Oregon is a State which is both beautiful and very weird.
Weird because just about any city in Oregon West of the Cascade Mountains is a Hippy Haven.
Oregon is the only state where hippies enjoy a majority at the voting booths come election time.
There’s a saying: “Hippies dont die. They just move to Oregon.”
During the past few years hippies have been moving to Oregon in droves because there is employment for hippies and they can go about in their tie-dye glad rags in public veiw with out being accosted, laughed at or abused.
Oregon is a true hippy Haven. Under an oz. of pot isnt illegal here.
The Cascade Range is full of small towns that have been the last refuge of the hippies since the beginning of the Seventies.
All of these little towns are lawless and have a long stading hippie tradition.
You would not expect that with that type of resume Oregon would be a trend setter. But you would be wrong.
Just consider the influence which the very liberal marijuana acceptance in Oregon has had upon the rest of the country.
Now comes another moment in Oregon which I fear will be repeated in diocese after diocese across the country in one form or another.
An event-hosting business is suing a Catholic parish in Oregon, arguing that the Church’s “homophobia” ruined the business.
The Holy Rosary Church in Portland, Oregon owns a large building with offices and an event center.
The parish contracted Ambridge Event Center to manage the property from 2008 to 2015.
In February, 2015, the organization PFLAG Portland Black Chapter contacted Ambridge about using the space, and they were refused, citing the Holy Rosary Church’s request that LGBTQ groups not use the building.
“She basically told us that because we were an LBGT organization, the church doesn’t approve,” said Khalil Edwards, Director of PFLAG.
The contract between Ambridge and the parish includes a morals clause which doesn’t allow Ambridge to use the space for “any activity that would be offensive or disreputable to the owner.”
Ambridge said that the Parish “was explicit” that this means any LGBTQ group.
The resulting negative press reports that came from refusing to host the PFLAG event caused Ambridge to lose business, including government contracts.
“Even businesses and government entities that had previously scheduled events with Ambridge who were not affiliated with the LGBTQ community but had equity-driven internal policies, refused to work with Ambridge after reading or hearing about the discriminatory policy involved in its employment relationship with the Church,” the lawsuit says.
Ambridge offered to host the PFLAG chapter’s event for free and hired a gay man to try to counteract the bad press. But in December 2015, the parish issued a notice of termination of the commercial lease, effectively evicting Ambridge from the property.
The complaint says that this was retaliation for hiring a gay man and trying to make amends with PFLAG.
The relationship between Ambridge and the parish is legally complex and, consequently, unclear.
The original contract is written as if Ambridge is being hired as a property manager, but the notice of termination of commercial lease is written as if the relationship is that of a landlord and tenant.
The lawsuit, however, charges that state anti-discrimination law was violated either way.
If Ambridge was working for the church, then the church engaged in employment discrimination.
If Ambridge was a renter who lost their property because they associated themselves with LGBTQ people, then the church engaged in housing discrimination.
Oregon law has an exemption for religious organizations, but it only applies if “the use of facilities is closely connected with or related to the primary purposes of the church.”
Ambridge, which has gone out of business, is asking for almost $2 million in lost income from the breach of contract and $250,000 to compensate them for improvements in the building.
The company is also asking for attorney fees.
I am going to keep an eye on this story. I believe we will be seeing similar lawsuits against the Church spring up across the country as the homosexual community continues to find every means available to them to attack the Church and anyone who does not accede to their behavior or radical political agenda.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
THE END OF CATHOLIC IRELAND AS WE KNEW IT
During a radio interview on RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Irish Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran, was a guest.
He said to Catholics listening “if you voted Yes knowing and intending that abortion would be the outcome then you should consider coming to Confession.”
During the same sex referendum campaign in 2015, Bishop Doran said in a Newstalk interview that “people who have children are not necessarily parents.” Gay parents were not necessarily parents because “the whole relationship between life-giving and parenthood” has been separated, he said.
At a press conference was called afterward in Maynooth, Catholic Primate Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, attempted to soften Bishop Doran’s remarks.
Much more typical of how most Catholic Bishops see the Church after the referendum would be the view of Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan. He told Raidió na Gaeltachta: “it’s a Church and there are plenty of people with different attitudes within it and we have to accept that.”
While the Bishops of Ireland may have different points of view, one reality appears to be remarkably clear: the recent referendum on abortion marks an end to Catholic Ireland.
Perhaps more accurately, what it illustrates is an end to a particular model of Clerically dominated Catholic Church in Ireland.
On that, I believe sadly, we can all agree.
He said to Catholics listening “if you voted Yes knowing and intending that abortion would be the outcome then you should consider coming to Confession.”
During the same sex referendum campaign in 2015, Bishop Doran said in a Newstalk interview that “people who have children are not necessarily parents.” Gay parents were not necessarily parents because “the whole relationship between life-giving and parenthood” has been separated, he said.
At a press conference was called afterward in Maynooth, Catholic Primate Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, attempted to soften Bishop Doran’s remarks.
Much more typical of how most Catholic Bishops see the Church after the referendum would be the view of Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan. He told Raidió na Gaeltachta: “it’s a Church and there are plenty of people with different attitudes within it and we have to accept that.”
While the Bishops of Ireland may have different points of view, one reality appears to be remarkably clear: the recent referendum on abortion marks an end to Catholic Ireland.
Perhaps more accurately, what it illustrates is an end to a particular model of Clerically dominated Catholic Church in Ireland.
On that, I believe sadly, we can all agree.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
THE THREE STATES OF THE CHURCH MILITANT TODAY
In my grade school days, most American Catholic children were taught the Faith by way of the Baltimore Catechism (a wonderful and useful tool for memorizing the essential doctrines of the Church).
I remember being taught that there are “three states of the Church”: the Church Triumphant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Militant.
The Church Triumphant describes the Church in Heaven, the abode of all those who have attained the fullness of redemption in Christ. The Church Triumphant will have its fullest expression at the end of time, when all of creation will be conformed to Christ and all reality will be one of Divine praise and glory.
The Church Suffering refers to the souls in Purgatory, the threshold, the antechamber of Heaven. In Purgatory, all those who have yet to attain the perfection of life in Christ are cleansed and purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit. The suffering of purgatory is not one of destruction, but the suffering that comes from leaving the old self behind and taking on the new.
The Church Militant refers to the Church on earth. The term "militant" can suggest an antagonistic relationship between the Church and the world. Nevertheless, it refers to an authentic reality: that the Church on earth works to overcome the imperfect and sinful dimensions of human existence.
The mission of the Church Militant is to transform a world wounded by sin by the preaching of the Gospel and by the power of the good works and example.
Sadly, the Church abandoned the catechism as a teaching tool. As a result, most Catholics today have no idea of any of the marvelous doctrine which is at the heart of their Faith.
I decided to use this catechism-understanding of the three states of the Church as a backdrop against which I wish to paint a picture of the three states which I believe characterize the Church at the present time.
It appears that the Church Militant here on earth is fractured and can be seen to consist of three broad groupings.
The first group consists of a “remnant”, a small minority deeply committed to the traditional proclamation and practice of the Faith. This group insists that fidelity to the Church can only be expressed by way of ancient credal formulas, moral precepts and liturgies enunciated and celebrated in the Latin language, the Church’s “mother tongue”.
This group is fractious and reactionary, defensive to the point of being elitist. They eagerly and willingly isolate themselves from the contemporary Catholicism and are most comfortable in being constantly battling a sinful world which they see in an apocalyptic struggle against the Divine Will for Creation and true teachings of Holy Mother Church.
For this group, all Church doctrine must be, by necessity and by nature itself, a capitulation of Revelation, perfect and complete with no further development or exposition possible after the death of the Last Apostle.
They are uncompromising and admit to no divergence of thought or behavior on penalty of expulsion from the Body of Christ. They tend to be scrupulous in their concern that any infraction of Church teaching amounts to a serious separation from the Grace of Christ leaving them vulnerable to eternal damnation.
The second group consists of those who regularly and frequently frequent the Sacraments and attend Mass diligently on the days prescribed. These are mostly older Catholics whose practice of the Faith is largely nostalgic, drawing its motivation and encouragement out of a sense of loyalty to family traditions and customs.
Members within this group are content with their elementary school understanding of Catholicism, unlikely to pursue further studies of the Scriptures or Church doctrine. Their Catholicity is unshakable because it is a familiar and comfortable part of their personal and social identity. With few exceptions, they generally accept what the Church says and does because they are willing to recognize and to the authority of their Sacred Pastors.
Finally, although it seems somewhat contradictory to include them within the groupings of Church membership, there are those who have willfully rejected the Church and are hostile to its teachings.
Unfortunately, a good number of this group remain within parochial communities but do so as agitators and malcontents, constantly challenging the authority of their Pastors and fomenting discontent within the parish.
Within this group can be found those Catholics who have an axe of whatever kind to grind, agenda driven members who insist that their voices be heard, oftentimes shrill and demanding voices.
These are the folks who insist that Church teaching be altered and adapted to accommodate the culture of death (abortion and euthanasia rights), homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Their strategy is to often point to the failings and scandals which have beset the Church and so claim for themselves a moral superiority over their Pastors and their peers.
They constantly lament that the Church lacks compassion and understanding, is horribly judgmental and indifferent to those who struggle with the complex moral decisions that modern life demands.
To those who opine that a “modern schism” is about to take place, I suggest that a “quiet distancing” from Church teaching has already embedded itself into the Body of Christ. It is nothing less than a continuation of a trend ignoring or rejecting Catholic teaching.
Sadly, Bishops believe they can reassure the hearts and minds of the faithful with public statements that there is no crisis, that the Church has experienced widespread disillusion in the past, is suffering those same concerns now and will survive to see future generations struggle with the moral implications which arise from the proclamation of the Gospel.
The Bishops seem incapable of admitting that the Church has completely lost its moral voice as a result of successive scandals and the rush of Western Civilization toward secularism.
I do not pretend to know the answer to this problem, but until the Bishops and my brother-Priests are willing to admit it exists and begin seeking the guidance and the cooperation of the faithful, the Church will continue to be irrelevant and contribute little in preserving and protecting the moral values upon which future societies will depend.
And so, I continue to encourage all of us to pray for the Church, its people and its leaders, that the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will fortify the Body of Christ, insure its unity and proclaim the Gospel which gives light, hope and meaning to our lives.
I remember being taught that there are “three states of the Church”: the Church Triumphant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Militant.
The Church Triumphant describes the Church in Heaven, the abode of all those who have attained the fullness of redemption in Christ. The Church Triumphant will have its fullest expression at the end of time, when all of creation will be conformed to Christ and all reality will be one of Divine praise and glory.
The Church Suffering refers to the souls in Purgatory, the threshold, the antechamber of Heaven. In Purgatory, all those who have yet to attain the perfection of life in Christ are cleansed and purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit. The suffering of purgatory is not one of destruction, but the suffering that comes from leaving the old self behind and taking on the new.
The Church Militant refers to the Church on earth. The term "militant" can suggest an antagonistic relationship between the Church and the world. Nevertheless, it refers to an authentic reality: that the Church on earth works to overcome the imperfect and sinful dimensions of human existence.
The mission of the Church Militant is to transform a world wounded by sin by the preaching of the Gospel and by the power of the good works and example.
Sadly, the Church abandoned the catechism as a teaching tool. As a result, most Catholics today have no idea of any of the marvelous doctrine which is at the heart of their Faith.
I decided to use this catechism-understanding of the three states of the Church as a backdrop against which I wish to paint a picture of the three states which I believe characterize the Church at the present time.
It appears that the Church Militant here on earth is fractured and can be seen to consist of three broad groupings.
The first group consists of a “remnant”, a small minority deeply committed to the traditional proclamation and practice of the Faith. This group insists that fidelity to the Church can only be expressed by way of ancient credal formulas, moral precepts and liturgies enunciated and celebrated in the Latin language, the Church’s “mother tongue”.
