lifesitenews--2020-04-04--Northern Ireland bishops float  ‘compromise’ allowing abortion, pro-life group objects

NORTHERN IRELAND , April 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A U.K. pro-life group , the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children ( SPUC ) , has called on the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland not to back an unethical compromise that makes the Church complicit in a radical abortion regime .
New abortion legislation came into force in Northern Ireland on March 31 , after it was passed last year by politicians in Westminster , England , when Northern Ireland ’ s local government collapsed .
On the same day the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the position of robust opposition to the new abortion regime they expressed in December last year .
The bishops ’ new statement says : The Regulations themselves can be debated by the Assembly and insofar as they exceed the strict requirements of the 2019 Act , new Regulations can be enacted by the Assembly .
We intend to make these points in writing to our MLAs in the coming days and encourage others to do likewise .
The British government ’ s new abortion regime in Northern Ireland includes : • Abortion on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and up to 24 weeks on unspecified “ health ” grounds , such as claims about the mother ’ s “ financial , relationship or housing issues which impact on the continuance of the pregnancy.
” • Abortion up to and during birth on grounds of disability .
In Britain , this has led to the abortion of nine out of 10 babies with Down syndrome and abortions for conditions like cleft lip and clubfoot .
• No limit for self-induced abortions .
A woman who kills her child while giving birth will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors who selectively kill a disabled twin or triplet just before or during delivery will not be prosecuted .
• Schools will become conduits for the abortion industry , directing even underage girls for abortions without the knowledge of their parents .
This will facilitate the exploitation of girls and help to cover up cases of child sex abuse .
The response of the Northern Ireland Catholic Bishops to this development has come as a great disappointment for many in the pro-life movement and especially the members of the health service who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this new regime .
Only last December they expressed their unequivocal opposition to the forthcoming abortion legislation [ . ]
“ So in December , ” Gibson continued “ they said the Act must be opposed , but now the bishops are calling for the amendment of the regulations ‘ insofar as they exceed the strict requirements of the 2019 Act.
’ ” As a matter of urgency , the bishops need to reaffirm their commitment to defend all unborn children without exception .
Anything less than the repeal of the abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the youngest , weakest and most vulnerable children to the abortion industry .
The bishops warn politicians that they must ‘ not meekly acquiesce ’ to the regulations .
Sadly , it will seem to many that this is exactly what they themselves have done in failing to maintain the position they took just three months ago .
By encouraging the British Government , UK parliamentarians and Northern Ireland Members of the Legislative Assembly ( MLAs ) to back regulations which permit abortion for various reasons , the Northern Ireland bishops will involve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would make them complicit in the radical abortion regime authorised by the Act .
There is a crucial moral difference between , on the one hand , limiting , in an ethical way , the harm of pro-abortion legislation , and , on the other hand , advising legislators on how to go about legalising abortion in certain circumstances .

The Society of Unborn Children says the bishops have abandoned the position of robust opposition to the new abortion regime they expressed in December last year.
PETITION: Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis Sign the petition here.
NORTHERN IRELAND, April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A U.K. pro-life group, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), has called on the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland not to back an unethical compromise that makes the Church complicit in a radical abortion regime.
New abortion legislation came into force in Northern Ireland on March 31, after it was passed last year by politicians in Westminster, England, when Northern Ireland’s local government collapsed.
On the same day the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland issued a statement, which SPUC says abandoned the position of robust opposition to the new abortion regime they expressed in December last year.
The bishops’ new statement says:
The Regulations themselves can be debated by the Assembly and insofar as they exceed the strict requirements of the 2019 Act, new Regulations can be enacted by the Assembly. We intend to make these points in writing to our MLAs in the coming days and encourage others to do likewise.
The British government’s new abortion regime in Northern Ireland includes:
Abortion on demand for babies up to 12 weeks and up to 24 weeks on unspecified “health” grounds, such as claims about the mother’s “financial, relationship or housing issues which impact on the continuance of the pregnancy.”
