lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Pornhub caught hosting illegal vids of 15-year-old victim of human trafficking, rape

February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – An effort to shut down the largest pornography website in the world has been launched after the organization was caught saying that it had “ verified ” as a “ model with valid 18+ ID ” a 15-year-old victim of human trafficking who was shown being raped in dozens of videos uploaded to the site .
Laila Mickelwait , of the pornography abolition organisation Exodus Cry , has posted screenshots from Pornhub ’ s social media accounts showing them saying that the girl is “ a verified model with valid ID.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pornhub , but are cached ( and so still available to view ) online .
Mickelwait is now calling for the company that owns Pornhub , MindGeek , to be shut down .
She told Faithwire that the company is is “ making money off of the exploitation , rape , and trafficking of hundreds if not thousands of women and girls who are victims , and their crime scenes are being hosted on their website.
” Mickelwait explained that in order to get an account “ verified ” on Pornhub users simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are holding pieces of paper with their usernames scrawled on them .
She said that this means their policy “ is set up to enable exploitation and trafficking under a facade of actually having some form of protection.
” According to Mickelwait , such a process means there is “ no way ” for Pornhub to confirm either the consent or the age of those participating in the uploaded videos .
Mickelwait described pornography websites as being run by “ criminals and mega-pimps ” and said that “ the onus of responsibility is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are raping the girls ; it ’ s on the website that is not only hosting these videos , but profiting off of them .
And that ’ s what makes them a mega-trafficker.
” Micklewait ’ s expose of Pornhub comes the same week as mainstream media covered the story Rose Kalemba , who says that she begged the online pornography site for six months to remove videos on their website showing her being raped at just 14 years old .
Kalemba , now 25 , says that Pornhub only took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened legal action .
Jonathan van Maren of LifSiteNews has noted that these events reveal that Pornhub ’ s viewers are getting sexual enjoyment out of what , in some instances , turn out to be horrific crimes .
“ The porn industry and the abortion industry reduce women and children to meat , feeding them to carnivorous consumers in a culture that has lost all sense of right and wrong .
A culture that respected women ’ s rights would be outraged at the fact that millions upon millions of people entertain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thrashed onscreen , but our culture pretends that “ women ’ s rights ” means that if any children show up unexpectedly , they can be hastily shredded and discarded so that the show can go on , ” van Maren observed .

The world’s leading online porn site said it had ‘verified’ as a “model with valid ID” the girl who turned out to be a trafficked minor.
PETITION: Authorities must shut down Pornhub after showing rape videos of 15-year-old trafficking victim. Sign the petition here.
February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – An effort to shut down the largest pornography website in the world has been launched after the organization was caught saying that it had “verified” as a “model with valid 18+ ID” a 15-year-old victim of human trafficking who was shown being raped in dozens of videos uploaded to the site.
Laila Mickelwait, of the pornography abolition organisation Exodus Cry, has posted screenshots from Pornhub’s social media accounts showing them saying that the girl is “a verified model with valid ID.” Those posts have now been deleted by Pornhub, but are cached (and so still available to view) online.
Pornhub’s official Twitter account admitted that they “verified” the 15yr old girl who was trafficked and raped in 58 videos that were uploaded to the site. Shortly after realizing they admitted complicity, they deleted the tweet but it was already cached elsewhere. This is it. pic.twitter.com/Rz9aFJPfrD — Laila Mickelwait (@LailaMickelwait) February 10, 2020
Mickelwait is now calling for the company that owns Pornhub, MindGeek, to be shut down.
She told Faithwire that the company is is “making money off of the exploitation, rape, and trafficking of hundreds if not thousands of women and girls who are victims, and their crime scenes are being hosted on their website.”
Mickelwait explained that in order to get an account “verified” on Pornhub users simply have to take photos in which they are holding pieces of paper with their usernames scrawled on them. She said that this means their policy “is set up to enable exploitation and trafficking under a facade of actually having some form of protection.”
According to Mickelwait, such a process means there is “no way” for Pornhub to confirm either the consent or the age of those participating in the uploaded videos.
Pornhub will allow anyone to upload with just an email address and will “verify” anyone with a photo & piece of paper w/ a username written on it. No Gov issued ID required. This means the company is intentionally aiding trafficking of children and trafficking of adults. #PornIs pic.twitter.com/qelg9QQSJu — Laila Mickelwait (@LailaMickelwait) February 6, 2020
Mickelwait described pornography websites as being run by “criminals and mega-pimps” and said that “the onus of responsibility is not just on the traffickers and those who are raping the girls; it’s on the website that is not only hosting these videos, but profiting off of them. And that’s what makes them a mega-trafficker.”
Micklewait’s expose of Pornhub comes the same week as mainstream media covered the story Rose Kalemba, who says that she begged the online pornography site for six months to remove videos on their website showing her being raped at just 14 years old. Kalemba, now 25, says that Pornhub only took action and removed the videos after she threatened legal action.
Jonathan van Maren of LifeSiteNews has noted that these events reveal that Pornhub’s viewers are getting sexual enjoyment out of what, in some instances, turn out to be horrific crimes.
“The porn industry and the abortion industry reduce women and children to meat, feeding them to carnivorous consumers in a culture that has lost all sense of right and wrong. A culture that respected women’s rights would be outraged at the fact that millions upon millions of people entertain themselves by watching girls get sexually violated and thrashed onscreen, but our culture pretends that “women’s rights” means that if any children show up unexpectedly, they can be hastily shredded and discarded so that the show can go on,” van Maren observed.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Bishop McElroy, how is climate change deadlier than abortion?

February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Abortion presents a problem for the Catholic left since it does not fit into its social justice agenda .
It certainly involves social justice in the highest degree since it is a great injustice to deprive an innocent person of life .
However , the left , by its nature , always seeks to change “ oppressive ” social structures that they deem unjust .
Abortion does not fit squarely into this category .
Indeed , some Catholic leftists will use the oppressive structures of poverty or patriarchy as a reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefers other issues like climate change , social revolution , and illegal immigration , it is hard to argue against the missing 60 million Americans .
These issues pale in comparison to the magnitude of death caused by the sin of abortion .
Thus , abortion has long occupied the preeminent place on the American Catholic political scene .
However , a key Catholic figure is directly disputing abortion ’ s preeminent place as a non-negotiable issue for faithful Catholic voters .
Speaking at the University of San Diego on February 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of San Diego , cast doubt on abortion ’ s preeminent position , especially in light of the upcoming elections .
He did not directly discourage opposition to abortion but put climate change on equal footing , declaring that “ both abortion and the environment are core life issues in Catholic teaching.
” The two issues pose unequal threats , however .
For the outspoken liberal bishop , “ the long-term death toll from unchecked climate change is larger [ than that from abortion ] and threatens the very future of humanity.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial statements need to be answered .
The first is addressed directly to Bishop McElroy , the politician : “ Your Excellency , why are you raising this issue now ?
” Bishops need to be involved in political battles , but that is not their chief function .
They must uphold Church teaching even when it is not politically correct or opportune .
Thus , American Catholics must question why the bishop is raising this issue now .
Pro-life Catholics have reached the height of their political power mobilizing millions nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ point where nearly half of all Americans identify as pro-life .
No one , not even the president , can ignore the influence of the pro-life movement .
This influence is starting to bear fruit in the appointment of pro-life judges .
Some are even saying that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is possible .
By denying abortion ’ s preeminence , the bishop is undermining decades of work in the trenches by countless Catholics and other Americans to end the intrinsically evil sin of procured abortion in America and the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election year , Bishop McElroy intentionally muddles the issues in the hope of encouraging Catholics to vote for radical pro-abortion candidates who are eco- or illegal immigration-friendly .
The second question involves Bishop McElroy , the scientist : “ Your Excellency , why are you speaking as a scientist ?
” Bishop McElroy is not a scientist and thus speaks outside his competence when painting a picture based on alarmist scientific speculation devoid of solid facts .
He cites “ existing trajectories of pollutants ” that are “ unchecked.
” Like so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rising temperatures , famines , and even “ perilous viruses.
” He is quick to blame a “ trajectory of danger unleashed by fossil fuels ” that makes action over the next 10 years imperative .
His speech reads like a blessing of the Green New Deal .
He even claims that “ it is a far greater moral evil for our country to abandon the Paris Climate Accord than to provide contraceptives to federal health centers.
” Just as abortion is not settled law , catastrophic climate change is far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions every year around the world .
There are no recorded deaths specifically due to climate change .
In striving to diminish the world ’ s population , those promoting the intrinsic evils of abortion and contraception work hand-in-hand with climate change activists .
The third question is the most tragic and important one : “ Your Excellency , why aren ’ t you speaking as a bishop , which is your area of competence ?
” Bishops speak about matters touching on God and His relationship with humanity .
But Bishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naturalistic worldview , a perspective from which God and the supernatural are absent .
Sin and vice distance humanity from God .
They turn the world into a hell of disorder and conflict .
The denouncing and condemning of sin , the defense of God , His Divine Law , and the Catholic faith – such are the bailiwick of a bishop .
So also is the extolling of the practice of the virtue of purity as the true solution to contraception and abortion .
Such are the messages the world expects from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true for Catholics since he is their shepherd .
How sad that today , instead of the bread they ask for , the Catholic faithful so often receive stones ( see Luke 11:11 ) .
To claim that climate change is deadlier than abortion is to deny the truth anyone can see .
Moreover , when sin expands its dominion unchecked , the world it creates is necessarily an ecologically hostile one—as evidenced by China 's environmentally disastrous , pro-abortion regime .
People must work toward preserving the environment , a gift of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will ever be to obey God and His Divine Law .
Unless America can get it right with God—putting an end to the nation ’ s sin in Roe v. Wade , which legalized the mass slaughter of innocent pre-born Americans—then all that can be expected are His chastisements .
And in chastising , as the Church teaches , God frequently uses secondary causes , and the forces of nature , which He created , are among them .

