lifesitenews--2020-02-26--The assault on fatherhood is hitting married men just as hard as it’s hitting priests

February 26 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Warm within my mother ’ s womb , an imperfection was building into my body .
When my obstetrician-uncle , Dr. Al King , handed me off to my parents , he could not have known of the malformed snarl of blood vessels in my brain that would rupture around my 40th birthday , when it seemed someone had flung a tomahawk into the back of my skull .
For the better part of the week , I was as close to death as I imagine one is able to be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside an MRI tube , I couldn ’ t tell the nurses I was choking on my vomit because the sloshing blood in my brain had rendered me unable to speak .
I had perfect clarity of thought , though , and this unpleasant consideration reared its head : So this is what it feels like to die .
This is Your plan for my end .
After unsuccessful invasive brain surgery , a once-hard-luck priest anointed and , alas , healed me ; supernaturally , he ( and I ) believe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ retelling what unfolded as he thumbed holy oil onto my head and begged the intercessory work of the saints In the boredom of my long recovery , I often thought back to those vulnerable days in my dark neuro-ICU room , when phantasmical visions of demons , throbbing head pain , and Gethsemane loneliness crowded in on me .
I recalled how I forgot how to breathe one night , and of when nurses tied my arms down because I swat at head shunts like they were clouds of late-summertime mosquitoes .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who didn ’ t leave my side until she was told to by night nurses .
Mostly , though , I zeroed in on those moments when I was most disconsolate , when recovery didn ’ t seem in the cards .
I had a single thought then : Soon , I will be judged by God .
And what wasn ’ t running through my head were the great whoppers of sins from my past ; what harrowed me were those things I chose not to do .
Omissions , wide-sweeping and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my conscience .
I asked Krista to have others pray for my soul .
Too late now , I knew , to get to work .
Even still , 11 blessed years later , what pricks my conscience and plagues me most is when I fail in straining to do those things I know I must .
Be it lethargy , sloth , procrastination , or simply sin , I know I fail most miserably when I lay down when the burden of my identity calls me to step in .
I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he must amputate his own will to sustain and build up my family .
I ’ ve come to understand that this sloth and diminishment of my fatherhood is fed by a source ; its wellspring is the sin of my pride .
I ’ ve found that the malodorous sin of pride , in fact , works both ways .
It is also pride that feeds my sensuality and my claim to the right to feel comfortable .
Lately , I ’ ve been thinking about my vocation as father within my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at large , and the state of the father as head of the family within Catholic parishes .
My teenage son rolls his eyes because his little sister regularly watches Little House on the Prairie , often with me beside her .
But what she clearly sees in this program - and sometimes Bonanza which comes on prior - is what seems a sacred and obligatory sacrificial dimension to fatherhood .
Silly as it seems , these old reruns have brought into focus the failures of my own fatherhood and those that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Catholic parishes worldwide .
There is great symmetry between the spiritual fatherhood wounds of the dad and Catholic priest .
Just a few examples : · The agonized dad , who out of frustration quits the hard work of teaching , disciplining and building up his most-troubled child , is like the priest who ’ s surrendered the hard work of generating spiritual sons and daughters – whose muted his prophetic voice in the face of the battering winds of Modernism ’ s assault on reason .
· The dad who unwinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bourbon after work is like the priest who cuts off his cell phone for parish activity after 9 p.m. · The dad who falls asleep or is repeatedly inattentive to his rebellious teenage son ’ s curfew would seem like the priest who remains spiritually unalert to the troubled souls of his parish .
· The dad who allows his teenage daughter to dress like a pre-converted Magdalene is like the priest who permits immodest dress at wedding Masses and is often consumed with large amounts of television and secular culture .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to make , to more loath he will be to make those few , ” Blessed Fulton Sheen said .
“ His luxuries soon become necessities , children a burden , and the ego a god .
Whence will come our heroes in a crisis , if we no longer have heroes in our home ?
” It is my pride that is most deleterious to my role as father .
As the arteriovenous malformation was subterraneously forming in the smallness of my body , so were the effects of Adam ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simply , it is this - over and over and over again it is this : unless I daily remind myself of John the Baptist ’ s words : He must increase .
I must decrease - I can not father my children well .
Hubris , my own , will interminably block the movement of God , who thirsts to live like a libation and bright Halleluiah of grace within me .
As Adam ( and Eve ) showed an enormous amount of disobedience by blocking God out of a section of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfortable , I have to imagine that the great reason we suffer as a Church today is due to this same type of blockage and movement toward comfort .
When clergy ( or me ) think - I will father as I see fit - God can not work within us .
The work of fatherhood can not be sanctified - and our patterns of shepherding calcify .
We become like decent social service workers , providers and helpers , but we can not blaze paths of sacrifice because we refuse to empty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the Baptist ’ s refrain echoes - decrease , decrease , decrease - but we do not hear .
Even as the seemingly endless tide of scandals has pushed into the Church - there seems to be little movement toward a sackcloth-and-ashes penitential moment to acknowledgement of its immoral carnality , failure of transparency and abdication of paternal shepherding .
Is this hidden from clergy ’ s eyes ?
My college-aged daughter ’ s questionable SnapChat photo , teenage son ’ s mood changes or 12-year-old ’ s desire to pray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
I am commissioned to be poured out like a libation for them .
Anything short of this sort of holocaust or sacrificial dimension is soft-hearted , weak , and a dolorous disobedience to my identity .
The mission and focus of my fatherhood is to lead my children to heaven .
It is my vocation .
It ’ s of course the same for the holy priest .
The dad and priest knows it demands a dying off ; a self-amputation of our own will that will fortify our families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the smallest degree – picking up the broom , washing the dishes , leading the rosary – Christ ’ s love is put before them , even to the smallest degree .
Perhaps this diminishment of fatherly duty is the greatest reason why our Catholic Church is in travail ; it starves for a sacrificial dimension of fatherhood to pour out like a tribute to paternal integrity over its scarred , angry and disillusioned flock .
Laity agonizes as it searches out virile witnesses of fatherhood ; teachers and authentic doers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was borne out of sacrifice .
It seems to be the only answer to redeem and regain the soul of the Church .
A priest from the Midwest , whom I trust with my life , recently compared the fatherhood of dads with those of priests .
“ We are called Father , but we are not trained in the seminary to be “ fatherly.
” Think of the fathers you know who have five or more kids , ” this priest said .
“ Compare their lives to our lives as priests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my contemporaries ( married men with children ) , I have to laugh .
“ I live in a furnished home that is lovely and paid for .
They live in a home that is often run down , dirty due to children and family life , and it is not paid for .
If I have a leaky roof , an HVAC problem , plumbing that needs to be taken care of - all I do is make one phone call , and it is fixed .
If my friend has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take care of it himself or pay a contractor .
“ I have food and drink given by generous parishioners .
He spends his hard-earned paycheck on grocery bills and has a fridge that seems to be like a black hole .
I have amazing health care and people who ‘ coach ’ me to be healthy ; he has medical bills that loom over his head and cause him stress .
I have a yearly retreat which includes five days of silence ; he has a week of summer vacation with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars to go to Disneyland , which is no relaxation .
“ I am told again and again by brother priests , bishops and ‘ mentors ’ that the priesthood is a hard life - that you need to be a “ real man ” if you want to be a priest .
Well , I would say this ; you need to be a real man to be a husband and father in today ’ s world .
And if you want to be a priest who is actually a man and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatherhood ” well .
A father sacrifices all to save.
” Kevin Wells is a Catholic speaker , writer , president of the Monsignor Thomas Wells Society for Vocations , and author of the bestselling book The Priests We Need to Save the Church ( Sophia Institute Press , 2019 ) .