Abortion up to and during birth on grounds of disability. In Britain, this has led to the abortion of nine out of 10 babies with Down syndrome and abortions for conditions like cleft lip and clubfoot.
No limit for self-induced abortions. A woman who kills her child while giving birth will not commit a criminal offense. And doctors who selectively kill a disabled twin or triplet just before or during delivery will not be prosecuted.
Schools will become conduits for the abortion industry, directing even underage girls for abortions without the knowledge of their parents. This will facilitate the exploitation of girls and help to cover up cases of child sex abuse.
Liam Gibson, SPUC’s Northern Ireland political officer, said:
The response of the Northern Ireland Catholic Bishops to this development has come as a great disappointment for many in the pro-life movement and especially the members of the health service who are required to facilitate the provision of abortion in this new regime. Only last December they expressed their unequivocal opposition to the forthcoming abortion legislation[.]
“So in December,” Gibson continued “they said the Act must be opposed, but now the bishops are calling for the amendment of the regulations ‘insofar as they exceed the strict requirements of the 2019 Act.’”
As a matter of urgency, the bishops need to reaffirm their commitment to defend all unborn children without exception. Anything less than the repeal of the abortion provisions in the 2019 Act will abandon the youngest, weakest and most vulnerable children to the abortion industry. The bishops warn politicians that they must ‘not meekly acquiesce’ to the regulations. Sadly, it will seem to many that this is exactly what they themselves have done in failing to maintain the position they took just three months ago.
John Smeaton, SPUC chief executive, added:
By encouraging the British Government, UK parliamentarians and Northern Ireland Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to back regulations which permit abortion for various reasons, the Northern Ireland bishops will involve the church in an unethical compromise which would make them complicit in the radical abortion regime authorised by the Act. There is a crucial moral difference between, on the one hand, limiting, in an ethical way, the harm of pro-abortion legislation, and, on the other hand, advising legislators on how to go about legalising abortion in certain circumstances.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-04--Governor urges ‘social distancing’ even among families at home

NEW JERSEY , April 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The governor of New Jersey asked citizens to practice “ social distancing ” — staying away from other people — even while they are at home with their families in order to further combat the coronavirus pandemic .
“ If you do not need to be out , then we need you to stay at home , ” declared Gov .
Phil Murphy during a recent press conference .
“ Please , God , stay at home.
” “ And even when you are at home , keep your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” added Murphy .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) defines “ social distancing ” as always maintaining “ a distance of at least 6 feet ( 2 meters ) from others.
” Murphy announced during the press conference that New Jersey has now had 25,590 total cases and 537 total deaths attributable to COVID-19 .
Meanwhile , in Washington , D.C. , White House response coordinator for the coronavirus task force Dr. Deborah Birx seemed to contradict the N.J. governor , stating in a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large families .
“ To everybody out there across the country , when we say no gatherings of ten , we wanted to be clear that if you have a family of ten , we don ’ t want you to be split up , ” said Birx , speaking at the White House on the same day as Governor Murphy .
“ We ’ re only as strong as every community , every county , every state , every American following the guidelines to a T , ” said Birx .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infection rates make it clear that “ not every American ” is following the guidelines .
“ This is really a call to action , ” she continued .
“ We see Spain , we see Italy , we see France , we see Germany .
When we see others beginning to bend their curves , we can bend ours , but it means that everybody has to take that same responsibility as Americans .
”

'Even when you are at home, keep your distance between yourself and other family members,' New Jersey's governor insisted.
NEW JERSEY, April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The governor of New Jersey asked citizens to practice “social distancing” — staying away from other people — even while they are at home with their families in order to further combat the coronavirus pandemic.
“If you do not need to be out, then we need you to stay at home,” declared Gov. Phil Murphy during a recent press conference. “Please, God, stay at home.”
“And even when you are at home, keep your distance between yourself and other family members,” added Murphy.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines “social distancing” as always maintaining “a distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others.”
