really the chief person driving this bill in Parliament , and going to municipalities , ” Gillies said .
The federal bill in question is S-202 , introduced by now-retired Senator Serge Joyal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator René Cormier and at second reading .
That definition is so broad that if Bill S-202 was passed , pastors could not counsel people against watching homosexual pornography , and 12-step programs such as Courage – which helps Catholic individuals with same-sex attraction live chastely – as well as Protestant “ ex-gay ” ministries such as Exodus International would “ be on the chopping block , ” Gillies contended .
But that ’ s Wells ’ express intention , she said .
“ He has a strict agenda to go after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be banned In an October 2019 press release announcing his booklet Conversion Therapy in Canada : The roles and responsibilities of municipalities , Wells included “ reparative therapy , ” which , as Gillies noted , was developed by late American psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Nicolosi ; “ re-integrative therapy ” ; and “ sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts ” as forms of conversion therapy .
He defined conversion therapy as “ any form of treatment , including individual talk therapy , behavioral or aversion therapy , group therapy , treatments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug-induced treatments which attempt to actively change someone ’ s sexual orientation , gender identity or gender expression.
” Gillies emphasized that Wells dropped in the midst of that list “ spiritual prayer ” and “ exorcism.
” “ He wants to cover it all , ” she said .
He ’ s also been lobbying municipalities to implement therapy bans , with Edmonton ’ s city council approving a ban of therapy for unwanted same-sex attractions in December 2019 .
It carries penalties of loss of professional license , loss of business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and five years in jail .
“ How they ’ re going to enforce it is anyone ’ s guess , ” Gillies said .
But Wells was clear the Edmonton ban was “ so powerful ” because “ it captures all forms of conversion therapy , whether they ’ re medical , spiritual , or religious , ” she added .
Spruce Grove , Fort McMurray , and Calgary have passed bans , while Red Deer is considering one .
Vancouver , B.C .
has a ban on therapy helping those leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Nova Scotia .
More significantly , Prime Minister Trudeau ’ s mandate letter to Justice Minister David Lametti specified amending the Criminal Code to ban “ conversion ” therapy .
While the Liberals are aware of the rights of religious groups , the Charter guarantees “ a right to be secure in one ’ s person under Section 7 of the Charter , and frankly , my focus here as minister of justice is on the victims of this practice , ” Lametti told W5 ’ s Renaldo .
“ They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No right in the Charter gives you the right to do this to another person.
” And the medical establishment , notably the American Psychological Association ( APA ) and Canadian Psychological Association ( CPA ) , is fully behind such bans , having “ disavowed ” and actively “ suppressed ” for decades research that supports “ the viability of change , and that people can actually change without harm to the self , ” Gillies said .
W5 ’ s Renaldo asked Gillies what she thought of the APA and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I disagree with them .
So you know where that puts me in the line of fire , ” she related .
“ They ’ re wrong .
They ’ re wrong .
They ’ ve been lying to us for years and years and years .
And it ’ s time somebody stood up and spoke out about it.
” For example , Dr. Robert Spitzer was pressured to withdraw his 2001 study that found 66 percent of men and 44 percent of women “ arrived at good heterosexual functioning ” after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study by P.L .
Santero et al on “ the effects of therapy on religious men who suffer unwanted same-sex attraction ” was retracted by Linacre Quarterly for “ unsolved statistical differences.
” That study of 125 men found that a number “ changed dramatically from same-sex attraction to other-sex attraction , ” and two-thirds moved a “ significant amount towards heterosexual attraction ” after conversion therapy , Gillies noted .
So relentless has the misinformation campaign been that Canadians accept three false suppositions about homosexuality : that it is innate ; irreversible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the criminalization of therapy imminent , Christians must now push back , become “ gently ” confrontational , and raise questions about the repercussions of such legislation , Gillies asserted .
She was an “ armchair militant ” for years , until “ finally , it was like God said , ‘ you can ’ t sit there anymore .
If you want to change something , you have to do something , ’ ” she said .
