lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Trudeau govt asks China’s communist govt to supply security equipment to Canadian embassies

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OTTAWA , July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Canada ’ s foreign affairs minister says he is “ looking into ” the Trudeau government ’ s deal with a state-owned Chinese company to supply security equipment to Canadian embassies .
The National Post reported Friday that the Liberals offered Nuctech Company an estimated $ 6.8 million contract to provide X-ray security screening machines to 170 Canadian embassies , consulates and high commissions around the world .
Nuctech is owned by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founded by the son of former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party , Hu Jintao , it reported .
Shortly after this story was published , the Post reported that Global Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said his office was reviewing the deal , a position the minister reiterated Monday in a statement to LifeSiteNews .
“ We are currently looking into the offer with Nuctech Company to provide some security screening equipment in our missions abroad , ” Champagne said .
“ The standing offer is not a contract , and Global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nuctech at this time , ” he added .
Champagne has also “ directed ( Global Affairs Canada ) officials to review our purchasing practices when it comes to security equipment and to continue reviewing the security of our missions around the world , ” he stated .
According to the original tender notice , “ the tender was for a National Master Standing Offer , which sets pre-arranged prices and effectively makes the company the preferred vendor for the equipment , ” the Post reported .
The department of Public Services and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk-through metal detectors , X-ray machines , and bullet resistant windows and doors as part of a Global Affairs upgrade of embassy security , according to the Post ’ s initial report .
A California-based company won the contract for the metal detectors and Nuctech won the bid to supply X-ray machines .
The contract “ includes delivery , installation , operator training and software.
” Nuctech ’ s winning bid was posted on the government ’ s Buy and Sell website on July 16 , the Post reported .
According to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberal government contracts over the years , including a $ 2 million contract in 2017 for “ hazard-detecting instruments and apparatus ” for the Canadian Border Services Agency , and a $ 1,000,366 contract from 2018 to 2027 to supply this equipment to the same agency .
A security industry source told the Post that the X-ray machines are stand-alone systems and would not be connected to embassy networks , but that he was concerned there would now be “ significant pieces of Chinese technology sitting in every embassy.
” That concern was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who view Nuctech as the “ Huawei of airport security ” and fear that its dominance in this sector will give Beijing “ insights into airports all over Europe , ” Politico reported in February .
“ One worry is that the gear could be used as a transmitter of malicious software .
Another concern is that Nuctech equipment could cause disruption at Europe ’ s airports and borders if it were to be misused by foreign state-backed hacking groups , or be used to disrupt supply chains in a trade dispute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer to Nuctech comes amid rising tensions between Ottawa and Beijing over the extradition case of Meng Wanzhou , a top executive of China ’ s telecommunication giant Huawei who is under house arrest in British Columbia .
Canada arrested Meng in 2018 at the request of the United States Justice Department , which is accusing her of violating Iranian sanctions .
The United States wants Canada to extradite Meng to face charges , and she and Beijing are denying the allegations and demanding her release .
In a move widely regarded as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada to do so , Beijing arrested former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor shortly after Meng was taken into custody , and in June formally charged them with spying .
Trudeau stated in response that “ we deplore what China did ” but that Canada will not release Meng , nor will it give in to “ hostage diplomacy.
” At the same time , Canada remains the last country of the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance not to officially announce its refusal to work with Huawei .
All of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Great Britain , New Zealand , and Australia -- have stopped Huawei from supplying 5G equipment .
Huawei was hoping to be a prominent player in a bid to be a major part of Canada ’ s 5G network , but recently both Bell and Telus said they will partner with Nokia and Ericsson instead .
The Five Eyes Alliance also reported in May that China deliberately lied about the coronavirus outbreak and allowed it to spread globally .
However , Canada ’ s National Research Council ( NRC ) announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese firm CanSinoBIO to test and develop a Covid-19 vaccine in Canada .
LifeSiteNews reported that the vaccine , known as Ad5-nCoV , uses the HEK293 cell line made from fetal cells from a baby aborted decades ago .
Most recently , Chinese customs officials are reportedly holding back a shipment of the vaccine slated for human clinical trials at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Halifax ’ s Dalhousie University .
It is not confirmed that China ’ s authorities delaying the shipping of the vaccine is another means to pressure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberal leader , Trudeau infamously lauded China ’ s brutal “ basic dictatorship ” during a 2013 ladies ’ night fundraiser in Toronto .
“ There is a level of admiration I actually have for China , because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green , we need to start , you know , investing in solar , ” he said .
“ I mean there is a flexibility that I know Stephen Harper must dream about , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything he wanted , that I find quite interesting .
”

The Canadian government is reviewing a deal that raises concerns about 'significant pieces of Chinese technology sitting in every embassy.'
PETITION: Investigate George Soros' role in funding domestic terrorism! Sign the petition here.
OTTAWA, July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Canada’s foreign affairs minister says he is “looking into” the Trudeau government’s deal with a state-owned Chinese company to supply security equipment to Canadian embassies.
The National Post reported Friday that the Liberals offered Nuctech Company an estimated $6.8 million contract to provide X-ray security screening machines to 170 Canadian embassies, consulates and high commissions around the world.
Nuctech is owned by the China’s communist government and was founded by the son of former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao, it reported.
Shortly after this story was published, the Post reported that Global Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said his office was reviewing the deal, a position the minister reiterated Monday in a statement to LifeSiteNews.
“We are currently looking into the offer with Nuctech Company to provide some security screening equipment in our missions abroad,” Champagne said.
“The standing offer is not a contract, and Global Affairs has not purchased any equipment from Nuctech at this time,” he added.
Champagne has also “directed (Global Affairs Canada) officials to review our purchasing practices when it comes to security equipment and to continue reviewing the security of our missions around the world,” he stated.
According to the original tender notice, “the tender was for a National Master Standing Offer, which sets pre-arranged prices and effectively makes the company the preferred vendor for the equipment,” the Post reported.
The department of Public Services and Procurement Canada issued tenders last December for walk-through metal detectors, X-ray machines, and bullet resistant windows and doors as part of a Global Affairs upgrade of embassy security, according to the Post’s initial report.
A California-based company won the contract for the metal detectors and Nuctech won the bid to supply X-ray machines. The contract “includes delivery, installation, operator training and software.”
Nuctech’s winning bid was posted on the government’s Buy and Sell website on July 16, the Post reported.
According to this website, Nuctech has received number of Liberal government contracts over the years, including a $2 million contract in 2017 for “hazard-detecting instruments and apparatus” for the Canadian Border Services Agency, and a $1,000,366 contract from 2018 to 2027 to supply this equipment to the same agency.
A security industry source told the Post that the X-ray machines are stand-alone systems and would not be connected to embassy networks, but that he was concerned there would now be “significant pieces of Chinese technology sitting in every embassy.”
That concern was echoed by European China experts and politicians who view Nuctech as the “Huawei of airport security” and fear that its dominance in this sector will give Beijing “insights into airports all over Europe,” Politico reported in February.
“One worry is that the gear could be used as a transmitter of malicious software. Another concern is that Nuctech equipment could cause disruption at Europe’s airports and borders if it were to be misused by foreign state-backed hacking groups, or be used to disrupt supply chains in a trade dispute,” it stated.
News of the offer to Nuctech comes amid rising tensions between Ottawa and Beijing over the extradition case of Meng Wanzhou, a top executive of China’s telecommunication giant Huawei who is under house arrest in British Columbia.
Canada arrested Meng in 2018 at the request of the United States Justice Department, which is accusing her of violating Iranian sanctions. The United States wants Canada to extradite Meng to face charges, and she and Beijing are denying the allegations and demanding her release.
In a move widely regarded as a retaliatory measure to exert pressure on Canada to do so, Beijing arrested former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor shortly after Meng was taken into custody, and in June formally charged them with spying.
Trudeau stated in response that “we deplore what China did” but that Canada will not release Meng, nor will it give in to “hostage diplomacy.”
At the same time, Canada remains the last country of the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance not to officially announce its refusal to work with Huawei. All of the four other members — the United States, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia — have stopped Huawei from supplying 5G equipment.
Huawei was hoping to be a prominent player in a bid to be a major part of Canada’s 5G network, but recently both Bell and Telus said they will partner with Nokia and Ericsson instead.
The Five Eyes Alliance also reported in May that China deliberately lied about the coronavirus outbreak and allowed it to spread globally.
However, Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) announced the same month that it was collaborating with Chinese firm CanSinoBIO to test and develop a Covid-19 vaccine in Canada.
LifeSiteNews reported that the vaccine, known as Ad5-nCoV, uses the HEK293 cell line made from fetal cells from a baby aborted decades ago.
Most recently, Chinese customs officials are reportedly holding back a shipment of the vaccine slated for human clinical trials at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Halifax’s Dalhousie University.
It is not confirmed that China’s authorities delaying the shipping of the vaccine is another means to pressure the Canadian government to release Meng.
As Liberal leader, Trudeau infamously lauded China’s brutal “basic dictatorship” during a 2013 ladies’ night fundraiser in Toronto.
“There is a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green, we need to start, you know, investing in solar,” he said.
“I mean there is a flexibility that I know Stephen Harper must dream about, of having a dictatorship that he can do everything he wanted, that I find quite interesting.”
LifeSite’s Anthony Murdoch contributed to this report.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Jesuit calls for ‘ugly & scandalous’ liturgy