This group is fractious and reactionary, defensive to the point of being elitist. They eagerly and willingly isolate themselves from the contemporary Catholicism and are most comfortable in being constantly battling a sinful world which they see in an apocalyptic struggle against the Divine Will for Creation and true teachings of Holy Mother Church.
For this group, all Church doctrine must be, by necessity and by nature itself, a capitulation of Revelation, perfect and complete with no further development or exposition possible after the death of the Last Apostle.
They are uncompromising and admit to no divergence of thought or behavior on penalty of expulsion from the Body of Christ. They tend to be scrupulous in their concern that any infraction of Church teaching amounts to a serious separation from the Grace of Christ leaving them vulnerable to eternal damnation.
The second group consists of those who regularly and frequently frequent the Sacraments and attend Mass diligently on the days prescribed. These are mostly older Catholics whose practice of the Faith is largely nostalgic, drawing its motivation and encouragement out of a sense of loyalty to family traditions and customs.
Members within this group are content with their elementary school understanding of Catholicism, unlikely to pursue further studies of the Scriptures or Church doctrine. Their Catholicity is unshakable because it is a familiar and comfortable part of their personal and social identity. With few exceptions, they generally accept what the Church says and does because they are willing to recognize and to the authority of their Sacred Pastors.
Finally, although it seems somewhat contradictory to include them within the groupings of Church membership, there are those who have willfully rejected the Church and are hostile to its teachings.
Unfortunately, a good number of this group remain within parochial communities but do so as agitators and malcontents, constantly challenging the authority of their Pastors and fomenting discontent within the parish.
Within this group can be found those Catholics who have an axe of whatever kind to grind, agenda driven members who insist that their voices be heard, oftentimes shrill and demanding voices.
These are the folks who insist that Church teaching be altered and adapted to accommodate the culture of death (abortion and euthanasia rights), homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Their strategy is to often point to the failings and scandals which have beset the Church and so claim for themselves a moral superiority over their Pastors and their peers.
They constantly lament that the Church lacks compassion and understanding, is horribly judgmental and indifferent to those who struggle with the complex moral decisions that modern life demands.
To those who opine that a “modern schism” is about to take place, I suggest that a “quiet distancing” from Church teaching has already embedded itself into the Body of Christ. It is nothing less than a continuation of a trend ignoring or rejecting Catholic teaching.
Sadly, Bishops believe they can reassure the hearts and minds of the faithful with public statements that there is no crisis, that the Church has experienced widespread disillusion in the past, is suffering those same concerns now and will survive to see future generations struggle with the moral implications which arise from the proclamation of the Gospel.
The Bishops seem incapable of admitting that the Church has completely lost its moral voice as a result of successive scandals and the rush of Western Civilization toward secularism.
I do not pretend to know the answer to this problem, but until the Bishops and my brother-Priests are willing to admit it exists and begin seeking the guidance and the cooperation of the faithful, the Church will continue to be irrelevant and contribute little in preserving and protecting the moral values upon which future societies will depend.
And so, I continue to encourage all of us to pray for the Church, its people and its leaders, that the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will fortify the Body of Christ, insure its unity and proclaim the Gospel which gives light, hope and meaning to our lives.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, EVERYBODY!
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Memorial Day 2018 occurs today, Monday, May 28.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
As we honor our fallen soldiers, we commend them to the loving care of Our Father in Heaven.
"No one has greater love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends," Jesus teaches us.
Those who serve in our Armed Forces put themselves willingly in harm's way so that our country and its citizens may enjoy the blessings of liberty no matter what the threat.
To those who have fought and died, to their widows and orphans, to all those who have and are serving in our military, we offer our most humble and sincere gratitude for service to our beloved land.
May God receive the souls of our fallen veterans and watch over and protect all those who wear the uniforms, who man the guns, who watch the skies and who stand ready to go into battle at a moment's notice.
On this Memorial Day, we honor our soldiers with joyful enthusiasm and with appreciation they so richly deserve.
May the Lord grant you, all of us, a safe and Happy Memorial Day. May He bless all those traveling or enjoying this holiday weekend and give them safe return home.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of America and the blessing of all those who serve and protect us each moment of our lives.
Memorial Day 2018 occurs today, Monday, May 28.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
As we honor our fallen soldiers, we commend them to the loving care of Our Father in Heaven.
"No one has greater love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends," Jesus teaches us.
Those who serve in our Armed Forces put themselves willingly in harm's way so that our country and its citizens may enjoy the blessings of liberty no matter what the threat.
To those who have fought and died, to their widows and orphans, to all those who have and are serving in our military, we offer our most humble and sincere gratitude for service to our beloved land.
May God receive the souls of our fallen veterans and watch over and protect all those who wear the uniforms, who man the guns, who watch the skies and who stand ready to go into battle at a moment's notice.
On this Memorial Day, we honor our soldiers with joyful enthusiasm and with appreciation they so richly deserve.
May the Lord grant you, all of us, a safe and Happy Memorial Day. May He bless all those traveling or enjoying this holiday weekend and give them safe return home.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of America and the blessing of all those who serve and protect us each moment of our lives.
GET READY: PENNSYLVANIA GRAND JURY TO ANNOUNCE ITS FINDINGS AFTER A TWO YEAR INVESTIGATION INTO THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNGSTERS BY CATHOLIC CLERGY
For the past two years, a Pennsylvania State grand jury has been conducting an investigation into Clergy sex abuse in six Roman Catholic Dioceses across Pennsylvania, including that of Harrisburg.
The findings of that investigation will be announced within the next several weeks and are shaping up to be the most damning to date against the Catholic Church.
State Representative, Mark Rozzi, said the findings out of the grand jury will likely prove to be worse than those out of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
"It will encapsulate the six remaining dioceses and show a pattern across all of them," Rozzi told PennLive.
"There has never been another grand jury like this in history as far as it pertains to child sex abuse. This is going to be the worst report ever. I think we are going to see a pattern of collusion and hopefully we can do right by the victims here and pass the right legislation that can gain victims justice and close out a chapter in our lives. That's what we are looking for, closure."
Sources close to the investigation stated that the grand jury has been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and the number of victims requesting to testify.
Impaneled in 2016, the grand jury has been investigating allegations of sexual abuse by priests in six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania. In addition to Harrisburg, the panel has been investigating the dioceses of Allentown, Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie and Scranton.
The Catholic Diocese of Erie issued a press release stating that planned within weeks to release a list of names of Diocesan Priests who face similar accusations.
Over the years, at least 15 Priests who had at one time served in the Harrisburg Diocese have been identified in allegations of child sex abuse - several of which were deemed credible. The Diocese of Harrisburg comprises 15 counties, including all the counties across central Pennsylvania.
Joe Aponick, spokesman for the Harrisburg Diocese, said the Diocese "is and has been cooperating fully with the Office of Attorney General's investigation. We have no further comment at this time."
This latest investigation comes several years after the release of two other grand jury reports in Pennsylvania: that out of the state's largest diocese, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the other out of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
Investigators in Philadelphia in 2011 found widespread clergy sexual abuse and concealment by church officials.
In addition to the removal of a number of priests deemed unsuitable for the priesthood, the Philadelphia report resulted in the conviction and sentencing of Monsignor William Lynn, the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic Church official convicted in a child sex abuse scandal. He served nearly three years of a three- to six-year sentence when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed his conviction over trial errors.
In March 2017, a judge ruled in favor of prosecutors seeking to retry Monsignor Lynn in connection with his handling of sex abuse complaints involving children and priests. Because of an unresolved defense defense appeal, that retrial for the Monsignor was not expected to take place until later this year.
In 2016, Investigators in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese released a scathing report on the systemic abuse children over decades by Priests and Church leaders in the Diocese.
The Pennsylvania state legislature is awaiting release of the grand jury findings as it prepares passage of legislation that would reform the state’s statute of limitations.
House Bill 612 - dubbed the "real deal" - contains the three major components sought by advocates and recommended by the previous grand jury panels: elimination of civil and criminal statute of limitations; and a retroactive window.
Jennifer Storm, the Pennsylvania’s Victim Advocate, sounded hopeful that the impending report will further fortify the efforts to reform state laws that extend legal recourse to victims of past abuse.
The Body of Christ continues to suffer the wound of this terrible scandal of the sexual abuse of children and young people by Clergy.
The faith of so many in the Church and in the Priesthood has been crushed.
I lament the suffering of so many innocent victims and suffer the scandal to the Church itself.
But, I also applaud those who seek to address these horrific charges of abuse and attempt to provide justice for those who have been victimized.
Catholic leadership has yet to confront this scandal honestly. The sexual abuse of young people by Clergy has never really been about pedophilia but rather about the rape of young men by homosexual Priests.
Recently, the Holy Father himself warned the Italian Bishops’ Conference about the admission of homosexuals into seminaries. Pope Francis, as are all the Bishops fully aware that homosexuals, not pedophiles, are responsible for the criminal abuse of youngsters.
To the extent that the Bishops remain dishonest in addressing the real basis of these scandals, they themselves remain the villains and are obstacles to the real protection of children against future crimes against them.
Our Church has been battered by this awful scandal.
May the Holy Spirit forgive the sins which the Church has committed against its children. May the same Spirit guide us and inspire us to create an environment in which our youngsters can be assured of protection against predators of any kind.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
The findings of that investigation will be announced within the next several weeks and are shaping up to be the most damning to date against the Catholic Church.
State Representative, Mark Rozzi, said the findings out of the grand jury will likely prove to be worse than those out of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
"It will encapsulate the six remaining dioceses and show a pattern across all of them," Rozzi told PennLive.
"There has never been another grand jury like this in history as far as it pertains to child sex abuse. This is going to be the worst report ever. I think we are going to see a pattern of collusion and hopefully we can do right by the victims here and pass the right legislation that can gain victims justice and close out a chapter in our lives. That's what we are looking for, closure."
Sources close to the investigation stated that the grand jury has been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information and the number of victims requesting to testify.
Impaneled in 2016, the grand jury has been investigating allegations of sexual abuse by priests in six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania. In addition to Harrisburg, the panel has been investigating the dioceses of Allentown, Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie and Scranton.
The Catholic Diocese of Erie issued a press release stating that planned within weeks to release a list of names of Diocesan Priests who face similar accusations.
Over the years, at least 15 Priests who had at one time served in the Harrisburg Diocese have been identified in allegations of child sex abuse - several of which were deemed credible. The Diocese of Harrisburg comprises 15 counties, including all the counties across central Pennsylvania.
Joe Aponick, spokesman for the Harrisburg Diocese, said the Diocese "is and has been cooperating fully with the Office of Attorney General's investigation. We have no further comment at this time."
This latest investigation comes several years after the release of two other grand jury reports in Pennsylvania: that out of the state's largest diocese, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the other out of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
Investigators in Philadelphia in 2011 found widespread clergy sexual abuse and concealment by church officials.
In addition to the removal of a number of priests deemed unsuitable for the priesthood, the Philadelphia report resulted in the conviction and sentencing of Monsignor William Lynn, the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic Church official convicted in a child sex abuse scandal. He served nearly three years of a three- to six-year sentence when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed his conviction over trial errors.
In March 2017, a judge ruled in favor of prosecutors seeking to retry Monsignor Lynn in connection with his handling of sex abuse complaints involving children and priests. Because of an unresolved defense defense appeal, that retrial for the Monsignor was not expected to take place until later this year.
In 2016, Investigators in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese released a scathing report on the systemic abuse children over decades by Priests and Church leaders in the Diocese.
The Pennsylvania state legislature is awaiting release of the grand jury findings as it prepares passage of legislation that would reform the state’s statute of limitations.
House Bill 612 - dubbed the "real deal" - contains the three major components sought by advocates and recommended by the previous grand jury panels: elimination of civil and criminal statute of limitations; and a retroactive window.
Jennifer Storm, the Pennsylvania’s Victim Advocate, sounded hopeful that the impending report will further fortify the efforts to reform state laws that extend legal recourse to victims of past abuse.