It's not easy for dads and the clergy to give everything they have to those entrusted to them, but it's essential to be a 'real man.'
February 26, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Warm within my mother’s womb, an imperfection was building into my body. When my obstetrician-uncle, Dr. Al King, handed me off to my parents, he could not have known of the malformed snarl of blood vessels in my brain that would rupture around my 40th birthday, when it seemed someone had flung a tomahawk into the back of my skull.
For the better part of the week, I was as close to death as I imagine one is able to be. One night, when I was vomiting inside an MRI tube, I couldn’t tell the nurses I was choking on my vomit because the sloshing blood in my brain had rendered me unable to speak. I had perfect clarity of thought, though, and this unpleasant consideration reared its head: So this is what it feels like to die. This is Your plan for my end.
After unsuccessful invasive brain surgery, a once-hard-luck priest anointed and, alas, healed me; supernaturally, he (and I) believe. I’ve watched him weep when retelling what unfolded as he thumbed holy oil onto my head and begged the intercessory work of the saints
In the boredom of my long recovery, I often thought back to those vulnerable days in my dark neuro-ICU room, when phantasmical visions of demons, throbbing head pain, and Gethsemane loneliness crowded in on me. I recalled how I forgot how to breathe one night, and of when nurses tied my arms down because I swat at head shunts like they were clouds of late-summertime mosquitoes. And I thought of my wife Krista, who didn’t leave my side until she was told to by night nurses.
Mostly, though, I zeroed in on those moments when I was most disconsolate, when recovery didn’t seem in the cards. I had a single thought then: Soon, I will be judged by God. And what wasn’t running through my head were the great whoppers of sins from my past; what harrowed me were those things I chose not to do. Omissions, wide-sweeping and plenteous, were like sharks gathering in my conscience.
I asked Krista to have others pray for my soul. Too late now, I knew, to get to work.
Even still, 11 blessed years later, what pricks my conscience and plagues me most is when I fail in straining to do those things I know I must. Be it lethargy, sloth, procrastination, or simply sin, I know I fail most miserably when I lay down when the burden of my identity calls me to step in. I am a father who, naturally, knows he must amputate his own will to sustain and build up my family.
I’ve come to understand that this sloth and diminishment of my fatherhood is fed by a source; its wellspring is the sin of my pride. I’ve found that the malodorous sin of pride, in fact, works both ways. It is also pride that feeds my sensuality and my claim to the right to feel comfortable.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about my vocation as father within my own family, the state of fatherhood at large, and the state of the father as head of the family within Catholic parishes. My teenage son rolls his eyes because his little sister regularly watches Little House on the Prairie, often with me beside her. But what she clearly sees in this program – and sometimes Bonanza which comes on prior – is what seems a sacred and obligatory sacrificial dimension to fatherhood.
Silly as it seems, these old reruns have brought into focus the failures of my own fatherhood and those that I imagine have permeated many millions of homes and Catholic parishes worldwide.
There is great symmetry between the spiritual fatherhood wounds of the dad and Catholic priest. Just a few examples:
· The agonized dad, who out of frustration quits the hard work of teaching, disciplining and building up his most-troubled child, is like the priest who’s surrendered the hard work of generating spiritual sons and daughters – whose muted his prophetic voice in the face of the battering winds of Modernism’s assault on reason. · The dad who unwinds each night with a few beers or a bourbon after work is like the priest who cuts off his cell phone for parish activity after 9 p.m. · The dad who falls asleep or is repeatedly inattentive to his rebellious teenage son’s curfew would seem like the priest who remains spiritually unalert to the troubled souls of his parish. · The dad who allows his teenage daughter to dress like a pre-converted Magdalene is like the priest who permits immodest dress at wedding Masses and is often consumed with large amounts of television and secular culture.
“The fewer sacrifices a man is required to make, to more loath he will be to make those few,” Blessed Fulton Sheen said. “His luxuries soon become necessities, children a burden, and the ego a god. Whence will come our heroes in a crisis, if we no longer have heroes in our home?”
It is my pride that is most deleterious to my role as father. As the arteriovenous malformation was subterraneously forming in the smallness of my body, so were the effects of Adam’s sin of sensuality and pride. Simply, it is this – over and over and over again it is this: unless I daily remind myself of John the Baptist’s words: He must increase. I must decrease – I cannot father my children well. Hubris, my own, will interminably block the movement of God, who thirsts to live like a libation and bright Halleluiah of grace within me.
As Adam (and Eve) showed an enormous amount of disobedience by blocking God out of a section of His Garden to engage in what was comfortable, I have to imagine that the great reason we suffer as a Church today is due to this same type of blockage and movement toward comfort. When clergy (or me) think – I will father as I see fit – God cannot work within us. The work of fatherhood cannot be sanctified – and our patterns of shepherding calcify. We become like decent social service workers, providers and helpers, but we cannot blaze paths of sacrifice because we refuse to empty ourselves to be fed by the Father.
And the Baptist’s refrain echoes – decrease, decrease, decrease – but we do not hear.
Even as the seemingly endless tide of scandals has pushed into the Church – there seems to be little movement toward a sackcloth-and-ashes penitential moment to acknowledgement of its immoral carnality, failure of transparency and abdication of paternal shepherding. Is this hidden from clergy’s eyes? My college-aged daughter’s questionable SnapChat photo, teenage son’s mood changes or 12-year-old’s desire to pray alongside me each night is ever before me. I am commissioned to be poured out like a libation for them. Anything short of this sort of holocaust or sacrificial dimension is soft-hearted, weak, and a dolorous disobedience to my identity.
The mission and focus of my fatherhood is to lead my children to heaven. It is my vocation. It’s of course the same for the holy priest. The dad and priest knows it demands a dying off; a self-amputation of our own will that will fortify our families. When I offer up myself, even to the smallest degree – picking up the broom, washing the dishes, leading the rosary – Christ’s love is put before them, even to the smallest degree.
Perhaps this diminishment of fatherly duty is the greatest reason why our Catholic Church is in travail; it starves for a sacrificial dimension of fatherhood to pour out like a tribute to paternal integrity over its scarred, angry and disillusioned flock. Laity agonizes as it searches out virile witnesses of fatherhood; teachers and authentic doers of sacrifice. The greatest act of love was borne out of sacrifice. It seems to be the only answer to redeem and regain the soul of the Church.
A priest from the Midwest, whom I trust with my life, recently compared the fatherhood of dads with those of priests. “We are called Father, but we are not trained in the seminary to be “fatherly.” Think of the fathers you know who have five or more kids,” this priest said. “Compare their lives to our lives as priests. When I look at the life of my contemporaries (married men with children), I have to laugh.
“I live in a furnished home that is lovely and paid for. They live in a home that is often run down, dirty due to children and family life, and it is not paid for. If I have a leaky roof, an HVAC problem, plumbing that needs to be taken care of – all I do is make one phone call, and it is fixed. If my friend has any of these problems, he needs to take care of it himself or pay a contractor.
“I have food and drink given by generous parishioners. He spends his hard-earned paycheck on grocery bills and has a fridge that seems to be like a black hole. I have amazing health care and people who ‘coach’ me to be healthy; he has medical bills that loom over his head and cause him stress. I have a yearly retreat which includes five days of silence; he has a week of summer vacation with his kids where he drops thousands of dollars to go to Disneyland, which is no relaxation.
“I am told again and again by brother priests, bishops and ‘mentors’ that the priesthood is a hard life – that you need to be a “real man” if you want to be a priest. Well, I would say this; you need to be a real man to be a husband and father in today’s world. And if you want to be a priest who is actually a man and effective – you better understand real “fatherhood” well. A father sacrifices all to save.”
Kevin Wells is a Catholic speaker, writer, president of the Monsignor Thomas Wells Society for Vocations, and author of the bestselling book The Priests We Need to Save the Church (Sophia Institute Press, 2019).
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lifesitenews--2020-02-26--Norway takes infant from American mom, changes his name to hide him from her

February 26 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Amy Jacobsen is an American mother whose son Tyler was taken from her by the Norwegian government in 2013 when he was just 19 months old .
According to authorities , the reason Jacobsen , who was living in Norway at the time , lost custody of her son is that he was underweight and malnourished .
Child Protective Services had no choice but to intervene .
Jacobsen ’ s nightmare scenario was discussed in detail on the Jonathon Van Maren Show this week .
Norwegian pro-family activist Björn Korf , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was the guest .
Korf helps run Step Up 4 Children ’ s Rights , an organization dedicated to stopping what is essentially state-sponsored kidnapping going on in Europe .
“ She ’ s an American , but her father originated from Norway , ” Korf told Van Maren .
“ When she was thirteen years old , the family moved back to Norway .
And later on she had a boyfriend , and she had a baby boy named Tyler.
” Amy was on a holiday in America with Tyler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got back in July 2013 , the police and Child Protective Services knocked at the door to take Tyler to the doctor ’ s office .
But instead of taking the child to the local doctor , who had Tyler ’ s medical records , they took him to one 45 miles away .
The doctor there found Tyler to be a halfpound underweight and with a slight vitamin B12 deficiency .
That was enough to take Tyler from his mother .
“ They ’ re not allowed to know where Tyler is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , they ’ ve changed his name twice to make sure that [ his parents ] don ’ t find his whereabouts.
” Korf told Van Maren that he ’ s reached out to the U.S. embassy in Oslo to resolve the issue but that embassy staffers aren ’ t helpful .
“ They would only say to Amy that she needs to submit to the Norwegian rules , and to the Norwegian law .
But I would turn around and say , ‘ Hang on a second…you have the U.N. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The identity of an American citizen here is completely being erased .
The child is seized to hide the whereabouts.
’ ” Currently , a CitizenGO petition calling on the Norwegian government to free Tyler so he can live with his mom has garnered more than 53,000 signatures .
Add your name by clicking here .
Korf said Jacobsen ’ s last recourse is that the European Court of Human Rights will return her son .
Presently , the court has approximately 30 cases from Norway similar to Tyler ’ s that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted by the Court in five different child welfare cases of violating human rights .
The seemingly obvious abuse of power displayed by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services is sadly all too common throughout Northern Europe .
Korf told Van Maren that not only Norway , but Sweden , Finland , and other Scandinavian countries are practically stealing children from their parents , often for frivolous reasons .
“ Child removals in Norway ... have gone up by 70 percent over the last years , ” he said .
“ And you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being taken by the child welfare services each day.
” Very few secular news organizations have covered Amy ’ s and Tyler ’ s story .
Along with LifeSiteNews , only the Christian Post , The Stream , and Christian Broadcast Network have reported on it .
“ We want to inform people , ” Korf said .
“ We want to raise awareness.
” U.S. Embassy in Norway Morgedalsvegen 36 , 0378 Oslo , Norway +47 21 30 85 40 ( From Norway ) +1 703-520-2568 ( From the U.S. ) 7:00am-3:00pm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ] The Van Maren Show is hosted on numerous platforms , including Spotify , SoundCloud , YouTube , iTunes , and Google Play .
For a full listing of episodes , and to subscribe to various channels , visit our Acast webpage here .
To receive weekly emails when a new episode is uploaded , subscribe below :