Murphy announced during the press conference that New Jersey has now had 25,590 total cases and 537 total deaths attributable to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., White House response coordinator for the coronavirus task force Dr. Deborah Birx seemed to contradict the N.J. governor, stating in a press conference that social distancing does not apply to large families.
“To everybody out there across the country, when we say no gatherings of ten, we wanted to be clear that if you have a family of ten, we don’t want you to be split up,” said Birx, speaking at the White House on the same day as Governor Murphy.
“We’re only as strong as every community, every county, every state, every American following the guidelines to a T,” said Birx.
She explained that charts displaying statistical information about coronavirus infection rates make it clear that “not every American” is following the guidelines.
“This is really a call to action,” she continued. “We see Spain, we see Italy, we see France, we see Germany. When we see others beginning to bend their curves, we can bend ours, but it means that everybody has to take that same responsibility as Americans.”
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lifesitenews--2020-04-04--Creative pastor turns locked church into around-the-clock adoration chapel

GAITHERSBURG , Maryland , April 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — When Masses were shut down in the Archdiocese of Washington , D.C. due to the coronavirus pandemic , a local pastor immediately turned the main church into an around-the-clock adoration chapel .
After the parochial vicar became ill and the church had to be locked up , St. John Neumann parish pastor Msgr .
Robert Panke leaped into action and asked for and received permission from the archbishop to move the Blessed Sacrament to just inside the glass front doors of the church .
So now grateful parishioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others station themselves at a safe distance from each other in the small plaza in front of the church .
Outdoor adoration at the parish has now been in operation for nearly two weeks .
The suburban Washington , D.C. parish has had a perpetual adoration chapel since September 2002 .
One of the hundreds of parish members committed to perpetual adoration stated simply , “ Now we adore outdoors.
” The faithful adore from their cars or in the open air at St. John Neumann Parish .
Photo : Doug Mainwaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the open air at St. John Neumann Parish .
Photo : Doug Mainwaring , LifeSiteNews

Outdoor adoration at the parish has now been in operation for nearly two weeks.
GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — When Masses were shut down in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. due to the coronavirus pandemic, a local pastor immediately turned the main church into an around-the-clock adoration chapel.
After the parochial vicar became ill and the church had to be locked up, St. John Neumann parish pastor Msgr. Robert Panke leaped into action and asked for and received permission from the archbishop to move the Blessed Sacrament to just inside the glass front doors of the church.
So now grateful parishioners adore outdoors, some from their cars. Others station themselves at a safe distance from each other in the small plaza in front of the church.
Outdoor adoration at the parish has now been in operation for nearly two weeks.
The suburban Washington, D.C. parish has had a perpetual adoration chapel since September 2002.
One of the hundreds of parish members committed to perpetual adoration stated simply, “Now we adore outdoors.”
The faithful adore from their cars or in the open air at St. John Neumann Parish.
Photo: Doug Mainwaring, LifeSiteNews
Another view: Adoration in the open air at St. John Neumann Parish.
Photo: Doug Mainwaring, LifeSiteNews
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--2020-04-04--Medical racism?: French doctors discuss testing new COVID-19 treatment on Africans first

April 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Will a new treatment for COVID-19 be tested on populations in sub-Saharan Africa ?
A brief segment on the French TV Station LCI has sparked indignation after two doctors cynically discussed the possibility of medical trials on Africans who will be more exposed to the COVID-19 .
The tuberculosis vaccine ( BCG ) is being touted as a possible treatment for the Chinese coronavirus .
While the use of hydroxychloroquine , a cheap anti-malaria molecule , is giving good results when used at an early stage of the infection in combination with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BCG could prevent contaminated participants from accessing a treatment that appears to be preventing lung infections occurring in up to 20 percent of people who have symptoms associated with the virus .
Pr .
Jean-Paul Mira , head of the resuscitation unit of the Paris Cochin hospital , and Camille Locht , director of research at the INSERM ( National Institute for Health and Medical Research ) , were discussing the issue of coordinated international trials with the same types of vaccine and placebos on a live virtual set when Mira said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t we be making this study in Africa , where they have no masks , no treatment , no resuscitation , somewhat like was done in experimental treatment for AIDS where you try things with prostitutes because they are highly exposed and do not protect themselves ?