The Body of Christ continues to suffer the wound of this terrible scandal of the sexual abuse of children and young people by Clergy.
The faith of so many in the Church and in the Priesthood has been crushed.
I lament the suffering of so many innocent victims and suffer the scandal to the Church itself.
But, I also applaud those who seek to address these horrific charges of abuse and attempt to provide justice for those who have been victimized.
Catholic leadership has yet to confront this scandal honestly. The sexual abuse of young people by Clergy has never really been about pedophilia but rather about the rape of young men by homosexual Priests.
Recently, the Holy Father himself warned the Italian Bishops’ Conference about the admission of homosexuals into seminaries. Pope Francis, as are all the Bishops fully aware that homosexuals, not pedophiles, are responsible for the criminal abuse of youngsters.
To the extent that the Bishops remain dishonest in addressing the real basis of these scandals, they themselves remain the villains and are obstacles to the real protection of children against future crimes against them.
Our Church has been battered by this awful scandal.
May the Holy Spirit forgive the sins which the Church has committed against its children. May the same Spirit guide us and inspire us to create an environment in which our youngsters can be assured of protection against predators of any kind.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Saturday, May 26, 2018
IRELAND VOTES TO REPEAL LAWS AGAINST ABORTION
Ireland has voted decisively to repeal abortion bans, the Prime Minister announced.
That vote is just the latest in a series of stinging rebukes to the Roman Catholic Church.
In the past three years alone, Ireland has installed a gay man as Prime Minister and has voted in another referendum to allow same-sex marriage.
But this was a particularly wrenching issue for Irish voters, even for supporters of the measure. And it was not clear until the end that the momentum toward socially liberal policies would be powerful enough to sweep away the deeply ingrained opposition to abortion.
“What we have seen today really is a culmination of a quiet revolution that’s been taking place in Ireland for the past 10 or 20 years,” Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said at a counting center in Dublin hours before the results of Friday’s vote were fully tallied.
Liberals may be shouting for joy, but sadly the Irish have abandoned the Catholicism which has, throughout their history, been an essential part of their national and cultural identity.
What a loss for Ireland. What a loss for the Church.
That vote is just the latest in a series of stinging rebukes to the Roman Catholic Church.
In the past three years alone, Ireland has installed a gay man as Prime Minister and has voted in another referendum to allow same-sex marriage.
But this was a particularly wrenching issue for Irish voters, even for supporters of the measure. And it was not clear until the end that the momentum toward socially liberal policies would be powerful enough to sweep away the deeply ingrained opposition to abortion.
“What we have seen today really is a culmination of a quiet revolution that’s been taking place in Ireland for the past 10 or 20 years,” Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said at a counting center in Dublin hours before the results of Friday’s vote were fully tallied.
Liberals may be shouting for joy, but sadly the Irish have abandoned the Catholicism which has, throughout their history, been an essential part of their national and cultural identity.
What a loss for Ireland. What a loss for the Church.
Friday, May 25, 2018
POPE FRANCIS: THERE IS A HEMORRHAGE OF PRIESTS AND NUNS THROUGHOUT EUROPE
This past Monday, Pope Francis met with the Italian Bishops’ Conference at their annual assembly in Rome.
In televised remarks to the Bishops, the Holy Father voiced his concern about the “hemorrhaging” of Nuns and Priests, especially throughout Europe, where the number of Priests has dropped by 2,502 since 2014, leading to a “crisis of vocations” in the region.
The Pope blamed such factors as demographic changes, scandals in the church and cultural trends that dissuade young people from making lifelong commitments and make them value instead the “dictatorship of money.”
“How many seminaries, churches, monasteries and convents will be closed in the next few years?” he asked. “God only knows.”
In the private discussions that followed his public remarks, the Holy Father was direct in telling the Bishops to care more diligently about the quality of seminary candidates than the quantity.
The Pope touched on the topic of homosexuality, particularly when it comes to individuals with “deep-seated tendencies” or who practice “homosexual acts”, yet who want to enter the seminary.
In these cases, “if you have even the slightest doubt it's better not to let them enter,” Francis said, because these acts or deep-seated tendencies can lead to scandals and can compromise the life of the seminary, as well as the man himself and his future priesthood.
Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, confirmed Francis' comments about homosexuality in a press conference which followed the Pope’s private remarks.
While the Pope's statements on the issue of homosexuality and the seminary reflect the Church's teaching on the topic, they stand in stark contrast to remarks he is quoted as having made to one of the gay victims of sexual abuse in the scandal that has rocked the Church in Chile. The Pope is quoted by the victim as having said, “You are gay, that’s how God made you and there is nothing wrong with that.”
So, as he is wont to do, the Holy Father has reflected the Church’s teaching regarding the impediment which homosexuality poses to Ordination to the Priesthood, while at the same time reserving judgment against gays themselves...a strategy I commented upon in my immediately preceding article.
Francis has already said the Church must study whether it’s possible to ordain married men of proven faith, so-called “viri probati,” to minister in remote communities facing priest shortages.
Whether he will suggest that European Bishops begin looking in the same direction remains to be seen.
From my point of view, the Ordination of married men to the Priesthood is a question of “when” and not “if”. And, as I have consistently suggested, the first place for candidates can be readily found in the overabundant pool of Permanent Deacons, whose present ministry afford little pastoral assistance or service to the Church.
In televised remarks to the Bishops, the Holy Father voiced his concern about the “hemorrhaging” of Nuns and Priests, especially throughout Europe, where the number of Priests has dropped by 2,502 since 2014, leading to a “crisis of vocations” in the region.
The Pope blamed such factors as demographic changes, scandals in the church and cultural trends that dissuade young people from making lifelong commitments and make them value instead the “dictatorship of money.”
“How many seminaries, churches, monasteries and convents will be closed in the next few years?” he asked. “God only knows.”
In the private discussions that followed his public remarks, the Holy Father was direct in telling the Bishops to care more diligently about the quality of seminary candidates than the quantity.
The Pope touched on the topic of homosexuality, particularly when it comes to individuals with “deep-seated tendencies” or who practice “homosexual acts”, yet who want to enter the seminary.
In these cases, “if you have even the slightest doubt it's better not to let them enter,” Francis said, because these acts or deep-seated tendencies can lead to scandals and can compromise the life of the seminary, as well as the man himself and his future priesthood.
Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, confirmed Francis' comments about homosexuality in a press conference which followed the Pope’s private remarks.
While the Pope's statements on the issue of homosexuality and the seminary reflect the Church's teaching on the topic, they stand in stark contrast to remarks he is quoted as having made to one of the gay victims of sexual abuse in the scandal that has rocked the Church in Chile. The Pope is quoted by the victim as having said, “You are gay, that’s how God made you and there is nothing wrong with that.”
So, as he is wont to do, the Holy Father has reflected the Church’s teaching regarding the impediment which homosexuality poses to Ordination to the Priesthood, while at the same time reserving judgment against gays themselves...a strategy I commented upon in my immediately preceding article.
Francis has already said the Church must study whether it’s possible to ordain married men of proven faith, so-called “viri probati,” to minister in remote communities facing priest shortages.
Whether he will suggest that European Bishops begin looking in the same direction remains to be seen.
From my point of view, the Ordination of married men to the Priesthood is a question of “when” and not “if”. And, as I have consistently suggested, the first place for candidates can be readily found in the overabundant pool of Permanent Deacons, whose present ministry afford little pastoral assistance or service to the Church.
Thursday, May 24, 2018
UPCOMING SERIES OF POSTS ON FALLACIES UNDERLYING THE RESPONSES TO CRISIS OF FAITH AND MEMBERSHIP WITHIN THE CHURCH
Over the course of the next week or so, I will be posting a series of articles consisting of what I believe are a number of fallacies underlying strategies Bishops and others in leadership positions seem to be eagerly adopting in responding to the crisis of faith and membership presently affecting the Church.
I hope you will find the articles interesting, if not challenging.
Of course, I welcome whatever comments they inspire among the readers of this blogsite.
More about the series in the days ahead.
God bless us, each and everyone!
I hope you will find the articles interesting, if not challenging.
Of course, I welcome whatever comments they inspire among the readers of this blogsite.
More about the series in the days ahead.
God bless us, each and everyone!
POPE FRANCIS, I READ YOUR BOOK...OR AT LEAST THE FIRST CHAPTER
I have been a avid fan of General George Patton for most of my adult life.
I first learned of the vulgar yet brilliant tactical commander of the American Third Army when I was in college seminary. My mentor at the time was a elderly curmudgeon, Father John Taugher, Vincentian Professor of Latin, whose wisdom and counsel guided me both before and after my Ordination.
What Father Taugher admired and shared with me about General Patton (and what I have attempted to emulate) was his disregard for the normal rules of decorum in his commitment to crush the German enemy at all costs.
It nearly cost him his rank.
If President Roosevelt had followed the advice of General Marshall and removed Patton from the front lines, it is very possible that today the world would be celebrating almost 80 years of Hitler’s thousand-year Reich.
Perhaps the most celebrated of all the anecdotes about Patton recalls his defeat over Romel in North Africa, when the General is quoted as saying, “Romel, you (ephithet deleted), I read your book!”
Well, I can’t say that I have read Pope Francis whole “book”, but I do believe that I have completed and digested his “first chapter” at least.
I think we can all agree that the Holy Father has a distinctive approach to Church dogma and doctrine.
Furthermore, I believe that through the past years of his Pontificate, Pope Francis, instead of acting as expositor and defender of these core teachings of the Church, selectively has applied them in his statements and actions without feeling the need to alter the teachings themselves.
The Pope has indicated on a number of occasions his belief that it is possible to be a member of the Church in good standing, while not abiding fully with all of the precepts of the institution.
Other Popes have acknowledged that every member of the Church is a sinner and will, in moments of weakness or frailty, fail to follow the moral teachings of the Gospel. When that happens, the faithful are both required and encouraged to repent and seek reconciliation (by way of Sacramental absolution) along with a firm intention to amend future choices to be in conformity with Church teaching.
Pope Francis is radically different in that he implies, by his words and gestures, that a lack of conformity with Church teaching is acceptable, requiring no change or improvement in behavior.
Most recently, Juan Carlos Cruz, a self-admitted gay victim of the sexual abuse scandal in Chile that has garnered worldwide attention, met and engaged in private conversations with the Pope.
Following the meeting, Cruz quoted Pope Francis as admitting that, if indeed Cruz is gay, that's how God made him and there's nothing wrong with that.
Church teaching clearly contradicts this.
But here’s how Pope Francis responds.
First, the Holy Father and the Vatican remain silent about Cruz’ claim of what the Pope said to him.
Second, that silence allows the Pope to effectively affirm teaching (by not contradicting Cruz’ statements), while applying Church teaching in a more merciful and less demanding pastoral response.
It's the same strategy Pope Francis has applied by not responding directly to those who have challenged his words or actions on any number of moral, theological or even liturgical traditions of Church teaching and practice.
Instead of seeking to change the underlying rules, which would risk divisiveness and even schism, Pope Francis is perfectly content it appears toshow that it is perfectly permissable for a Priest or layperson to diverge from Church precepts in the name of welcoming as many people as possible to the mercy of Christ.
That’s at least what I have garnered from watching and listen to the Holy Father these past many years...reading his book so to say.
Perhaps the Pope is hoping that, if he is successful in having the Church informally stop the harsh application of the moral precepts which derive from its teachings, perhaps it will be easier and less like to cause serious divisions to diverge from those teachings officially.
But, that requires a further reading of Pope Francis’ actions and strategy...perhaps the reading of the second chapter of his “book”.
I look forward such as the Pontificate of this remarkable Successor of Peters continues, for many years yet I pray!
I first learned of the vulgar yet brilliant tactical commander of the American Third Army when I was in college seminary. My mentor at the time was a elderly curmudgeon, Father John Taugher, Vincentian Professor of Latin, whose wisdom and counsel guided me both before and after my Ordination.