July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – What is one to make of the claim , apparently made in all seriousness , by Jesuit David Inczauskis , who rejoices in the Twitter handle @ LibTheoJesuit ?
I should like to engage with this tweet , which is of course a public statement intended to stimulate reflection and debate , with seriousness and charity .
It is , nevertheless , presumably intended to shock .
I had imagined , naively perhaps , that when we see ugly vestments and church decorations , or hear hideous liturgical music , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed somehow—or that perhaps others ’ tastes just differ from mine .
Was I wrong ?
Do some liturgists actually want to make the Mass repugnant , horrible , and off-putting ?
Suppose one were to make a Christmas card for a grandparent or benefactor .
If we want to please them , we will in showing that we have taken trouble over it , and created something of aesthetic value .
These are the twin aspects of any kind of gift or service .
We value things which aren ’ t great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sincere effort : if , as we might say , love has gone into them .
But what the love is trying to achieve , if it is indeed love and not indifference or dislike , is something of objective beauty .
Inczauskis imagines that the ritual washing of feet at the Last Supper would have been something unpleasant .
Why ?
Our Lord was not mucking out a stable .
Foot-washing was a common and decorous part of hospitality in the ancient world ; its special significance here was that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slave , doing the washing .
After the Last Supper , the Gospels tell us , the Apostles sang a hymn ( Mat 26:30 ) : this would have been part of the ritual of the Passover meal .
Luckily Inczauskis was not there to tell them to sing it out of tune or to use a horrible translation instead of the original , sacred , language , Hebrew .
This was almost certainly a psalm , songs of incomparable aesthetic and spiritual value .
St Paul tells us that the tradition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightly continued in the liturgy of the primitive Church ( Col 3:16 ) , and of course , this has continued to this day .
The point of having sacred texts and setting them to music is , of course , to have beautiful things to sing in the liturgy , rather than ugly or indifferent ones .
The Old Testament records God ’ s commands about worship .
The Israelites are to make liturgical vestments , which must be—yes—beautiful : “ thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron thy brother for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28:2 ) .
The furnishings of the Temple are described : they are fine , dignified , and beautiful , using costly materials such as gold and cedar wood .
The key note of the Temple liturgy was glory .
The Hebrew words used in this connection , kavod and shekinah , are of great importance : they indicate the very presence of the Lord .
“ And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer , fire came down from heaven , and consumed the holocausts and the victims : and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house ” ( 2 Chron 7:1 ) .
The liturgy of the New Law continues this tradition .
St Paul reminds us of the overwhelming glory of the Temple liturgy , which , as he explains , since it was unable to forgive our sins , served in the end only to confirm our condemnation : “ if the ministration of condemnation be glory , much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory ” ( 2 Cor 3:9 ) .
And this is exactly what we find in the liturgical imagery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Letter to the Hebrews .
God is worshipped with solemnity , ritual , and song , with incense and prostrations .
It is nice that Inczauskis wants to link the Mass with the Sacrifice of the Cross—this connection is usually avoided by liturgical progressives , who prefer to think of the Mass solely in terms of a shared meal .
But he should notice two things .
The fact that Christ ’ s death on the Cross involved the shedding of blood does not make it less like a ceremonious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ) more like it .
It was not Jesus simply being “ murdered ” , but put to death in a complex , indeed a ritualized , manner , which recalls the sacrifices of animals familiar in the Old Testament and in classical paganism .
The wounds of Christ ’ s post-resurrection , glorified , body , are themselves glorified .
The other thing Inczauskis needs to remember is that as the Church teaches us , the Mass is a re-presentation of the Sacrifice of the Cross in an “ unbloody manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make this Sacrifice , and its Victim , present once more , in a ritual which is both solemn and beautiful .
Perhaps Inczauskis likes the idea of shocking people into paying attention in Jesuit-style Masses just as he wants to shock people into paying attention to his Twitter feed .
The most appropriately shocking thing , however , might be a Mass which was truly beautiful , one in which we could glimpse the glory of heaven , and the face of Christ .

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July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – What is one to make of the claim, apparently made in all seriousness, by Jesuit David Inczauskis, who rejoices in the Twitter handle @LibTheoJesuit?
Liturgy should not be beautiful.
At the Last Supper, Jesus washed stinky feet.
In the Garden, Jesus sweat blood.
At the cross, Jesus was violently murdered.
Upon rising, Jesus still had open wounds.
No, liturgy should not be beautiful. It should be ugly & scandalous.
Liturgy should not be beautiful. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed stinky feet. In the Garden, Jesus sweat blood. At the cross, Jesus was violently murdered. Upon rising, Jesus still had open wounds. No, liturgy should not be beautiful. It should be ugly & scandalous. — David Inczauskis SJ (@LibTheoJesuit) July 17, 2020
I should like to engage with this tweet, which is of course a public statement intended to stimulate reflection and debate, with seriousness and charity. It is, nevertheless, presumably intended to shock. I had imagined, naively perhaps, that when we see ugly vestments and church decorations, or hear hideous liturgical music, it was the result of well-intentioned efforts which had failed somehow—or that perhaps others’ tastes just differ from mine.
Was I wrong? Do some liturgists actually want to make the Mass repugnant, horrible, and off-putting?
Suppose one were to make a Christmas card for a grandparent or benefactor. If we want to please them, we will in showing that we have taken trouble over it, and created something of aesthetic value. These are the twin aspects of any kind of gift or service. We value things which aren’t great works of art if they nevertheless demonstrate sincere effort: if, as we might say, love has gone into them. But what the love is trying to achieve, if it is indeed love and not indifference or dislike, is something of objective beauty.
Inczauskis imagines that the ritual washing of feet at the Last Supper would have been something unpleasant. Why? Our Lord was not mucking out a stable. Foot-washing was a common and decorous part of hospitality in the ancient world; its special significance here was that it was Christ, and not a servant or slave, doing the washing.
After the Last Supper, the Gospels tell us, the Apostles sang a hymn (Mat 26:30): this would have been part of the ritual of the Passover meal. Luckily Inczauskis was not there to tell them to sing it out of tune or to use a horrible translation instead of the original, sacred, language, Hebrew. This was almost certainly a psalm, songs of incomparable aesthetic and spiritual value. St Paul tells us that the tradition of singing “psalms and spiritual canticles” rightly continued in the liturgy of the primitive Church (Col 3:16), and of course, this has continued to this day. The point of having sacred texts and setting them to music is, of course, to have beautiful things to sing in the liturgy, rather than ugly or indifferent ones.
The Old Testament records God’s commands about worship. The Israelites are to make liturgical vestments, which must be—yes—beautiful: “thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (Ex 28:2). The furnishings of the Temple are described: they are fine, dignified, and beautiful, using costly materials such as gold and cedar wood.
The key note of the Temple liturgy was glory. The Hebrew words used in this connection, kavod and shekinah, are of great importance: they indicate the very presence of the Lord. “And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house” (2 Chron 7:1).
The liturgy of the New Law continues this tradition. St Paul reminds us of the overwhelming glory of the Temple liturgy, which, as he explains, since it was unable to forgive our sins, served in the end only to confirm our condemnation: “if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory” (2 Cor 3:9). And this is exactly what we find in the liturgical imagery and references in the Book of the Apocalypse, and the Letter to the Hebrews. God is worshipped with solemnity, ritual, and song, with incense and prostrations.
It is nice that Inczauskis wants to link the Mass with the Sacrifice of the Cross—this connection is usually avoided by liturgical progressives, who prefer to think of the Mass solely in terms of a shared meal. But he should notice two things. The fact that Christ’s death on the Cross involved the shedding of blood does not make it less like a ceremonious liturgy, but (in the ancient world) more like it. It was not Jesus simply being “murdered”, but put to death in a complex, indeed a ritualized, manner, which recalls the sacrifices of animals familiar in the Old Testament and in classical paganism. The wounds of Christ’s post-resurrection, glorified, body, are themselves glorified.
The other thing Inczauskis needs to remember is that as the Church teaches us, the Mass is a re-presentation of the Sacrifice of the Cross in an “unbloody manner”. We have the opportunity to make this Sacrifice, and its Victim, present once more, in a ritual which is both solemn and beautiful.
Perhaps Inczauskis likes the idea of shocking people into paying attention in Jesuit-style Masses just as he wants to shock people into paying attention to his Twitter feed. The most appropriately shocking thing, however, might be a Mass which was truly beautiful, one in which we could glimpse the glory of heaven, and the face of Christ.
Follow Joseph Dr Joseph Shaw has a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University, where he also gained a first degree in Politics and Philosophy and a graduate Diploma in Theology. He has published on Ethics and Philosophy of Religion and is the editor of The Case for Liturgical Restoration: Una Voce Position Papers on the Extraordinary Form (Angelico Press). He is the Chairman of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales and Secretary of Una Voce International. He teaches Philosophy in Oxford University and lives nearby with his wife and nine children.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--How the bullying of NYT editor Bari Weiss points to a coming tyranny