Are 'both abortion and the environment' really 'core life issues in Catholic teaching'?
February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Abortion presents a problem for the Catholic left since it does not fit into its social justice agenda. It certainly involves social justice in the highest degree since it is a great injustice to deprive an innocent person of life. However, the left, by its nature, always seeks to change “oppressive” social structures that they deem unjust. Abortion does not fit squarely into this category. Indeed, some Catholic leftists will use the oppressive structures of poverty or patriarchy as a reason to justify abortion.
While the Catholic left prefers other issues like climate change, social revolution, and illegal immigration, it is hard to argue against the missing 60 million Americans. These issues pale in comparison to the magnitude of death caused by the sin of abortion. Thus, abortion has long occupied the preeminent place on the American Catholic political scene.
A bishop speaks out
However, a key Catholic figure is directly disputing abortion’s preeminent place as a non-negotiable issue for faithful Catholic voters.
Speaking at the University of San Diego on February 6, Most Rev. Robert McElroy, Bishop of San Diego, cast doubt on abortion’s preeminent position, especially in light of the upcoming elections. He did not directly discourage opposition to abortion but put climate change on equal footing, declaring that “both abortion and the environment are core life issues in Catholic teaching.”
The two issues pose unequal threats, however. For the outspoken liberal bishop, “the long-term death toll from unchecked climate change is larger [than that from abortion] and threatens the very future of humanity.”
Three questions about Bishop McElroy’s controversial statements need to be answered.
To Bishop McElroy, the politician
The first is addressed directly to Bishop McElroy, the politician: “Your Excellency, why are you raising this issue now?”
Bishops need to be involved in political battles, but that is not their chief function. They must uphold Church teaching even when it is not politically correct or opportune.
Thus, American Catholics must question why the bishop is raising this issue now. Pro-life Catholics have reached the height of their political power mobilizing millions nationwide. They have turned the tide to the point where nearly half of all Americans identify as pro-life. No one, not even the president, can ignore the influence of the pro-life movement.
This influence is starting to bear fruit in the appointment of pro-life judges. Some are even saying that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is possible. By denying abortion’s preeminence, the bishop is undermining decades of work in the trenches by countless Catholics and other Americans to end the intrinsically evil sin of procured abortion in America and the world.
In making this statement during an election year, Bishop McElroy intentionally muddles the issues in the hope of encouraging Catholics to vote for radical pro-abortion candidates who are eco- or illegal immigration-friendly.
To Bishop McElroy, the scientist
The second question involves Bishop McElroy, the scientist: “Your Excellency, why are you speaking as a scientist?”
Bishop McElroy is not a scientist and thus speaks outside his competence when painting a picture based on alarmist scientific speculation devoid of solid facts. He cites “existing trajectories of pollutants” that are “unchecked.” Like so many before him, he makes catastrophic predictions of rising temperatures, famines, and even “perilous viruses.”
He is quick to blame a “trajectory of danger unleashed by fossil fuels” that makes action over the next 10 years imperative. His speech reads like a blessing of the Green New Deal. He even claims that “it is a far greater moral evil for our country to abandon the Paris Climate Accord than to provide contraceptives to federal health centers.”
Just as abortion is not settled law, catastrophic climate change is far from being settled science. Abortion kills tens of millions every year around the world. There are no recorded deaths specifically due to climate change. In striving to diminish the world’s population, those promoting the intrinsic evils of abortion and contraception work hand-in-hand with climate change activists.
To Bishop McElroy, the bishop
The third question is the most tragic and important one: “Your Excellency, why aren’t you speaking as a bishop, which is your area of competence?”
Bishops speak about matters touching on God and His relationship with humanity. But Bishop McElroy’s speech projects a purely naturalistic worldview, a perspective from which God and the supernatural are absent.
Sin and vice distance humanity from God. They turn the world into a hell of disorder and conflict. The denouncing and condemning of sin, the defense of God, His Divine Law, and the Catholic faith – such are the bailiwick of a bishop. So also is the extolling of the practice of the virtue of purity as the true solution to contraception and abortion. Such are the messages the world expects from a bishop. But this is especially true for Catholics since he is their shepherd. How sad that today, instead of the bread they ask for, the Catholic faithful so often receive stones (see Luke 11:11).
To claim that climate change is deadlier than abortion is to deny the truth anyone can see. Moreover, when sin expands its dominion unchecked, the world it creates is necessarily an ecologically hostile one—as evidenced by China's environmentally disastrous, pro-abortion regime.
People must work toward preserving the environment, a gift of God. However, their first duty will ever be to obey God and His Divine Law.
Unless America can get it right with God—putting an end to the nation’s sin in Roe v. Wade, which legalized the mass slaughter of innocent pre-born Americans—then all that can be expected are His chastisements.
And in chastising, as the Church teaches, God frequently uses secondary causes, and the forces of nature, which He created, are among them.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Cardinal Marx says married priests still up for debate: ‘By no means is it off the table’

BONN , Germany , February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Cardinal Reinhard Marx has emphasized that the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation “ Querida Amazonia ” is not intended to replace the final document of the Amazon synod published last October .
The final document had called for the ordination to the priesthood of married men living in the Amazon region .
During the presentation of “ Querida Amazonia ” to German media in Bonn , the outgoing president of the German bishops ’ conference stressed that the Apostolic Exhortation published earlier today “ neither wants to replace nor to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ synod .
“ By no means is it off the table with the publication of the exhortation !
Rather , Pope Francis speaks of his desire ‘ to officially present the final document ’ together with the Apostolic Letter , and invites us ‘ to read it in full , ’ ” Marx said .
The archbishop of Munich and Freising addressed the expectations many people had ahead of the publication of “ Querida Amazonia.
” Both conservatives and liberals had speculated that Pope Francis might open the door to married priests in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who expected concrete decisions and instructions for action in the post-synodal letter of Pope Francis will not find them in this exhortation .
Instead , the Pope has performed a reception of the synod and its final document that is relevant to the church in the whole world and supported by the papal teaching authority , ” clarified the German cardinal .
Returning to the question of celibacy , Marx pointed out that in the final document of the synod , a majority of two thirds of the 280 participants who had come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology ” in the context of Amazonia , a vast region in South America , “ spoke out in favor of exceptions to mandatory celibacy.
” While the participants had expressed their appreciation for celibacy as a gift of God , the final document also explicitly stated their call for married priests .
“ Considering that legitimate diversity does not harm the communion and unity of the Church , but rather expresses and serves it , witness the plurality of existing rites and disciplines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established by the competent authority , within the framework of Lumen Gentium 26 , to ordain as priests suitable and respected men of the community with a legitimately constituted and stable family , who have had a fruitful permanent diaconate and receive an adequate formation for the priesthood , in order to sustain the life of the Christian community through the preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments in the most remote areas of the Amazon region , ” the final document maintains .
The members of the synod also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of admitting women to the diaconate , ” Marx continued during his press conference in Germany .
“ In the many consultations carried out in the Amazon , the fundamental role of religious and lay women in the church of the Amazon and its communities was recognized and emphasized , given the wealth of services they provide .
In a large number of these consultations , the permanent diaconate for women was requested .
This made it an important theme during the synod , ” according to the final document .
Cardinal Marx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposals for reform discussed in German , “ these topics found a special echo in the eyes of the church and the public.
” However , “ they were not the main topics of the synod.
” “ Accordingly , the post-synodal exhortation does not directly address these issues , but encourages the further development of the priesthood and in order to enable the regular celebration of the Eucharist.
” Pope Francis wrote in “ Querida Amazonia ” that in the “ specific circumstances of the Amazon region , particularly in its forests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be found to ensure this priestly ministry.
” Francis said the while laypeople “ can proclaim God ’ s word , teach , organize communities , celebrate certain sacraments , seek different ways to express popular devotion and develop the multitude of gifts that the Spirit pours out in their midst , ” they still need the celebration of the Eucharist .
According to Pope Francis , “ The way of shaping priestly life and ministry is not monolithic ; it develops distinctive traits in different parts of the world.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the case , then every effort should be made to ensure that the Amazonian peoples do not lack this food of new life and the sacrament of forgiveness , ” the Pope underlined .
In this context , Pope Francis did not mention married priests , but only a promotion of prayer for vocations to the priesthood , as well as the activity of missionaries .
The archbishop of Munich also pointed to the post-synodal council consisting of 16 members that was established at the conclusion of the Amazon synod .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the results of the synod .
In his statement to the press , Marx singled out only two members of that council , namely Cardinal Cláudio Hummes and Bishop Erwin Kräutler .
Hummes had previously expressed his openness to making celibacy optional .
Already in a 2006 interview “ with the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paolo , Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes , who had just been named head of the Vatican ’ s Congregation for Clergy , said that ‘ even though celibacy is part of Catholic history and culture , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because celibacy is not a dogma but a disciplinary question , ’ ” according to Catholic Review , the official publication of the archdiocese of Baltimore .
Kräutler , formerly bishop of Xingu in Brazil , had said in 2019 that people in the Amazon region don ’ t understand celibacy , as LifeSiteNews reported at the time .
Various organizations in Germany have interpreted “ Querida Amazonia ” in a similar light as did Cardinal Marx .
Pirmin Spiegel of Misereor , a relief organization supervised by the German bishops , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not take anything back that was part of the final document published last October .
“ He does not reject it .
Therefore , it is still valid , ” Spiegel concluded .
Another Catholic relief organization , Adveniat , said that the Apostolic Exhortation “ Querida Amazonia ” did not “ put a stop to further developments.
” At the same time , Bishop Franz-Joseph Overbeck of Essen , who is the bishop responsible for Adveniat , lamented that married priests were not allowed by Pope Francis .
“ I would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis had followed the decisions of the Amazon synod and – as a regional solution – had given access to priestly ordination to proven married men ( as so-called viri probati ) from the Amazon region by way of a dispensation , ” the bishop , who has previously shown his openness to women priests , said .
The disappointment in Germany about the apostolic exhortation was also expressed in a first analysis published by katholisch.de , the news website associated with the German bishops .
Having married men as priests was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis , unlike those divorced and remarried in the letter ‘ Amoris laetitia ’ after the synod on the family.
” The piece said that his reaction to the lack of priests is “ strangely fainthearted and unimaginative ” of the Pope .
“ But the Pope does have a proposal to fight the lack of priests and thus to make the Eucharist again accessible for the faithful : the prayer for vocations .
Let us pray that prayer is enough , ” the article ends with a sarcastic statement .