Her motto now is “ Stand firm , walk cautiously , and live courageously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And I pray that that will become our mantra , that we will be as Jesus , that we would stand firm , that we won ’ t waver in the truth of His word ; that we walk cautiously — He didn ’ t pick fights needlessly , but He didn ’ t back down — and that we would live courageously in these days.
” Gillies recommended her book Closing the Floodgates , and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities ( CCCC ) statement to churches as resources , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national leadership briefing at NLBcanada.ca .
Dr. Gillies can be contacted at restoringthemosaic.ca The Campaign Life Coalition petition against Bill S-202 can be signed here .
Concerned citizens are urged to contact their MPs to respectfully express concerns .

'The ultimate goal is to silence the Christian church in Canada.'
TORONTO, Ontario, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The federal bill criminalizing “conversion therapy” in Canada will outlaw praying and spiritual counseling for individuals with unwanted same-sex attraction, a Christian psychotherapist warns.
“The ultimate goal is to silence the Christian church in Canada. It is to silence us from talking. It’s totally totalitarian,” the retired expert in counseling survivors of complex trauma told participants at a Campaign Life Coalition clergy luncheon this week.
“It’s about banning…the central ministry of the church, which is conversion… And it’s about banning the ministry to the brokenhearted,” said Dr. Ann Gillies, author of the 2017 book Closing the Floodgates, an analysis of propaganda promoting the sexual revolution.
“And it’s banning the ability of conversion, not conversion therapy, but the power of God to change people. That’s really what’s at the heart of this bill.”
Gillies told pastors and priests at the event organized by Canada’s national pro-life, pro-family political lobbying group that she’s speaking out on Bill S-202 because she’s been “impacted by the LGBTQ community for 40 years.”
It began when her first husband “told me he was gay,” she related.
In the 14 years they were together, she was unaware he had “many, many homosexual affairs.” Then her son told her, shortly after she married her current husband, that his father had sexually abused him for more than a decade.
Gillies described the “horrific” and “traumatizing” ordeal of witnessing her ex-husband going to trial, her son testifying for three days, and her ex-husband being acquitted.
He currently lives in Toronto’s “gay” village, where he is “protected by activists” despite being an alleged pedophile, she said.
Her son lived the homosexual life in Toronto for 11 years, then decided to leave. He went through years of therapy, first anger management, then sex addiction therapy, and is now married and the father of four children.
“I would say I have a vested interest in exposing the darkness,” Gillies said. “I feel called to do this.”
Indeed, both Gillies and her son appeared on Sandie Rinaldo’s CTV W5 “investigative” piece on so-called conversion therapy in Canada, entitled “Thy Will Be Done,” a program Gillies described as “absolutely biased” and a “direct assault on the church.”
Her son spoke about his life in Toronto’s “gay village” – which was edited out.
“And he talked very clearly about, you know, this was a community and he felt love there and cared for and he enjoyed it. He enjoyed it. And he told Sandy Rinaldo, ‘It is the most promiscuous community you could ever find. So it took a long time for me to be free of it,’” Gillies said.
“We need to hear his voice. We need to hear other voices. We need those who have been through …these programs that have helped people to help them, not hurt them, not to harm them, but help them. We need to listen to them. But they need to start speaking out,” she said.
‘A strict agenda to go after the churches’
Rinaldo also interviewed Dr. Kristopher Wells, the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.
Wells is “really the chief person driving this bill in Parliament, and going to municipalities,” Gillies said.
The federal bill in question is S-202, introduced by now-retired Senator Serge Joyal, and currently under the direction of Senator René Cormier and at second reading.
S-202 defines “conversion therapy” as:
any practice, treatment or service designed to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity or to eliminate or reduce sexual attraction or sexual behaviour between persons of the same sex. For greater certainty, this definition does not include a surgical sex change or any related service.
That definition is so broad that if Bill S-202 was passed, pastors could not counsel people against watching homosexual pornography, and 12-step programs such as Courage – which helps Catholic individuals with same-sex attraction live chastely – as well as Protestant “ex-gay” ministries such as Exodus Global would “be on the chopping block,” Gillies contended.
But that’s Wells’ express intention, she said. “He has a strict agenda to go after the churches.”