July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Liberalism thrives on the façade of a single lie to which all must subscribe—that there is no absolute truth .
Of course , everyone knows or at least suspects that absolute truth does exist .
In a liberal order , however , people pretend it does not exist so that everyone can get along .
Behind the fiction of this façade , people can believe whatever they want as long as they hurt no one and abide by the rules of polite , civil discourse .
The problem with a system without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also find shelter .
Every absurdity must be welcomed , and the most glaring contradictions reign and clash .
Behind this grand , lying façade that hides and tolerates everything , disorder festers .
To the degree that common sense declines , the system eventually breaks down .
People get hurt , and civil discourse unravels .
The bullying of the New York Times editor Bari Weiss marked a milestone in the breakdown of the liberal order that has so long ruled in America and the West .
The writer recently startled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted on her website .
The astute writer saw the handwriting on the now-crumbling façade wall .
Error no longer seeks shelter behind the façade but takes command .
A revolutionary mob has created a “ cancel culture ” that dispatches those who dare to disagree .
Resigning was the best way for her to avoid the guillotine and hold on to her head .
An attempt to buttress the façade Ironically , the Times ’ s Opinion section hired Ms. Weiss as an editor three years ago to uphold the liberal consensus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job was to let all opinions be heard , even the most contradictory ones , behind the tolerant façade of the Times ’ s Opinion page .
After failing to anticipate the election of President Donald Trump in 2016 , the Times sought to correct its errors of judgment by facilitating the opinions of centrists , conservatives , and others that rarely appear on the Times ’ editorial page .
Her hiring was to be liberal journalism at its best .
It would facilitate the free exchange of ideas .
Such optimistic hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers , the centrist editor found herself facing the wrath not of an enraged reading public but from colleagues and staffers who opposed her efforts .
Her promotion of diverse views outside the official progressive narrative could not be tolerated .
In her letter to Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger , she decries the bullying from her coworkers .
Because she attempted to interject some degree of objectivity to the editorial page , they falsely accused her of being a racist and even of being a Nazi , despite her being Jewish .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character are openly demeaned on company-wide Slack channels where masthead editors regularly weigh in .
There , some coworkers insist I need to be rooted out if this company is to be a truly ‘ inclusive ’ one , while others post ax emojis next to my name.
” The letter claims that the Times management did nothing against those employees who publicly smeared her “ as a liar and a bigot on Twitter with no fear that harassing me will be met with appropriate action.
” Replacing one narrative for another Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative of a façade without absolute truth .
She is disappointed that polite , civil discourse was no longer possible on the Opinion page .
Perhaps she hopes that the liberal order can still be found outside The New York Times .
However , her letter ’ s most terrifying aspect is her discovery of a new “ orthodoxy ” that points to another narrative that tolerates no opposition and suppresses others with brutal efficiency .
It exercises itself with “ extreme selectivity , ” favoring all those who promote progressive , ecological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one dares to oppose it .
She says editors live in fear of offending this orthodoxy .
Writers are careful lest they ruin their careers .
The Times plays it so safe in accepting op-eds that Twitter has become the “ ultimate editor.
” She notes that “ self-censorship is the norm.
” Ms. Weiss claims that “ If a person ’ s ideology is in keeping with the new orthodoxy , they and their work remain unscrutinized .
Everyone else lives in fear of the digital thunderdome.
” A new tyranny in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this new orthodoxy is that it applies not only to The New York Times and the media in general .
This new Gestapo is sweeping America in all fields .
It no longer cares about rights and public discourse .
It brutally knocks down the façade that screened the errors it now proclaims and imposes them on the public .
No offending statue must be left standing .
All must bow and submit to its demands .
And yet no one questions this orthodoxy .
No one seeks to find by what illegitimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , such tyranny is predictable .
It is found in liberalism ’ s denial of absolute truth and corresponding divine authority .
Inside such a system , as Leo XIII noted , every man determines his truth and becomes his own authority .
The eventual outcome is a regime of boundless license of the unbridled passions .
The bullying of Bari Weiss marks a new phase in the liberal paradigm by which it throws off its old mask of tolerance and reveals its radical Jacobin face .
Under the guise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed .
Every opposing authority must be overthrown .
The old moralities , structures , religious beliefs , and legal systems that restrain the passions are now obstacles to the free exercise of liberal ideas .
The new orthodoxy consists of destroying even the tiniest and most moderate manifestations of these restraining structures .
This change represents not a reform of the system but a revolution against Christian order .
The sooner the public realizes that the old rules no longer apply , the easier it will be to rally around the absolute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meeting the coming tyranny with a counter-revolution .
John Horvat II is a scholar , researcher , educator , international speaker , and author of the book Return to Order , as well as the author of hundreds of published articles .
He lives in Spring Grove , Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition , Family and Property .

July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Liberalism thrives on the façade of a single lie to which all must subscribe—that there is no absolute truth. Of course, everyone knows or at least suspects that absolute truth does exist. In a liberal order, however, people pretend it does not exist so that everyone can get along. Behind the fiction of this façade, people can believe whatever they want as long as they hurt no one and abide by the rules of polite, civil discourse.
The problem with a system without absolute truth is that every error can also find shelter. Every absurdity must be welcomed, and the most glaring contradictions reign and clash. Behind this grand, lying façade that hides and tolerates everything, disorder festers. To the degree that common sense declines, the system eventually breaks down. People get hurt, and civil discourse unravels.
The bullying of Bari Weiss
The bullying of the New York Times editor Bari Weiss marked a milestone in the breakdown of the liberal order that has so long ruled in America and the West. The writer recently startled the world by her blistering letter of resignation posted on her website.
The astute writer saw the handwriting on the now-crumbling façade wall. Error no longer seeks shelter behind the façade but takes command. A revolutionary mob has created a “cancel culture” that dispatches those who dare to disagree. Resigning was the best way for her to avoid the guillotine and hold on to her head.
An attempt to buttress the façade
Ironically, the Times’s Opinion section hired Ms. Weiss as an editor three years ago to uphold the liberal consensus and buttress the tottering façade. Her job was to let all opinions be heard, even the most contradictory ones, behind the tolerant façade of the Times’s Opinion page.
After failing to anticipate the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, the Times sought to correct its errors of judgment by facilitating the opinions of centrists, conservatives, and others that rarely appear on the Times’ editorial page. Her hiring was to be liberal journalism at its best. It would facilitate the free exchange of ideas.
Such optimistic hopes were soon ill-founded. By introducing moderate writers, the centrist editor found herself facing the wrath not of an enraged reading public but from colleagues and staffers who opposed her efforts. Her promotion of diverse views outside the official progressive narrative could not be tolerated.
The bullying and accusations
In her letter to Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger, she decries the bullying from her coworkers. Because she attempted to interject some degree of objectivity to the editorial page, they falsely accused her of being a racist and even of being a Nazi, despite her being Jewish.
She writes, “My work and my character are openly demeaned on company-wide Slack channels where masthead editors regularly weigh in. There, some coworkers insist I need to be rooted out if this company is to be a truly ‘inclusive’ one, while others post ax emojis next to my name.”
The letter claims that the Times management did nothing against those employees who publicly smeared her “as a liar and a bigot on Twitter with no fear that harassing me will be met with appropriate action.”
Replacing one narrative for another
Ms. Weiss still holds firm to the liberal narrative of a façade without absolute truth. She is disappointed that polite, civil discourse was no longer possible on the Opinion page. Perhaps she hopes that the liberal order can still be found outside The New York Times.
However, her letter’s most terrifying aspect is her discovery of a new “orthodoxy” that points to another narrative that tolerates no opposition and suppresses others with brutal efficiency. It exercises itself with “extreme selectivity,” favoring all those who promote progressive, ecological and LGBTQ+ themes and causes. No one dares to oppose it.
She says editors live in fear of offending this orthodoxy. Writers are careful lest they ruin their careers. The Times plays it so safe in accepting op-eds that Twitter has become the “ultimate editor.” She notes that “self-censorship is the norm.”
Ms. Weiss claims that “If a person’s ideology is in keeping with the new orthodoxy, they and their work remain unscrutinized. Everyone else lives in fear of the digital thunderdome.”
A new tyranny in the works
The most frightening thing about this new orthodoxy is that it applies not only to The New York Times and the media in general. This new Gestapo is sweeping America in all fields. It no longer cares about rights and public discourse. It brutally knocks down the façade that screened the errors it now proclaims and imposes them on the public. No offending statue must be left standing. All must bow and submit to its demands.
And yet no one questions this orthodoxy. No one seeks to find by what illegitimate authority it claims to exercise its power.
However, such tyranny is predictable. It is found in liberalism’s denial of absolute truth and corresponding divine authority. Inside such a system, as Leo XIII noted, every man determines his truth and becomes his own authority. The eventual outcome is a regime of boundless license of the unbridled passions.
The bullying of Bari Weiss marks a new phase in the liberal paradigm by which it throws off its old mask of tolerance and reveals its radical Jacobin face.
Under the guise of freedom and diversity, everything must be allowed. Every opposing authority must be overthrown. The old moralities, structures, religious beliefs, and legal systems that restrain the passions are now obstacles to the free exercise of liberal ideas. The new orthodoxy consists of destroying even the tiniest and most moderate manifestations of these restraining structures.
This change represents not a reform of the system but a revolution against Christian order. The sooner the public realizes that the old rules no longer apply, the easier it will be to rally around the absolute truth and God’s divine authority, meeting the coming tyranny with a counter-revolution.
John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published articles. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--The ‘cancel culture’ is losing its mind