What do you think ?
” “ You are right , and I should say that we are considering a parallel study in Africa in order to use that kind of approach with the BCG and a placebo.
” At the time of writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.8 million times on Twitter , sparking comments such as “ sickening , ” “ medical racism , ” “ horrific.
” “ As an African woman , this brought tears to my eyes .
From these French doctors , to western ideologue elites , to stakeholders at international organizations… they see Africans as lab rats .
# Neocolonialism.
” Some comments suggested that the trials would at least give some of those who are most at risk a chance and that it would help “ curb the virus.
” However , medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with randomized tests and deliberate offering of placebos , would indeed consider the African population not as persons to be cared for and if possible healed but as useful elements to be exploited in view of medical progress .
But cynicism is not only for the Africans .
In France , where the hydroxychloroquine-azythromycine protocol of Pr .
Didier Raoult , head of the special infectious disease unit of Marseille ’ s La Timone hospital is obtaining a significantly lower death toll than in the rest of France , as well as lowering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six days , scientific trials have also been set up at the behest of the authorities , including expensive anti-AIDS medication , control groups , and administration of placebos to part of the patients .
Raoult has called this testing “ immoral ” in the current situation .
Patients are involved who are at risk of dying and who might be saved by the simple treatment that appears to be working well .
The directorate of the public hospitals in Paris issued a statement reacting to the flood of negative comments that followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Locht ’ s conversation .
“ The AP-HP board was shocked by the remarks made by Pr .
Jean-Paul Mira on LCI on April 1 , 2020 , remarks which are not like him .
Martin Hirsch , director general of AP-HP , called Pr .
Mira who apologized and expressed deep regret .
He acknowledges that his remarks , which were awkward to say the least and could be interpreted in a pejorative way towards African countries , could be hurtful .
That was neither his intention nor the substance of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It quoted Mira as saying , “ I want to apologize , to ask those who have been hurt , shocked , insulted by what I said awkwardly on LCI this week , to apologize sincerely , because it does not reflect who I am , what I have been doing on a daily basis , for 30 years now.
” Media sources such as The Huffington Post called the representation of the two doctors ’ conversation “ fake news.
” The INSERM published a communiqué stating that the video published on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ context , because later in the conversation it was noted that BCG trials were being organized in European countries and in Australia , targeting caregivers who are most exposed to the coronavirus .
“ Africa should not be forgotten or excluded from research because the pandemic is global , ” it said , with the hashtag # FakeNews .
But Mira ’ s words speak for themselves , and his apology is further proof that they were at least insensitive , and in truth quite revealing of part of the medical community ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are increasingly showing their efficiency on the ground .

April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Will a new treatment for COVID-19 be tested on populations in sub-Saharan Africa?
A brief segment on the French TV Station LCI has sparked indignation after two doctors cynically discussed the possibility of medical trials on Africans who will be more exposed to the COVID-19.
The tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) is being touted as a possible treatment for the Chinese coronavirus. While the use of hydroxychloroquine, a cheap anti-malaria molecule, is giving good results when used at an early stage of the infection in combination with azithromycin, the staging of trials with BCG could prevent contaminated participants from accessing a treatment that appears to be preventing lung infections occurring in up to 20 percent of people who have symptoms associated with the virus.
Pr. Jean-Paul Mira, head of the resuscitation unit of the Paris Cochin hospital, and Camille Locht, director of research at the INSERM (National Institute for Health and Medical Research), were discussing the issue of coordinated international trials with the same types of vaccine and placebos on a live virtual set when Mira said:
“If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we be making this study in Africa, where they have no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation, somewhat like was done in experimental treatment for AIDS where you try things with prostitutes because they are highly exposed and do not protect themselves? What do you think?”
“You are right, and I should say that we are considering a parallel study in Africa in order to use that kind of approach with the BCG and a placebo.”