Cardinal Marx and Catholic organizations in Germany insists the allowance of married priests is still open for discussion after publication of the Pope’s Amazon Synod exhortation.
PETITION: Support Cardinal Sarah's and Pope Emeritus Benedict's Defense of Priestly Celibacy” Sign the petition here.
BONN, Germany, February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Reinhard Marx has emphasized that the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazonia” is not intended to replace the final document of the Amazon synod published last October. The final document had called for the ordination to the priesthood of married men living in the Amazon region.
During the presentation of “Querida Amazonia” to German media in Bonn, the outgoing president of the German bishops’ conference stressed that the Apostolic Exhortation published earlier today “neither wants to replace nor to repeat” the final document of the synod.
“By no means is it off the table with the publication of the exhortation! Rather, Pope Francis speaks of his desire ‘to officially present the final document’ together with the Apostolic Letter, and invites us ‘to read it in full,’” Marx said.
The archbishop of Munich and Freising addressed the expectations many people had ahead of the publication of “Querida Amazonia.” Both conservatives and liberals had speculated that Pope Francis might open the door to married priests in the South American region.
“Those who expected concrete decisions and instructions for action in the post-synodal letter of Pope Francis will not find them in this exhortation. Instead, the Pope has performed a reception of the synod and its final document that is relevant to the church in the whole world and supported by the papal teaching authority,” clarified the German cardinal.
Returning to the question of celibacy, Marx pointed out that in the final document of the synod, a majority of two thirds of the 280 participants who had come to Rome to talk about “New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology” in the context of Amazonia, a vast region in South America, “spoke out in favor of exceptions to mandatory celibacy.”
While the participants had expressed their appreciation for celibacy as a gift of God, the final document also explicitly stated their call for married priests.
“Considering that legitimate diversity does not harm the communion and unity of the Church, but rather expresses and serves it, witness the plurality of existing rites and disciplines, we propose that criteria and dispositions be established by the competent authority, within the framework of Lumen Gentium 26, to ordain as priests suitable and respected men of the community with a legitimately constituted and stable family, who have had a fruitful permanent diaconate and receive an adequate formation for the priesthood, in order to sustain the life of the Christian community through the preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments in the most remote areas of the Amazon region,” the final document maintains.
The members of the synod also “suggested further reflection on the question of admitting women to the diaconate,” Marx continued during his press conference in Germany.
“In the many consultations carried out in the Amazon, the fundamental role of religious and lay women in the church of the Amazon and its communities was recognized and emphasized, given the wealth of services they provide. In a large number of these consultations, the permanent diaconate for women was requested. This made it an important theme during the synod,” according to the final document.
Cardinal Marx explained that against the backdrop of the proposals for reform discussed in German, “these topics found a special echo in the eyes of the church and the public.” However, “they were not the main topics of the synod.”
“Accordingly, the post-synodal exhortation does not directly address these issues, but encourages the further development of the priesthood and in order to enable the regular celebration of the Eucharist.”
Pope Francis wrote in “Querida Amazonia” that in the “specific circumstances of the Amazon region, particularly in its forests and more remote places, a way must be found to ensure this priestly ministry.”
Francis said the while laypeople “can proclaim God’s word, teach, organize communities, celebrate certain sacraments, seek different ways to express popular devotion and develop the multitude of gifts that the Spirit pours out in their midst,” they still need the celebration of the Eucharist.
According to Pope Francis, “The way of shaping priestly life and ministry is not monolithic; it develops distinctive traits in different parts of the world.”
“If we are truly convinced that this is the case, then every effort should be made to ensure that the Amazonian peoples do not lack this food of new life and the sacrament of forgiveness,” the Pope underlined.
In this context, Pope Francis did not mention married priests, but only a promotion of prayer for vocations to the priesthood, as well as the activity of missionaries.
“This discussion will continue,” Cardinal Marx is convinced.
The archbishop of Munich also pointed to the post-synodal council consisting of 16 members that was established at the conclusion of the Amazon synod. The goal of the council is to implement the results of the synod.
In his statement to the press, Marx singled out only two members of that council, namely Cardinal Cláudio Hummes and Bishop Erwin Kräutler.
Hummes had previously expressed his openness to making celibacy optional. Already in a 2006 interview “with the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paolo, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, who had just been named head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy, said that ‘even though celibacy is part of Catholic history and culture, the church could review this question, because celibacy is not a dogma but a disciplinary question,’” according to Catholic Review, the official publication of the archdiocese of Baltimore.
Kräutler, formerly bishop of Xingu in Brazil, had said in 2019 that people in the Amazon region don’t understand celibacy, as LifeSiteNews reported at the time.
Various organizations in Germany have interpreted “Querida Amazonia” in a similar light as did Cardinal Marx.
Pirmin Spiegel of Misereor, a relief organization supervised by the German bishops, said in a statement that Pope Francis did not take anything back that was part of the final document published last October. “He does not reject it. Therefore, it is still valid,” Spiegel concluded.
Another Catholic relief organization, Adveniat, said that the Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazonia” did not “put a stop to further developments.”
At the same time, Bishop Franz-Joseph Overbeck of Essen, who is the bishop responsible for Adveniat, lamented that married priests were not allowed by Pope Francis.
“I would have wished the parishes in Amazonia that Pope Francis had followed the decisions of the Amazon synod and – as a regional solution – had given access to priestly ordination to proven married men (as so-called viri probati) from the Amazon region by way of a dispensation,” the bishop, who has previously shown his openness to women priests, said.
The disappointment in Germany about the apostolic exhortation was also expressed in a first analysis published by katholisch.de, the news website associated with the German bishops.
Having married men as priests was “not even worth an interpretable footnote for Francis, unlike those divorced and remarried in the letter ‘Amoris laetitia’ after the synod on the family.” The piece said that his reaction to the lack of priests is “strangely fainthearted and unimaginative” of the Pope.
“But the Pope does have a proposal to fight the lack of priests and thus to make the Eucharist again accessible for the faithful: the prayer for vocations. Let us pray that prayer is enough,” the article ends with a sarcastic statement.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Cdl Marx steps down just as Pope disappoints progressives on married priests, female deacons

