Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 10/24/20

We’re just ten days away from the U.S. presidential election. Amongst the sea of political yard signs in our area, I recently spotted the “Jesus 2020” yard sign pictured above. It’s kind of irksome to see Jesus’ name being dragged into the profane political process, BUT it may also get passing motorists thinking about the Name above all names (Philippians 2:9) and the choice that will affect their eternity.

• Catholic Church’s teaching on suicide has evolved

The Roman Catholic church claims that it’s Semper eadum, “Always the same,” but it has changed its position on many secondary teachings, especially after Vatican II. The RC church historically taught that suicide was a mortal sin and mandated that those who killed themselves could not receive church funeral services or be buried in a Catholic cemetery. However, the 1983 edition of the Code of Canon Law lifted the restrictions stipulated in the 1917 edition. Which was right? The 1983 magisterium or the 1917 magisterium?

• Catholic symbols and Masses to be removed from Irish state schools

Some traditionally-Catholic European countries, such as Ireland, Poland, and Italy, still have crucifixes and Catholic religious classes in tax-supported public schools. Some American evangelicals continue to clamor for the return of conscripted prayer in public schools (banned by the SCOTUS, Engel v. Vitale, 1962), but they’re not thinking it through.

• Catholic clergy shortage grows to more than 3K Catholics for every priest, Vatican data shows

The Catholic priest population was in steep decline even prior to the abuse and cover-up scandals and COVID-19. The shortage will eventually force the RCC to lift the mandatory clerical celibacy rule.

• Catholic Cardinals Deplore German Bishops Slide, as Schism Fears Arise
• Merging Catholicism and Protestantism

Looks like the prime “reform” being pursued by the German Catholic “Synodal Path” initiative is intercommunion between Catholics and Protestants. Germany is divided, with Catholics generally in the South and (mostly nominal) “Protestants” in the North and plenty of intermarriage. Hard to understand why intercommunion is such a difficult issue for Catholic cardinals when they concede that people of all religions and even atheists are able to merit their salvation.

• ‘Heartbreaking’: Stevie Nicks Credits an Abortion for Fleetwood Mac’s Success

Murder as a career move? Sixty-years ago, such a concept was acceptable only in the Mafia. Believers should think twice before putting celebrities on a pedestal.

• Catholicism’s College of Cardinals Changing by the Rapid Turnover of Its Electors

Conservative Catholics eagerly look forward to the end of progressive Francis’s tenure, while the pope is busy making sure his successor is another progressive by “stacking the deck” with like-minded cardinal electors.

• Coronavirus outbreak strikes L.A. megachurch that defied public health orders

Three congregants of John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church have contracted COVID-19. Classifying this development as an “outbreak” is a bit sensationalistic, but the news does warrant alarm. I would not venture into any public gathering where health safety precautions were not being encouraged/mandated and followed.

• Catholic archbishop on pope Francis’ approval of same-sex civil unions: Bergoglio is impudently trying to “raise the stakes” in a crescendo of heretical affirmations

The biggest headline this past week, by far, was pope Francis’ approval of same-sex civil unions, which I posted about here. Conservative Catholic clerics are already denouncing Francis in very strong terms and opposition to the pope is mounting on a daily basis. Stay tuned.