At the time of writing, the segment had already been watched 3.8 million times on Twitter, sparking comments such as “sickening,” “medical racism,” “horrific.”
Pro-life and pro-family African activist Obianuju Ekeocha tweeted:
“As an African woman, this brought tears to my eyes. From these French doctors, to western ideologue elites, to stakeholders at international organizations… they see Africans as lab rats. #Neocolonialism.”
As an African woman, this brought tears to my eyes. From these French doctors, to western ideologue elites, to stakeholders at international organizations… they see Africans as lab rats.#Neocolonialism https://t.co/rlTbLK2cXw — Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) April 2, 2020
Some comments suggested that the trials would at least give some of those who are most at risk a chance and that it would help “curb the virus.”
However, medical trials during a potentially lethal epidemic, with randomized tests and deliberate offering of placebos, would indeed consider the African population not as persons to be cared for and if possible healed but as useful elements to be exploited in view of medical progress.
But cynicism is not only for the Africans. In France, where the hydroxychloroquine-azythromycine protocol of Pr. Didier Raoult, head of the special infectious disease unit of Marseille’s La Timone hospital is obtaining a significantly lower death toll than in the rest of France, as well as lowering the contagious phase from about 20 to six days, scientific trials have also been set up at the behest of the authorities, including expensive anti-AIDS medication, control groups, and administration of placebos to part of the patients.
Raoult has called this testing “immoral” in the current situation. Patients are involved who are at risk of dying and who might be saved by the simple treatment that appears to be working well.
The directorate of the public hospitals in Paris issued a statement reacting to the flood of negative comments that followed publication of the segment of Mira and Locht’s conversation.
“The AP-HP board was shocked by the remarks made by Pr. Jean-Paul Mira on LCI on April 1, 2020, remarks which are not like him. Martin Hirsch, director general of AP-HP, called Pr. Mira who apologized and expressed deep regret. He acknowledges that his remarks, which were awkward to say the least and could be interpreted in a pejorative way towards African countries, could be hurtful. That was neither his intention nor the substance of his thinking,” said the statement.
It quoted Mira as saying, “I want to apologize, to ask those who have been hurt, shocked, insulted by what I said awkwardly on LCI this week, to apologize sincerely, because it does not reflect who I am, what I have been doing on a daily basis, for 30 years now.”
Media sources such as The Huffington Post called the representation of the two doctors’ conversation “fake news.”
The INSERM published a communiqué stating that the video published on Twitter had been truncated and quoted out of context, because later in the conversation it was noted that BCG trials were being organized in European countries and in Australia, targeting caregivers who are most exposed to the coronavirus. “Africa should not be forgotten or excluded from research because the pandemic is global,” it said, with the hashtag #FakeNews.
But Mira’s words speak for themselves, and his apology is further proof that they were at least insensitive, and in truth quite revealing of part of the medical community’s deafness to the existence of protocols that are increasingly showing their efficiency on the ground.
Follow Jeanne Jeanne Smits has worked as a journalist in France since 1987 after obtaining a Master of Arts in Law. She formerly directed the French daily Présent and was editor-in-chief of an all-internet French-speaking news site called reinformation.tv. She writes regularly for a number of Catholic journals (Monde & vie, L’Homme nouveau, Reconquête…) and runs a personal pro-life blog. In addition, she is often invited to radio and TV shows on alternative media. She is vice-president of the Christian and French defense association “AGRIF.” She is the French translator of The Dictator Pope by Henry Sire and Christus Vincit by Bishop Schneider, and recently contributed to the Bref examen critique de la communion dans la main about Communion in the hand. She is married and has three children, and lives near Paris.
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lifesitenews--2020-04-03--US archbishop rebukes brother bishops for claiming abortion not ‘preeminent’ voting issue

DENVER , April 3 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A U.S. archbishop published a commentary criticizing his brother bishops who claim that “ climate change or immigration are assaults against human life that are just as morally serious as abortion and euthanasia.