February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Cardinal Marx 's withdrawal from his leadership position in the Catholic Church in Germany might have a link to today 's publication of Pope Francis ' post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod which does not explicitly endorse the German bishops ' reform agenda concerning married priests and female deacons .
Many are surprised at yesterday 's sudden declaration of Cardinal Reinhard Marx that he will no longer be available for a second term as the President of the German Bishops ' Conference .
Not many reasons are given except that he wishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position , that he himself would be 72 years of age at the end of his second term , and that he would like to concentrate on his work in his own Archdiocese of Munich and Freising .
Yet , this decision seems also symbolic for the whole state of affairs in the Catholic Church .
Having been elected for six years as the German bishops ' leader in 2014 , Marx accompanied the pontificate of Francis in a very intensive manner .
But , more importantly , Marx made this decision public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod which was heavily influenced by the German bishops .
The Amazon Synod was closely linked with the German Synodal Path that the bishops had started to prepare since March of 2019 , discussing similar topics such as female ordination and the married priesthood .
The German bishops had heavily funded the preparations of the Amazon Synod , thus hoping to change the Church in a fundamental manner .
One German bishop – who himself was involved in the synod preparations – even claimed that “ nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon Synod .
As it turns out today , the Pope 's post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod did not fulfill the reform requests of the German faction : neither married priests , nor female deacons have found direct approval by Pope Francis .
Several well-placed sources in Europe told LifeSite that Marx 's withdrawal from the leadership role in Germany is linked to this new papal document .
It is to be expected that the progressive faction of the German bishops – and they represent at least two thirds of the German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indignant at Pope Francis ' final decision not to pick up fully on their reform agenda .
It thus will also make the ongoing Synodal Path discussions harder , since they will likely lack the official backing of a papal document from Rome .
The Synodal Path itself has already come under heavy criticism internationally , with Cardinal Gerhard Müller calling it “ suicidal ” and with Father Gerald Murray , S.J .
asking Church authorities to “ shut it down.
” While this disappointment for the progressive wing in the Catholic Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind on the part of Pope Francis with regard to his overall reform plans , this papal document can clearly be seen as a direct failure of Cardinal Marx and his own aggressive agenda .
Thus , it can be seen as a slight rebuff , thus making it harder for him to remain the leading public face of Germany 's reform agenda .
Let us first review Marx 's involvement in the Bergoglian reform plans , but also these recent intense conflicts with Rome .
For example , the German cardinal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bishops on Marriage and the Family of 2014 and 2015 in Rome , which led to the post-synodal exhortation Amoris Laetitia ( of April 2016 ) opening the door to exceptions to the rule that unrepentant adulterers may not receive Holy Communion .
Working together with the retired curial Cardinal Walter Kasper , the German bishops had a strong influence over the synod debates and their final outcome , but also with the German bishops hosting a Day of Study ahead of the second family synod .
Under Marx 's leadership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2017 with very liberal pastoral guidelines which essentially gave each couple in an irregular situation the permission to make , after a period of discernment with a pastoral counselor ( not necessarily a priest ) , a “ decision of conscience ” whether or not they wish and intend to receive Holy Communion .
It was also under Cardinal Marx 's rule that the Germans pushed for Communion for Protestant spouses of Catholics .
In June of 2018 , the German bishops published their guidelines which allowed some Protestant spouses of Catholics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in spite of heavy criticism both from within the Church in Germany and Rome .
It was finally Marx who spoke with Pope Francis in private and gained from him the now-famous “ F. ” signature that gave the Germans permission to go ahead with their controversial text , though not officially under their name , but , rather , as an “ orientation guide.
” Next to these many controversial steps , Cardinal Marx , together with his Vice-President Bishop Franz-Josef Bode , promoted the idea of establishing a sort of blessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under Marx 's leadership , Professor Eberhard Schockenhoff delivered a talk to the German Bishops ' Conference at their spring assembly in March of 2019 , in which he pleaded for an acceptance of homosexuality .
He then stated that homosexual relationships are to be “ unconditionally accepted ” and their sexual activity should not “ be morally disqualified.
” The German “ Synodal Path ” that was approved by nearly all German bishops at that same spring assembly continues to follow Professor Schockenhoff 's ideas .
As LifeSiteNews 's Martin Bürger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ synodal path claims that “ homosexual acts also realize positive meaningful values , insofar as they are an expression of friendship , reliability , loyalty and support in life.
” Homosexuality , is not any longer to be considered as intrinsically evil .
As Bürger adds : “ A blessing of homosexual unions is not excluded by the working document.
” Just as with the debate about Communion for Protestant spouses of Catholics , also the Synodal Path provoked several corrective interventions on the part of Rome .
Not only did Pope Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminding them of the importance of evangelization and of keeping the “ sense of the Church , ” two dicasteries also wrote letters to Germany , criticizing this reform process for overstepping competences that belong to the Universal Church and that giving laymen too much scope with regard to episcopal competences .
Finally , however , Cardinal Marx came back from a visit with Pope Francis , saying that there is “ no stop sign ” for the German Synodal Path .
What will likely happen with the German Synodal Path , now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave its post ?
Professor Thomas Sternberg , the head of the lay organization Central Committee of German Catholics who co-sponsors the Synodal Path , is surprised about Marx 's decision , yet still hopeful .
He insists that Marx “ will continue to play an important role ” both as a German bishop and as a German cardinal .
But even Sternberg has to admit that he was “ sad ” when he heard the news .
Much will depend on the next president of the German Bishops ' Conference .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone as well connected in Rome , as powerful , and with a direct seat on the Pope 's Council of Cardinals .
However , Cardinal Marx has also been controversial as nearly no other German bishop .
His propensity to accommodate to the Zeitgeist of our time even led a group of German priests to call upon Cardinal Marx to resign .
Here , we may list only a few examples : • 2016 : He removes his pectoral cross when visiting the Jewish Wailing Wall as well as the Muslim Dome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Jerusalem ; • 2016 : His own priestly seminary receives only one new seminarian for that school year ; • 2017 : He admits his own failures with regard to clerical sex abuse cases ; • 2018 : He praises Karl Marx and says about him : “ Without him , there would not be any Catholic social doctrines ” ; • 2018 : He comes under criticism from papal biographer Peter Seewald for closing down monasteries against the will of the nuns of those monasteries ; • 2019 : He proposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 : He claims that “ spreading of fear ” undermines the Gospel .
In light of all these controversial and heterodox words and actions on the part of Cardinal Marx , one last thought comes to mind : after creating so much chaos , the leader of such disorder now leaves .

Cardinal Marx's sudden resignation from leadership of the German bishops seems symbolic for the whole state of affairs in the Catholic Church.
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February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Marx's withdrawal from his leadership position in the Catholic Church in Germany might have a link to today's publication of Pope Francis' post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod which does not explicitly endorse the German bishops' reform agenda concerning married priests and female deacons.
Many are surprised at yesterday's sudden declaration of Cardinal Reinhard Marx that he will no longer be available for a second term as the President of the German Bishops' Conference. Not many reasons are given except that he wishes for a younger bishop to take this position, that he himself would be 72 years of age at the end of his second term, and that he would like to concentrate on his work in his own Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.
Yet, this decision seems also symbolic for the whole state of affairs in the Catholic Church. Having been elected for six years as the German bishops' leader in 2014, Marx accompanied the pontificate of Francis in a very intensive manner. But, more importantly, Marx made this decision public only one day before the publication of the post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod which was heavily influenced by the German bishops. The Amazon Synod was closely linked with the German Synodal Path that the bishops had started to prepare since March of 2019, discussing similar topics such as female ordination and the married priesthood. The German bishops had heavily funded the preparations of the Amazon Synod, thus hoping to change the Church in a fundamental manner. One German bishop – who himself was involved in the synod preparations – even claimed that “nothing will be the same” after the Amazon Synod.
As it turns out today, the Pope's post-synodal exhortation of the Amazon Synod did not fulfill the reform requests of the German faction: neither married priests, nor female deacons have found direct approval by Pope Francis. Several well-placed sources in Europe told LifeSite that Marx's withdrawal from the leadership role in Germany is linked to this new papal document.
It is to be expected that the progressive faction of the German bishops – and they represent at least two thirds of the German bishops – will be disappointed and even indignant at Pope Francis' final decision not to pick up fully on their reform agenda. It thus will also make the ongoing Synodal Path discussions harder, since they will likely lack the official backing of a papal document from Rome. The Synodal Path itself has already come under heavy criticism internationally, with Cardinal Gerhard Müller calling it “suicidal” and with Father Gerald Murray, S.J. asking Church authorities to “shut it down.”
While this disappointment for the progressive wing in the Catholic Church might not indicate a sudden change of mind on the part of Pope Francis with regard to his overall reform plans, this papal document can clearly be seen as a direct failure of Cardinal Marx and his own aggressive agenda. Thus, it can be seen as a slight rebuff, thus making it harder for him to remain the leading public face of Germany's reform agenda.
Let us first review Marx's involvement in the Bergoglian reform plans, but also these recent intense conflicts with Rome.
For example, the German cardinal was a leading figure behind the two Synods of Bishops on Marriage and the Family of 2014 and 2015 in Rome, which led to the post-synodal exhortation Amoris Laetitia (of April 2016) opening the door to exceptions to the rule that unrepentant adulterers may not receive Holy Communion. Working together with the retired curial Cardinal Walter Kasper, the German bishops had a strong influence over the synod debates and their final outcome, but also with the German bishops hosting a Day of Study ahead of the second family synod. Under Marx's leadership, the German bishops came out in February of 2017 with very liberal pastoral guidelines which essentially gave each couple in an irregular situation the permission to make, after a period of discernment with a pastoral counselor (not necessarily a priest), a “decision of conscience” whether or not they wish and intend to receive Holy Communion.
It was also under Cardinal Marx's rule that the Germans pushed for Communion for Protestant spouses of Catholics. In June of 2018, the German bishops published their guidelines which allowed some Protestant spouses of Catholics to receive Holy Communion, and this in spite of heavy criticism both from within the Church in Germany and Rome. It was finally Marx who spoke with Pope Francis in private and gained from him the now-famous “F.” signature that gave the Germans permission to go ahead with their controversial text, though not officially under their name, but, rather, as an “orientation guide.”
Next to these many controversial steps, Cardinal Marx, together with his Vice-President Bishop Franz-Josef Bode, promoted the idea of establishing a sort of blessing for homosexual couples in the Catholic Church. Under Marx's leadership, Professor Eberhard Schockenhoff delivered a talk to the German Bishops' Conference at their spring assembly in March of 2019, in which he pleaded for an acceptance of homosexuality. He then stated that homosexual relationships are to be “unconditionally accepted” and their sexual activity should not “be morally disqualified.”
The German “Synodal Path” that was approved by nearly all German bishops at that same spring assembly continues to follow Professor Schockenhoff's ideas. As LifeSiteNews's Martin Bürger reported, a preparatory document of the synodal path claims that “homosexual acts also realize positive meaningful values, insofar as they are an expression of friendship, reliability, loyalty and support in life.” Homosexuality, is not any longer to be considered as intrinsically evil. As Bürger adds: “A blessing of homosexual unions is not excluded by the working document.”
Just as with the debate about Communion for Protestant spouses of Catholics, also the Synodal Path provoked several corrective interventions on the part of Rome. Not only did Pope Francis write a Letter to the German Catholics reminding them of the importance of evangelization and of keeping the “sense of the Church,” two dicasteries also wrote letters to Germany, criticizing this reform process for overstepping competences that belong to the Universal Church and that giving laymen too much scope with regard to episcopal competences. Finally, however, Cardinal Marx came back from a visit with Pope Francis, saying that there is “no stop sign” for the German Synodal Path.
What will likely happen with the German Synodal Path, now that its leading representative and voice will leave its post? Professor Thomas Sternberg, the head of the lay organization Central Committee of German Catholics who co-sponsors the Synodal Path, is surprised about Marx's decision, yet still hopeful. He insists that Marx “will continue to play an important role” both as a German bishop and as a German cardinal. But even Sternberg has to admit that he was “sad” when he heard the news.
Much will depend on the next president of the German Bishops' Conference. Yet, it will be difficult to find someone as well connected in Rome, as powerful, and with a direct seat on the Pope's Council of Cardinals.
However, Cardinal Marx has also been controversial as nearly no other German bishop. His propensity to accommodate to the Zeitgeist of our time even led a group of German priests to call upon Cardinal Marx to resign. Here, we may list only a few examples:
2016: He removes his pectoral cross when visiting the Jewish Wailing Wall as well as the Muslim Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem;
2016: His own priestly seminary receives only one new seminarian for that school year;
2017: He admits his own failures with regard to clerical sex abuse cases;
2018: He praises Karl Marx and says about him: “Without him, there would not be any Catholic social doctrines”;
2018: He comes under criticism from papal biographer Peter Seewald for closing down monasteries against the will of the nuns of those monasteries;
2019: He proposes that women preach at Mass;
2020: He claims that “spreading of fear” undermines the Gospel.
In light of all these controversial and heterodox words and actions on the part of Cardinal Marx, one last thought comes to mind: after creating so much chaos, the leader of such disorder now leaves.
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Cardinal at Vatican presser: Question on women deacons, married priests not resolved