What Father Taugher admired and shared with me about General Patton (and what I have attempted to emulate) was his disregard for the normal rules of decorum in his commitment to crush the German enemy at all costs.
It nearly cost him his rank.
If President Roosevelt had followed the advice of General Marshall and removed Patton from the front lines, it is very possible that today the world would be celebrating almost 80 years of Hitler’s thousand-year Reich.
Perhaps the most celebrated of all the anecdotes about Patton recalls his defeat over Romel in North Africa, when the General is quoted as saying, “Romel, you (ephithet deleted), I read your book!”
Well, I can’t say that I have read Pope Francis whole “book”, but I do believe that I have completed and digested his “first chapter” at least.
I think we can all agree that the Holy Father has a distinctive approach to Church dogma and doctrine.
Furthermore, I believe that through the past years of his Pontificate, Pope Francis, instead of acting as expositor and defender of these core teachings of the Church, selectively has applied them in his statements and actions without feeling the need to alter the teachings themselves.
The Pope has indicated on a number of occasions his belief that it is possible to be a member of the Church in good standing, while not abiding fully with all of the precepts of the institution.
Other Popes have acknowledged that every member of the Church is a sinner and will, in moments of weakness or frailty, fail to follow the moral teachings of the Gospel. When that happens, the faithful are both required and encouraged to repent and seek reconciliation (by way of Sacramental absolution) along with a firm intention to amend future choices to be in conformity with Church teaching.
Pope Francis is radically different in that he implies, by his words and gestures, that a lack of conformity with Church teaching is acceptable, requiring no change or improvement in behavior.
Most recently, Juan Carlos Cruz, a self-admitted gay victim of the sexual abuse scandal in Chile that has garnered worldwide attention, met and engaged in private conversations with the Pope.
Following the meeting, Cruz quoted Pope Francis as admitting that, if indeed Cruz is gay, that's how God made him and there's nothing wrong with that.
Church teaching clearly contradicts this.
But here’s how Pope Francis responds.
First, the Holy Father and the Vatican remain silent about Cruz’ claim of what the Pope said to him.
Second, that silence allows the Pope to effectively affirm teaching (by not contradicting Cruz’ statements), while applying Church teaching in a more merciful and less demanding pastoral response.
It's the same strategy Pope Francis has applied by not responding directly to those who have challenged his words or actions on any number of moral, theological or even liturgical traditions of Church teaching and practice.
Instead of seeking to change the underlying rules, which would risk divisiveness and even schism, Pope Francis is perfectly content it appears toshow that it is perfectly permissable for a Priest or layperson to diverge from Church precepts in the name of welcoming as many people as possible to the mercy of Christ.
That’s at least what I have garnered from watching and listen to the Holy Father these past many years...reading his book so to say.
Perhaps the Pope is hoping that, if he is successful in having the Church informally stop the harsh application of the moral precepts which derive from its teachings, perhaps it will be easier and less like to cause serious divisions to diverge from those teachings officially.
But, that requires a further reading of Pope Francis’ actions and strategy...perhaps the reading of the second chapter of his “book”.
I look forward such as the Pontificate of this remarkable Successor of Peters continues, for many years yet I pray!
POPE FRANCIS TO MEET WITH PRIESTS WHO WERE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN CHILE
In continuing developments surrounding the scandal of sexual abuse of minors by Priests which has shocked the Church in Chile and resulted in the mass resignation of all the Bishops of that country, the Holy See has announced that Pope Francis will meet with other victims of abuse.
The Holy Father will be meeting (from June 1-3) with a second group of victims of the Reverend Fernando Karadima and other followers of the parish of the Sagrado Corazón de Providencia (“El Bosque”).
They are five Priests who were victims of abuse of power and conscience, and of sexual abuse. Together with them there will also be two Priests who have assisted the victims in their legal and spiritual journey, and two laypersons involved in this suffering.
They will all be guests of the Holy Father at the Casa Santa Marta.
With this new meeting, planned a month ago, Pope Francis wishes to demonstrate his closeness to the abused priests, to accompany them in their suffering and to listen to their valuable opinion to improve the current measures for the prevention and countering of abuse in the Church.
This gathering concludes the first phase of meetings that the Holy Father wished to have with the victims of the abusive system established around a decade ago. Similar initiatives may be repeated in the future.
The Holy Father continues to ask the faithful of Chile – and especially the faithful of the parishes where these priests carry out their pastoral mission – to accompany them with prayer and solidarity during these days.
We join with the Holy Father in recognizing the suffering this has caused the victims and the Church itself in Chile and ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of healing and the fortitude to carry on with the work of securing justice for those harmed and protection for the innocent against future sexual abuse at the hands of those entrusted with the pastoral care of God’s People.
The Holy Father will be meeting (from June 1-3) with a second group of victims of the Reverend Fernando Karadima and other followers of the parish of the Sagrado Corazón de Providencia (“El Bosque”).
They are five Priests who were victims of abuse of power and conscience, and of sexual abuse. Together with them there will also be two Priests who have assisted the victims in their legal and spiritual journey, and two laypersons involved in this suffering.
They will all be guests of the Holy Father at the Casa Santa Marta.
With this new meeting, planned a month ago, Pope Francis wishes to demonstrate his closeness to the abused priests, to accompany them in their suffering and to listen to their valuable opinion to improve the current measures for the prevention and countering of abuse in the Church.
This gathering concludes the first phase of meetings that the Holy Father wished to have with the victims of the abusive system established around a decade ago. Similar initiatives may be repeated in the future.
The Holy Father continues to ask the faithful of Chile – and especially the faithful of the parishes where these priests carry out their pastoral mission – to accompany them with prayer and solidarity during these days.
We join with the Holy Father in recognizing the suffering this has caused the victims and the Church itself in Chile and ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of healing and the fortitude to carry on with the work of securing justice for those harmed and protection for the innocent against future sexual abuse at the hands of those entrusted with the pastoral care of God’s People.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
POPE FRANCIS TO ATTEND MEETING OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN JUNE
When the World Council of Churches (WCC) meets in Geneva in June of this year, the presence of Pope Francis will usher forth a new era in ecumenical relations and cooperation that could change the hostility which has existed and been manifest since the historic divisions which fractured the Christian community centuries ago.
At a recent press conference, details of the ecumenical pilgrimage which the Pope will make to the World Council of Churches to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the global fellowship of Christian Churches were presented to the pubic.
The visit, which will include a meeting with the President of the Swiss Confederation and a Mass for the local Catholic community, marks a “historical milestone” in the relationship between the WCC and the Catholic Church.
According to WCC General Secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, who told journalists the event will convey a strong message to the Churches, but also to the wider global community: “A message that is possible to build relations of trust, cooperation, and even love, over divisions caused by historic conflicts and events, bridging different religious convictions and practices. It is possible to have wider horizons than our church, our own people.
The General Secretary emphasized that it is possible to share a vision based on Christian faith that brings churches together and makes them able to do a lot together. One of principles in this ecumenical movement has been that ‘we should do together what we can do together’, this is what we manifest through this visit”.
Fr Andrzej Choramanski from the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity spoke of the half century of relations between the Catholic Church and the WCC, even though the former has never become a full member of the fellowship, for both theological and practical reasons.
“It is not impossible that in the future the Catholic Church will not join, but I think that, for now, it is not the question that both sides are asking at this moment. I presented the rich collaboration that we have and, and without being a member of the WCC, the Catholic Church is a member of several commissions of the WCC”
The local Catholic Bishop Charles Morerod of Geneva said, the Pope is coming “to remind us that dialogue, openness and ecumenism must remain a priority for the Catholic community.”
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will bless this gathering of the various members of the Christian community. May it move the churches to a firm commitment and resolve to fulfill the Will of Our Savior that indeed one day there will be “one Flock and One Shepherd”.
At a recent press conference, details of the ecumenical pilgrimage which the Pope will make to the World Council of Churches to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the global fellowship of Christian Churches were presented to the pubic.
The visit, which will include a meeting with the President of the Swiss Confederation and a Mass for the local Catholic community, marks a “historical milestone” in the relationship between the WCC and the Catholic Church.
According to WCC General Secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, who told journalists the event will convey a strong message to the Churches, but also to the wider global community: “A message that is possible to build relations of trust, cooperation, and even love, over divisions caused by historic conflicts and events, bridging different religious convictions and practices. It is possible to have wider horizons than our church, our own people.
The General Secretary emphasized that it is possible to share a vision based on Christian faith that brings churches together and makes them able to do a lot together. One of principles in this ecumenical movement has been that ‘we should do together what we can do together’, this is what we manifest through this visit”.
Fr Andrzej Choramanski from the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity spoke of the half century of relations between the Catholic Church and the WCC, even though the former has never become a full member of the fellowship, for both theological and practical reasons.
“It is not impossible that in the future the Catholic Church will not join, but I think that, for now, it is not the question that both sides are asking at this moment. I presented the rich collaboration that we have and, and without being a member of the WCC, the Catholic Church is a member of several commissions of the WCC”
The local Catholic Bishop Charles Morerod of Geneva said, the Pope is coming “to remind us that dialogue, openness and ecumenism must remain a priority for the Catholic community.”
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will bless this gathering of the various members of the Christian community. May it move the churches to a firm commitment and resolve to fulfill the Will of Our Savior that indeed one day there will be “one Flock and One Shepherd”.
Monday, May 21, 2018
PARENTS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE EDUCATION AND FORMATION OF THEIR CHILDREN
Pope Francis has had much to say about the education of young people.
Recently, the Holy Father stated that education is, first and foremost, a family matter, and rather than contradicting one another, parents and teachers must collaborate openly and constructively to form children in core values which enable them to face modern challenges.
Speaking of the relationship between education and the family, the Pope said “everyone knows that this relationship has been in crisis for some time, and in certain cases is completely broken.”
There used to be a mutual reinforcement between the instructions given by teachers and those given by the parents, however, “today the situation has changed,” the Pope said.
“But we cannot be nostalgic for the past,” Pope Francis stated. Rather, we must make careful note of the changes that have affected both the family and schools, and renew our commitment “for a constructive collaboration for the good of children and young people.”
If this synergy no longer occurs in a “natural way,” he said it must be promoted with a planning approach, and if necessary with the contribution of experts in the educational field.
To do this, the Holy Father stressed the need for “a new 'complicity' between teachers and parents. Above all to renounce thinking like opposing fronts, blaming each other.”
Bravo, Your Holiness. This wisdom needs repeating often.
And even more importantly, the Pope needs to constantly remind parents that they are the first teachers of their children “in the ways of faith”, that is, not teachers of doctrine or discipline, but teachers whose Christian witness, practice and example contribute to the spiritual and religious formation of their children and families.
All of us need to be reminded of these truths.
They are the foundation of the present and future of the Church!
Recently, the Holy Father stated that education is, first and foremost, a family matter, and rather than contradicting one another, parents and teachers must collaborate openly and constructively to form children in core values which enable them to face modern challenges.
Speaking of the relationship between education and the family, the Pope said “everyone knows that this relationship has been in crisis for some time, and in certain cases is completely broken.”
There used to be a mutual reinforcement between the instructions given by teachers and those given by the parents, however, “today the situation has changed,” the Pope said.
“But we cannot be nostalgic for the past,” Pope Francis stated. Rather, we must make careful note of the changes that have affected both the family and schools, and renew our commitment “for a constructive collaboration for the good of children and young people.”
If this synergy no longer occurs in a “natural way,” he said it must be promoted with a planning approach, and if necessary with the contribution of experts in the educational field.
To do this, the Holy Father stressed the need for “a new 'complicity' between teachers and parents. Above all to renounce thinking like opposing fronts, blaming each other.”
Bravo, Your Holiness. This wisdom needs repeating often.