” In a piece composed for the Denver Catholic , Archbishop Samuel Aquila did not mince words about bishops who choose not to recognize abortion as “ preeminent ” as a sign of increasing moral darkness in the world .
“ We have seen the progressive darkening grow especially in the last 10 years with physician-assisted suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few bishops , even more sadly , since they should know better , arguing against abortion being a preeminent issue in voting , ” he said .
During the fall 2019 gathering of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ( USCCB ) , 69 bishops voted to dislodge abortion as the most significant life issue continuing to face the Catholic Church in America .
Emphasizing the “ seriousness of these weighty topics , ” Archbishop Aquila quoted John Paul II ’ s Evangelium Vitae – The Gospel of Life : Aquila @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cupich of Chicago and Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego .
They argued publicly at the time that the USCCB should more closely align itself with Pope Francis ’ embrace of what amounts to the “ Seamless Garment ” view , which assigns equal weight to an array of important life issues .
At the November meeting , a disagreement erupted revealing how the current pontificate had divided them on fighting abortion as a social justice priority .
They voted 143-69 against including a full quote by Pope Francis in their document on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began when Cardinal Cupich asked for an amendment to the short letter that would include the entire paragraph 101 from Pope Francis ’ controversial 2018 Apostolic Exhortation “ Gaudete et Exsultate.
” “ ( Francis ) speaks about the need to make sure we avoid those kinds of ideological frameworks that our society today is so paralyzed in our political discourse by , but also he wants to make sure as we see here that not only do we avoid that , but we engage one another , ” Cupich said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make one issue that a political party or group puts forward to the point where we ’ re going to ignore all the rest of them .
And then he also names some that we don ’ t name in our document , “ he added .
Bishop McElroy also objected , saying , “ It is not Catholic teaching that abortion is the preeminent issue that we face as the world in Catholic social teaching .
It is not.
” McElroy said he believed that saying the threat of abortion is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ at least discordant with the pope ’ s teaching if not inconsistent ” and that it is a “ grave disservice to our people if we ’ re trying to communicate to them what the Magisterium teaches.
” To drive home his point , Archbishop Aquila quoted a Denver priest whose accompanying commentary in the Denver Catholic addressed more deeply the troubling nature of bishops who fail to recognize the preeminence of abortion and euthanasia .
Father Granados went on to urge consideration of who are the actual “ murderers ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The physician , the father and the mother , those appointed by God as its keepers , are those who destroy the baby , and are subsequently morally destroyed.
” “ Children are called to honor their elderly parents , but in euthanasia , it is sometimes the children who decide to kill them , ” he continued .
“ In both cases , the relationship between generations , the basic bond that builds our society , is destroyed.
” “ In other sins against life , like immigration , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How many immigrants should our country welcome ?
Under which conditions ?
But in the case of abortion or euthanasia there is no such deliberation , ” Granados wrote .
“ We are dealing with an action that is always evil : always and in every circumstance ( Veritatis Splendor , 52 ) .
” “ The current threat of the COVID-19 virus will be a defining moment in how our society treats each person ’ s dignity , ” wrote Archbishop Aquila .
“ Will we ‘ respect , protect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life ’ ( EV , 5 ) in the way that we respond , or will we only look out for ourselves ?
Will we respect the life of the elderly as much as the young ?
” he asked .
“ On this 25th anniversary of Evangelium Vitae , ” Fr .
Granados observed , “ St .
John Paul II passes the baton of the building of a culture of life to us .
”

Archbishop Samuel Aquila wrote that there are a few bishops who 'sadly ... should know better' than to downplay the critical importance of human life.
PETITION: Urge state governors to stop abortions during coronavirus crisis Sign the petition here.
DENVER, April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A U.S. archbishop published a commentary criticizing his brother bishops who claim that “climate change or immigration are assaults against human life that are just as morally serious as abortion and euthanasia.”
In a piece composed for the Denver Catholic, Archbishop Samuel Aquila did not mince words about bishops who choose not to recognize abortion as “preeminent” as a sign of increasing moral darkness in the world.