ROME , February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Asked if the Pope ’ s new exhortation on the Amazon Synod closed the door on women deacons and married priests , a Cardinal at the Vatican press conference presenting the exhortation said that “ the Holy Father has not resolved ” the questions and that “ they will continue to be debated , discussed , discerned , prayed over , and when mature presented to the appropriate authority for decisions.
” Cardinal Michael Czerny , SJ , appointed by Pope Francis as the Special Secretary of the Synod for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ can be made in a diocese , in a conference , and decisions that are made here ( at the Vatican ) .
” The exhortation itself does not explicitly accept a married priesthood and seems to dismiss the idea of a female diaconate , but there are still many questions , and this was apparent at the press conference .
One of the key points in relation to this , is that right in the introduction of the exhortation , Pope Francis says he is “ officially present [ ing ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which had approved the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood and of establishing some new forms of ministry for women .
Adding to the confusion , in particular , is that in 2018 , Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution that stipulated the final document of a Synod of Bishops would become part of the papal magisterium should the Pope approve it .
Titled Episcopalis Communio , it reads : At the Vatican ’ s press conference , however , Czerny and others denied that the final document has magisterial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still open for discussion .
After the Vatican press conference today , LifeSite ’ s Rome correspondent Diane Montagna interviewed Cardinal Czerny about the question of the women ’ s diaconate , first briefly while he was still seated on the panel , and then in the Holy See Press Office where he was giving interviews .
We present below their full exchanges .
LifeSite : Cardinal Czerny , the Sacrament of Holy Orders is one sacrament .
The diaconate is a part , an essential part , of that sacrament .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman can not be admitted to Holy Orders ?
It ’ s not under study if a woman can be admitted to Holy Orders .
The women ’ s diaconate is under study .
But not in the sense of the Sacrament of Holy Orders .
We ’ ll have to see what the study produces .
LifeSite : I had wanted to ask you again : The Sacrament of Holy Orders is one sacrament in the Church .
Within that sacrament there is the diaconate , the priesthood and the episcopacy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you said here [ at the press conference ] to rule out that a woman can be admitted to the diaconate within the Sacrament of Holy Orders ?
Cardinal Czerny : I really don ’ t know what you mean , “ to rule out.
” I have presented the final document of the Synod .
You know what it has said about the diaconate .
I ’ ve presented the [ Apostolic ] Exhortation .
The Exhortation officially presents the final document , so that ’ s there to read .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diaconate will be meeting again , and we ’ ll have to wait to see .
Yes , but even the Holy Father has said to the International Union of Women Superiors General that even if in the beginning of the Church there existed an order of deaconesses , and he ’ s talked about how they ’ ve participated in the baptisms in very appropriate ways .
That ’ s a completely different thing than admitting a woman to the Sacrament of Holy Orders , as many are pushing for in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germans or in the United States .
So according to this document that we received today , is it excluding women from Holy Orders ?
No .
This document doesn ’ t go further with regard to this question than the final document of the synod .
And as I said already , the Holy Father will be recalling the Commission on the diaconate , and we ’ ll have to see what its results are .

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ROME, February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Asked if the Pope’s new exhortation on the Amazon Synod closed the door on women deacons and married priests, a Cardinal at the Vatican press conference presenting the exhortation said that “the Holy Father has not resolved” the questions and that “they will continue to be debated, discussed, discerned, prayed over, and when mature presented to the appropriate authority for decisions.”
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, appointed by Pope Francis as the Special Secretary of the Synod for the Amazon, added that those decisions “can be made in a diocese, in a conference, and decisions that are made here (at the Vatican).”
Pope Francis released his exhortation, titled Querida Amazonia, today at noon Rome time.
The exhortation itself does not explicitly accept a married priesthood and seems to dismiss the idea of a female diaconate, but there are still many questions, and this was apparent at the press conference.
One of the key points in relation to this, is that right in the introduction of the exhortation, Pope Francis says he is “officially present[ing] the Final Document” of the Synod, which had approved the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood and of establishing some new forms of ministry for women.
Adding to the confusion, in particular, is that in 2018, Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution that stipulated the final document of a Synod of Bishops would become part of the papal magisterium should the Pope approve it. Titled Episcopalis Communio, it reads:
If it is expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter.
At the Vatican’s press conference, however, Czerny and others denied that the final document has magisterial authority.
Nevertheless Czerny insisted the questions are still open for discussion.
After the Vatican press conference today, LifeSite’s Rome correspondent Diane Montagna interviewed Cardinal Czerny about the question of the women’s diaconate, first briefly while he was still seated on the panel, and then in the Holy See Press Office where he was giving interviews. We present below their full exchanges.
First follow up
LifeSite: Cardinal Czerny, the Sacrament of Holy Orders is one sacrament. The diaconate is a part, an essential part, of that sacrament. Can we not rule out that a woman cannot be admitted to Holy Orders?
Cardinal Czerny: It’s under study.
It’s not under study if a woman can be admitted to Holy Orders.
The women’s diaconate is under study.
But not in the sense of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
We’ll have to see what the study produces.
Second follow-up
LifeSite: I had wanted to ask you again: The Sacrament of Holy Orders is one sacrament in the Church. Within that sacrament there is the diaconate, the priesthood and the episcopacy. Are you willing, based on what you said here [at the press conference] to rule out that a woman can be admitted to the diaconate within the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
Cardinal Czerny: I really don’t know what you mean, “to rule out.” I have presented the final document of the Synod. You know what it has said about the diaconate. I’ve presented the [Apostolic] Exhortation. The Exhortation officially presents the final document, so that’s there to read. And we know that the Commission on the diaconate will be meeting again, and we’ll have to wait to see.
Yes, but even the Holy Father has said to the International Union of Women Superiors General that even if in the beginning of the Church there existed an order of deaconesses, and he’s talked about how they’ve participated in the baptisms in very appropriate ways. That’s a completely different thing than admitting a woman to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, as many are pushing for in the Church — whether it’s the Germans or in the United States. So according to this document that we received today, is it excluding women from Holy Orders?
No. This document doesn’t go further with regard to this question than the final document of the synod. And as I said already, the Holy Father will be recalling the Commission on the diaconate, and we’ll have to see what its results are.