And even more importantly, the Pope needs to constantly remind parents that they are the first teachers of their children “in the ways of faith”, that is, not teachers of doctrine or discipline, but teachers whose Christian witness, practice and example contribute to the spiritual and religious formation of their children and families.
All of us need to be reminded of these truths.
They are the foundation of the present and future of the Church!
THIS DINOSAUR'S CRITIQUE OF POPE FRANCIS' CRITIQUE OF CAPITALISM
This past Thursday, Pope Francis’ issued yet another scathing critique of capitalism.
It’s become one of the Pope’s common themes as he has railed against what he often refers to as “ the unfettered pursuit of money, the dung of the devil.”
In this latest assault (clearly aimed against the American economic system), the Pope’s document goes into surprising detail in its takedown of business, competition, deregulation and the shareholder system.
Pope Francis is to be commended for his concern for the poor, but his socialist views of economics and government are tragically misinformed.
What the Holy Father repeatedly and willfully fails to admit is the fact, the fact mind you, that capitalism has been the most dynamic force for economic progress in history.
Over the past century, it has delivered billions of people out of miserable poverty, raised living standards to once-unimaginable heights and enabled an unprecedented flourishing of productive creativity.
I apparently belong to the 49% of Americans who hold a favorable view of capitalism. It is bothersome to me, however, that approximately 45% of my fellow citizens share a positive view of socialism.
As a matter of fact, among young Hispanics, Asians, Blacks and others, socialism gets even higher percentages.
Politically, according to Pew Research Center statistics about 61% of Democrats and 25 % of Republicans favor socialism.
I can understand how the Pope, coming from economically besieged South America, takes a dim view of capitalism. But Americans holding the same point of view is disconcerting.
According to a survey conducted just after Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic nomination for the Presidency, it appears that 26 % of my baby-boomer peers would prefer to live in a socialist country, while among Millenials the figure is closer to 44 %.
Why the divergence?
In my opinion, not supported by any other data but my own experience and the anecdotes related to me by parents and grandparents of Millenials, it seems that young people these days are literally spoiled with the bounty which capitalism has bestowed upon them.
They are so used to the perks of living in America that they no longer appreciate the prosperity and innovation which capitalism has brought them.
Some will remind me and my confreres of the catastrophic recession of 2007-2009 which has not only taken a decade to begin to overcome but has fostered a sense of ill-ease with the present economic order.
Certainly, previous to the election of the Trump administration, Millenials reached adulthood in a miserable job market. Thus, many of them associate capitalism with crisis.
This explains for me how Bernie Sanders could have come so close to getting the Democratic nomination in 2016.
Also, I agree with those who hold that those who support capitalism are unapologeticaly at odds with Millennials on social issues — including gay rights, racial inequality, immigration, gun control and abortion rights.
What Millenials do not realize is that many of the distinctive burdens they face are caused at least as much by government involvement as by free markets. Federal loans and grants have pushed up college tuition. Medicare inflates demand for health care. High housing costs owe a lot to rent control and land-use restrictions.
When markets are allowed to work, they continue to generate innovations that expand options and reduce costs. Amazon, Apple, Uber, Starbucks and Walmart have made life better for consumers. Food and clothing take less of our disposable income than ever before. Cars, TVs and appliances are better and more reliable than they used to be.
Sadly, what they do not or willfully refuse to admit is also what Pope Francis does not understand or accept.
I agree with the Holy Father that economic systems have to retain their moral legitimacy if they are to last.
Capitalism is not perfect, I admit.
But the Pope and young people want to throw the baby out with the bath water.
What a terrible disaster that would be for the societies of the West, burgeoning developing nations and the future of freedom itself.
Pitiably, however, in this and other relevant topics of the day, I feel like the proverbial dinosaur whose time came and went, but who lingers on in a world unrecognizable and unfamiliar.
It’s become one of the Pope’s common themes as he has railed against what he often refers to as “ the unfettered pursuit of money, the dung of the devil.”
In this latest assault (clearly aimed against the American economic system), the Pope’s document goes into surprising detail in its takedown of business, competition, deregulation and the shareholder system.
Pope Francis is to be commended for his concern for the poor, but his socialist views of economics and government are tragically misinformed.
What the Holy Father repeatedly and willfully fails to admit is the fact, the fact mind you, that capitalism has been the most dynamic force for economic progress in history.
Over the past century, it has delivered billions of people out of miserable poverty, raised living standards to once-unimaginable heights and enabled an unprecedented flourishing of productive creativity.
I apparently belong to the 49% of Americans who hold a favorable view of capitalism. It is bothersome to me, however, that approximately 45% of my fellow citizens share a positive view of socialism.
As a matter of fact, among young Hispanics, Asians, Blacks and others, socialism gets even higher percentages.
Politically, according to Pew Research Center statistics about 61% of Democrats and 25 % of Republicans favor socialism.
I can understand how the Pope, coming from economically besieged South America, takes a dim view of capitalism. But Americans holding the same point of view is disconcerting.
According to a survey conducted just after Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic nomination for the Presidency, it appears that 26 % of my baby-boomer peers would prefer to live in a socialist country, while among Millenials the figure is closer to 44 %.
Why the divergence?
In my opinion, not supported by any other data but my own experience and the anecdotes related to me by parents and grandparents of Millenials, it seems that young people these days are literally spoiled with the bounty which capitalism has bestowed upon them.
They are so used to the perks of living in America that they no longer appreciate the prosperity and innovation which capitalism has brought them.
Some will remind me and my confreres of the catastrophic recession of 2007-2009 which has not only taken a decade to begin to overcome but has fostered a sense of ill-ease with the present economic order.
Certainly, previous to the election of the Trump administration, Millenials reached adulthood in a miserable job market. Thus, many of them associate capitalism with crisis.
This explains for me how Bernie Sanders could have come so close to getting the Democratic nomination in 2016.
Also, I agree with those who hold that those who support capitalism are unapologeticaly at odds with Millennials on social issues — including gay rights, racial inequality, immigration, gun control and abortion rights.
What Millenials do not realize is that many of the distinctive burdens they face are caused at least as much by government involvement as by free markets. Federal loans and grants have pushed up college tuition. Medicare inflates demand for health care. High housing costs owe a lot to rent control and land-use restrictions.
When markets are allowed to work, they continue to generate innovations that expand options and reduce costs. Amazon, Apple, Uber, Starbucks and Walmart have made life better for consumers. Food and clothing take less of our disposable income than ever before. Cars, TVs and appliances are better and more reliable than they used to be.
Sadly, what they do not or willfully refuse to admit is also what Pope Francis does not understand or accept.
I agree with the Holy Father that economic systems have to retain their moral legitimacy if they are to last.
Capitalism is not perfect, I admit.
But the Pope and young people want to throw the baby out with the bath water.
What a terrible disaster that would be for the societies of the West, burgeoning developing nations and the future of freedom itself.
Pitiably, however, in this and other relevant topics of the day, I feel like the proverbial dinosaur whose time came and went, but who lingers on in a world unrecognizable and unfamiliar.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
POPE ANNOUNCES CONSISTORY TO CREATE NEW CARDINALS
Pope Francis on Sunday announced that he will create fourteen new Cardinals in a Consistory scheduled to take place on June 29th.
In the surprise announcement following his Regina Caeli address today, the Pope noted that the places from which the new Cardinals come “expresses the universality of the Church, which continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men and women on earth”.
The list also includes Polish archbishop Konrad Krajewski, who serves as the Papal Almoner here in Rome, and three Italian Archbishops, Angelo De Donatis, the Vicar General of the Rome Diocese, Luis Ladaria, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Giovanni Becciu, the Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Pope Francis said their nominations “manifests the unbreakable bond between the See of Peter and the local Churches throughout the world”.
Alongside them, Pope Francis also nominated to the College of Cardinals a retired archbishop of Mexico, a retired bishop of Bolivia and a priest from the Claretian order, all of whom, he said, “have distinguised themselves for their service to the Church”. They will not be eligible to vote for Pope Francis' successor because of their advanced age.
The names of the new Cardinals are:
His Beatitude Louis Raphaël I Sako – Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon
His Excellency Luis Ladaria –Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
His Excellency Angelo De Donatis – Vicar General of Rome
His Excellency Giovanni Angelo Becciu – Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
His Excellency Konrad Krajewski – Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities
His Excellency Joseph Coutts – Archbishop of Karachi
His Excellency António dos Santos Marto – Bishop of Leiria-Fátima
His Excellency Pedro Barreto – Archbishop of Huancayo
His Excellency Desiré Tsarahazana – Archbishop of Toamasina
His Excellency Giuseppe Petrocchi – Archbishop of L’Aquila
His Excellency Thomas Aquinas Manyo – Archbishop of Osaka
His Excellency Sergio Obeso Rivera – Emeritus Archbishop of Xalapa.
His Excellency Toribio Ticona Porco – Emeritus Bishop of Corocoro.
Reverend Father Aquilino Bocos Merino – member of the Claretian order.
In the surprise announcement following his Regina Caeli address today, the Pope noted that the places from which the new Cardinals come “expresses the universality of the Church, which continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men and women on earth”.
The list also includes Polish archbishop Konrad Krajewski, who serves as the Papal Almoner here in Rome, and three Italian Archbishops, Angelo De Donatis, the Vicar General of the Rome Diocese, Luis Ladaria, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Giovanni Becciu, the Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Pope Francis said their nominations “manifests the unbreakable bond between the See of Peter and the local Churches throughout the world”.
Alongside them, Pope Francis also nominated to the College of Cardinals a retired archbishop of Mexico, a retired bishop of Bolivia and a priest from the Claretian order, all of whom, he said, “have distinguised themselves for their service to the Church”. They will not be eligible to vote for Pope Francis' successor because of their advanced age.
The names of the new Cardinals are:
His Beatitude Louis Raphaël I Sako – Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon
His Excellency Luis Ladaria –Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
His Excellency Angelo De Donatis – Vicar General of Rome
His Excellency Giovanni Angelo Becciu – Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
His Excellency Konrad Krajewski – Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities
His Excellency Joseph Coutts – Archbishop of Karachi
His Excellency António dos Santos Marto – Bishop of Leiria-Fátima
His Excellency Pedro Barreto – Archbishop of Huancayo
His Excellency Desiré Tsarahazana – Archbishop of Toamasina
His Excellency Giuseppe Petrocchi – Archbishop of L’Aquila
His Excellency Thomas Aquinas Manyo – Archbishop of Osaka
His Excellency Sergio Obeso Rivera – Emeritus Archbishop of Xalapa.
His Excellency Toribio Ticona Porco – Emeritus Bishop of Corocoro.
Reverend Father Aquilino Bocos Merino – member of the Claretian order.
CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BELGIUM RAPIDLY LOSING ITS PRESENCE IN SOCIETY
Last year, for the first time, the ratio of children being baptized was less than 50 percent.
In other words, the majority of the Belgian parents does not want to have the traditional relationship with the Church anymore.
Although religion is not just to be measured with statistics, these figures seem to confirm the diminishing interest of the Belgian population in the Roman Catholic Church.
Since 2010, the decline in Baptism has been the sharpest in the Brussels diocese (32%) and in Antwerp (31%). Only in the Ghent area has the number of Baptisms remained relatively stable, with a decrease of 10%.
The figures are part of an ongoing survey of the Belgian Bishops Conference in cooperation with the University of Louvain. The official results are expected to be published later this year. The purpose of the survey is to gain more insight in the religious life of the Belgian Catholics.
Over the last decades there has been a growing secularization of Belgium’s society.
Church attendance gradually dropped to less than 10 percent.
But the trend is also seen in socio-political and ethical changes. The approval of new abortion and euthanasia laws is seen to be proof of the shift towards liberal stances of the population.
In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, Belgium witnesses a growth of Evangelical Churches and Muslim communities. The increase of the number of Muslims is mainly due to natural growth and immigration.
But newcomers from other countries are also the most important cause for evangelical churches to grow: many of the new communities have their origins in African countries; in particular, Christians arriving in Belgium from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana establish churches in the larger cities.