Amy Jacobsen was living in Norway with her 19-month-old son Tyler when Child Protective Services took him from her. She hasn't seen him in years but is fighting to be reunited.
PETITION: Demand Norway Gov’t return US children to their parents! Sign the petition here.
February 26, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Amy Jacobsen is an American mother whose son Tyler was taken from her by the Norwegian government in 2013 when he was just 19 months old. According to authorities, the reason Jacobsen, who was living in Norway at the time, lost custody of her son is that he was underweight and malnourished. Child Protective Services had no choice but to intervene.
Jacobsen’s nightmare scenario was discussed in detail on the Jonathon Van Maren Show this week. Norwegian pro-family activist Björn Korf, a Christian radio broadcaster who lives in Austria, was the guest. Korf helps run Step Up 4 Children’s Rights, an organization dedicated to stopping what is essentially state-sponsored kidnapping going on in Europe.
“She’s an American, but her father originated from Norway,” Korf told Van Maren. “When she was thirteen years old, the family moved back to Norway. And later on she had a boyfriend, and she had a baby boy named Tyler.”
Amy was on a holiday in America with Tyler, Korf continued. The day after she got back in July 2013, the police and Child Protective Services knocked at the door to take Tyler to the doctor’s office. But instead of taking the child to the local doctor, who had Tyler’s medical records, they took him to one 45 miles away. The doctor there found Tyler to be a halfpound underweight and with a slight vitamin B12 deficiency. That was enough to take Tyler from his mother.
“They’re not allowed to know where Tyler is now,” Korf said. “In fact, they’ve changed his name twice to make sure that [his parents] don’t find his whereabouts.”
Korf told Van Maren that he’s reached out to the U.S. embassy in Oslo to resolve the issue but that embassy staffers aren’t helpful.
“They would only say to Amy that she needs to submit to the Norwegian rules, and to the Norwegian law. But I would turn around and say, ‘Hang on a second…you have the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. The identity of an American citizen here is completely being erased. The child is seized to hide the whereabouts.’”
Currently, a CitizenGO petition calling on the Norwegian government to free Tyler so he can live with his mom has garnered more than 53,000 signatures. Add your name by clicking here.
Korf said Jacobsen’s last recourse is that the European Court of Human Rights will return her son. Presently, the court has approximately 30 cases from Norway similar to Tyler’s that are pending. Norway has already been convicted by the Court in five different child welfare cases of violating human rights.
The seemingly obvious abuse of power displayed by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services is sadly all too common throughout Northern Europe. Korf told Van Maren that not only Norway, but Sweden, Finland, and other Scandinavian countries are practically stealing children from their parents, often for frivolous reasons.
“Child removals in Norway … have gone up by 70 percent over the last years,” he said. “And you have like four to five children that are being taken by the child welfare services each day.”
Very few secular news organizations have covered Amy’s and Tyler’s story. Along with LifeSiteNews, only the Christian Post, The Stream, and Christian Broadcast Network have reported on it.
“We want to inform people,” Korf said. “We want to raise awareness.”
Contact information:
U.S. Embassy in Norway
Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo, Norway
+47 21 30 85 40 (From Norway)
+1 703-520-2568 (From the U.S.) 7:00am-3:00pm M-F
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ambassador Kenneth J. Braithwaite
U.S. Embassy Oslo
PO Box 4075 AMB
0244 Oslo
Twitter: @usembassyoslo
Facebook page
The Van Maren Show is hosted on numerous platforms, including Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, iTunes, and Google Play.
For a full listing of episodes, and to subscribe to various channels, visit our Acast webpage here.
To receive weekly emails when a new episode is uploaded, subscribe below:
Email Address *
First Name *
Last Name *


lifesitenews--2020-02-26--German high court overturns ban on ‘commercial’ assisted suicide

GERMANY , February 26 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Germany ’ s highest court has overturned a 2015 law that had banned assisted suicide for “ business ” motives while allowing the practice for “ altruistic ” reasons .
The move appears to be a significant development in opening the way for legislation that will lead to an expansion of assisted suicide in Germany , with the court reportedly finding that individuals have a right to `` self-determined '' suicide , which includes the freedom to take one 's own life and to enlist assistance in doing so from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of challenges made against the law for making the “ commercial promotion of assisted suicide '' a criminal offense .
The decision is being reported as opening the way to legislation that will allow doctors to both counsel patients about assisted suicide and to provide them with lethal drugs to end their lives .
The BBC reports that the court declared the law banning professionally assisted suicide to be unconstitutional and said that while parliament could pass laws on preventing suicide and increasing palliative care , it was not entitled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 2015 law is reported to have prevented individuals and organizations in Germany who until then had professionally facilitated assisted suicides from continuing the practice .
One media report claims that “ doctors and staff working in hospices became too scared to even consult patients on this possibility.
” The BBC report cites a medical ethics expert who claims that she knew of no doctor in Germany who had helped with assisted suicide in the past five years , because of the 2015 clause in the criminal code .
With professionals barred from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in killing themselves have had to ask family or friends , or travel to countries such as Switzerland where so-called suicide clinics operate .
Until 2015 there was considered to be a legislative void in Germany around assisted suicide and euthanasia , which is an especially controversial issue in the country because of its historic connection to the Nazis .
During the operation of their clandestine euthanasia program , begun as a eugenic measure in 1939 , the Nazis systematically murdered an estimated 200,000 mentally and physically disabled children and adults in institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , Germans avoid the word “ euthanasia , ” according to the Guardian , instead preferring to make distinctions between “ assisted suicide ” and “ active assisted suicide.
” Alex Schadenberg , director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition , said in 2015 that the move to allow assisted suicide in Germany for “ altruistic reasons ” had “ opened the door ” to assisted suicide and predicted that it would be challenged by campaigners seeking more liberal laws .
Schadenberg said that the law criminalizing commercial assisted suicide was the German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break our rules , that ’ s a criminal act , ” but noted that they had in fact “ legalized assisted suicide per se.
” Last week Portugal ’ s parliament voted to allow euthanasia and assisted suicide , taking a significant step towards legalizing the state-assisted killing of its citizens .
Assisted suicide and/or euthanasia is now legal in Canada , 10 U.S. jurisdictions , 2 Australian states , Belgium , the Netherlands , Switzerland , Luxembourg , and Colombia .
In Belgium , children can now be euthanized .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ euthanized an elderly woman by first drugging her coffee and then having her relatives hold her down was determined by a government panel to have “ acted in good faith.
” A court subsequently ruled the doctor had acted in the patient ’ s best interests .

Euthanasia is an especially controversial issue in Germany because of its historic connection to the Nazis.
GERMANY, February 26, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Germany’s highest court has overturned a 2015 law that had banned assisted suicide for “business” motives while allowing the practice for “altruistic” reasons.
The move appears to be a significant development in opening the way for legislation that will lead to an expansion of assisted suicide in Germany, with the court reportedly finding that individuals have a right to “self-determined” suicide, which includes the freedom to take one's own life and to enlist assistance in doing so from third parties.
The ruling comes as a result of challenges made against the law for making the “commercial promotion of assisted suicide” a criminal offense. The decision is being reported as opening the way to legislation that will allow doctors to both counsel patients about assisted suicide and to provide them with lethal drugs to end their lives.
The BBC reports that the court declared the law banning professionally assisted suicide to be unconstitutional and said that while parliament could pass laws on preventing suicide and increasing palliative care, it was not entitled to affect the impunity of assisted suicide.
The 2015 law is reported to have prevented individuals and organizations in Germany who until then had professionally facilitated assisted suicides from continuing the practice. One media report claims that “doctors and staff working in hospices became too scared to even consult patients on this possibility.”
The BBC report cites a medical ethics expert who claims that she knew of no doctor in Germany who had helped with assisted suicide in the past five years, because of the 2015 clause in the criminal code. With professionals barred from the practice, Germans wishing for assistance in killing themselves have had to ask family or friends, or travel to countries such as Switzerland where so-called suicide clinics operate.
Until 2015 there was considered to be a legislative void in Germany around assisted suicide and euthanasia, which is an especially controversial issue in the country because of its historic connection to the Nazis.
During the operation of their clandestine euthanasia program, begun as a eugenic measure in 1939, the Nazis systematically murdered an estimated 200,000 mentally and physically disabled children and adults in institutions in Germany and its territories.
In fact, Germans avoid the word “euthanasia,” according to the Guardian, instead preferring to make distinctions between “assisted suicide” and “active assisted suicide.”
Alex Schadenberg, director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, said in 2015 that the move to allow assisted suicide in Germany for “altruistic reasons” had “opened the door” to assisted suicide and predicted that it would be challenged by campaigners seeking more liberal laws. Schadenberg said that the law criminalizing commercial assisted suicide was the German government effectively saying: “if you break our rules, that’s a criminal act,” but noted that they had in fact “legalized assisted suicide per se.”
Last week Portugal’s parliament voted to allow euthanasia and assisted suicide, taking a significant step towards legalizing the state-assisted killing of its citizens.
Assisted suicide and/or euthanasia is now legal in Canada, 10 U.S. jurisdictions, 2 Australian states, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Colombia.
In Belgium, children can now be euthanized. In the Netherlands, a doctor who forcibly euthanized an elderly woman by first drugging her coffee and then having her relatives hold her down was determined by a government panel to have “acted in good faith.” A court subsequently ruled the doctor had acted in the patient’s best interests.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-26--How St. Francis de Sales inspired Mother Miriam’s faith life