lifesitenews--2020-02-12--Pope releases new exhortation on Amazon Synod

February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Pope Francis released his official text on the Amazon Synod today at noon Rome time , bringing with it what is sure to be a strong debate and controversy over its meaning for the life of the worldwide Church .
While it seems the pope ’ s apostolic exhortation , titled Querida Amazonia , fails to accept the progressives ’ most high-profile proposals for a married priesthood and female diaconate , many are sure to argue that it nevertheless leaves ample room for them to advance a revolutionary agenda for the Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhortation is here on the Vatican website . )
The Synod of Bishops for the Amazonian Region took place in Rome between October 6 and 27 , 2019 .
Controversy ahead of the Synod reached full force with the release of the Instrumentum Laboris , or “ working document , ” which earned strong public criticism from cardinals and bishops .
Cardinals Walter Brandmüller , Gerhard Müller , and Raymond Burke took issue with its radical departures from perennial doctrine .
Brandmüller condemned it as heretical and even apostate .
The Synod itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as delegates arrived in Rome , thanks to an apparently syncretic ceremony that took place in the Vatican Gardens on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi .
Concerns about a central totem of the Synod , a representation of the fertility goddess Pachamama , dominated reports about the gathering .
Consistent with the Synod ’ s themes , the Pope ’ s exhortation decries social injustices against the poor in the Amazon , and the ecological crisis , while emphasizing forcefully that the Church must preach the Gospel of Christ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the midst of these themes , however , the exhortation includes a number of controversial passages , and changes to Church practice , that , while framed here for the Amazon , could have far-reaching application : • He advocates an “ inculturated liturgy ” incorporating Amazonian dance and rituals , and mentions in a footnote the idea of establishing an Amazonian liturgical rite .
• He recommends granting lay people formal authority of Amazonian parishes , and mentions their ability to “ celebrate certain sacraments ” ( excluding specifically the Eucharist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be given formal positions in the community that include a “ commission from the bishop ” .
• He applies the Amoris Laetitia approach to sacraments in the Amazon context , saying there is no “ room … for a discipline that excludes and turns people away.
” • And he seems to defend the veneration of the Pachamama statue at the Synod .
The concern that proposals for the Amazon could have worldwide import have been voiced since the moment the Synod was called .
It became clear as the Synod @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most especially the large liberal wing of bishops in Germany – were latching onto it to advance their cause through the challenging pastoral situation of the Amazon region .
And the pope ’ s exhortation does indeed seem to open the door to that possibility .
In his introduction , Pope Francis describes the 40-page document as a “ brief framework for reflection that can apply concretely to the life of the Amazon region , ” but at the same time he highlights that he intends the exhortation to have worldwide significance : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the whole world .
… the Church ’ s concern for the problems of this area obliges us to discuss , however briefly , a number of other important issues that can assist other areas of our world in confronting their own challenges.
” While the exhortation does not explicitly support the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood or of establishing some sort of female ministry , only the ensuing discussions will show whether these issues are in fact off the table .
The reason for caution is that right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Francis endorses the final document of the Amazon Synod .
He declares that he is “ officially present [ ing ] the Final Document.
” Then he adds : “ I have preferred not to cite the Final Document in this Exhortation , because I would encourage everyone to read it in full.
” ( Read the full text of the Amazon Synod ’ s final document here . )
And as he says , he indeed does not quote from the final document in the text .
As some sources told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Francis could open the door to many debates as to whether or not the conclusions of the Synod 's final document – with its approval of the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood and of establishing some new forms of ministry for women – might still be applicable and valid for the reform plans in the Catholic Church of the Amazon region .
In particular , in 2018 , Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution that stipulated the final document of a Synod of Bishops would become part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Titled Episcopalis Communio , it reads : At the same time , the fact that Pope Francis personally does not explicitly endorse the reform plans of the Amazon Synod 's final document can be seen as something that might very well discourage and even anger the progressivist camp within the Catholic Church .
We here highlight now some of the most important aspects of the text that are sure to be a source of heated discussion .
Perhaps the key pastoral challenge identified for the Amazon region has been the drastic shortage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pope is clear about the importance of priests and the need for an increase in vocations .
He calls for prayers for vocations and urges bishops of the world to send missionary priests to the Amazon .
He does not take up the proposal of the viri probati , “ proven ” married men who could be ordained where priests are lacking , but he does urge an increase in permanent deacons , and he calls for laity to be given formal authority for parishes .
When dealing with the question of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , the Pope asks what aspects of the priest 's ministry “ can not be delegated , ” and he points to the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confession , as well as that of Extreme Unction since this Sacrament often includes Confession .
He writes : He then insists that the Amazonian Church needs an “ ecclesial culture that is distinctively lay ” : A footnote on this paragraph states : “ It is possible that , due to a lack of priests , a bishop can entrust ‘ participation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a parish… to a deacon , to another person who is not a priest , or to a community of persons ’ ( Code of Canon Law , 517 §2 ) .
” Pope Francis rejects the “ reductionism ” that “ women should be granted a greater status and participation in the Church today only if they were admitted to Holy Orders.
” He warns against “ clericalizing ” women , thus undermining their unique and special “ contribution.
” Thus he encourages “ the emergence of other forms of service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and fit to the needs of the Amazon .
However , he then calls for women to be given official positions that would include “ public recognition ” and “ a commission from the bishop ” : Such an idea had been recently laid out by Cardinal Walter Kasper , one of the key advisors of the Pope .
In July of 2019 , Cardinal Kasper told LifeSiteNews with regard to the female deacon issue that new forms of ministries for women might not be necessary since the Church is “ free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-sacramental , liturgical blessing ” that would not be a “ sacramental ordination ” but which would confirm women in Church ministries in which they already function , such as extraordinary Eucharistic ministers , lectors , and aiding in the Church 's charitable works and administration .
To advance the Church ’ s missionary purpose in the Amazon , Pope Francis encourages “ a necessary process of inculturation , ” and he even calls for an “ inculturated liturgy.
” For the Pontiff , the sacraments “ unite the divine and the cosmic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon region , he explains , “ the sacraments should not be viewed in discontinuity with creation.
” Therefore , he sees that “ we can take up into the liturgy many elements proper to the experience of indigenous peoples in their contact with nature , and respect native forms of expression in song , dance , rituals , gestures and symbols.
” Here the Pope refers to a possible “ Amazonian rite ” - albeit only in a footnote ( 120 ) after the sentence : “ The Second Vatican Council called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among indigenous peoples ; over fifty years have passed and we still have far to go along these lines.
” The footnote then says that “ During the Synod , there was a proposal to develop an 'Amazonian rite . '
” Further speaking about inculturation , the Pope says : “ For the Church to achieve a renewed inculturation of the Gospel in the Amazon region , she needs to listen to its ancestral wisdom ” and to the “ rich stories of its peoples.
” Furthermore , the Pope also tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mysticism that sees the interconnection and interdependence of the whole of creation , the mysticism of gratuitousness that loves life as a gift , ” as well as the “ sacred wonder before nature.
” The Pope also insists that in its missionary work in the region , the Church should not exclude people from the sacraments by “ imposing straightaway a set of rules , ” quoting Amoris Laetitia .
He writes in paragraph 84 : In his last chapter on the Church , Pope Francis also seems to make an explicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Pachamama ” statues during the Amazon Synod in Rome .
The Pope writes in paragraphs 78-79 : ‘ The message that needs to be heard in the Amazon ’ : Christ In four strong paragraphs ( 62-65 ) , the Pope honors the missionary activity of the Catholic Church in the Amazon region and insists that we as Christians “ can not set aside the call to faith that we have received from the Gospel.
” He writes : The poor , he adds , “ have a right to hear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the cosmic language that appeared in the Amazon Synod 's working document .
He speaks , for example , about “ entering ” into “ communion with the forest , ” about the “ Amazon region ” becoming “ like a mother to us , ” and even repeats an expression of the Synod 's preparatory document , calling the Amazon region a “ theological locus , a space where God reveals himself and summons his sons and daughters .
”