A spokesman of the Bishops Conference, Geert De Kerpel, acknowledged the drop, saying: 'Like any other organization, we would prefer a growth rather than a decline, but we will not start a promotional campaign. In the society we see an evolution from a church to which people belonged automatically to a group of people that choose consciously to be part of the church. When people are really convicted they specifically decide to have their children baptised and they will stimulate them to belong to the church.'
That statement and the indifference of the Bishops explains the reason why the Church in Belgium is rapidly evaporating with little, if any, hope for the future in sight.
Sadly, this is the case in many European countries.
The trend is beginning to appear elsewhere in the world, especially in Central and Latin American countries.
One wonders how soon and how quickly the American Church will follow suit.
In other words, the majority of the Belgian parents does not want to have the traditional relationship with the Church anymore.
Although religion is not just to be measured with statistics, these figures seem to confirm the diminishing interest of the Belgian population in the Roman Catholic Church.
Since 2010, the decline in Baptism has been the sharpest in the Brussels diocese (32%) and in Antwerp (31%). Only in the Ghent area has the number of Baptisms remained relatively stable, with a decrease of 10%.
The figures are part of an ongoing survey of the Belgian Bishops Conference in cooperation with the University of Louvain. The official results are expected to be published later this year. The purpose of the survey is to gain more insight in the religious life of the Belgian Catholics.
Over the last decades there has been a growing secularization of Belgium’s society.
Church attendance gradually dropped to less than 10 percent.
But the trend is also seen in socio-political and ethical changes. The approval of new abortion and euthanasia laws is seen to be proof of the shift towards liberal stances of the population.
In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, Belgium witnesses a growth of Evangelical Churches and Muslim communities. The increase of the number of Muslims is mainly due to natural growth and immigration.
But newcomers from other countries are also the most important cause for evangelical churches to grow: many of the new communities have their origins in African countries; in particular, Christians arriving in Belgium from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana establish churches in the larger cities.
A spokesman of the Bishops Conference, Geert De Kerpel, acknowledged the drop, saying: 'Like any other organization, we would prefer a growth rather than a decline, but we will not start a promotional campaign. In the society we see an evolution from a church to which people belonged automatically to a group of people that choose consciously to be part of the church. When people are really convicted they specifically decide to have their children baptised and they will stimulate them to belong to the church.'
That statement and the indifference of the Bishops explains the reason why the Church in Belgium is rapidly evaporating with little, if any, hope for the future in sight.
Sadly, this is the case in many European countries.
The trend is beginning to appear elsewhere in the world, especially in Central and Latin American countries.
One wonders how soon and how quickly the American Church will follow suit.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
BISHOP'S OF CHILE CONDUCTED NOTHING LESS THAN A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE
I apologize for the length of this article, but given the seriousness of the issue, I believe the lengthy commentary is warranted.
Pope Francis has accused all of Chile's Bishops of destroying evidence of sex crimes, pressuring church lawyers to minimize accusations and of "grave negligence" in protecting children from pedophile priests.
In a devastating 10-page document delivered to Chilean Bishops during a summit this week, Francis said the entire Chilean Church hierarchy was collectively responsible for "grave defects" in handling abuse cases and the resulting loss of credibility that the Catholic Church has earned.
The document, reported by Chile's T13 television and confirmed as authentic on Friday by the Vatican, put mounting pressure on the Bishops as a whole to resign given Francis told them that "no one can exempt himself and place the problem on the shoulders of the others".
The Bishops held a news conference in Rome later on Friday.
Francis summoned the entire Bishops' Conference to Rome after admitting that he had made "grave errors in judgment" in the case of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of Chile's most notorious predator Priest, the Reverend Fernando Karadima, of witnessing and ignoring their abuse.
But the scandal grew beyond the Barros case after Francis received a 2 300-page report written by two Vatican sex crimes experts sent to Chile to get a handle on the scope of the problem.
Their report hasn't been made public, but Pope Francis cited its core findings in the footnotes to the document he handed over to the bishops on Tuesday.
And those findings were damning.
Francis said the investigation showed there were "grave defects" in the way abuse cases were handled, with superficial investigations or no investigation at all of allegations that contained obvious evidence of crimes.
In other cases, there was "grave negligence" in protecting children from pedophiles by Bishops and Religious Superiors – a reference to the many cases of sexual abuse that have arisen in recent years within Chilean Religious Orders, including the Salesians, Franciscans and the Marist Brothers community.
Some of these Religious Order Priests and Brothers were expelled from their congregations because of immoral conduct, but had their cases "minimised of the absolute gravity of their criminal acts, attributing to them mere weakness or moral lapses", Pope Francis wrote.
But those same people "were then welcomed into other dioceses and given diocesan or parish jobs that gave them daily contact with minors", the Pope said.
Such behavior has been the hallmark of the clerical sex abuse crisis worldwide, with Bishops and Religious Superiors shuttling abusers around from parish to parish or dioceses rather than reporting them to police or launching canonical investigations and removing them from ministry.
He said such behaviour showed "an absolute lack of respect for the canonical process and worse, reprehensible practices that must be avoided in the future.
He said the problem wasn't limited to a group of people, but can be traced to the training Chilean Priests receive in seminary, blaming the "profound fracture" within the Church on the seminaries themselves.
The Vatican investigation, he said, contained "grave accusations against some bishops and superiors who sent to these educational institutions priests suspected of active homosexuality".
In the 1970s, the United States Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). It is a federal law designed to combat organized crime in the United States. It allows prosecution and civil penalties for racketeering activity performed as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise.
Until the passage of the RICO law, mob bosses were untouchable. But, with the introduction of RICO, the government could try them for crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them in doing. This act ultimately closed a loophole in the system that allowed a person who instructed someone else, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually commit the crime personally. Whole gangs could be prosecuted for the commission or cover up of crimes perpetrated by individuals within the gang.
The very definition of a criminal gang begs prosecution under RICO. A gang is a group of three or more persons who have a common identifying sign, symbol or name, and whose members individually or collectively engage in a pattern of criminal activity for the furtherance of the gang.
It appears that the Bishops of Chile were engaged in nothing less than a criminal enterprise and that the Episcopal Conference itself was aware of and encouraged a systematic cover up of the sexual abuse of minors by Priests and members of Religious Orders.
After the end of an extraordinary and historic meeting of the Pope with the entire Conference of Bishops, the Bishops themselves admitted that such was the case.
In a kind of “plea bargain”, all the Bishops of Chile have offered their resignation to Pope Francis who must now decide whether or not to accept or reject them.
But, it seems to me that resigning from office should be the least of the Bishops concerns.
Justice seems to require that these same Bishops be held accountable to the victims for their criminal behavior and be prosecuted for their crimes.
I don’t know if Chile has anything comparable to RICO law.
If it does, the government should begin a systematic prosecution of the Bishops of Chile for their part in conducting what amounts to a criminal enterprise no less loathsome than that conducted by any organized mob.
I have often wondered why RICO laws were not used to prosecute members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who, for decades, were aware of the sexual abuse of minors by Priests and Clerics and often engaged in elaborate cover ups resulting from either pay offs to or the extortion of abuse victims.
The Bishops of Chile and Bishops elsewhere have brought shame and dishonor to the Church.
Pope Francis needs to realize that his response now will be the hallmark or the failure of his Pontificate.
The matter must weigh heavily upon his shoulders, to be sure.
May the Holy Spirit guide Pope Francis in the decisions he must make in the days and weeks ahead.
Pope Francis has accused all of Chile's Bishops of destroying evidence of sex crimes, pressuring church lawyers to minimize accusations and of "grave negligence" in protecting children from pedophile priests.
In a devastating 10-page document delivered to Chilean Bishops during a summit this week, Francis said the entire Chilean Church hierarchy was collectively responsible for "grave defects" in handling abuse cases and the resulting loss of credibility that the Catholic Church has earned.
The document, reported by Chile's T13 television and confirmed as authentic on Friday by the Vatican, put mounting pressure on the Bishops as a whole to resign given Francis told them that "no one can exempt himself and place the problem on the shoulders of the others".
The Bishops held a news conference in Rome later on Friday.
Francis summoned the entire Bishops' Conference to Rome after admitting that he had made "grave errors in judgment" in the case of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of Chile's most notorious predator Priest, the Reverend Fernando Karadima, of witnessing and ignoring their abuse.
But the scandal grew beyond the Barros case after Francis received a 2 300-page report written by two Vatican sex crimes experts sent to Chile to get a handle on the scope of the problem.
Their report hasn't been made public, but Pope Francis cited its core findings in the footnotes to the document he handed over to the bishops on Tuesday.
And those findings were damning.
Francis said the investigation showed there were "grave defects" in the way abuse cases were handled, with superficial investigations or no investigation at all of allegations that contained obvious evidence of crimes.
In other cases, there was "grave negligence" in protecting children from pedophiles by Bishops and Religious Superiors – a reference to the many cases of sexual abuse that have arisen in recent years within Chilean Religious Orders, including the Salesians, Franciscans and the Marist Brothers community.
Some of these Religious Order Priests and Brothers were expelled from their congregations because of immoral conduct, but had their cases "minimised of the absolute gravity of their criminal acts, attributing to them mere weakness or moral lapses", Pope Francis wrote.
But those same people "were then welcomed into other dioceses and given diocesan or parish jobs that gave them daily contact with minors", the Pope said.
Such behavior has been the hallmark of the clerical sex abuse crisis worldwide, with Bishops and Religious Superiors shuttling abusers around from parish to parish or dioceses rather than reporting them to police or launching canonical investigations and removing them from ministry.
He said such behaviour showed "an absolute lack of respect for the canonical process and worse, reprehensible practices that must be avoided in the future.
He said the problem wasn't limited to a group of people, but can be traced to the training Chilean Priests receive in seminary, blaming the "profound fracture" within the Church on the seminaries themselves.
The Vatican investigation, he said, contained "grave accusations against some bishops and superiors who sent to these educational institutions priests suspected of active homosexuality".
In the 1970s, the United States Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). It is a federal law designed to combat organized crime in the United States. It allows prosecution and civil penalties for racketeering activity performed as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise.
Until the passage of the RICO law, mob bosses were untouchable. But, with the introduction of RICO, the government could try them for crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them in doing. This act ultimately closed a loophole in the system that allowed a person who instructed someone else, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually commit the crime personally. Whole gangs could be prosecuted for the commission or cover up of crimes perpetrated by individuals within the gang.
The very definition of a criminal gang begs prosecution under RICO. A gang is a group of three or more persons who have a common identifying sign, symbol or name, and whose members individually or collectively engage in a pattern of criminal activity for the furtherance of the gang.
It appears that the Bishops of Chile were engaged in nothing less than a criminal enterprise and that the Episcopal Conference itself was aware of and encouraged a systematic cover up of the sexual abuse of minors by Priests and members of Religious Orders.
After the end of an extraordinary and historic meeting of the Pope with the entire Conference of Bishops, the Bishops themselves admitted that such was the case.
In a kind of “plea bargain”, all the Bishops of Chile have offered their resignation to Pope Francis who must now decide whether or not to accept or reject them.
But, it seems to me that resigning from office should be the least of the Bishops concerns.
Justice seems to require that these same Bishops be held accountable to the victims for their criminal behavior and be prosecuted for their crimes.
I don’t know if Chile has anything comparable to RICO law.
If it does, the government should begin a systematic prosecution of the Bishops of Chile for their part in conducting what amounts to a criminal enterprise no less loathsome than that conducted by any organized mob.
I have often wondered why RICO laws were not used to prosecute members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who, for decades, were aware of the sexual abuse of minors by Priests and Clerics and often engaged in elaborate cover ups resulting from either pay offs to or the extortion of abuse victims.
The Bishops of Chile and Bishops elsewhere have brought shame and dishonor to the Church.
Pope Francis needs to realize that his response now will be the hallmark or the failure of his Pontificate.