“We have seen the progressive darkening grow especially in the last 10 years with physician-assisted suicide, the re-definition of marriage, and a few bishops, even more sadly, since they should know better, arguing against abortion being a preeminent issue in voting,” he said.
During the fall 2019 gathering of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), 69 bishops voted to dislodge abortion as the most significant life issue continuing to face the Catholic Church in America.
Emphasizing the “seriousness of these weighty topics,” Archbishop Aquila quoted John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae – The Gospel of Life:
As St. John Paul II says, “when the sense of God is lost, there is also a tendency to lose the sense of man, of his dignity and his life; in turn, the systematic violation of the moral law, especially in the serious matter of respect for human life and its dignity, produces a kind of progressive darkening of the capacity to discern God’s living and saving presence.” (EV, 21).
Aquila’s statement directly challenges Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego. They argued publicly at the time that the USCCB should more closely align itself with Pope Francis’ embrace of what amounts to the “Seamless Garment” view, which assigns equal weight to an array of important life issues.
At the November meeting, a disagreement erupted revealing how the current pontificate had divided them on fighting abortion as a social justice priority. They voted 143-69 against including a full quote by Pope Francis in their document on citizenship that downplayed abortion.
The debate began when Cardinal Cupich asked for an amendment to the short letter that would include the entire paragraph 101 from Pope Francis’ controversial 2018 Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate.”
“(Francis) speaks about the need to make sure we avoid those kinds of ideological frameworks that our society today is so paralyzed in our political discourse by, but also he wants to make sure as we see here that not only do we avoid that, but we engage one another,” Cupich said.
“He also makes sure we do not make one issue that a political party or group puts forward to the point where we’re going to ignore all the rest of them. And then he also names some that we don’t name in our document,“ he added.
Bishop McElroy also objected, saying, “It is not Catholic teaching that abortion is the preeminent issue that we face as the world in Catholic social teaching. It is not.”
McElroy said he believed that saying the threat of abortion is the USCCB’s “preeminent priority” is “at least discordant with the pope’s teaching if not inconsistent” and that it is a “grave disservice to our people if we’re trying to communicate to them what the Magisterium teaches.”
To drive home his point, Archbishop Aquila quoted a Denver priest whose accompanying commentary in the Denver Catholic addressed more deeply the troubling nature of bishops who fail to recognize the preeminence of abortion and euthanasia.
Father Luis Granados, dcjm, began:
In Evangelium Vitae St. John Paul II invites us to love, respect and promote life. The encyclical focuses on two offenses against life: abortion and euthanasia. Two solemn declarations condemn them as intrinsically evil, as the deliberate and direct killing of an innocent human being (EV, 62 and 65). But some argue today that it would be better to focus on other ethical issues like immigration, social injustice or environmental sins, which they claim are just as wrong.
Father Granados went on to urge consideration of who are the actual “murderers” when it comes to abortion and euthanasia: “The physician, the father and the mother, those appointed by God as its keepers, are those who destroy the baby, and are subsequently morally destroyed.”
“Children are called to honor their elderly parents, but in euthanasia, it is sometimes the children who decide to kill them,” he continued. “In both cases, the relationship between generations, the basic bond that builds our society, is destroyed.”
“In other sins against life, like immigration, we enter into the realm of prudential decisions: How many immigrants should our country welcome? Under which conditions? But in the case of abortion or euthanasia there is no such deliberation,” Granados wrote. “We are dealing with an action that is always evil: always and in every circumstance (Veritatis Splendor, 52).”
“The current threat of the COVID-19 virus will be a defining moment in how our society treats each person’s dignity,” wrote Archbishop Aquila.
“Will we ‘respect, protect, love and serve life, every human life’ (EV, 5) in the way that we respond, or will we only look out for ourselves? Will we respect the life of the elderly as much as the young?” he asked.
“On this 25th anniversary of Evangelium Vitae,” Fr. Granados observed, “St. John Paul II passes the baton of the building of a culture of life to us.”
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