Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 6/29/19

• Cardinal Burke cuts ties with institute, citing its alignment with Steve Bannon

Cardinal Raymond Burke (photo left), was initially supportive of Steve Bannon’s (photo right) plans to rally conservative Catholics in opposition to pope Francis and his progressive brand of Catholicism until “Sloppy Steve” endorsed “In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy,” by Frédéric Martel, which specifically names Burke as a member of the Vatican’s “lavender mafia.”

• Militant Catholic website accuses former powerful American cardinal

Joseph Bernardin (1928-1996) was one of the American Catholic church’s most powerful prelates of the previous generation. As the Catholic clerical abuse and cover-up scandal tsunami continues, more abusive practices by prelates, past and present, will surface.

• Pope seeks more freedom in theology, dialogue with Islam

Thanks to Crissy from down under for sharing this example of pope Francis’ and the Catholic church’s ongoing efforts towards a worldwide religious confederation based upon a mutual belief in a “higher power” and merited salvation.

• Catholic bishop Tobin defended church doctrine on LGBT. Where are his brother bishops?

As previously noted, conservative Rhode Island Catholic bishop, Thomas Tobin, stuck his neck out and warned all Roman Catholics in the state not to participate in LGBT Pride Month events. Just about all of his fellow American bishops took a big step back by allowing Tobin to catch the predictable flak all by himself. Jesuit crusader, James Martin, is pressing for full church acceptance of the gay lifestyle.

• Not all conservative Catholics are unsettled by Francis’s pontificate

The title of this article is disingenuous. ALL knowledgeable conservative Catholics ARE unsettled by Francis’ doctrine-bending “reforms,” but they’re reluctant to oppose him publicly because loyalty to the papacy is one of conservative Catholicism’s “prime directives.”

• Traveling exhibit shares 150 ancient relics of Catholic saints
• Treasures of the Church: A traveling exposition of relics inspires excitement and devotion

Catholics and non-Catholics who are not aware of the great reverence the Roman church accords religious relics should read these two articles. This reverence and worship of objects is sheer religious superstition. All of the relics that are purported to be from New Testament times, such as a shard from the “true cross,” a fragment from the crown of thorns, and a patch from one of Mary’s veils, are all fraudulently bogus. This particular relics “tour” is largely confined to the Midwest at this point. Check out the schedule here.

• New Mexico’s Largest Catholic Diocese Files for Bankruptcy in Wake Of Sex Abuse Claims

As the priest abuse and cover-up scandal tsunami continues to unfold, expect many, many more Catholic dioceses to declare bankruptcy in order to “protect” their assets from victims.

• California School System To Feature Mandatory 2nd Grade Field Trips To Gay Bars (satire)

This piece from the Babylon Bee may be satire, but society is already heading down a path we couldn’t have imagined fifty years ago.