The ‘cancel culture’ is losing its mind

PETITION : Support priest who was suspended for calling out the Black Lives Matter organization !
Sign the petition here .
July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Now that the Pandora ’ s Box has been opened and the “ cancel culture ” has been turned loose , there is no hiding its scope .
It is unrestrained and unrelenting .
If you dare cross it , even in the slightest , you will be targeted next – even violently .
The cancel culture is out of control .
You can not reason with it or appeal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not matter .
The only way to stop it is to confront it and expose it , openly , clearly , boldly , and unashamedly .
If you compromise on one issue you ’ ll be forced to capitulate on all issues .
There is no middle ground with this irrational and destructive movement .
The sooner we realize that , the better .
According to Breitbart , “ Miss Swimsuit UK has been stripped of her title after posting the message ‘ ALL lives matter ’ on her Facebook page.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to George Floyd was wrong and unforgivable but so is what happens to many other people of different races in similar situations .
Yet they don ’ t get to protest , loot , take over social media , create a day for their race or even raise $ 10.3 million in aid of the person who passed .
The majority of crime and deaths regarding black people is caused by black on black crime that happens in America.
” Such speech is verboten .
Away with her !
Off with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two police officers were ambushed and killed in cold blood , Savannah Chavez , the 16-year-old daughter of one of those officers ( who was just 39 years old ) , tweeted , “ Words can not describe the pain I ’ m in , but I ’ m glad my dad is at peace.
” She continued , “ You were an amazing man and anyone who ever came across you knew that.
” And then this : “ I ’ m going to miss you so much .
you died doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hero .
i love you daddy , see you soon .
# bluelivesmatter ” .
What gall !
How dare she claim that her father ’ s cold-blooded execution could be compared to someone ’ s death at the hands of a policeman .
And how dare she co-opt a slogan , since her dad , by birth , was not blue .
This grieving teenager received so much opposition she ended up deleting the tweet .
What on earth is happening to our society ?
ZeroHedge.com reports that Facebook deplatformed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative .
Patrick Shyu , who also worked for Google in the past , had claimed in a video that “ ‘ diversity ’ policies were creating more problems than solutions.
” As a result , he was banned from Facebook and shadow-banned from YouTube .
As he explained , “ … just because you did n't like something I said ... for 10 years I said all great things and then one time I say something that you may not necessarily like , you disable my entire account and I lose access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... and there 's no explanation , no customer service , and not much [ of ] an appeals process.
” That is the cancel culture in a nutshell .
If you dare stray from the standard script , even for one moment , you are banned for life .
No more of you !
You can go from ally to enemy in the twinkling of an eye .
In the words of John Gray , an emeritus professor at the London School of Economics , giving a perspective from the U.K. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a free society .
Instead , we are ruled by those who try to enforce their extreme views by shaming and ruining those who think differently.
” “ It is not far-fetched to compare the methods of this ‘ woke movement ’ to those of Chairman Mao ’ s Red Guards , who terrorised the Chinese people half a century ago.
” As for specific examples , he wrote , “ ‘ Critical race theory ’ – a sub-Marxist ideology in which ‘ white privilege ’ is invoked to explain all kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of ‘ decolonising the curriculum ’ .
” “ Indeed , no subject is immune from this re-education campaign in our schools and universities.
” “ Academics at Birmingham City University have proposed that Mozart be eliminated from music teaching and replaced by the rapper Stormzy .
Eton College has announced it will change the teaching of history , geography , religion , politics and English , along with school assemblies and societies , in order to ensure that ‘ decolonisation ’ is enforced across the board.
” And over in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mail , there is a “ New push to RENAME body parts like the Adam 's apple and Achilles ' tendon because they are ‘ irrelevant and misogynistic ’ .
” Where does this stop ?
It does not – until it completely devours itself .
The sad thing is that virtually every day , I could write another article just like this , adding more egregious examples by the hour .
The scary thing is that the cancel culture mob has no trouble resorting to violence , be it setting church buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or attacking a meeting supporting the police .
So , once again , I urge you to wake up , stand up , and speak up – while you can .

There is no middle ground with this irrational and destructive movement. The sooner we realize that, the better.
PETITION: Support priest who was suspended for calling out the Black Lives Matter organization! Sign the petition here.
July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Now that the Pandora’s Box has been opened and the “cancel culture” has been turned loose, there is no hiding its scope. It is unrestrained and unrelenting. If you dare cross it, even in the slightest, you will be targeted next – even violently. The cancel culture is out of control.
You cannot reason with it or appeal to it. Logic and truth and facts do not matter. The only way to stop it is to confront it and expose it, openly, clearly, boldly, and unashamedly.
If you compromise on one issue you’ll be forced to capitulate on all issues. There is no middle ground with this irrational and destructive movement. The sooner we realize that, the better.
Consider these recent examples:
According to Breitbart, “Miss Swimsuit UK has been stripped of her title after posting the message ‘ALL lives matter’ on her Facebook page.”
She had written, “Yes what happened to George Floyd was wrong and unforgivable but so is what happens to many other people of different races in similar situations. Yet they don’t get to protest, loot, take over social media, create a day for their race or even raise $10.3 million in aid of the person who passed. The majority of crime and deaths regarding black people is caused by black on black crime that happens in America.”
Such speech is verboten. Away with her! Off with her crown!
According to Policemag.com, after two police officers were ambushed and killed in cold blood, Savannah Chavez, the 16-year-old daughter of one of those officers (who was just 39 years old), tweeted, “Words cannot describe the pain I’m in, but I’m glad my dad is at peace.” She continued, “You were an amazing man and anyone who ever came across you knew that.” And then this: “I’m going to miss you so much. you died doing what you loved most, you died a hero. i love you daddy, see you soon. #bluelivesmatter”.
What gall! How dare she claim that her father’s cold-blooded execution could be compared to someone’s death at the hands of a policeman. And how dare she co-opt a slogan, since her dad, by birth, was not blue.
This grieving teenager received so much opposition she ended up deleting the tweet.
What on earth is happening to our society?
ZeroHedge.com reports that Facebook deplatformed a former employee who questioned the standard BLM/diversity narrative. Patrick Shyu, who also worked for Google in the past, had claimed in a video that “‘diversity’ policies were creating more problems than solutions.”
As a result, he was banned from Facebook and shadow-banned from YouTube. As he explained, “… just because you didn't like something I said… for 10 years I said all great things and then one time I say something that you may not necessarily like, you disable my entire account and I lose access to all the past 10 years information… and there's no explanation, no customer service, and not much [of] an appeals process.”
That is the cancel culture in a nutshell. If you dare stray from the standard script, even for one moment, you are banned for life. No more of you! You can go from ally to enemy in the twinkling of an eye.
In the words of John Gray, an emeritus professor at the London School of Economics, giving a perspective from the U.K., “Today we are no longer living in a free society. Instead, we are ruled by those who try to enforce their extreme views by shaming and ruining those who think differently.”
“It is not far-fetched to compare the methods of this ‘woke movement’ to those of Chairman Mao’s Red Guards, who terrorised the Chinese people half a century ago.”
As for specific examples, he wrote, “‘Critical race theory’ – a sub-Marxist ideology in which ‘white privilege’ is invoked to explain all kinds of injustice – is increasingly being taught as part of ‘decolonising the curriculum’.”
“Indeed, no subject is immune from this re-education campaign in our schools and universities.”
“Academics at Birmingham City University have proposed that Mozart be eliminated from music teaching and replaced by the rapper Stormzy. Eton College has announced it will change the teaching of history, geography, religion, politics and English, along with school assemblies and societies, in order to ensure that ‘decolonisation’ is enforced across the board.”
And over in Australia, as reported by the Daily Mail, there is a “New push to RENAME body parts like the Adam's apple and Achilles' tendon because they are ‘irrelevant and misogynistic’.”
Where does this stop? It does not – until it completely devours itself.
The sad thing is that virtually every day, I could write another article just like this, adding more egregious examples by the hour.
The scary thing is that the cancel culture mob has no trouble resorting to violence, be it setting church buildings on fire, vandalizing statues considered sacred, or attacking a meeting supporting the police.
So, once again, I urge you to wake up, stand up, and speak up – while you can.
Follow Michael Dr. Brown is the author of more than 35 books, including Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the “Church” and the Jewish People, which has been translated into more than twelve languages, the highly acclaimed five-volume series, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, a commentary on Jeremiah (part of the revised edition of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary), and several books on revival and the Jesus revolution. His most recent book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Kanye West confesses to almost having daughter aborted