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

Watch Mother Miriam's Live show from 2.26.2020. In today's encore presentation, Mother speaks about her devotion to St. Francis de Sales.
You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live here.


lifesitenews--2020-02-26--Pro-abortion Warren rips Bloomberg for alleged ‘kill it’ remarks to pregnant employee

February 26 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In another series of bitter confrontations among the Democratic presidential contenders during a televised debate , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren attacked former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on grounds that raised numerous eyebrows , given her own stance on abortion .
During the CBS News primary debate on Tuesday night in South Carolina , Warren accused the pro-abortion Bloomberg of having committed sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination against former employees , referencing a 1997 lawsuit brought by former employee Sekiko Sakai Garrison .
“ At least I didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Kill it , ’ the way that Mayor Bloomberg ( is ) alleged to have said to one of his pregnant employees , ” Warren said , according to a New York Post report .
“ I never said that , ” Bloomberg responded .
He has previously denied the abortion remarks but admitted to making inapprporiate comments about women more generally .
During Tuesday ’ s debate , however , he seemingly acknowledged having said something that , at the very least , could have been interpreted as suggesting an abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she heard , what she thought she heard , or whatever happened — I didn ’ t take any pleasure in that , ” he said .
In response , Warren doubled down on her previous call for Bloomberg to “ sign a blanket release ( from the non-disclosure agreements accusers signed as a condition of their settlements ) and let those women speak out so that they can tell their stories the way I can tell my story , without having to fear that they will be sued by a billionaire.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation , pro-lifers found it curious to see Warren among them , in light of her own support for the legal power to “ kill it ” at virtually any point in pregnancy .
Warren has called abortion safer than tonsillectomies and suggested that late-term abortions can be “ act ( s ) of mercy ” for disabled children , framed supporting abortion as necessary to being an “ ally of women ” and refuses to acknowledge any cutoff point for legal abortion , which she wants codified by federal law .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she intends to signal her solidarity with abortion-on-demand by wearing a “ pink Planned Parenthood scarf ” on inauguration day .

Pro-lifers were taken aback by the attack from a senator who unabashedly supports killing babies in the womb.
February 26, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In another series of bitter confrontations among the Democratic presidential contenders during a televised debate, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren attacked former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on grounds that raised numerous eyebrows, given her own stance on abortion.
During the CBS News primary debate on Tuesday night in South Carolina, Warren accused the pro-abortion Bloomberg of having committed sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination against former employees, referencing a 1997 lawsuit brought by former employee Sekiko Sakai Garrison.
“At least I didn’t have a boss who said to me, ‘Kill it,’ the way that Mayor Bloomberg (is) alleged to have said to one of his pregnant employees,” Warren said, according to a New York Post report.
“I never said that,” Bloomberg responded. He has previously denied the abortion remarks but admitted to making inapprporiate comments about women more generally. During Tuesday’s debate, however, he seemingly acknowledged having said something that, at the very least, could have been interpreted as suggesting an abortion. “I’m sorry if she heard, what she thought she heard, or whatever happened — I didn’t take any pleasure in that,” he said.
In response, Warren doubled down on her previous call for Bloomberg to “sign a blanket release (from the non-disclosure agreements accusers signed as a condition of their settlements) and let those women speak out so that they can tell their stories the way I can tell my story, without having to fear that they will be sued by a billionaire.”
While many have scrutinized Bloomberg over the allegation, pro-lifers found it curious to see Warren among them, in light of her own support for the legal power to “kill it” at virtually any point in pregnancy.
Wow. @ewarren just criticized @MikeBloomberg for allegedly telling a pregnant female employee to “kill it.” Warren literally voted NO today on a bill to protect babies born alive after failed abortions from being killed The cognitive dissonance is astounding#DemDebate2020 pic.twitter.com/hQtZMwcqyt — Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) February 26, 2020
So let me get this straight….Elizabeth Warren is so offended by Michael Bloomberg’s suggestion that an employee have an abortion but she supports a woman’s right to ‘kill it’ at any point during the pregnancy….because that’s not offensive….at all. https://t.co/SU1sB1VWhU — Conservative Housewife (@conhousewife) February 26, 2020
As if killing babies actually matters to Elizabeth Warren and her pro-choice feminism. Ya right . Give me a break. And she’s saying “kill it” now? Oh so you agree that abortion is murder?! Please explain, your radical views seem to be all over the place. https://t.co/wqCwBoOi41 — Alexis Miranda ���� (@alexisamiranda) February 26, 2020
Whoa whoa whoa. Warren just hit Bloomberg for saying “k*ll it” to a pregnant woman. Why? Doesn’t she agree? — Phil (@philllosoraptor) February 26, 2020
Elizabeth Warren is a “Try Again and Kill It” Democrat. #BornAlive — toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) February 26, 2020
Warren has called abortion safer than tonsillectomies and suggested that late-term abortions can be “act(s) of mercy” for disabled children, framed supporting abortion as necessary to being an “ally of women” and refuses to acknowledge any cutoff point for legal abortion, which she wants codified by federal law. In December, she said that if elected she intends to signal her solidarity with abortion-on-demand by wearing a “pink Planned Parenthood scarf” on inauguration day.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--Left-wing shareholders pressure major US corporations to endorse abortion

February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A campaign is underway by shareholder groups to pressure major corporations to take a public position in favor of abortion .
The investment firm Rhia Ventures has organized a group of 36 investors responsible for managing $ 236 billion in assets behind a letter inquiring about more than 30 companies ’ positions on abortion and contraception , Roll Call reports .
Most of the letter ’ s targets are unknown , but the insurance company Progressive and department store chain Macy ’ s are said to be among the recipients .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should subsidize not only employees ’ birth control but also their abortions , for the sake of , in Roll Call ’ s paraphrasing , maintaining a “ competitive edge in recruiting talent , enhances diversity and inclusion efforts , and prevents obstacles that could decrease worker performance or career trajectory.
” “ If Roe is either overturned directly or effectively , then companies and their employees will be faced with a situation where ... the company may insure coverage of abortion but the employees will not necessarily have access to it unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhia ’ s shareholder advocacy director Shelley Alpern told Roll Call .
“ Companies really are not yet thinking about the implications upon their employees and themselves of a post-Roe environment , and that ’ s why we prepared the business case.
” Many women passionately reject the premise that women “ need ” legal abortion or government/employer-subsidized birth control to succeed professionally .
“ Proclaiming that women can not be successful without abortion embraces female inequality , ” Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Elissa Graves argues .
“ It says women must become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the opposite of equality .
It imposes male physical norms on women.
” So far the firm ’ s effort ’ s results have been “ mixed , ” according to Alpern , who told Roll Call that while companies ’ policies on so-called “ reproductive health ” coverage vary , many continue to see themselves as politically-neutral and don ’ t want to get dragged into the abortion debate .
Charles Elson , director of the University of Delaware ’ s John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance , argues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No matter what the company does , a good chunk of the shareholders are going to object , ” he said .
“ That ’ s why the company shouldn ’ t be doing it — or [ should be ] staying out of it.
” The biggest effort by business interests to influence abortion policy in recent memory has been the effort by numerous Hollywood studios and entertainment companies to boycott the state of Georgia in retaliation for its law that would ban abortion as soon as a fetal heartbeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the push has had little effect on their economy so far .

A group of 36 investors has sent a letter to CEOs of top US companies asking them about their position on abortion.
February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A campaign is underway by shareholder groups to pressure major corporations to take a public position in favor of abortion.
The investment firm Rhia Ventures has organized a group of 36 investors responsible for managing $236 billion in assets behind a letter inquiring about more than 30 companies’ positions on abortion and contraception, Roll Call reports. Most of the letter’s targets are unknown, but the insurance company Progressive and department store chain Macy’s are said to be among the recipients.
The letter reportedly makes the case that companies should subsidize not only employees’ birth control but also their abortions, for the sake of, in Roll Call’s paraphrasing, maintaining a “competitive edge in recruiting talent, enhances diversity and inclusion efforts, and prevents obstacles that could decrease worker performance or career trajectory.”
“If Roe is either overturned directly or effectively, then companies and their employees will be faced with a situation where … the company may insure coverage of abortion but the employees will not necessarily have access to it unless they go out of state,” Rhia’s shareholder advocacy director Shelley Alpern told Roll Call. “Companies really are not yet thinking about the implications upon their employees and themselves of a post-Roe environment, and that’s why we prepared the business case.”
Many women passionately reject the premise that women “need” legal abortion or government/employer-subsidized birth control to succeed professionally.
“Proclaiming that women cannot be successful without abortion embraces female inequality,” Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Elissa Graves argues. “It says women must become like men by eliminating their motherhood. This is the opposite of equality. It imposes male physical norms on women.”
So far the firm’s effort’s results have been “mixed,” according to Alpern, who told Roll Call that while companies’ policies on so-called “reproductive health” coverage vary, many continue to see themselves as politically-neutral and don’t want to get dragged into the abortion debate.
Charles Elson, director of the University of Delaware’s John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, argues that that’s for the best. “No matter what the company does, a good chunk of the shareholders are going to object,” he said. “That’s why the company shouldn’t be doing it — or [should be] staying out of it.”
The biggest effort by business interests to influence abortion policy in recent memory has been the effort by numerous Hollywood studios and entertainment companies to boycott the state of Georgia in retaliation for its law that would ban abortion as soon as a fetal heartbeat can be detected. State Republican leaders say the push has had little effect on their economy so far.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--Bishop places principal on leave after students, parents protest ousting of gay ‘married’ teachers