Spiritual counseling and exorcism to be banned
In an October 2019 press release announcing his booklet Conversion Therapy in Canada: The roles and responsibilities of municipalities, Wells included “reparative therapy,” which, as Gillies noted, was developed by late American psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Nicolosi; “re-integrative therapy”; and “sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts” as forms of conversion therapy.
He defined conversion therapy as “any form of treatment, including individual talk therapy, behavioral or aversion therapy, group therapy, treatments, spiritual prayer, exorcism and/or medical or drug-induced treatments which attempt to actively change someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
Gillies emphasized that Wells dropped in the midst of that list “spiritual prayer” and “exorcism.”
“He wants to cover it all,” she said.
He’s also been lobbying municipalities to implement therapy bans, with Edmonton’s city council approving a ban of therapy for unwanted same-sex attractions in December 2019. It carries penalties of loss of professional license, loss of business license, a $10,000 fine, and five years in jail.
“How they’re going to enforce it is anyone’s guess,” Gillies said.
But Wells was clear the Edmonton ban was “so powerful” because “it captures all forms of conversion therapy, whether they’re medical, spiritual, or religious,” she added.
Spruce Grove, Fort McMurray, and Calgary have passed bans, while Red Deer is considering one. Vancouver, B.C. has a ban on therapy helping those leave the LGBT lifestyle, as does Ontario and Nova Scotia.
More significantly, Prime Minister Trudeau’s mandate letter to Justice Minister David Lametti specified amending the Criminal Code to ban “conversion” therapy.
While the Liberals are aware of the rights of religious groups, the Charter guarantees “a right to be secure in one’s person under Section 7 of the Charter, and frankly, my focus here as minister of justice is on the victims of this practice,” Lametti told W5’s Rinaldo.
“They’re young, they’re vulnerable. No right in the Charter gives you the right to do this to another person.”
Medical establishment lying about homosexuality
And the medical establishment, notably the American Psychological Association (APA) and Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), is fully behind such bans, having “disavowed” and actively “suppressed” for decades research that supports “the viability of change, and that people can actually change without harm to the self,” Gillies said.
W5’s Rinaldo asked Gillies what she thought of the APA and the CPA, “and I said I disagree with them. So you know where that puts me in the line of fire,” she related.
“They’re wrong. They’re wrong. They’ve been lying to us for years and years and years. And it’s time somebody stood up and spoke out about it.”
For example, Dr. Robert Spitzer was pressured to withdraw his 2001 study that found 66 percent of men and 44 percent of women “arrived at good heterosexual functioning” after receiving reparative therapy.
And a 2018 study by P.L. Santero et al on “the effects of therapy on religious men who suffer unwanted same-sex attraction” was retracted by Linacre Quarterly for “unsolved statistical differences.”
That study of 125 men found that a number “changed dramatically from same-sex attraction to other-sex attraction,” and two-thirds moved a “significant amount towards heterosexual attraction” after conversion therapy, Gillies noted.
So relentless has the misinformation campaign been that Canadians accept three false suppositions about homosexuality: that it is innate; irreversible, and normal, Gillies said.
With the criminalization of therapy imminent, Christians must now push back, become “gently” confrontational, and raise questions about the repercussions of such legislation, Gillies asserted.
She was an “armchair militant” for years, until “finally, it was like God said, ‘you can’t sit there anymore. If you want to change something, you have to do something,’” she said.
Her motto now is “Stand firm, walk cautiously, and live courageously,” Gillies told the clerics.
“And I pray that that will become our mantra, that we will be as Jesus, that we would stand firm, that we won’t waver in the truth of His word; that we walk cautiously — He didn’t pick fights needlessly, but He didn’t back down — and that we would live courageously in these days.”
Gillies recommended her book Closing the Floodgates, and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) statement to churches as resources, and suggested those interested register for the weekly national leadership briefing at NLBcanada.ca.
Dr. Gillies can be contacted at restoringthemosaic.ca
The Campaign Life Coalition petition against Bill S-202 can be signed here. Concerned citizens are urged to contact their MPs to respectfully express concerns.
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