URGENT PETITION : Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade !
Sign the petition here .
NORTH CHARLESTON , North Carolina , July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Rapper Kanye West held the first “ campaign stop ” of his announced presidential bid this weekend , during which he emotionally confessed how close he and his then-girlfriend Kim Kardashian came to aborting their first child … while maintaining the practice should remain legal .
`` In the Bible it says thou shalt not kill , '' West told the North Carolina crowd , E !
Online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend ( at the time ) called me screaming and crying ( ... ) And I just thought to myself , 'Please do n't tell me I gave Kim Kardashian AIDS.
’ Then , she said , ' I 'm pregnant ' and I said , 'Yes . '
( ... ) she said 'No . '
She was crying ... ( and ) said she had to go to the doctor.
” '' And for one month , and two months and three months , we talked about her not having this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there came a time when Kardsashian `` had pills in her hand .
You know , these pills you take it and it 's a wrap — the baby is gone . ''
`` She said , 'We are going to have this child , ’ ” West went on .
“ I know people who are 50 years old who do n't have a child .
So even if my wife were to divorce me after this speech , she brought North into the world , even when I did n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected that child.
” “ I almost killed my daughter !
” West emotionally confessed , crying .
“ I love my daughter !
” North West , the first of the couple ’ s four children , was born on June 15 , 2013 .
The rapper added that abortion is personal to him from the other end of the equation , as well .
`` Forty-three years ago , who do you think protected a child ?
My mom saved my life , '' he said .
`` My dad wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my life .
There would have been no Kanye West . ''
Even so , West said abortion should remain legal , the Associated Press noted .
Instead of banning it , he suggested instituting financial incentives for mothers to keep their babies .
“ Everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars , ” he floated as an example .
The comments are the latest manifestation of the rapper ’ s apparent transformation in recent years , starting with his praise of President Donald Trump in 2018 and conversion to Christianity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out against abortion in the past , and criticized the idea that blacks and Democrats should be natural allies .
West announced his presidential ambitions on July 4 .
In a wide-ranging interview with Forbes , he suggested he has soured on Trump ever since “ I caught wind that he hid in the bunker ” during the Black Lives Matter riots in Washington , D.C. , though he also panned Biden as “ not special.
” He was also candid about his lack of expertise , promising that his “ answer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” will be to consult with “ the strongest experts that serve God and come back with the best solution.
” It ’ s still unclear how serious West is about actually running for president .
A search for “ Kanye West ” on the Federal Election Commission website auto-populates with two variations of the rapper ’ s name , neither of which when clicked has a financial summary currently available , as well as a PAC .
He has also missed the filing deadline to appear on the ballots of at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report that Kim Kardashian is displeased with West ’ s decision to disclose the couple ’ s past contemplation of abortion , and that sources close to the family `` believe Kanye is in desperate need of professional help and is in the middle of a serious bipolar episode , but he wo n't listen to them . ''

URGENT PETITION: Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade! Sign the petition here.
NORTH CHARLESTON, North Carolina, July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Rapper Kanye West held the first “campaign stop” of his announced presidential bid this weekend, during which he emotionally confessed how close he and his then-girlfriend Kim Kardashian came to aborting their first child … while maintaining the practice should remain legal.
“In the Bible it says thou shalt not kill,” West told the North Carolina crowd, E! Online reported. “I remember when my girlfriend (at the time) called me screaming and crying (…) And I just thought to myself, 'Please don't tell me I gave Kim Kardashian AIDS.’ Then, she said, 'I'm pregnant' and I said, 'Yes.' (…) she said 'No.' She was crying… (and) said she had to go to the doctor.”
“And for one month, and two months and three months, we talked about her not having this child,” he continued, adding there came a time when Kardsashian “had pills in her hand. You know, these pills you take it and it's a wrap — the baby is gone.”
“She said, 'We are going to have this child,’” West went on. “I know people who are 50 years old who don't have a child. So even if my wife were to divorce me after this speech, she brought North into the world, even when I didn't want to. She stood up and she protected that child.”
“I almost killed my daughter!” West emotionally confessed, crying. “I love my daughter!” North West, the first of the couple’s four children, was born on June 15, 2013.
The rapper added that abortion is personal to him from the other end of the equation, as well. “Forty-three years ago, who do you think protected a child? My mom saved my life,” he said. “My dad wanted to abort me! My mom saved my life. There would have been no Kanye West.”
Even so, West said abortion should remain legal, the Associated Press noted. Instead of banning it, he suggested instituting financial incentives for mothers to keep their babies. “Everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars,” he floated as an example.
The comments are the latest manifestation of the rapper’s apparent transformation in recent years, starting with his praise of President Donald Trump in 2018 and conversion to Christianity the following year. West has spoken out against abortion in the past, and criticized the idea that blacks and Democrats should be natural allies.
West announced his presidential ambitions on July 4. In a wide-ranging interview with Forbes, he suggested he has soured on Trump ever since “I caught wind that he hid in the bunker” during the Black Lives Matter riots in Washington, D.C., though he also panned Biden as “not special.” He was also candid about his lack of expertise, promising that his “answer for anything that I haven’t researched” will be to consult with “the strongest experts that serve God and come back with the best solution.”
It’s still unclear how serious West is about actually running for president. A search for “Kanye West” on the Federal Election Commission website auto-populates with two variations of the rapper’s name, neither of which when clicked has a financial summary currently available, as well as a PAC. He has also missed the filing deadline to appear on the ballots of at least six states.
TMZ and Entertainment Tonight report that Kim Kardashian is displeased with West’s decision to disclose the couple’s past contemplation of abortion, and that sources close to the family “believe Kanye is in desperate need of professional help and is in the middle of a serious bipolar episode, but he won't listen to them.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Preparing one’s heart for fasting

Preparing one’s heart for fasting

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

To help keep this and other programs on the air, please donate here.
Watch Mother Miriam's Live re-aired on 7.20.2020. In today's encore presentation, Mother Miriam speaks about the importance of fasting and doing so with the proper disposition. Originally aired during Lent, this episode is a great reminder of the importance of fasting all year round.
You can tune in daily at 10 am EST/7 am PST on our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to Mother Miriam Live here.


lifesitenews--2020-07-20--White House official: Trump will prosecute ‘sacrilegious acts’ of vandalism against Catholic churche

White House official: Trump will prosecute ‘sacrilegious acts’ of vandalism against Catholic churches, statues