While the text fails to accept the progressives’ most high-profile proposals, many are sure to argue that it leaves ample room for them to advance a revolutionary agenda.
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ANALYSIS
February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis released his official text on the Amazon Synod today at noon Rome time, bringing with it what is sure to be a strong debate and controversy over its meaning for the life of the worldwide Church.
While it seems the pope’s apostolic exhortation, titled Querida Amazonia, fails to accept the progressives’ most high-profile proposals for a married priesthood and female diaconate, many are sure to argue that it nevertheless leaves ample room for them to advance a revolutionary agenda for the Church. (The full text of the exhortation is here on the Vatican website.)
The Synod of Bishops for the Amazonian Region took place in Rome between October 6 and 27, 2019. Controversy ahead of the Synod reached full force with the release of the Instrumentum Laboris, or “working document,” which earned strong public criticism from cardinals and bishops. Cardinals Walter Brandmüller, Gerhard Müller, and Raymond Burke took issue with its radical departures from perennial doctrine. Brandmüller condemned it as heretical and even apostate.
The Synod itself was then plunged into controversy almost as soon as delegates arrived in Rome, thanks to an apparently syncretic ceremony that took place in the Vatican Gardens on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Concerns about a central totem of the Synod, a representation of the fertility goddess Pachamama, dominated reports about the gathering.
Consistent with the Synod’s themes, the Pope’s exhortation decries social injustices against the poor in the Amazon, and the ecological crisis, while emphasizing forcefully that the Church must preach the Gospel of Christ to the people of the region.
In the midst of these themes, however, the exhortation includes a number of controversial passages, and changes to Church practice, that, while framed here for the Amazon, could have far-reaching application:
He advocates an “inculturated liturgy” incorporating Amazonian dance and rituals, and mentions in a footnote the idea of establishing an Amazonian liturgical rite.
He recommends granting lay people formal authority of Amazonian parishes, and mentions their ability to “celebrate certain sacraments” (excluding specifically the Eucharist and Confession).
He says women should be given formal positions in the community that include a “commission from the bishop”.
He applies the Amoris Laetitia approach to sacraments in the Amazon context, saying there is no “room … for a discipline that excludes and turns people away.”
And he seems to defend the veneration of the Pachamama statue at the Synod.
The concern that proposals for the Amazon could have worldwide import have been voiced since the moment the Synod was called. It became clear as the Synod process developed that Church progressives – and most especially the large liberal wing of bishops in Germany – were latching onto it to advance their cause through the challenging pastoral situation of the Amazon region.
And the pope’s exhortation does indeed seem to open the door to that possibility. In his introduction, Pope Francis describes the 40-page document as a “brief framework for reflection that can apply concretely to the life of the Amazon region,” but at the same time he highlights that he intends the exhortation to have worldwide significance: “I am addressing the present Exhortation to the whole world. … the Church’s concern for the problems of this area obliges us to discuss, however briefly, a number of other important issues that can assist other areas of our world in confronting their own challenges.”
While the exhortation does not explicitly support the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood or of establishing some sort of female ministry, only the ensuing discussions will show whether these issues are in fact off the table. The reason for caution is that right in the introduction of the exhortation, Pope Francis endorses the final document of the Amazon Synod. He declares that he is “officially present[ing] the Final Document.” Then he adds: “I have preferred not to cite the Final Document in this Exhortation, because I would encourage everyone to read it in full.” (Read the full text of the Amazon Synod’s final document here.) And as he says, he indeed does not quote from the final document in the text.
As some sources told LifeSiteNews, these words as chosen by Pope Francis could open the door to many debates as to whether or not the conclusions of the Synod's final document – with its approval of the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood and of establishing some new forms of ministry for women – might still be applicable and valid for the reform plans in the Catholic Church of the Amazon region.
In particular, in 2018, Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution that stipulated the final document of a Synod of Bishops would become part of the papal magisterium should the Pope approve it. Titled Episcopalis Communio, it reads:
If it is expressly approved by the Roman Pontiff, the Final Document participates in the ordinary Magisterium of the Successor of Peter.
At the same time, the fact that Pope Francis personally does not explicitly endorse the reform plans of the Amazon Synod's final document can be seen as something that might very well discourage and even anger the progressivist camp within the Catholic Church.
We here highlight now some of the most important aspects of the text that are sure to be a source of heated discussion.
Laity running parishes
Perhaps the key pastoral challenge identified for the Amazon region has been the drastic shortage of priests, and in the exhortation the Pope is clear about the importance of priests and the need for an increase in vocations. He calls for prayers for vocations and urges bishops of the world to send missionary priests to the Amazon. He does not take up the proposal of the viri probati, “proven” married men who could be ordained where priests are lacking, but he does urge an increase in permanent deacons, and he calls for laity to be given formal authority for parishes.
When dealing with the question of the lack of priests in the Amazon region, the Pope asks what aspects of the priest's ministry “cannot be delegated,” and he points to the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confession, as well as that of Extreme Unction since this Sacrament often includes Confession. He writes:
In the specific circumstances of the Amazon region, particularly in its forests and more remote places, a way must be found to ensure this priestly ministry. The laity can proclaim God’s word, teach, organize communities, celebrate certain sacraments, seek different ways to express popular devotion and develop the multitude of gifts that the Spirit pours out in their midst. But they need the celebration of the Eucharist because it “makes the Church”.
He then insists that the Amazonian Church needs an “ecclesial culture that is distinctively lay”:
A Church of Amazonian features requires the stable presence of mature and lay leaders endowed with authority and familiar with the languages, cultures, spiritual experience and communal way of life in the different places, but also open to the multiplicity of gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows on every one. For wherever there is a particular need, he has already poured out the charisms that can meet it. This requires the Church to be open to the Spirit’s boldness, to trust in, and concretely to permit, the growth of a specific ecclesial culture that is distinctively lay. The challenges in the Amazon region demand of the Church a special effort to be present at every level, and this can only be possible through the vigorous, broad and active involvement of the laity.
A footnote on this paragraph states: “It is possible that, due to a lack of priests, a bishop can entrust ‘participation in the exercise of the pastoral care of a parish… to a deacon, to another person who is not a priest, or to a community of persons’ (Code of Canon Law, 517 §2).”
Official ecclesial positions for women
Pope Francis rejects the “reductionism” that “women should be granted a greater status and participation in the Church today only if they were admitted to Holy Orders.” He warns against “clericalizing” women, thus undermining their unique and special “contribution.” Thus he encourages “the emergence of other forms of service and charisms that are proper to women” and fit to the needs of the Amazon.
However, he then calls for women to be given official positions that would include “public recognition” and “a commission from the bishop”:
In a synodal Church, those women who in fact have a central part to play in Amazonian communities should have access to positions, including ecclesial services, that do not entail Holy Orders and that can better signify the role that is theirs. Here it should be noted that these services entail stability, public recognition and a commission from the bishop. This would also allow women to have a real and effective impact on the organization, the most important decisions and the direction of communities, while continuing to do so in a way that reflects their womanhood.
Such an idea had been recently laid out by Cardinal Walter Kasper, one of the key advisors of the Pope. In July of 2019, Cardinal Kasper told LifeSiteNews with regard to the female deacon issue that new forms of ministries for women might not be necessary since the Church is “free” to bestow on women a “non-sacramental, liturgical blessing” that would not be a “sacramental ordination” but which would confirm women in Church ministries in which they already function, such as extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, lectors, and aiding in the Church's charitable works and administration.
Inculturated liturgy
To advance the Church’s missionary purpose in the Amazon, Pope Francis encourages “a necessary process of inculturation,” and he even calls for an “inculturated liturgy.” For the Pontiff, the sacraments “unite the divine and the cosmic, grace and creation.” In the Amazon region, he explains, “the sacraments should not be viewed in discontinuity with creation.” Therefore, he sees that “we can take up into the liturgy many elements proper to the experience of indigenous peoples in their contact with nature, and respect native forms of expression in song, dance, rituals, gestures and symbols.”
Here the Pope refers to a possible “Amazonian rite” – albeit only in a footnote (120) after the sentence: “The Second Vatican Council called for this effort to inculturate the liturgy among indigenous peoples; over fifty years have passed and we still have far to go along these lines.” The footnote then says that “During the Synod, there was a proposal to develop an 'Amazonian rite.'”
Further speaking about inculturation, the Pope says: “For the Church to achieve a renewed inculturation of the Gospel in the Amazon region, she needs to listen to its ancestral wisdom” and to the “rich stories of its peoples.”
Furthermore, the Pope also tells us we “should esteem the indigenous mysticism that sees the interconnection and interdependence of the whole of creation, the mysticism of gratuitousness that loves life as a gift,” as well as the “sacred wonder before nature.”
Applying Amoris Laetitia in the missionary context
The Pope also insists that in its missionary work in the region, the Church should not exclude people from the sacraments by “imposing straightaway a set of rules,” quoting Amoris Laetitia. He writes in paragraph 84:
The sacraments reveal and communicate the God who is close and who comes with mercy to heal and strengthen his children. Consequently, they should be accessible, especially for the poor, and must never be refused for financial reasons. Nor is there room, in the presence of the poor and forgotten of the Amazon region, for a discipline that excludes and turns people away, for in that way they end up being discarded by a Church that has become a toll-house. Rather, “in such difficult situations of need, the Church must be particularly concerned to offer understanding, comfort and acceptance, rather than imposing straightaway a set of rules that only lead people to feel judged and abandoned by the very Mother called to show them God’s mercy”. For the Church, mercy can become a mere sentimental catchword unless it finds concrete expression in her pastoral outreach.
Defense of Pachamama ritual?
In his last chapter on the Church, Pope Francis also seems to make an explicit defense of the use of the controversial “Pachamama” statues during the Amazon Synod in Rome. The Pope writes in paragraphs 78-79:
Let us not be quick to describe as superstition or paganism certain religious practices that arise spontaneously from the life of peoples. … It is possible to take up an indigenous symbol in some way, without necessarily considering it as idolatry. A myth charged with spiritual meaning can be used to advantage and not always considered a pagan error. Some religious festivals have a sacred meaning and are occasions for gathering and fraternity, albeit in need of a gradual process of purification or maturation. A missionary of souls will try to discover the legitimate needs and concerns that seek an outlet in at times imperfect, partial or mistaken religious expressions, and will attempt to respond to them with an inculturated spirituality.
‘The message that needs to be heard in the Amazon’: Christ
In four strong paragraphs (62-65), the Pope honors the missionary activity of the Catholic Church in the Amazon region and insists that we as Christians “cannot set aside the call to faith that we have received from the Gospel.” He writes:
…we are not ashamed of Jesus Christ. Those who have encountered him, those who live as his friendsand identify with his message, must inevitably speak of him and bring to others his offer of new life: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). … An authentic option for the poor and the abandoned, while motivating us to liberate them from material poverty and to defend their rights, also involves inviting them to a friendship with the Lord that can elevate and dignify them. … If we devote our lives to their service, to working for the justice and dignity that they deserve, we cannot conceal the fact that we do so because we see Christ in them and because we acknowledge the immense dignity that they have received from God, the Father who loves them with boundless love.
The poor, he adds, “have a right to hear the Gospel”:
Without that impassioned proclamation, every ecclesial structure would become just another NGO and we would not follow the command given us by Christ: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15).
Amazon as ‘theological locus’
The Pope returns to some of the cosmic language that appeared in the Amazon Synod's working document. He speaks, for example, about “entering” into “communion with the forest,” about the “Amazon region” becoming “like a mother to us,” and even repeats an expression of the Synod's preparatory document, calling the Amazon region a “theological locus, a space where God reveals himself and summons his sons and daughters.”
Dorothy Cummings McLean contributed to this report.
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lifesitenews--2020-02-13--Euthanasia requests dramatically increase at Dutch ‘end-of-life’ clinic