SEATTLE , Washington , February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — After two Catholic high school teachers who entered same-sex “ marriages ” resigned , and students and parents protested , the bishop placed the school ’ s principal on leave until the end of the year .
The Archdiocese of Seattle told LifeSiteNews and other media that the principal was put on leave “ out of care and concern for him ” but did not answer repeated questions from LifeSite about whether he will be paid during this time .
Seattle bishop Paul Etienne initially released a letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the voluntary resignation of two teachers from Kennedy Catholic High School recently , we as church [ sic ] have discovered once again the delicate and difficult reality of being one family of faith when our personal opinions create tension in the family of God.
” Etienne then went on to quote Amoris Laetitia and discuss the “ complexity of people ’ s lived situations ” while noting that employees who choose to work at Catholic institutions are expected to uphold Church teaching : A lawyer for Paul Danforth , who taught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taught physical education , told the dissident National Catholic Reporter her clients resigned “ after the archdiocese made clear ‘ that continued employment was incompatible with being honest about being gay and engaged.
’ ” The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts is intrinsically disordered .
“ They are contrary to the natural law , ” the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches .
“ They close the sexual act to the gift of life .
They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity .
Under no circumstances can they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Church distinguishes among individuals , attractions , and actions .
“ This inclination , which is objectively disordered , constitutes for most of [ those who hold it ] a trial , ” the Catechism continues .
“ They must be accepted with respect , compassion , and sensitivity .
Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided .
These persons are called to fulfill God ’ s will in their lives and , if they are Christians , to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their condition ” ( CCC 2358 ) .
Catholic schools ‘ seem increasingly to be serving families who don ’ t want it ’ Students staged a walk-out protesting the resignations , which the archdiocese maintains were voluntary , on February 18 .
Prato being placed on leave was announced on February 25 .
Also on February 25 , Etienne released another letter , which quoted Pope Francis on “ dialogue.
” “ It is with a pastor ’ s heart that I am writing to you , ” Etienne wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ read your letters — from teachers , parents , alumni , and even an open video letter from a student representative .
Voicing your care and concerns is not only a testament to how much you support your school community , but is also an important step ... ” Hearing first-hand the hurt , frustration and confusion was both helpful and challenging .
I sincerely appreciate everyone ’ s honesty and feedback .
In times like this , respectful dialogue is required so we can navigate our way forward .
It is abundantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are serving a much broader community than in the past .
We as church [ sic ] need to understand that people in our culture are coming to our Catholic schools with various expectations .
However , we must remind everyone why Catholic schools exist .
Our primary mission is to form people with the mind and heart of Jesus Christ .
“ When such a large number of students and parents protest a Catholic school for upholding the most basic Catholic teachings , it raises serious questions about what we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reilly , president of the Cardinal Newman Society , told LifeSiteNews .
“ We seem increasingly to be serving families who don ’ t want it .
The Church ’ s purpose in Catholic education should be to evangelize non-Catholics or to form young Catholics .
Either way , it requires forthright teaching and courageous witness to the faith.
” “ It ’ s unclear why the school [ principal ] was placed on leave .
Sadly some will be eager to claim that the Church is capitulating to protests that are , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church ’ s beliefs about marriage and sexuality , ” continued Reilly .
“ What needs to be clear is that no one who is engaged in persistent sexual or marital immorality , especially when it is apparent to students and families , can fulfill the duties of a Catholic educator .
A person ’ s behavior is as influential and potentially scandalous as teaching.
” At least two state politicians have weighed in .
Former Seattle mayor Greg Nickels said , “ Any other employer would be breaking the law to fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay , ” conflating sexual proclivities with the choice to enter into a public sodomitical union .
“ It is wrong and the school should be held to account , ” he said .
State senator Joe Nguyen ( D-34 ) , who graduated from Kennedy High School and is apparently friends with Danforth , the homosexual ex–English teacher , had harsh words for the Church : “ Institutions like the Archdiocese of Seattle are on the wrong side of history and this will be a moment they 'll look back on in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the conduct of employees of Catholic institutions is scrutinized , the pro-LGBT side accidentally illustrated a point that orthodox Catholics would make — that employees of Catholic institutions frequently flout various Church moral teachings .
One mother of a student complained to Seattle PI “ that divorced people , those divorced and remarried , and people living together outside of marriage can be found teaching at Catholic schools — and they are not forced to resign.
” The head of nearby Seattle Preparatory School , run by the Jesuits , responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to privacy of faculty and staff , and saying that in 22 years of Catholic school administration he has never terminated an employee.
” Citing the beginning of Lent , a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Seattle told LifeSiteNews that Etienne was unavailable for an interview .

The Archdiocese of Seattle placed Mike Prato on leave and won't say whether he's being paid during this time.
SEATTLE, Washington, February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — After two Catholic high school teachers who entered same-sex “marriages” resigned, and students and parents protested, the bishop placed the school’s principal on leave until the end of the year.
The Archdiocese of Seattle told LifeSiteNews and other media that the principal, Mike Prato, was put on leave “out of care and concern for him” but did not answer repeated questions from LifeSite about whether he will be paid during this time.
Seattle bishop Paul Etienne initially released a letter on February 19 that began, “With the voluntary resignation of two teachers from Kennedy Catholic High School recently, we as church [sic] have discovered once again the delicate and difficult reality of being one family of faith when our personal opinions create tension in the family of God.”
Etienne then went on to quote Amoris Laetitia and discuss the “complexity of people’s lived situations” while noting that employees who choose to work at Catholic institutions are expected to uphold Church teaching:
The church teaches the fullness of the Gospel. Those who teach in our schools are required to uphold our teaching in the classroom and to model it in their personal lives. We recognize and support the right of each individual to make choices. We also understand that some choices have particular consequences for those who represent the church in an official capacity.
A lawyer for Paul Danforth, who taught English, and Michelle Beattie, who taught physical education, told the dissident National Catholic Reporter her clients resigned “after the archdiocese made clear ‘that continued employment was incompatible with being honest about being gay and engaged.’”
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.
“They are contrary to the natural law,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches. “They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved” (CCC 2357). The Church distinguishes among individuals, attractions, and actions.
“This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of [those who hold it] a trial,” the Catechism continues. “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition” (CCC 2358).
Catholic schools ‘seem increasingly to be serving families who don’t want it’
Students staged a walk-out protesting the resignations, which the archdiocese maintains were voluntary, on February 18. Prato being placed on leave was announced on February 25. Also on February 25, Etienne released another letter, which quoted Pope Francis on “dialogue.”
“It is with a pastor’s heart that I am writing to you,” Etienne wrote. “I have heard your voices and read your letters — from teachers, parents, alumni, and even an open video letter from a student representative. Voicing your care and concerns is not only a testament to how much you support your school community, but is also an important step …”
He continued:
Hearing first-hand the hurt, frustration and confusion was both helpful and challenging. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s honesty and feedback. In times like this, respectful dialogue is required so we can navigate our way forward. It is abundantly clear to me that our Catholic schools are serving a much broader community than in the past. We as church [sic] need to understand that people in our culture are coming to our Catholic schools with various expectations. However, we must remind everyone why Catholic schools exist. Our primary mission is to form people with the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.
“When such a large number of students and parents protest a Catholic school for upholding the most basic Catholic teachings, it raises serious questions about what we’re doing in Catholic education,” Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, told LifeSiteNews. “We seem increasingly to be serving families who don’t want it. The Church’s purpose in Catholic education should be to evangelize non-Catholics or to form young Catholics. Either way, it requires forthright teaching and courageous witness to the faith.”
“It’s unclear why the school [principal] was placed on leave. Sadly some will be eager to claim that the Church is capitulating to protests that are, at their core, protests against the Church’s beliefs about marriage and sexuality,” continued Reilly.
“What needs to be clear is that no one who is engaged in persistent sexual or marital immorality, especially when it is apparent to students and families, can fulfill the duties of a Catholic educator. A person’s behavior is as influential and potentially scandalous as teaching.”
At least two state politicians have weighed in. Former Seattle mayor Greg Nickels said, “Any other employer would be breaking the law to fire two well-qualified employees simply because they are gay,” conflating sexual proclivities with the choice to enter into a public sodomitical union.
“It is wrong and the school should be held to account,” he said.
State senator Joe Nguyen (D-34), who graduated from Kennedy High School and is apparently friends with Danforth, the homosexual ex–English teacher, had harsh words for the Church: “Institutions like the Archdiocese of Seattle are on the wrong side of history and this will be a moment they'll look back on in shame.”
As is often the case when the conduct of employees of Catholic institutions is scrutinized, the pro-LGBT side accidentally illustrated a point that orthodox Catholics would make — that employees of Catholic institutions frequently flout various Church moral teachings. One mother of a student complained to Seattle PI “that divorced people, those divorced and remarried, and people living together outside of marriage can be found teaching at Catholic schools — and they are not forced to resign.”
The head of nearby Seattle Preparatory School, run by the Jesuits, responded to the situation by “stressing the right to privacy of faculty and staff, and saying that in 22 years of Catholic school administration he has never terminated an employee.”
Citing the beginning of Lent, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Seattle told LifeSiteNews that Etienne was unavailable for an interview.
Contact information for respectful communications:
Bishop Paul Etienne
Archdiocese of Seattle
710 9th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206-382-4560
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--Coronavirus is killing China’s economy, may force Communist govt to take drastic measures