PETITION : Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues !
Sign the petition here .
WASHINGTON , D.C. , July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― President Donald Trump has promised to bring those caught vandalizing Catholic churches and statues to justice .
According to the Daily Caller , a White House official has stated that the “ criminals ” who have carried out the violent attacks will be prosecuted “ to the fullest extent of the law.
” The unnamed official told the online conservative news magazine that President Trump has joined “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave of church-burnings and other desecrations .
“ Rest assured , President Trump will always demand law and order in American communities , and ensure the criminals causing these sacrilegious acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law , ” he said .
Across the United States , Catholic churches , statues , and even gravestones have been defaced or destroyed since mob violence erupted across the U.S. in the wake of the May 25 death of Minneapolis bouncer George Floyd in police custody .
Black Lives Matter activist Shaun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stained glass , and other artwork with depictions of Jesus Christ and His mother Mary as “ white ” on June 22 .
St. Patrick ’ s Cathedral in New York was vandalized by two teenage Black Lives Matter activists on May 30 .
Anaya Diaz , 18 , and a 17-year-old who could not be named because of her age were charged with criminal mischief .
The St. Gabriel Mission church founded by St. Junipero Serra near what is now Los Angeles almost 250 years ago was badly damaged by fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the saint ’ s statue in Los Angeles and in San Francisco on June 19 .
After Catholics prevented activists from destroying St. Junipero ’ s statue in Ventura , CA , the city council approved a decision to remove it to a private location .
Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala , Florida was also damaged on July 11 when 24-year-old Steven Anthony Shield plowed his minivan into the building and allegedly set fire to the foyer with gasoline .
A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside Cathedral Prep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City was defaced by graffiti reading “ IDOL ” on July 10 .
Another statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary , this one outside St. Peter ’ s Church in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston , was damaged on July 11 when an unknown vandal set fire to plastic flowers in its hands .
READ : Arson suspected in burning of historic cathedral in western France A Catholic cemetery in Providence , Rhode Island was attacked on July 15 by 26-year-old Keveon Gomera .
The young man allegedly spraypainted swastikas and anti-Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friars and a central cross as well as burning a number of American flags in the graveyard .
He is also accused of having assaulted a Providence College security guard .
Other Christian churches have been vandalized or damaged by fire in recent weeks , notably St. John ’ s Episcopalian Church in Washington , D.C. on May 31 and June 22 and Harmony Baptist Church in Rogersville , Missouri on July 5 .
On June 26 , the American president signed an executive order demanding that jail terms be handed out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany , the Order directs the federal government to prosecute anyone who damages or defaces religious property and to withhold support from state and local governments that do not protect public or religious property from harm .
McEnany ’ s statement recognized that for five weeks there had been a “ sustained assault ” on the lives and property of Americans by “ rioters , arsonists [ , ] and left-wing extremists ” trying to force an anti-American ideology upon the wider public .
“ President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets , rewrite our history , or harm the American way of life , ” it stated .

'President Trump will always demand law and order in American communities, and ensure the criminals causing these sacrilegious acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― President Donald Trump has promised to bring those caught vandalizing Catholic churches and statues to justice.
According to the Daily Caller, a White House official has stated that the “criminals” who have carried out the violent attacks will be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”
The unnamed official told the online conservative news magazine that President Trump has joined “the Catholic community in solidarity” during the wave of church-burnings and other desecrations.
“Rest assured, President Trump will always demand law and order in American communities, and ensure the criminals causing these sacrilegious acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
Across the United States, Catholic churches, statues, and even gravestones have been defaced or destroyed since mob violence erupted across the U.S. in the wake of the May 25 death of Minneapolis bouncer George Floyd in police custody.
Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King called for the removal of statues, stained glass, and other artwork with depictions of Jesus Christ and His mother Mary as “white” on June 22.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York was vandalized by two teenage Black Lives Matter activists on May 30. Anaya Diaz, 18, and a 17-year-old who could not be named because of her age were charged with criminal mischief.
The St. Gabriel Mission church founded by St. Junipero Serra near what is now Los Angeles almost 250 years ago was badly damaged by fire on July 11, following the desecration of the saint’s statue in Los Angeles and in San Francisco on June 19. After Catholics prevented activists from destroying St. Junipero’s statue in Ventura, CA, the city council approved a decision to remove it to a private location.
Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, Florida was also damaged on July 11 when 24-year-old Steven Anthony Shield plowed his minivan into the building and allegedly set fire to the foyer with gasoline.
A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside Cathedral Prep School and Seminary in Queens, New York City was defaced by graffiti reading “IDOL” on July 10.
Another statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this one outside St. Peter’s Church in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, was damaged on July 11 when an unknown vandal set fire to plastic flowers in its hands.
READ: Arson suspected in burning of historic cathedral in western France
A Catholic cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island was attacked on July 15 by 26-year-old Keveon Gomera. The young man allegedly spraypainted swastikas and anti-Catholic graffiti on the headstones of several Domincian friars and a central cross as well as burning a number of American flags in the graveyard. He is also accused of having assaulted a Providence College security guard.
Other Christian churches have been vandalized or damaged by fire in recent weeks, notably St. John’s Episcopalian Church in Washington, D.C. on May 31 and June 22 and Harmony Baptist Church in Rogersville, Missouri on July 5.
On June 26, the American president signed an executive order demanding that jail terms be handed out to people who desecrate public monuments. According to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, the Order directs the federal government to prosecute anyone who damages or defaces religious property and to withhold support from state and local governments that do not protect public or religious property from harm.
McEnany’s statement recognized that for five weeks there had been a “sustained assault” on the lives and property of Americans by “rioters, arsonists[,] and left-wing extremists” trying to force an anti-American ideology upon the wider public.
“President Trump will never allow violence to control our streets, rewrite our history, or harm the American way of life,” it stated.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united daily in prayer , in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade .
Catholics from all over the world—from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , Pakistan , Singapore , the Philippines , India , Indonesia , Australia , New Zealand , Thailand , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Brazil , and other countries—are gathering daily to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Pillari , J.C.L.
, an American priest currently studying in Italy .
Our goal is , by means of this daily rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima , the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
To help obtain that goal , Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide rosary crusade : O Immaculate Heart of Mary , you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother .
Look upon the distress in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church .
In Fatima you warned against these errors , as you spoke about the errors of Russia .
You are the Mediatrix of all graces .
Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope : that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart , so that Russia will be converted , a period of peace will be granted to the world , and your Immaculate Heart will triumph , through an authentic renewal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purity of the Catholic Faith , of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life .
O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother , turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer .
Amen .
+ Athanasius Schneider , Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady ’ s message at Fatima , and about what you can do , please read Cardinal Burke ’ s 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //voiceofthefamily.com/full-text-cardinal-burkes-historic-call-for-consecration-of-russia/ ) .
As St. Padre Pio once said , “ The rosary is the weapon for these times.
” Through prayer , God can shape history , change the world , and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world , through the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
Join us today !
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this rosary , you can access them via this PDF .
This document also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily rosary on LifeSite led by Fr .
Pillari .
Send photos or videos of you and your family praying the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--UN Population Fund defends ‘right’ to abort female half of population

PETITION : Thank President Trump for halting U.S. funding to pro-abortion World Health Organization !
Sign the petition here .
July 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) has released its annual State of World Population report , with 2020 ’ s edition containing language that condemns using abortion specifically to exterminate girls while simultaneously rejecting laws to forbid the sexist practice .
“ Decisions to carry to term male but not female fetuses is a reflection of gender-discriminatory views that women and girls are worth less than men and boys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passage highlighted by Church Militant .
At the same time , “ bans on sex selection are often ineffective and also infringe reproductive rights , including access to safe abortion in countries where abortion is legal.
” The report seemingly tries to reconcile these two positions by blaming sex-selective abortions on the “ persistence of deep-rooted stereotypes on the roles and responsibilities of women and violates the human right to be treated equally , without regard to gender.
” Pro-abortion dogma casts legal abortion as a prerequisite for women ’ s equality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s groups who emphatically oppose abortion .
The UNFPA goes on to declare that the solution to sex-selective abortions is not to protect female babies from intentional violence , but to “ tackl [ e ] the preference for sons through changes in social norms.
” Sex-selective abortion is a persistent problem around the world , particularly in China , whose population-control policies have resulted in men outnumbering women by 33 million .
Last year , a study published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences found that sex-selective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls worldwide .
“ UNFPA has strained against the restriction from officially promoting abortion as a human right , which nations imposed on the agency in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development at Cairo , ” Dr. Susan Yoshihara of the Center for Family & Human Rights wrote , noting that the report ’ s conclusion undermines its own warnings that “ unfettered abortion leads to other harms to women.
” “ UNFPA tries to have it both ways , condemning one reason for abortion as a human rights violation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right , ” Yoshihara said .
Last May , United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas excoriated the court for its refusal to uphold a portion of an Indiana law banning abortions specifically sought due to a child ’ s sex , race , or disability .
“ Enshrining a constitutional right to an abortion based solely on the race , sex , or disability of an unborn child , as Planned Parenthood advocates , would constitutionalize the views of the 20th-century eugenics movement , ” Thomas warned , a stark contrast to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” defense of the “ rights of people even potentially subjected to race , sex , and disability discrimination ” in cases unrelated to abortion .