February 12 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Dutch “ end-of-life clinic ” that specializes in euthanasia for those who have difficulty obtaining a lethal shot from their own family doctor has registered a sharp increase in the number of patients hoping to avail themselves of its services .
In 2019 , no less than 3,122 people contacted the institution in the Hague hoping to see their death wish honored .
This was a 22 percent increase compared with the two previous years , when the clinic ’ s “ clientele ” seemed to have reached a stable plateau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death -- what is now called the “ Expertise Centrum Euthanasie ” -- has remained roughly the same at 29 percent , which means that in absolute figures the Center has organized an unprecedented number of euthanasias .
There were 898 people killed by its teams in 2019 .
Of those cases , 885 have already been assessed by the Netherlands ’ regional euthanasia review committees and found fully compliant with the law .
One of the most “ remarkable ” increases in demand , according to the Expertise Centrum , was dementia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 96 between 2018 and 2019 .
It is not known how many of these were followed by a voluntary end-of-life procedure .
But the NVVE ( Netherlands Association for a chosen end-of-life ) , which originally created the end-of-life clinic in 2012 as a tax-exempt foundation , is certainly pushing to make that record even higher .
The NVVE is celebrating its annual “ Euthanasia Week ” from February 7 to February 14 .
Festivities include large numbers of mainly pro-euthanasia stories in the media ; NVVE also organizes meetings locally throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about the issue .
Dementia and the possibility of euthanasia for dementia patients are high up on the list of themes .
Psychiatric suffering and the death wish of those who have had “ enough of life ” are also on the agenda , with NVVE activists giving information about the best way to make a living will and to formulate advanced directives in order to make sure to get euthanasia when one wants it .
The Expertise Centrum Euthanasie revealed that it received an average of 13 euthanasia requests every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more speedily since July 2019 .
It was the first month that more than 300 patients asked for “ help.
” It is expected that more than 3,300 people will do the same in 2020 .
They are catered to by a team of some 140 doctors and health care providers throughout the country .
These “ death squads ” consist of a doctor and a nurse who perform euthanasia in the patient ’ s own home , usually between 15 days and two months after a request has been submitted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is longer and can reach up to one year .
These death teams each perform an average of 12 euthanasias per year ; the center hopes not to go above that figure .
This is one of the reasons why the end-of-life clinic changed its name in September .
Contrary to what was imagined when it was created eight years ago , there is no “ hospital ” facility at the center ’ s headquarters in The Hague , as an overwhelming majority of patients prefer to die at home .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employs an army of doctors , psychiatrists , nurses and case managers who have a double function : helping people who find it difficult to obtain euthanasia to fulfill their death wish , and giving advice to doctors were confronted with requests and need any kind of information , either technical or otherwise .
The big question is now whether “ ordinary ” euthanasia , as procured by patient ’ s own doctors and medical teams , will also be found to have been on the rise in 2019 .
A slight decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant in the long run .
Are more people reaching out to the Euthanasia Expertise Center , while house doctors are showing themselves increasingly wary of providing euthanasia ?
This could be one explanation for the sudden increase .
“ Family doctors have become extra apprehensive , ” said a spokesperson .
That , after all , is the centers ’ reason of being : making sure that people who face rebuttal on the part of their own healthcare centers , who can not or will not provide euthanasia or who consider the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines , can all the same find an obliging doctor .
The euthanasia doctors ’ center by definition is just that .
One of them was under the spotlight in 2016 when a television documentary was filmed of a generally healthy 68-year-old woman who had semantic dementia and who repeatedly used childish expressions like “ I want bammo ” that were interpreted as a death wish .
She was euthanized while the TV cameras were filming .
Also , the act was deemed compliant with the law .
First-ever criminal proceedings in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002 took place in the Netherlands last year .
That case ended with the acquittal of a female doctor who had euthanized an Alzheimer ’ s patient who at the time of death was visibly resisting the fatal shot and was no longer capable of expressing her will .
Doctors in the Netherlands now certainly have more elbow room when faced with a living will previously made by a person who was not suffering from dementia .
On the other hand , commentators and the Netherlands underscore the fact that as the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally acceptable in the view of the public , it is likely that demand will continue to increase .
Most cases involve terminal cancer and patients are afraid of dying a terrible death .
At the same time , cases of psychiatric suffering are prompting more and more demands for euthanasia .
The Euthanasia Expertise Center says there is “ high need ” for professionals who can assess those requests and is finding it difficult to hire enough psychiatrists .
Perhaps these physicians still overwhelmingly prefer to help their patients live , not @ @

More than 3,000 inquiries were received in 2019 and nearly 900 people were killed by the death teams.
February 12, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Dutch “end-of-life clinic” that specializes in euthanasia for those who have difficulty obtaining a lethal shot from their own family doctor has registered a sharp increase in the number of patients hoping to avail themselves of its services.
In 2019, no less than 3,122 people contacted the institution in the Hague hoping to see their death wish honored. This was a 22 percent increase compared with the two previous years, when the clinic’s “clientele” seemed to have reached a stable plateau.
The proportion of demands followed by death — what is now called the “Expertise Centrum Euthanasie” — has remained roughly the same at 29 percent, which means that in absolute figures the Center has organized an unprecedented number of euthanasias. There were 898 people killed by its teams in 2019. Of those cases, 885 have already been assessed by the Netherlands’ regional euthanasia review committees and found fully compliant with the law.
One of the most “remarkable” increases in demand, according to the Expertise Centrum, was dementia patients. Requests went up from 70 to 96 between 2018 and 2019. It is not known how many of these were followed by a voluntary end-of-life procedure.
But the NVVE (Netherlands Association for a chosen end-of-life), which originally created the end-of-life clinic in 2012 as a tax-exempt foundation, is certainly pushing to make that record even higher.
The NVVE is celebrating its annual “Euthanasia Week” from February 7 to February 14. Festivities include large numbers of mainly pro-euthanasia stories in the media; NVVE also organizes meetings locally throughout the country in order to push people to talk about the issue. Dementia and the possibility of euthanasia for dementia patients are high up on the list of themes.
Psychiatric suffering and the death wish of those who have had “enough of life” are also on the agenda, with NVVE activists giving information about the best way to make a living will and to formulate advanced directives in order to make sure to get euthanasia when one wants it.
The Expertise Centrum Euthanasie revealed that it received an average of 13 euthanasia requests every working day. Demands have gone up even more speedily since July 2019. It was the first month that more than 300 patients asked for “help.” It is expected that more than 3,300 people will do the same in 2020.
They are catered to by a team of some 140 doctors and health care providers throughout the country. These “death squads” consist of a doctor and a nurse who perform euthanasia in the patient’s own home, usually between 15 days and two months after a request has been submitted. For psychiatry patients, the waiting period is longer and can reach up to one year.
These death teams each perform an average of 12 euthanasias per year; the center hopes not to go above that figure.
This is one of the reasons why the end-of-life clinic changed its name in September. Contrary to what was imagined when it was created eight years ago, there is no “hospital” facility at the center’s headquarters in The Hague, as an overwhelming majority of patients prefer to die at home.
On the other hand, the Euthanasia Expertise Center employs an army of doctors, psychiatrists, nurses and case managers who have a double function: helping people who find it difficult to obtain euthanasia to fulfill their death wish, and giving advice to doctors were confronted with requests and need any kind of information, either technical or otherwise.
The big question is now whether “ordinary” euthanasia, as procured by patient’s own doctors and medical teams, will also be found to have been on the rise in 2019. A slight decline in 2018 was not deemed to be significant in the long run.
Are more people reaching out to the Euthanasia Expertise Center, while house doctors are showing themselves increasingly wary of providing euthanasia? This could be one explanation for the sudden increase.
“Family doctors have become extra apprehensive,” said a spokesperson.
That, after all, is the centers’ reason of being: making sure that people who face rebuttal on the part of their own healthcare centers, who cannot or will not provide euthanasia or who consider the request incompatible with the law’s guidelines, can all the same find an obliging doctor.
The euthanasia doctors’ center by definition is just that. One of them was under the spotlight in 2016 when a television documentary was filmed of a generally healthy 68-year-old woman who had semantic dementia and who repeatedly used childish expressions like “I want bammo” that were interpreted as a death wish. She was euthanized while the TV cameras were filming. Also, the act was deemed compliant with the law.
First-ever criminal proceedings in a euthanasia case since it became legal in 2002 took place in the Netherlands last year. That case ended with the acquittal of a female doctor who had euthanized an Alzheimer’s patient who at the time of death was visibly resisting the fatal shot and was no longer capable of expressing her will.
Doctors in the Netherlands now certainly have more elbow room when faced with a living will previously made by a person who was not suffering from dementia.
On the other hand, commentators and the Netherlands underscore the fact that as the population grows older, and euthanasia having become generally acceptable in the view of the public, it is likely that demand will continue to increase. Most cases involve terminal cancer and patients are afraid of dying a terrible death.
At the same time, cases of psychiatric suffering are prompting more and more demands for euthanasia. The Euthanasia Expertise Center says there is “high need” for professionals who can assess those requests and is finding it difficult to hire enough psychiatrists.
Perhaps these physicians still overwhelmingly prefer to help their patients live, not die.
Share