The matter must weigh heavily upon his shoulders, to be sure.
May the Holy Spirit guide Pope Francis in the decisions he must make in the days and weeks ahead.
Friday, May 18, 2018
ALL THE BISHOPS OF CHILE SUBMIT WRITTEN RESIGNATIONS TO POPE FRANCIS
In stunning news coming from Rome today, at the close of their three-day meeting with Pope Francis, all the bishops of Chile asked victims of the country’s abuse scandal for forgiveness.
They asked for the victims’ help going forward and said that at the end of their last session with the Pope May 17, each of the active bishops presented a written resignation.
In comments to the press, Bishop González said for now the bishops will return to their dioceses and will continue their work as usual until hearing from the Pope, who will either reject their resignation, accept it immediately, or put it into effect only once a new bishop is named.
The May 15-17 gathering between Pope Francis and the 34 Chilean bishops, two of whom have already retired, was called for by the Holy Father himself last month following an investigation into abuse cover-up by Church hierarchy in Chile, resulting in a 2,300-page report.
To date, the report has not been made public.
In a scathing letter from the Pope to Chilean bishops that was leaked to Chilean television station T13 May 17, Pope Francis skewered the Chilean prelates for a systematic cover-up of abuse involving not only the destruction of documents, but superficial investigations that led to moving accused abusers to other schools or parishes where they had access to children.
The Pope noted how the investigation found that while some religious had been expelled from their orders due to “immoral conduct,” blaming their “criminal acts” on simple weakness, they were then transferred to other parishes or dioceses and given jobs where they had “daily and direct contact with minors.”
In the letter, the Holy Father said there had also been serious errors in handling cases of “delicta graviora,” meaning “grave offenses,” which “corroborate with some of the worrying information that some Roman Dicasteries have begun to be aware of.”
These errors, he said, have to do particularly with the reception of complaints and “notitiae crimini,” or information on the crimes, which “in not a few cases have been classified very superficially as improbable,” despite bearing signs of being a serious crime.
In some cases, the Pope wrote, it took months for complaints to be investigated, and in others they were not investigated at all. In still other cases, he said, there was clear evidence of “very serious negligence in the protection of children and vulnerable children on the part of Bishops and Religious Superiors.”
Pope Francis said he was “perplexed and ashamed” to have read statements saying Church officials investigating abuse allegations had been pressured, and that in some cases, documents had been destroyed by those in charge of diocesan archives.
These actions, Francis said, constitute “an absolute lack of respect for canonical procedure and, even more, reprehensible practices which must be avoided in the future.”
The problems, the Pope said, do not belong to just one group of people, but are the result of a fractured seminary process.
In the case of many abusers, problems had been detected while they were in seminary or the novitiate, he said, noting that Archbishop Scicluna’s investigation contained “serious accusations against some Bishops or Superiors who sent Priests suspected of active homosexuality to these educational institutions.”
In the wider letter, Pope Francis stressed the need to recognize not only the damage done, but also the underlying causes that led to abuse and cover-up and to identify ways to repair the pain and suffering many have endured.
He said the problem is not isolated, but everyone is responsible, “I being the first,” and that no one can be exempted by “moving the problem onto the backs of others.”
“We need a change, we know it, we need it and we desire it,” he said, and encouraged bishops to put Christ at the center. He said in recent history, the Chilean Church has lost this focus, putting itself at the center instead of the Lord.
The Bishops of Chile have responded with each active Bishop submitting his resignation to the Pope.
The Church now awaits the Holy Father’s decision to either accept or reject them.
They asked for the victims’ help going forward and said that at the end of their last session with the Pope May 17, each of the active bishops presented a written resignation.
In comments to the press, Bishop González said for now the bishops will return to their dioceses and will continue their work as usual until hearing from the Pope, who will either reject their resignation, accept it immediately, or put it into effect only once a new bishop is named.
The May 15-17 gathering between Pope Francis and the 34 Chilean bishops, two of whom have already retired, was called for by the Holy Father himself last month following an investigation into abuse cover-up by Church hierarchy in Chile, resulting in a 2,300-page report.
To date, the report has not been made public.
In a scathing letter from the Pope to Chilean bishops that was leaked to Chilean television station T13 May 17, Pope Francis skewered the Chilean prelates for a systematic cover-up of abuse involving not only the destruction of documents, but superficial investigations that led to moving accused abusers to other schools or parishes where they had access to children.
The Pope noted how the investigation found that while some religious had been expelled from their orders due to “immoral conduct,” blaming their “criminal acts” on simple weakness, they were then transferred to other parishes or dioceses and given jobs where they had “daily and direct contact with minors.”
In the letter, the Holy Father said there had also been serious errors in handling cases of “delicta graviora,” meaning “grave offenses,” which “corroborate with some of the worrying information that some Roman Dicasteries have begun to be aware of.”
These errors, he said, have to do particularly with the reception of complaints and “notitiae crimini,” or information on the crimes, which “in not a few cases have been classified very superficially as improbable,” despite bearing signs of being a serious crime.
In some cases, the Pope wrote, it took months for complaints to be investigated, and in others they were not investigated at all. In still other cases, he said, there was clear evidence of “very serious negligence in the protection of children and vulnerable children on the part of Bishops and Religious Superiors.”
Pope Francis said he was “perplexed and ashamed” to have read statements saying Church officials investigating abuse allegations had been pressured, and that in some cases, documents had been destroyed by those in charge of diocesan archives.
These actions, Francis said, constitute “an absolute lack of respect for canonical procedure and, even more, reprehensible practices which must be avoided in the future.”
The problems, the Pope said, do not belong to just one group of people, but are the result of a fractured seminary process.
In the case of many abusers, problems had been detected while they were in seminary or the novitiate, he said, noting that Archbishop Scicluna’s investigation contained “serious accusations against some Bishops or Superiors who sent Priests suspected of active homosexuality to these educational institutions.”
In the wider letter, Pope Francis stressed the need to recognize not only the damage done, but also the underlying causes that led to abuse and cover-up and to identify ways to repair the pain and suffering many have endured.
He said the problem is not isolated, but everyone is responsible, “I being the first,” and that no one can be exempted by “moving the problem onto the backs of others.”
“We need a change, we know it, we need it and we desire it,” he said, and encouraged bishops to put Christ at the center. He said in recent history, the Chilean Church has lost this focus, putting itself at the center instead of the Lord.
The Bishops of Chile have responded with each active Bishop submitting his resignation to the Pope.
The Church now awaits the Holy Father’s decision to either accept or reject them.
SAGINAW MICHIGAN POLICE CONDUCT WARRANT SEARCH OF BISHOP'S RESIDENCE, CHANCERY AND CATHEDRAL RECTORY
In a stunning development, police in Saginaw, Michigan recently raided the home of Bishop Joseph Cistone, as well as the Diocesan chancery and its Cathedral rectory, as part of an ongoing investigation into sex abuse allegations against several diocesan Priests.
Authorities stated that the search warrants were due to a lack of cooperation on the part of the diocese related to an ongoing clerical sex abuse investigation.
"Contrary to the statements of the diocese and the bishop that they would fully cooperate with law enforcement, they did not," Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Gaertner told the local news media. "Therefore it was necessary for law enforcement to use other investigative tools, including search warrants."
Two Priests have been placed on leave from their duties after a recent wave of accusations of sexual abuse against priests in the diocese.
Last month, Father Robert Deland, a Saginaw Priest and Pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Freeland, was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of gross indecency between male persons, and one count of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct/personal injury, following the accusations of a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old high school student.
Father DeLand, who also served as Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Saginaw, was placed on administrative leave during the investigation. He was also banned from school properties and from presenting himself as a Priest.
Months prior to the execution of these warrants, Bishop Cistone stated that he had “no previous knowledge of the police investigation or of these allegations” against Father DeLand, and that “the diocese will cooperate fully with law enforcement and their investigation.”
In early March of this year, the Bishop released a statement clarifying that further review of records determined that the Diocese had been informed of rumors about Father DeLand in 1992, and that in 2005, a woman contacted the Diocese about the possibility that Father DeLand might have sexually abused her brother, who since had died, in the 1970s.
The Diocese said it had contracted an investigator to assess the matter, and that “the independent Diocesan Review Board, Bishop Robert Carlson, who was Bishop of Saginaw at the time, as well as the family agreed that the suspicion against Father DeLand was unfounded.”
The second Priest to be placed on leave in the recent investigation is Father Ronald J. Dombrowski, following an accusation that he sexually assaulted a minor. According to the Diocese, the alleged victim first brought the complaint to the Diocese, which contacted the authorities.
While Dombrowsi, 72, has not been criminally charged, he has also been banned from school properties and from presenting himself as a Priest during the investigation. He most recently served as sacramental minister at Holy Family Parish in Saginaw and received “Senior Priest” status in 2013.
In 2012, Bishop Cistone was accused of misleading a grand jury about his compliance in the destruction of documents containing the names of Priests suspected of child molestation in 1994, while he was serving as a Priest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Bishop Cistone was not criminally charged in the incident.
In February of this year, Bishop Cistone announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Authorities stated that the search warrants were due to a lack of cooperation on the part of the diocese related to an ongoing clerical sex abuse investigation.
"Contrary to the statements of the diocese and the bishop that they would fully cooperate with law enforcement, they did not," Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Gaertner told the local news media. "Therefore it was necessary for law enforcement to use other investigative tools, including search warrants."
Two Priests have been placed on leave from their duties after a recent wave of accusations of sexual abuse against priests in the diocese.
Last month, Father Robert Deland, a Saginaw Priest and Pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Freeland, was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of gross indecency between male persons, and one count of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct/personal injury, following the accusations of a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old high school student.
Father DeLand, who also served as Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Saginaw, was placed on administrative leave during the investigation. He was also banned from school properties and from presenting himself as a Priest.
Months prior to the execution of these warrants, Bishop Cistone stated that he had “no previous knowledge of the police investigation or of these allegations” against Father DeLand, and that “the diocese will cooperate fully with law enforcement and their investigation.”
In early March of this year, the Bishop released a statement clarifying that further review of records determined that the Diocese had been informed of rumors about Father DeLand in 1992, and that in 2005, a woman contacted the Diocese about the possibility that Father DeLand might have sexually abused her brother, who since had died, in the 1970s.
The Diocese said it had contracted an investigator to assess the matter, and that “the independent Diocesan Review Board, Bishop Robert Carlson, who was Bishop of Saginaw at the time, as well as the family agreed that the suspicion against Father DeLand was unfounded.”
The second Priest to be placed on leave in the recent investigation is Father Ronald J. Dombrowski, following an accusation that he sexually assaulted a minor. According to the Diocese, the alleged victim first brought the complaint to the Diocese, which contacted the authorities.
While Dombrowsi, 72, has not been criminally charged, he has also been banned from school properties and from presenting himself as a Priest during the investigation. He most recently served as sacramental minister at Holy Family Parish in Saginaw and received “Senior Priest” status in 2013.
In 2012, Bishop Cistone was accused of misleading a grand jury about his compliance in the destruction of documents containing the names of Priests suspected of child molestation in 1994, while he was serving as a Priest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Bishop Cistone was not criminally charged in the incident.
In February of this year, Bishop Cistone announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
A SINGULAR VOICE OF TRUTH AMONG THE AMERICAN BISHOPS
Finally, an American Cardinal has the courage to speak the truth about the Democratic Party!
In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York lamented that the Democratic Party’s shifting principles have effectively shut out and alienated orthodox Catholics.
Cardinal Dolan cited the Democrat’s current opposition to school choice programs and tax credits for education, along with their unwavering support for abortion rights, among the reasons why the party in its current state.
The Cardinal stated that the Democrats of today have abandoned many of the tenets that made the party attractive to Catholics generations ago.
In the past, His Eminence explained, when waves of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States, their respect for the sanctity of life and their concern for the poor led them to embrace the Democrats, who welcomed them to the party. Dolan even recounted his own grandmother warning him that, “We Catholics don’t trust those Republicans.”