February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Appearing on Fox Business last week , I was about as welcome as a ghost at a feast .
“ China Inc is shut down for at least another month , ” I said to audible groans from the host .
“ And if the epidemic spreads north to Beijing , west to Shanghai , south to Guangzhou-Shenzhen , or east to Chongqing , you can add another month or two to that.
” “ There is virtually no economic activity taking place in much of China , ” I explained .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the only things that many Chinese are consuming are food and whatever medical supplies they can get their hands on.
” Much of the world has yet to take notice of the fact that the second largest economy in the world has checked out .
The Communist Party , whose survival depends upon delivering robust economic growth year after year , is of course still projecting that the economy will grow “ around 6 percent ” in 2020 .
But foreign analysts are growing less sanguine by the day .
HSBC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-quarter growth from an annualized rate of 5.8 percent to 4.1 percent , although for the full year it still projected 5.3 percent growth .
Even this is far too optimistic .
The question is not how much the Chinese economy is going to grow in the first quarter , which runs from January 1 to March 31 .
The question is by how much it is going to shrink .
Despite the efforts of the authorities to force factories and stores to reopen , the reality on the ground is that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , most factories , shops , and services remain shuttered .
Pictures show that Wuhan and other quarantined cities resemble ghost towns , their streets eerily empty of people , who have been ordered to stay inside their apartments until March 10 , by which time the plague will hopefully have passed .
But the malaise extends well beyond the quarantined areas to virtually all of China .
How do we know that economic activity everywhere has ground to a halt ?
Certainly not from the official figures , which of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at proxies for economic activity .
The skies over China ’ s major metropolises , such as Guangzhou , Shanghai , and Chengdu , are still virtually free of pollution .
According to a Morgan Stanley analyst , this suggests that “ human activities such as traffic and industrial production … are running 50-80 % below their potential capacity.
” Car sales are off a striking 92 % in the first half of February .
Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge also looked at daily coal consumption , traffic congestion levels , construction steel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use , property sales—virtually every proxy for economic activity for which there is available data—and found that China ’ s economy is , as he put it , “ disintegrating.
” It is clear that the second-largest economy is , at the present moment , virtually on life support .
When will economic activity pick back up ?
Not until the Chinese people are convinced that they won ’ t be risking their lives by going about their normal activities .
This may not happen any time soon , despite the efforts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
The police may visit factory owners and order them to reopen , but if half your workers are hunkered down in their native villages , they still won ’ t have enough manpower to run their assembly lines .
There is a simple reason why tens of millions of workers are simply staying put .
Many face a two-week quarantine if they venture back to the cities , possibly in makeshift detention centers that seem almost designed to spread the disease .
There is a Chinese saying that expresses their concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not real sick ; to be sick on the road can kill you.
” It doesn ’ t help that , on the plague front , the bad news just keeps coming .
Despite Beijing ’ s effort to fudge the numbers , it is clear that the epidemic is spreading to other cities , including the capital itself .
The reason is that the coronavirus seems to be far more infectious than SARS , more akin to the flu in this regard .
That means that it can be spread by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hang out in the air for hours in rooms and corridors , infecting passersby when no one else is even present .
Making matters worse , the disease can be spread by persons who are asymptomatic , and the incubation period may , at least in some cases , be longer than two weeks .
These inconvenient facts mean that the current screening protocols , such as the two-week quarantine period , will only slow , not stop , the propagation of the disease .
One newly published study by the Imperial College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thirds of COVID-19 cases exported from mainland China have remained undetected worldwide.
” This means that we can expect considerably more outbreaks outside of China .
Within China , the authorities have surely realized by now that their current containment procedures are ineffective .
That is presumably why they have told the residents of Wuhan , for example , to remain inside their apartments for another three weeks .
No date at all has been set for the reopening of Wuhan ’ s schools , which of course are prime sites for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been released from hospitals are facing an additional two-week quarantine , since cases where the “ cured ” have relapsed have been cropping up .
Despite the danger of contagion , the Communist Party is forcing factories to open and workers back on the job .
The Party is determined to resurrect the economy , even if that means sacrificing thousands -- potentially tens of thousands -- of lives .
Steven W. Mosher is the President of the Population Research Institute and the author of Bully of Asia : Why China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Threat to World Order .
He is following the epidemic @ StevenWMosher

'It is clear that the second-largest economy is, at the present moment, virtually on life support.'
PRAYER PLEDGE: VP Pence is right. We need prayer to fight coronavirus, not political antics! Sign the petition here.
February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Appearing on Fox Business last week, I was about as welcome as a ghost at a feast. “China Inc is shut down for at least another month,” I said to audible groans from the host. “And if the epidemic spreads north to Beijing, west to Shanghai, south to Guangzhou-Shenzhen, or east to Chongqing, you can add another month or two to that.”
“There is virtually no economic activity taking place in much of China,” I explained. “Most factories are shut down, and the only things that many Chinese are consuming are food and whatever medical supplies they can get their hands on.”
Much of the world has yet to take notice of the fact that the second largest economy in the world has checked out. The Communist Party, whose survival depends upon delivering robust economic growth year after year, is of course still projecting that the economy will grow “around 6 percent” in 2020.
But foreign analysts are growing less sanguine by the day. HSBC, for example, lowered its estimate for first-quarter growth from an annualized rate of 5.8 percent to 4.1 percent, although for the full year it still projected 5.3 percent growth.
Even this is far too optimistic. The question is not how much the Chinese economy is going to grow in the first quarter, which runs from January 1 to March 31. The question is by how much it is going to shrink.
Despite the efforts of the authorities to force factories and stores to reopen, the reality on the ground is that, aside from the state-owned sector of the economy, most factories, shops, and services remain shuttered. Pictures show that Wuhan and other quarantined cities resemble ghost towns, their streets eerily empty of people, who have been ordered to stay inside their apartments until March 10, by which time the plague will hopefully have passed.
But the malaise extends well beyond the quarantined areas to virtually all of China. How do we know that economic activity everywhere has ground to a halt? Certainly not from the official figures, which of course are sheer fabrications. We must look at proxies for economic activity.
The skies over China’s major metropolises, such as Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Chengdu, are still virtually free of pollution. According to a Morgan Stanley analyst, this suggests that “human activities such as traffic and industrial production … are running 50-80% below their potential capacity.” Car sales are off a striking 92% in the first half of February.
Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge also looked at daily coal consumption, traffic congestion levels, construction steel demand, daily passenger traffic, electricity use, property sales—virtually every proxy for economic activity for which there is available data—and found that China’s economy is, as he put it, “disintegrating.”
It is clear that the second-largest economy is, at the present moment, virtually on life support. When will economic activity pick back up? Not until the Chinese people are convinced that they won’t be risking their lives by going about their normal activities.
This may not happen any time soon, despite the efforts of the authorities to strong-arm people back to work. The police may visit factory owners and order them to reopen, but if half your workers are hunkered down in their native villages, they still won’t have enough manpower to run their assembly lines.
There is a simple reason why tens of millions of workers are simply staying put. Many face a two-week quarantine if they venture back to the cities, possibly in makeshift detention centers that seem almost designed to spread the disease. There is a Chinese saying that expresses their concern: “To be sick at home is not real sick; to be sick on the road can kill you.”
It doesn’t help that, on the plague front, the bad news just keeps coming. Despite Beijing’s effort to fudge the numbers, it is clear that the epidemic is spreading to other cities, including the capital itself.
The reason is that the coronavirus seems to be far more infectious than SARS, more akin to the flu in this regard. That means that it can be spread by aerosol transmission. The virus can literally hang out in the air for hours in rooms and corridors, infecting passersby when no one else is even present. Making matters worse, the disease can be spread by persons who are asymptomatic, and the incubation period may, at least in some cases, be longer than two weeks.
These inconvenient facts mean that the current screening protocols, such as the two-week quarantine period, will only slow, not stop, the propagation of the disease. One newly published study by the Imperial College of London estimates that “about two thirds of COVID-19 cases exported from mainland China have remained undetected worldwide.” This means that we can expect considerably more outbreaks outside of China.
Within China, the authorities have surely realized by now that their current containment procedures are ineffective. That is presumably why they have told the residents of Wuhan, for example, to remain inside their apartments for another three weeks. No date at all has been set for the reopening of Wuhan’s schools, which of course are prime sites for the spreading of disease. And even those who have been released from hospitals are facing an additional two-week quarantine, since cases where the “cured” have relapsed have been cropping up.
Despite the danger of contagion, the Communist Party is forcing factories to open and workers back on the job. The Party is determined to resurrect the economy, even if that means sacrificing thousands–potentially tens of thousands–of lives.
Is anyone surprised?
Steven W. Mosher is the President of the Population Research Institute and the author of Bully of Asia: Why China’s “Dream” is the New Threat to World Order. He is following the epidemic @StevenWMosher
Follow Steven Steven Mosher is an internationally recognised authority on China and population issues as well as an acclaimed author and speaker and founder and head of the Population Research Institute. He was the first American social scientist to visit mainland China in 1979 where he witnessed women being forced to have abortion under the new “one-child-policy” which he then exposed to the world. Mr. Mosher was a pro-choice atheist at the time, but witnessing these traumatic abortions led him to reconsider his convictions and to eventually become a practicing, pro-life Roman Catholic. Mosher has appeared numerous times before the US Congress as an expert in world population, China and human Rights abuses. He has also made TV appearances on Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, 20/20, FOX and CNN news, as well as being a regular guest on talk radio shows across the nation. He is the author of the best-selling A Mother’s Ordeal: One woman’s Fight Against China’s One-Child-Policy. His latest book is Bully of Asia, exposing the threat of China to the entire world at this time. Articles by Steve have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, The New Republic, The Washington Post, National Review, Reason, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Freedom Review, Linacre Quarterly, Catholic World Report, Human Life Review, First Things, and numerous other publications. Steven Mosher lives in Virginia with his wife, Vera, and their nine children.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--Twitter suspends rapper for tweeting ‘dude’ to left-wing ‘trans woman’