According to the UNFPA, the solution to sex-selective abortions is not to protect female babies from intentional violence, but to 'tackl[e] the preference for sons through changes in social norms.'
PETITION: Hold UN accountable for babies killed by sex-selection abortion! Sign the petition here.
July 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has released its annual State of World Population report, with 2020’s edition containing language that condemns using abortion specifically to exterminate girls while simultaneously rejecting laws to forbid the sexist practice.
“Decisions to carry to term male but not female fetuses is a reflection of gender-discriminatory views that women and girls are worth less than men and boys,” states the report, in a passage highlighted by Church Militant. At the same time, “bans on sex selection are often ineffective and also infringe reproductive rights, including access to safe abortion in countries where abortion is legal.”
The report seemingly tries to reconcile these two positions by blaming sex-selective abortions on the “persistence of deep-rooted stereotypes on the roles and responsibilities of women and violates the human right to be treated equally, without regard to gender.” Pro-abortion dogma casts legal abortion as a prerequisite for women’s equality, despite the number of women and women’s groups who emphatically oppose abortion.
The UNFPA goes on to declare that the solution to sex-selective abortions is not to protect female babies from intentional violence, but to “tackl[e] the preference for sons through changes in social norms.”
Sex-selective abortion is a persistent problem around the world, particularly in China, whose population-control policies have resulted in men outnumbering women by 33 million. Last year, a study published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences found that sex-selective abortion has eliminated more than 23 million girls worldwide.
“UNFPA has strained against the restriction from officially promoting abortion as a human right, which nations imposed on the agency in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development at Cairo,” Dr. Susan Yoshihara of the Center for Family & Human Rights wrote, noting that the report’s conclusion undermines its own warnings that “unfettered abortion leads to other harms to women.”
“UNFPA tries to have it both ways, condemning one reason for abortion as a human rights violation and every other reason as a human right,” Yoshihara said.
Last May, United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas excoriated the court for its refusal to uphold a portion of an Indiana law banning abortions specifically sought due to a child’s sex, race, or disability.
“Enshrining a constitutional right to an abortion based solely on the race, sex, or disability of an unborn child, as Planned Parenthood advocates, would constitutionalize the views of the 20th-century eugenics movement,” Thomas warned, a stark contrast to the Supreme Court’s “zealous” defense of the “rights of people even potentially subjected to race, sex, and disability discrimination” in cases unrelated to abortion.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--LifeSite is hiring journalists! Join our team to fight for life, faith, and family

Are you passionate about the battle for life and family ?
We are facing a growing assault on all that is good and true in our world , and we need passionate , faith-filled men and women to come and join us in the fight to restore the Christian foundations of our society .
If you ’ re ready to give your life for the cause , then you ’ re in the right place .
Apply to join our team as a journalist here : https : //lifesitenews.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php ?
id=57 LifeSiteNews is seeking a passionate , faith-filled professional to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news in the battle for life , family , and the restoration of Christian culture .
The successful applicant will be tasked with finding , investigating , and writing news pieces to inform and inspire readers .
Candidates must be highly motivated , have top-notch writing skills , and have the ability and humility to work with our editing team to learn the tools of online journalism .
• knowledge of the global pro-life and pro-family movements • a keen interest in current events in the Church and world • high self-motivation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fast-paced environment with constant rolling deadlines • facility and experience with web publishing platforms , Microsoft Office , social media ( Facebook , Twitter , etc . )
• willingness to take direction and adapt , and ability to work well on a team • willingness to work hours as needed , including occasional nights and weekends Salary is negotiable based upon need and experience .
Keep in mind that while LifeSite aims to meet our employees ' financial needs , we are a mission-based non-profit .
Your application should include a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three references , five or more samples of your journalism , and answers to the list of questions provided .
The cover letter should explain your interest in working for LifeSite , and outline how your experience has proven both your commitment to LifeSite ’ s mission and your ability to succeed in the position .
It must show knowledge of and interest in LifeSite ’ s mission and reporting .
The references are important .
Please be aware that at a later stage of the application process , you may be required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ references .
We will contact successful applicants for an interview .
Prior to a hiring decision , applicants will be required to take on several assignments at a freelance rate .
Normally , new employees are required to fly to Ontario for a week of training around the first month on the job , however this may not be possible due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
LOCATION : While LifeSiteNews has offices in Front Royal , Virginia and Toronto , Ontario , many of our staff telecommute from home offices .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telecommuters .

We are seeking journalists to join us in the fight for Christian civilization. Apply today!
Are you passionate about the battle for life and family?
We are facing a growing assault on all that is good and true in our world, and we need passionate, faith-filled men and women to come and join us in the fight to restore the Christian foundations of our society.
If you’re ready to give your life for the cause, then you’re in the right place.
Apply to join our team as a journalist here: https://lifesitenews.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=57
Please apply by August 10, 2020.
Journalist
LifeSiteNews is seeking a passionate, faith-filled professional to serve as a full-time journalist covering crucial news in the battle for life, family, and the restoration of Christian culture.
The successful applicant will be tasked with finding, investigating, and writing news pieces to inform and inspire readers. Candidates must be highly motivated, have top-notch writing skills, and have the ability and humility to work with our editing team to learn the tools of online journalism.
A successful candidate will have:
excellent research and writing skills
a meticulous eye for detail and accuracy
comfortability doing telephone interviews
knowledge of the global pro-life and pro-family movements
knowledge of Catholic teachings and traditions
a keen interest in current events in the Church and world
high self-motivation, and ability to thrive in a high-stress, fast-paced environment with constant rolling deadlines
facility and experience with web publishing platforms, Microsoft Office, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
willingness to take direction and adapt, and ability to work well on a team
excellent communication skills
willingness to work hours as needed, including occasional nights and weekends
Salary is negotiable based upon need and experience. Keep in mind that while LifeSite aims to meet our employees' financial needs, we are a mission-based non-profit.
Your application should include a resume, cover letter, at least three references, five or more samples of your journalism, and answers to the list of questions provided.
The cover letter should explain your interest in working for LifeSite, and outline how your experience has proven both your commitment to LifeSite’s mission and your ability to succeed in the position. It must show knowledge of and interest in LifeSite’s mission and reporting.
The references are important. Please be aware that at a later stage of the application process, you may be required to arrange calls for us with your references.
We will contact successful applicants for an interview. Prior to a hiring decision, applicants will be required to take on several assignments at a freelance rate. Normally, new employees are required to fly to Ontario for a week of training around the first month on the job, however this may not be possible due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Please email writing samples to [email protected].
Application deadline: August 10, 2020
LOCATION: While LifeSiteNews has offices in Front Royal, Virginia and Toronto, Ontario, many of our staff telecommute from home offices. As such, this position is open to telecommuters.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-20--Arson suspected in burning of historic cathedral in western France

FRANCE , July 18 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Saint Peter and Saint Paul cathedral of Nantes , in the west of France , was ravaged by a violent fire this Saturday morning .
The blaze caused severe damage to the inside of the late-Gothic building , completely destroying a beautiful and monumental baroque organ built in the 17th century .
It had survived the French Revolution , two world wars , and the fire that destroyed the roof of Nantes cathedral in 1972 .
Fifteen months after the fire that destroyed the roof and spire of Notre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragic conflagration is leading many Catholics to ask whether “ Christianophobia ” is not to blame for the increase of such incidents .
Repairs to the church are expected to last for at least two years before public worship can resume .
A Mass of recollection was celebrated in the nearby church of Saint Nicolas at 6:00 p.m. , attended by many parishioners of “ Saint Pierre et Saint Paul ” who were shocked and saddened by the loss and destruction endured by their church , an elegant and luminous building with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 1891 .
While according to the official narrative the Notre Dame fire was an “ accident , ” a criminal investigation has already been opened in Nantes by the French judicial authorities because no less than three points of ignition of the fire , quite far away from each other , were observed by the firefighters .
One was near the organ situated under the large stained-glass window of the façade that was also badly damaged , the two others being in the aisles to the left and right of the cathedral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though no signs of forced entry have been found .
In fact , according to the rector of the cathedral , Father Hubert Champennois , all the doors of the cathedral were closed and locked the evening before at the end of a “ very minute inspection , even in the crypt , ” as they are every day .
An electrical cabinet in the cathedral was also found to be completely destroyed .
Before the end of the morning , the public prosecutor of Nantes , Pierre Sennes , made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause is being taken very seriously .
Forensic experts were expected to arrive from Paris on Saturday afternoon in order to determine the circumstances of the fire .
Bishop Bernard Ginoux of Montauban ( south-west of France ) published his reaction on Twitter soon after the suspicion of arson was made public .
“ After Notre Dame de Paris and the degradation and desecration of hundreds of Catholic churches , it takes willful blindness not to see an attempt to destroy our Catholic heritage .
But who is conducting the operation ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Brittany , 100 km north of Nantes , was targeted by arsonists in June of this year : a fire was lit against one of its wooden doors that was partially destroyed by the flames during the night from June 11 to June 12 .
Thankfully , the damage was relatively slight because the fire was not able to penetrate into the building and was quickly put out by firefighters .
Other fires have hit churches in France these last months and years , including Saint Jacques in Grenoble ( south-east ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed at the end of last year and attributed to the “ extreme left ” by Father Loïc Lagadec , vicar general of the diocese .
Another church was badly damaged near Rennes on June 29 of this year , in a fire that spread from the main altar .
According to the authorities , an electrical incident was to blame .
The church of Saint Paul of Corbeil-Essonnes , near Paris was also hit by a fire two weeks ago : the evidence suggested that it was a case of arson as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the neighboring catechism classroom .
Two years before , aggressive tags had been painted on the building .
Attacks against churches and cemeteries are on the rise in France .
In many cases , young Satanists are found to be the culprits .
In Nantes , there is a flourishing “ Antifa ” movement that is being pointed at by the social media that has also designated possible “ Muslim ” perpetrators .
Whatever the truth behind these speculations , the rift in the French social order is only too visible and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter ” movement that is also active in France .
Some activists pointed at the fact that Nantes ’ prosperity came from the slave trade in the 18th century , when ship-owners made fortunes out of the “ Triangular Trade ” between the port of Nantes at the mouth of the Loire on the Atlantic , Africa , and the Americas .
At Nantes cathedral this Saturday morning , it was the prompt arrival of the firefighters – 105 men were mobilized – that allowed the damage to be less horrendous than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke out at around 7:30 a.m. , and was almost immediately noticed and reported by the local inhabitants in the many residential buildings that surround the cathedral as the fateful orange flames blazed behind the stained-glass windows of the façade , destroying the only 16th century original panes left in Nantes cathedral .
Minutes later , the fire brigade arrived on the scene while the police kept the public at a distance and the fire was under control by 10:00 a.m. By noon , most of the firefighters had already left the scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decorations on the façade that threatened to come down .
An accidental fire caused by workers who were doing repairs to the roof of Nantes cathedral in 1972 , leading to a lengthy restoration that kept its doors closed for several years , was followed by the reconstruction of the frame and roof in cement , a factor that probably preserves the edifice from wider damage that would have been caused if a wooden frame had still been in place .
However , the loss of the historic organ built by Jacques Girardet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tended to and restored over the centuries is complete .
Nothing is left of its 77 registers and 5,500 pipes acquired during five complete restorations .
The new French Prime Minister , Jean Castex , as well as the Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot and the Minister for the Interior , Gérald Darmanin , visited the scene on Saturday afternoon and were able to enter into the cathedral escorted by the firefighters .
They spoke of the damage done to the French heritage but also mentioned the profound hurt felt by French Catholics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macron who in a short tweet , saluted “ our firefighters who risk everything to save this Gothic jewel of the city of the Dukes.
” Thierry Aillet , diocesan director of Catholic schools in the Vaucluse ( south of France ) , answered on Twitter : “ Poor Sir , a cathedral is above all the house of God where Catholic come to receive the Body of Christ in Communion .
It is truly the house of God that they are trying to burn.
” Philippe de Villiers , former candidate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historical theme park of the Puy-du-Fou in Vendée in which due homage is paid to the heroes of the Catholic uprising against the secularist French Revolution and the genocide of the Vendée , noted on Twitter : “ The fire in Nantes Cathedral , after that of Notre-Dame of Paris , should make our elites reflect on the present great disorder and great upheaval .
De-civilization is underway .
During lockdown , the churches were closed .
Now they are burning .
”