“Such is no longer the case,” Cardinal Dolan wrote, which is a “cause of sadness to many Catholics.”
Cardinal Dolan was particularly critical of a proposed New York law titled the “Reproductive Health Act,” which he says would “morbidly expand” the “most radical abortion license in the country.” The New York State Assembly is overwhelmingly Democrat.
“For instance, under the proposed Reproductive Health Act, doctors would not be required to care for a baby who survives an abortion. The newborn simply would be allowed to die without any legal implications.”
“In recent years, some Democrats in the New York state Assembly repeatedly blocked education tax credit legislation, which would have helped middle-class and low-income families make the choice to select Catholic or other nonpublic schools for their children,” which the Cardinal contends impedes the mission of these schools to serve poor, often immigrant, children.
Dolan admitted that while he has “ had spats and disappointments” with politicians from both major political parties in the United States, he is particularly upset by the Democratic Party’s swing in a direction that excludes people like his grandmother.
“But it saddens me, and weakens the democracy millions of Americans cherish, when the party that once embraced Catholics now slams the door on us.”
Hooray for Cardinal Dolan and his courage in speaking the truth. Would that other Bishops would join him!
In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York lamented that the Democratic Party’s shifting principles have effectively shut out and alienated orthodox Catholics.
Cardinal Dolan cited the Democrat’s current opposition to school choice programs and tax credits for education, along with their unwavering support for abortion rights, among the reasons why the party in its current state.
The Cardinal stated that the Democrats of today have abandoned many of the tenets that made the party attractive to Catholics generations ago.
In the past, His Eminence explained, when waves of Irish immigrants arrived in the United States, their respect for the sanctity of life and their concern for the poor led them to embrace the Democrats, who welcomed them to the party. Dolan even recounted his own grandmother warning him that, “We Catholics don’t trust those Republicans.”
“Such is no longer the case,” Cardinal Dolan wrote, which is a “cause of sadness to many Catholics.”
Cardinal Dolan was particularly critical of a proposed New York law titled the “Reproductive Health Act,” which he says would “morbidly expand” the “most radical abortion license in the country.” The New York State Assembly is overwhelmingly Democrat.
“For instance, under the proposed Reproductive Health Act, doctors would not be required to care for a baby who survives an abortion. The newborn simply would be allowed to die without any legal implications.”
“In recent years, some Democrats in the New York state Assembly repeatedly blocked education tax credit legislation, which would have helped middle-class and low-income families make the choice to select Catholic or other nonpublic schools for their children,” which the Cardinal contends impedes the mission of these schools to serve poor, often immigrant, children.
Dolan admitted that while he has “ had spats and disappointments” with politicians from both major political parties in the United States, he is particularly upset by the Democratic Party’s swing in a direction that excludes people like his grandmother.
“But it saddens me, and weakens the democracy millions of Americans cherish, when the party that once embraced Catholics now slams the door on us.”
Hooray for Cardinal Dolan and his courage in speaking the truth. Would that other Bishops would join him!
NEW GALLUP POLL CONFIRMS AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CRISIS
According to a recent Gallup Poll, after stabilizing in the mid-2000s, weekly Church attendance among U.S. Catholics has resumed its downward trajectory over the past decade.
This confirms conclusions published by CARA, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.
Particularly noteworthy is the finding that older Catholics have become less likely to report attending Mass in the past seven days -- so that now, for the first time, a majority of Catholics in no generational group attend weekly.
Given that young Catholics are even less devout, it appears the decline in church attendance will only continue.
One advantage the Catholic Church has is that the overall proportion of Americans identifying as Catholic is holding fairly steady. However, that too may not last given the dwindling Catholic percentage among younger generations.
Protestant church seats may also be less full, but for a different reason. Although weekly attendance among Protestants has been stable, the proportion of adults identifying as Protestants has shrunk considerably over the past half-century. And that trend will continue as older Americans are replaced by a far less Protestant-identifying younger generation.
All of this comes amid a broader trend of more Americans opting out of formal religion or being raised without it altogether.
In 2016, Gallup found one in five Americans professing no religious identity, up from as little as 2% just over 60 years ago.
The speed with which American society has grown more secular and amoral is alarming. We are clearly following in the footsteps of Europe where Catholicism is moribund.
Unfortunately, burying their collective heads in the proverbial sand, the Bishops suggest that there is no crisis in the Church.
As long as they content themselves by living in a virtual reality of denial, the Bishops will fail those entrusted to their care.
What the Church needs is a serious dose of honesty by both its leaders and its members, calling us to a committed effort to revive our lukewarm discipleship with the power of the Spirit’s Grace which can only come from prayer and a penitential heart.
The Church and the judgment of future of her generations is squarely upon our heads!
This confirms conclusions published by CARA, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.
Particularly noteworthy is the finding that older Catholics have become less likely to report attending Mass in the past seven days -- so that now, for the first time, a majority of Catholics in no generational group attend weekly.
Given that young Catholics are even less devout, it appears the decline in church attendance will only continue.
One advantage the Catholic Church has is that the overall proportion of Americans identifying as Catholic is holding fairly steady. However, that too may not last given the dwindling Catholic percentage among younger generations.
Protestant church seats may also be less full, but for a different reason. Although weekly attendance among Protestants has been stable, the proportion of adults identifying as Protestants has shrunk considerably over the past half-century. And that trend will continue as older Americans are replaced by a far less Protestant-identifying younger generation.
All of this comes amid a broader trend of more Americans opting out of formal religion or being raised without it altogether.
In 2016, Gallup found one in five Americans professing no religious identity, up from as little as 2% just over 60 years ago.
The speed with which American society has grown more secular and amoral is alarming. We are clearly following in the footsteps of Europe where Catholicism is moribund.
Unfortunately, burying their collective heads in the proverbial sand, the Bishops suggest that there is no crisis in the Church.
As long as they content themselves by living in a virtual reality of denial, the Bishops will fail those entrusted to their care.
What the Church needs is a serious dose of honesty by both its leaders and its members, calling us to a committed effort to revive our lukewarm discipleship with the power of the Spirit’s Grace which can only come from prayer and a penitential heart.
The Church and the judgment of future of her generations is squarely upon our heads!
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY TIGHTENS STRANGLEHOLD ON RELIGIONS EVEN AS VATICAN IS EAGER TO PEN NEW AGREEMENT
While introducing more restrictive rules on religious practice, President Xi Jinping's stated goal has been the “Sinicization” of religions, or to diffuse “religious theories with Chinese character” into the five official religions supervised by the government, including the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
This past March, China instituted a major change in its religious oversight by abolishing the State Administration for Religious Affairs and shifting direct control to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department (UFWD).
As a result, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association will now be under the day-to-day direct supervision of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This is similar to another bureaucratic change in China earlier this week, that gave the CCP direct control of movies, television, books, and radio.
As a result, the Bishops' Conference will be even less autonomous and more directly managed by an atheist communist party department.
The obvious result would be more pressure for religious entities in China to make clear that their first and foremost allegiance is to the party and not to their religion.
China has long been known for its strict control of information, through means including internet access restriction and the creation of alternative social media platforms that are completely controlled by government surveillance and censorship.
Critics fear this model could increasingly be adopted in the realm of religion as well.
The Vatican has been in negotiations with Xi’s regime on the appointment of Bishops.
Some commentators have speculated that any such agreement will involve the Holy See picking Bishops from a selection of candidates proposed by the Episcopal Conference, which, as of this latest change will be more directly controlled by the CCP.
The trends in freedom of religion are pointing in a negative direction under Xi Jinping.
And so, the Parliament that gave Xi Jinping lifelong rule also has granted the atheist Communist party direct oversight of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
According to the latest reports, a deal between the Vatican and Beijing could be signed within weeks.
Currently every Bishop recognized by Beijing must be a member of the Patriotic Association, and many Bishops appointed by the Vatican who are not recognized or approved by the Chinese government have faced government persecution.
Cardinal Joseph Zen has criticized the fact that as one of two Chinese Cardinals, he has not been made aware of the contents of the agreement. “Certainly they can’t make public all the contents of the negotiation,” he said, but as one of the two cardinals for China, “would I not have the right to know the contents?”
Yet even if the contents of the deal were commonly known, “should we just wait and hold hands and make critiques only once it’s been accomplished?”
Cardinal Zen said the “democratic election” of new Bishops in China by the “illegitimate Episcopal Conference” would mean that it is really the government who elects the Prelates, so the “final word” of the Pope “cannot save his function; the formality of maintaining Pontifical authority will hide the fact that the real authority to name Bishops will be placed in the hands of an atheist government.”
If Pope Francis were to sign the agreement tomorrow, Zen said he “could not criticize it,” even if he doesn’t understand the decision. But until then, “I have the duty to speak with a loud voice according to my conscience, I have the right to reiterate that this is a bad agreement!”
It is curious how anxious and enthusiastic the Vatican is to make this agreement with the Chinese Communist leader and his party.
In response, I echo the wisdom of Rabbi Gamaliel who cautioned the Sanhedrin in its eagerness to punish or execute the Apostles as they proclaimed Christ’s Resurrection: if their work is of human origin, it will fail; if they are doing the work of God, no one can stop its success.
This past March, China instituted a major change in its religious oversight by abolishing the State Administration for Religious Affairs and shifting direct control to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department (UFWD).
As a result, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association will now be under the day-to-day direct supervision of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This is similar to another bureaucratic change in China earlier this week, that gave the CCP direct control of movies, television, books, and radio.
As a result, the Bishops' Conference will be even less autonomous and more directly managed by an atheist communist party department.
The obvious result would be more pressure for religious entities in China to make clear that their first and foremost allegiance is to the party and not to their religion.
China has long been known for its strict control of information, through means including internet access restriction and the creation of alternative social media platforms that are completely controlled by government surveillance and censorship.
Critics fear this model could increasingly be adopted in the realm of religion as well.
The Vatican has been in negotiations with Xi’s regime on the appointment of Bishops.
Some commentators have speculated that any such agreement will involve the Holy See picking Bishops from a selection of candidates proposed by the Episcopal Conference, which, as of this latest change will be more directly controlled by the CCP.
The trends in freedom of religion are pointing in a negative direction under Xi Jinping.
And so, the Parliament that gave Xi Jinping lifelong rule also has granted the atheist Communist party direct oversight of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
According to the latest reports, a deal between the Vatican and Beijing could be signed within weeks.
Currently every Bishop recognized by Beijing must be a member of the Patriotic Association, and many Bishops appointed by the Vatican who are not recognized or approved by the Chinese government have faced government persecution.
Cardinal Joseph Zen has criticized the fact that as one of two Chinese Cardinals, he has not been made aware of the contents of the agreement. “Certainly they can’t make public all the contents of the negotiation,” he said, but as one of the two cardinals for China, “would I not have the right to know the contents?”
Yet even if the contents of the deal were commonly known, “should we just wait and hold hands and make critiques only once it’s been accomplished?”
Cardinal Zen said the “democratic election” of new Bishops in China by the “illegitimate Episcopal Conference” would mean that it is really the government who elects the Prelates, so the “final word” of the Pope “cannot save his function; the formality of maintaining Pontifical authority will hide the fact that the real authority to name Bishops will be placed in the hands of an atheist government.”
If Pope Francis were to sign the agreement tomorrow, Zen said he “could not criticize it,” even if he doesn’t understand the decision. But until then, “I have the duty to speak with a loud voice according to my conscience, I have the right to reiterate that this is a bad agreement!”
It is curious how anxious and enthusiastic the Vatican is to make this agreement with the Chinese Communist leader and his party.
In response, I echo the wisdom of Rabbi Gamaliel who cautioned the Sanhedrin in its eagerness to punish or execute the Apostles as they proclaimed Christ’s Resurrection: if their work is of human origin, it will fail; if they are doing the work of God, no one can stop its success.
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