February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Twitter ’ s war on “ misgendering ” took another controversial turn this week with the suspension of British rap artist Zuby for tweeting “ ok dude ” to a transgender activist with a history of inflammatory comments on social media .
The exchange began with Emily Gorcenski , a biological male who “ identifies ” as female , boasting to Zuby that he sleeps with more women that Zuby , to which the rapper responded , “ Ok dude… ” That was enough to lock his account for violating Twitter ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which the company defines as including the act of referring to someone by their actual sex instead of their claimed “ gender identity.
” While Twitters ’ hard line against “ misgendering ” is controversial enough , many have also responded to this incident by noting that “ dude , ” while generally associated with males , is also commonly applied to both sexes without controversy .
Zuby , who garnered attention last year for mocking the legitimacy of biological males competing with actual female weightlifters , told The Daily Wire of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back soon.
” Gorcenski is no stranger to controversy , having used his social media platform for messages such as claiming Virginia Republicans are likely to murder him for being “ transgender ” and declaring it “ OK to punch Nazis , ” a popular sentiment in far-left circles which is controversial in large part because leftists , including Gorcenski , frequently define as a “ Nazi ” anyone with any number of mainstream conservative or non-liberal views : Zuby ’ s suspension is only the latest example of Twitter ’ s left-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s long record of bans and suspensions affecting non-violent , non-hateful , non-obscene tweets from right-of-center perspectives , its double standards on violent rhetoric , and the admissions of Twitter insiders that the company has intentionally singled out conservative accounts and topics .

Zuby was responding to a biological male and transgender activist who boasted that he sleeps with more women than the British artist.
February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Twitter’s war on “misgendering” took another controversial turn this week with the suspension of British rap artist Zuby for tweeting “ok dude” to a transgender activist with a history of inflammatory comments on social media.
The exchange began with Emily Gorcenski, a biological male who “identifies” as female, boasting to Zuby that he sleeps with more women that Zuby, to which the rapper responded, “Ok dude…” That was enough to lock his account for violating Twitter’s rules against “hateful conduct,” which the company defines as including the act of referring to someone by their actual sex instead of their claimed “gender identity.”
Everyone please demand @Twitter @TwitterSafety #FreeZuby. He was suspended for saying “Ok dude” He was replying to a person who told him she sleeps with more women than @ZubyMusic does. “Ok dude” is literally all he said. In common vernacular “dude” is used to refer to anybody. pic.twitter.com/92ICzLFGwZ — Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 27, 2020
While Twitters’ hard line against “misgendering” is controversial enough, many have also responded to this incident by noting that “dude,” while generally associated with males, is also commonly applied to both sexes without controversy.
Zuby, who garnered attention last year for mocking the legitimacy of biological males competing with actual female weightlifters, told The Daily Wire of his suspension, “I will be back soon.”
Just took the UK women's bench press record too… For reps. �� Strong, stunning and brave. pic.twitter.com/PYReGRkyYI — ZUBY: (@ZubyMusic) February 26, 2019
Gorcenski is no stranger to controversy, having used his social media platform for messages such as claiming Virginia Republicans are likely to murder him for being “transgender” and declaring it “OK to punch Nazis,” a popular sentiment in far-left circles which is controversial in large part because leftists, including Gorcenski, frequently define as a “Nazi” anyone with any number of mainstream conservative or non-liberal views:
Aww. As a transgender woman, I am genuinely afraid of Republicans murdering me if I stop for gas in the wrong part of Virginia. https://t.co/HveLl3ddc0 — Pronoun Enforcer (@EmilyGorcenski) March 22, 2017
It is ok to punch nazis, particularly this Nazi — Pronoun Enforcer (@EmilyGorcenski) February 25, 2020
These beliefs are being broadcast through every major media outlet from Fox to CNN to the New York Times. Nazi propaganda is everywhere, and you don’t actually need to be a Nazi to be inspired to act on it. That’s the whole point. That’s the central danger of it. — Pronoun Enforcer (@EmilyGorcenski) December 31, 2019
Zuby’s suspension is only the latest example of Twitter’s left-wing bias. Prior evidence includes the company’s long record of bans and suspensions affecting non-violent, non-hateful, non-obscene tweets from right-of-center perspectives, its double standards on violent rhetoric, and the admissions of Twitter insiders that the company has intentionally singled out conservative accounts and topics.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--WATCH: Woman posing as 11-year-old online contacted by sexual predators within minutes

Warning : The following article and video contain disturbing sexual content .
Reader discretion is strongly advised .
February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A disturbing video shows how a woman posing as an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old on social media was contacted and pressured by sexual predators minutes after her fake profiles went live .
The video was released by Bark , a company offering products to protect children online .
The conversations between the online personas and the sexual predators “ ranged in severity from making sexual comments to sharing and requesting explicit videos , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls on social media , explained .
In real life , Powell leads the Special Projects Team at Bark .
In the 10-minute video , Powell recounts how the team first took photos of her wearing clothes and posing as a teenager would .
Then , photo manipulation made Powell , who is 37 , look two decades younger .
Finally , the social media accounts were set up and filled with content appearing to be created by a 15-year-old girl , Libby .
“ We even created virtual friends for Libby , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Powell said .
Within an hour , Libby was contacted by seven adult men .
After nine days , “ that number was 92.
” While Powell narrates her story , the screen shows horrifying comments made by sexual predators .
“ You have a perfect body , ” one message read .
“ What bra size are you ?
” Frequently , explicit words are blurred .
“ I ’ m wondering how that *** would look bouncing on my ***.
” According to Powell , it took five team members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages .
After that experience , the team at Bark decided to create social media profiles for an 11-year-old , Bailey , using the same techniques already in place for Libby .
Behind that was the question , “ Where is the bar ?
Would a 13-year-old face the same barrage of predators ?
A 12-year-old ?
How young could it possibly go ?
” The video shows Powell and her team waiting for the first response to the new persona .
It took less than half a minute for Bailey to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy whose profile photo is a penis.
” In less than five minutes , Bailey received a video call from a stranger , who creepily said , “ Don ’ t be shy.
” One message asked Bailey if she had a boyfriend already .
“ Well , a lot of boyfriends like it when their girlfriends give them a blowjob .
Do you know what that means ?
” “ Now what a boy and a girl really like together is if I put my *** in between your legs and push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called sex , ” another message read .
Some sexual predators asked Bailey to send them nude photos .
“ Whenever you get a chance , send me a picture of you without your shirt on , or send me a picture of in between your legs .
I would really like that.
” The15-year-old persona of Libby in particular also received requests to meet in person .
Backed up by law enforcement , Powell met one sexual predator in a hotel lobby .
The video shows how he pushed Libby to sleep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dodge it , let ’ s go upstairs , ” the man said .
Bark , the company Powell works for , was founded in 2015 .
Its goal is to monitor online activities for potential issues like “ sexual predators , adult content , depression , ” the website claims .
Some of the social media platforms monitored , including TikTok , Instagram , and Twitter , have long been a cause of worry to parents .
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation brought forward serious concerns with an Instagram executive in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testimony , sex traffickers and child predators appear to be increasingly using Instagram to identify , groom , and exploit children , ” the organization reported .
Additionally , private accounts of minors were still able to receive “ unsolicited direct messages from strangers , which has led to several instances of sex trafficking and child sexual abuse.
” “ There are countless comments by predatory adults on the photos of minors , where they leave sexually graphic comments , sexualize children , or solicit sex from children , ” the center added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year ’ s Dirty Dozen List “ to name and shame the mainstream players in America that perpetuate sexual exploitation .
”