Other fires have hit churches in France these last months and years, including Saint Jacques in Grenoble in January 2019, where arson was confirmed and attributed to the 'extreme left,' and the church of Saint Paul of Corbeil-Essonnes, near Paris two weeks ago, with the evidence also pointing to arson.
FRANCE, July 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Saint Peter and Saint Paul cathedral of Nantes, in the west of France, was ravaged by a violent fire this Saturday morning. The blaze caused severe damage to the inside of the late-Gothic building, completely destroying a beautiful and monumental baroque organ built in the 17th century. It had survived the French Revolution, two world wars, and the fire that destroyed the roof of Nantes cathedral in 1972. Fifteen months after the fire that destroyed the roof and spire of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, this new tragic conflagration is leading many Catholics to ask whether “Christianophobia” is not to blame for the increase of such incidents.
Repairs to the church are expected to last for at least two years before public worship can resume. A Mass of recollection was celebrated in the nearby church of Saint Nicolas at 6:00 p.m., attended by many parishioners of “Saint Pierre et Saint Paul” who were shocked and saddened by the loss and destruction endured by their church, an elegant and luminous building with an incredibly high nave, built between 1434 and 1891.
While according to the official narrative the Notre Dame fire was an “accident,” a criminal investigation has already been opened in Nantes by the French judicial authorities because no less than three points of ignition of the fire, quite far away from each other, were observed by the firefighters. One was near the organ situated under the large stained-glass window of the façade that was also badly damaged, the two others being in the aisles to the left and right of the cathedral.
These facts point heavily to arson, even though no signs of forced entry have been found. In fact, according to the rector of the cathedral, Father Hubert Champennois, all the doors of the cathedral were closed and locked the evening before at the end of a “very minute inspection, even in the crypt,” as they are every day. An electrical cabinet in the cathedral was also found to be completely destroyed.
Before the end of the morning, the public prosecutor of Nantes, Pierre Sennes, made clear that the possibility of a criminal cause is being taken very seriously. Forensic experts were expected to arrive from Paris on Saturday afternoon in order to determine the circumstances of the fire.
Bishop Bernard Ginoux of Montauban (south-west of France) published his reaction on Twitter soon after the suspicion of arson was made public. “After Notre Dame de Paris and the degradation and desecration of hundreds of Catholic churches, it takes willful blindness not to see an attempt to destroy our Catholic heritage. But who is conducting the operation?” he wrote.
The cathedral of Rennes, Brittany, 100 km north of Nantes, was targeted by arsonists in June of this year: a fire was lit against one of its wooden doors that was partially destroyed by the flames during the night from June 11 to June 12. Thankfully, the damage was relatively slight because the fire was not able to penetrate into the building and was quickly put out by firefighters.
Other fires have hit churches in France these last months and years, including Saint Jacques in Grenoble (south-east) in January 2019, where arson was confirmed at the end of last year and attributed to the “extreme left” by Father Loïc Lagadec, vicar general of the diocese. Another church was badly damaged near Rennes on June 29 of this year, in a fire that spread from the main altar. According to the authorities, an electrical incident was to blame. The church of Saint Paul of Corbeil-Essonnes, near Paris was also hit by a fire two weeks ago: the evidence suggested that it was a case of arson as there were signs of attempted forced entry into the neighboring catechism classroom. Two years before, aggressive tags had been painted on the building.
Attacks against churches and cemeteries are on the rise in France. In many cases, young Satanists are found to be the culprits. In Nantes, there is a flourishing “Antifa” movement that is being pointed at by the social media that has also designated possible “Muslim” perpetrators. Whatever the truth behind these speculations, the rift in the French social order is only too visible and has increased with the recent “Black Lives Matter” movement that is also active in France. Some activists pointed at the fact that Nantes’ prosperity came from the slave trade in the 18th century, when ship-owners made fortunes out of the “Triangular Trade” between the port of Nantes at the mouth of the Loire on the Atlantic, Africa, and the Americas.
At Nantes cathedral this Saturday morning, it was the prompt arrival of the firefighters – 105 men were mobilized – that allowed the damage to be less horrendous than it might have been. The fire broke out at around 7:30 a.m., and was almost immediately noticed and reported by the local inhabitants in the many residential buildings that surround the cathedral as the fateful orange flames blazed behind the stained-glass windows of the façade, destroying the only 16th century original panes left in Nantes cathedral. Minutes later, the fire brigade arrived on the scene while the police kept the public at a distance and the fire was under control by 10:00 a.m. By noon, most of the firefighters had already left the scene, while others stayed to secure stone decorations on the façade that threatened to come down.
An accidental fire caused by workers who were doing repairs to the roof of Nantes cathedral in 1972, leading to a lengthy restoration that kept its doors closed for several years, was followed by the reconstruction of the frame and roof in cement, a factor that probably preserves the edifice from wider damage that would have been caused if a wooden frame had still been in place.
However, the loss of the historic organ built by Jacques Girardet in 1620 with 27 registers and beautifully tended to and restored over the centuries is complete. Nothing is left of its 77 registers and 5,500 pipes acquired during five complete restorations.
The new French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, as well as the Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot and the Minister for the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, visited the scene on Saturday afternoon and were able to enter into the cathedral escorted by the firefighters. They spoke of the damage done to the French heritage but also mentioned the profound hurt felt by French Catholics. This was in contrast with President Emmanuel Macron who in a short tweet, saluted “our firefighters who risk everything to save this Gothic jewel of the city of the Dukes.”
Thierry Aillet, diocesan director of Catholic schools in the Vaucluse (south of France), answered on Twitter: “Poor Sir, a cathedral is above all the house of God where Catholic come to receive the Body of Christ in Communion. It is truly the house of God that they are trying to burn.”
Philippe de Villiers, former candidate to the French presidency and founder of the historical theme park of the Puy-du-Fou in Vendée in which due homage is paid to the heroes of the Catholic uprising against the secularist French Revolution and the genocide of the Vendée, noted on Twitter: “The fire in Nantes Cathedral, after that of Notre-Dame of Paris, should make our elites reflect on the present great disorder and great upheaval. De-civilization is underway. During lockdown, the churches were closed. Now they are burning.”
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