Conversations on social media 'ranged in severity from making sexual comments to sharing and requesting explicit videos,' the woman said.
Warning: The following article and video contain disturbing sexual content. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A disturbing video shows how a woman posing as an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old on social media was contacted and pressured by sexual predators minutes after her fake profiles went live. The video was released by Bark, a company offering products to protect children online.
The conversations between the online personas and the sexual predators “ranged in severity from making sexual comments to sharing and requesting explicit videos,” Roo Powell, who posed as the girls on social media, explained. In real life, Powell leads the Special Projects Team at Bark.
In the 10-minute video, Powell recounts how the team first took photos of her wearing clothes and posing as a teenager would. Then, photo manipulation made Powell, who is 37, look two decades younger.
Finally, the social media accounts were set up and filled with content appearing to be created by a 15-year-old girl, Libby.
“We even created virtual friends for Libby, who would comment on her posts,” Powell said.
Within an hour, Libby was contacted by seven adult men. After nine days, “that number was 92.” While Powell narrates her story, the screen shows horrifying comments made by sexual predators.
“You have a perfect body,” one message read. “What bra size are you?”
Frequently, explicit words are blurred. “I’m wondering how that *** would look bouncing on my ***.”
According to Powell, it took five team members simply to keep up with all the messages.
After that experience, the team at Bark decided to create social media profiles for an 11-year-old, Bailey, using the same techniques already in place for Libby. Behind that was the question, “Where is the bar? Would a 13-year-old face the same barrage of predators? A 12-year-old? How young could it possibly go?”
The video shows Powell and her team waiting for the first response to the new persona.
It took less than half a minute for Bailey to get her first like, “from a guy whose profile photo is a penis.”
In less than five minutes, Bailey received a video call from a stranger, who creepily said, “Don’t be shy.”
One message asked Bailey if she had a boyfriend already. “Well, a lot of boyfriends like it when their girlfriends give them a blowjob. Do you know what that means?”
“Now what a boy and a girl really like together is if I put my *** in between your legs and push it inside of you. That is called sex,” another message read.
Some sexual predators asked Bailey to send them nude photos. “Whenever you get a chance, send me a picture of you without your shirt on, or send me a picture of in between your legs. I would really like that.”
The15-year-old persona of Libby in particular also received requests to meet in person. Backed up by law enforcement, Powell met one sexual predator in a hotel lobby.
The video shows how he pushed Libby to sleep with him. “Stop trying to dodge it, let’s go upstairs,” the man said.
Bark, the company Powell works for, was founded in 2015. Its goal is to monitor online activities for potential issues like “sexual predators, adult content, depression,” the website claims.
Some of the social media platforms monitored, including TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, have long been a cause of worry to parents.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation brought forward serious concerns with an Instagram executive in December 2019. “According to survivor testimony, sex traffickers and child predators appear to be increasingly using Instagram to identify, groom, and exploit children,” the organization reported.
Additionally, private accounts of minors were still able to receive “unsolicited direct messages from strangers, which has led to several instances of sex trafficking and child sexual abuse.”
“There are countless comments by predatory adults on the photos of minors, where they leave sexually graphic comments, sexualize children, or solicit sex from children,” the center added.
Both Twitter and TikTok are on this year’s Dirty Dozen List “to name and shame the mainstream players in America that perpetuate sexual exploitation.”
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lifesitenews--2020-02-28--Cases of teen girls who believe they’re ‘boys’ skyrockets in Sweden

February 28 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – These numbers are just staggering : According to Sweden ’ s Board of Health and Welfare , there has been a 1,500 % spike in diagnoses of gender dysphoria—girls believing they are boys—among teen girls between the ages of 13 and 17 .
According to the Guardian , this rise in numbers is a reflection of a shift in public opinion on transgenderism that has made many people more open to permitting young people to pursue “ gender reassignment ” surgery .
Critics say this spike has been enormously exacerbated by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from LGBT activists , Sweden ’ s government put forward a law that would eliminate the necessity for parental consent , reduce the minimum age for “ sex change ” surgeries from age 18 to age 15 , and in some instances permit children even younger to transition .
In response , some medical professionals—including one prestigious psychiatrist—warned that so-called gender reassignment surgery on children was , in essence , an experiment with unknown consequences .
Sweden is not the only country witnessing a sudden spike in children and teens—mostly girls—identifying as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen a 4,000 % rise in children wanting to “ change ” their sex in ten years , from 97 in 2008 to 2,510 in 2017-2018 .
The same phenomenon is occurring in Canada , the United States , and Australia .
Some experts have already pointed out that transgenderism is functioning as a social contagion , but LGBT activists are insisting that there has always been thousands upon thousands of children born into the wrong bodies that must become lifelong medical patients and undergo endless hormone treatments and surgeries .
There has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swedish media , with one TV documentary highlighting a man who regretting transitioning and focusing on Karolinska University hospital in Stockholm , which has been criticized for hastily “ transitioning ” minors , and has even performed double mastectomies on girls as young as 14 .
Additionally , the Guardian noted , tragic stories began to surface .
At the same time , Filter magazine profiled the case of Jennifer Ring , a 32-year-old trans woman who hanged herself four years after her surgery .
An expert on psychosis who was shown her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ring , was quoted as saying that she had shown clear signs of psychosis at the time she first sought treatment for gender dysphoria .
Indeed , the first clinic she approached refused to treat her , citing signs of schizotypal symptoms and lack of a history of gender dysphoria .
But the team at Karolinska went ahead .
`` Karolinska do n't stop anyone ; virtually 100 % get sex reassignment , '' says Ring .
In response to the backlash , the Swedish government has delayed legislation lowering the minimum age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead asked the Board of Health and Welfare to re-examine the data in light of recent criticisms .
The Board ’ s report is scheduled for release on March 21 , and in the meantime , the Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment was directed by the government to examine why so many teenage girls were suffering from gender dysphoria .
Of the teen girls who reported gender dysphoria , 15.2 % reported autism , 28.9 % reported depression , 19.4 % had ADHD , and 32.4 % had some form of anxiety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credit , they noted that critics are now louder and more numerous , citing the experience of several de-transitioners and the opinions of a number of experts urging caution .
For several years now , countries have rushed headlong into this sweeping social experiment at the behest of the LGBT movement , ignoring calls for pause , demonizing as “ transphobic ” anyone who attempted to criticize “ sex changes ” or hormone therapy for minors , and declaring that feminists and gay activists who also had concerns were also bigots .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this experiment and the increasing number of voices offering an alternative—and often tragic—experience with the transgender movement is now forcing people to pause and consider the implications of what we are doing .
For the sake of thousands of teenage girls and boys who have been swept up in this social phenomenon , I certainly hope so .
Jonathon ’ s new podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , he interviews Bjorn Korf , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by government social services in Norway .
The nightmarish stories he shares are heartbreaking , but ca n't be ignored .
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below :

February 28, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – These numbers are just staggering: According to Sweden’s Board of Health and Welfare, there has been a 1,500% spike in diagnoses of gender dysphoria—girls believing they are boys—among teen girls between the ages of 13 and 17. According to the Guardian, this rise in numbers is a reflection of a shift in public opinion on transgenderism that has made many people more open to permitting young people to pursue “gender reassignment” surgery.
Critics say this spike has been enormously exacerbated by the fact that in 2018, under pressure from LGBT activists, Sweden’s government put forward a law that would eliminate the necessity for parental consent, reduce the minimum age for “sex change” surgeries from age 18 to age 15, and in some instances permit children even younger to transition. In response, some medical professionals—including one prestigious psychiatrist—warned that so-called gender reassignment surgery on children was, in essence, an experiment with unknown consequences.
Sweden is not the only country witnessing a sudden spike in children and teens—mostly girls—identifying as the opposite sex. The United Kingdom has seen a 4,000% rise in children wanting to “change” their sex in ten years, from 97 in 2008 to 2,510 in 2017-2018. The same phenomenon is occurring in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Some experts have already pointed out that transgenderism is functioning as a social contagion, but LGBT activists are insisting that there has always been thousands upon thousands of children born into the wrong bodies that must become lifelong medical patients and undergo endless hormone treatments and surgeries.
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There has been at least some pushback in the Swedish media, with one TV documentary highlighting a man who regretting transitioning and focusing on Karolinska University hospital in Stockholm, which has been criticized for hastily “transitioning” minors, and has even performed double mastectomies on girls as young as 14. Additionally, the Guardian noted, tragic stories began to surface.
At the same time, Filter magazine profiled the case of Jennifer Ring, a 32-year-old trans woman who hanged herself four years after her surgery. An expert on psychosis who was shown her medical journal by her father, Avi Ring, was quoted as saying that she had shown clear signs of psychosis at the time she first sought treatment for gender dysphoria. Indeed, the first clinic she approached refused to treat her, citing signs of schizotypal symptoms and lack of a history of gender dysphoria. But the team at Karolinska went ahead. “Karolinska don't stop anyone; virtually 100% get sex reassignment,” says Ring.
In response to the backlash, the Swedish government has delayed legislation lowering the minimum age for “sex change” surgery and instead asked the Board of Health and Welfare to re-examine the data in light of recent criticisms. The Board’s report is scheduled for release on March 21, and in the meantime, the Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment was directed by the government to examine why so many teenage girls were suffering from gender dysphoria. Of the teen girls who reported gender dysphoria, 15.2% reported autism, 28.9% reported depression, 19.4% had ADHD, and 32.4% had some form of anxiety disorder.
To the Guardian’s credit, they noted that critics are now louder and more numerous, citing the experience of several de-transitioners and the opinions of a number of experts urging caution. For several years now, countries have rushed headlong into this sweeping social experiment at the behest of the LGBT movement, ignoring calls for pause, demonizing as “transphobic” anyone who attempted to criticize “sex changes” or hormone therapy for minors, and declaring that feminists and gay activists who also had concerns were also bigots. There is some indication that the scale of this experiment and the increasing number of voices offering an alternative—and often tragic—experience with the transgender movement is now forcing people to pause and consider the implications of what we are doing.
For the sake of thousands of teenage girls and boys who have been swept up in this social phenomenon, I certainly hope so.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, he interviews Bjorn Korf, an activist trying to fight “kidnapping” by government social services in Norway. The nightmarish stories he shares are heartbreaking, but can't be ignored.
You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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