Category: News

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 8/8/20

Posted on by Tom

Although U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (photo right), a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was raised as a Roman Catholic, it’s not altogether clear what her religious beliefs, if any, are currently. Irregardless, her social justice advocacy makes her the ideal Catholic according to the first article from the progressive National Catholic Reporter. The second article reports AOC has jumped on the BLM bandwagon by condemning the statue of Catholic priest, “father” Damien (Escobar) of Hawaii, located in the U.S. Capital Building in Washington, D.C. (photo left), as an example of “white supremacist culture.” My view on priest Damien is he propagated Catholicism’s false gospel of salvation by sacramental grace and merit.

Catholic archbishop and former papal nuncio to the U.S., Carlo Maria Viganò, continues to fire broadsides at pope Francis. Viganò is somehow in a position to criticize Bergoglio without fear of retaliation.

Spurred on by LGBT activists, Western society is moving ever closer to declaring the Bible “hate literature.” Impossible? I’ve witnessed drastic societal changes over the last 50 years.

Bergoglio is a paradox. On the one hand, he eschews religious formalism and magnanimously grants that everyone, including atheists, can merit Heaven by following their conscience and being “good.” On the other hand, he peddles exacting legalistic tenets like this “Pardon of Assisi” for plenary indulgences in order to allegedly reduce and/or eliminate time spent in fictitious purgatory. I speak from experience that 95% of Roman Catholic laypersons have no idea what a “plenary indulgence” is.

I’ve commented in previous weekend roundups that pope Francis has been noticeably silent regarding recent human rights abuses in China and pondered if his complicit silence wasn’t a condition of the secret 2018 Vatican- Beijing Accord. The writer of this article suspects the same.

Screenshot 2020-08-07 at 6.52.22 AM
Lawrence A. Killelea

As we draw very close to the Aug. 13 deadline for filing abuse claims against the Rochester Catholic diocese, many survivors of clergy abuse are coming forward for the first time. Named in one of the new lawsuits is Br. Lawrence A. Killelea (d. 2015) who was vice-principal of Bishop Kearney High School while I attended there from 1970 to 1973. Killelea was in charge of discipline of the male students and I was sent to his office several times during my senior year for infractions, although he did not make any advances towards me. We students were wary of all of the Christian Brothers at the school. Killelea joins Salvatore Ferro, John Chaney (one of my teachers), John Heathwood, and Andrew Hewitt as brothers who taught at the high school while I attended there, who have been formally accused of abuse. I am confident MANY of the other brothers were abusers as well. Brother O’Connor (or possibly Connors?), my guidance counselor during my junior year, asked me inappropriate questions at one of our sessions.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 8/1/20

Posted on by Tom

It’s strange that the Trump campaign has tapped ultra-traditionalist, Taylor Marshall (photo above), in its attempt to garner the Catholic vote. I would guess that Marshall’s brand of hardcore, anti-pope Francis, anti-Vatican II conspiracy hysteria appeals to only a small percentage of U.S. Catholic voters. See my review of Marshall’s conspiracy paranoia book here.

Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, says his Catholic “faith” is very important to him, but he flouts his church’s “official” teaching with his support of abortion on demand and the LGBT agenda. He even officiated at a same-sex civil union in 2016. When Roman Catholics talk about their “faith,” they’re generally referring to their trust in their church’s sacramental system.

News sources are providing more sordid details about Catholic ex-cardinal, Ted McCarrick’s network of abuse, which we’re learning involved multiple co-predators. This article mentions Irish Christian Brother, Andrew Thomas Hewitt, who taught at Bishop Kearney High School in Irondequoit, New York while I was a student there from 1970 to 1973. Although Hewitt wasn’t one of my teachers, I was aware of him. Students at Kearney had to be constantly on their toes around the predatory Christian Brothers. We were like fish in a barrel. The Christian Brothers religious order filed for bankruptcy way back in 2011 because of the high number of abuse lawsuits.

Catholics commit idolatry with their many statues of Jesus, Mary, and saints. They will vehemently insist that they don’t worship statues while doing exactly that. I don’t condone idolatrous statue worship, but I also don’t approve of mob violence and destruction of private property.

A Catholic priest in Italy has created a scandal by blessing the civil union of two lesbians. In the more progressive German and Austrian Catholic churches, that’s an everyday occurrence. You can also be sure progressive American Catholic priests are doing the same thing on the QT.

While the Catholic church mandates that all members go to confession at least once a year, it recommends more frequent participation. However, Catholic sources report that 75% of Catholics never go to confession, even though they allegedly pick up a soul-damning mortal sin each year for not complying with the RCC’s minimum requirement. Many of the Catholics who piously come forward to receive the Jesus wafer at Sunday mass are insubordinate because they flout the minimum yearly confession requirement.

Strange. An article a couple of months ago reported Bible sales were way up at the start of the pandemic.

Pastors are in a tough spot. Certainly, Christians desire to worship together, but people assembling in a crowded church sanctuary can be problematic during this pandemic (e.g., infected persons singing robustly and exhaling coronavirus-tinged micro-droplets into the air). Four and a half months into this pandemic, we’re seeing BIG spikes in hospitalizations and deaths in some states because disciplines regarding social distancing and the use of PPE were/are far too lax or non-existent.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 7/25/20

Posted on by Tom

A couple of weekends ago, I mentioned that Catholic writer and commentator, George Weigel, has penned a new book, “The Next Pope,” which speaks for conservative Catholics’ hopes that the next pope is the polar opposite of progressive pragmatist, pope Francis. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York City, the highest ranking Catholic prelate in the U.S., is so pleased with the book that he’s sent copies to his fellow cardinals around the world in an attempt to influence them to vote for a conservative candidate at the next papal election. In the meantime, Francis is attempting to “stack the deck” by feverishly appointing like-minded progressives to the college of cardinals.

Credulous U.S. Catholics gasped when cardinal Ted McCarrick was exposed as a serial sexual predator in June, 2018. The McCarrick revelations were the kickoff to a scandal tsunami that has rocked the Catholic church ever since. In this disturbing but necessary article, some of McCarrick’s victims recall his diabolical methods.

Back in May, Governor Cuomo extended the original one-year window provided by the 2019 New York State Child Victims Act, that lifted time limitations for the filing of grievances by victims of child sex abuse, from August 13 to January 13, 2021. However, the extension does not apply to claims against Rochester-area priests because of the complications involved with the Rochester Catholic diocese filing for bankruptcy last September. Rochester survivors of priest abuse have only 19 more days to come forward and file a claim against the diocese in bankruptcy court.

Are you kidding me? File this one in the “truth is stranger than fiction” file. Here, we are, eighteen years after the Boston Globe first broke the story of large numbers of predatory pedophile priests and hierarchical cover-up, and the Vatican STILL doesn’t require bishops to contact civil authorities after they’ve been made aware of an abuser??? As I’ve said many times, the RCC’s inability/refusal to decisively confront this priest abuse issue over a span of nearly two decades is a mark of its absolute corruptness.

When Catholics mention “faith,” they are referring to their trust in their institutional church and its sacramental system. The COVID-19 pandemic required that churches be on lockdown, resulting in the Catholic sacraments – baptism, communion, confession, confirmation, last rites, matrimony – being limited or unavailable, causing great anguish to practicing Catholics who view the sacraments as essential to their works-salvation. As the lockdown is being eased here in Rochester, area Catholics are ecstatic to be able to receive their sacraments once again. Amidst all of this ritualism and ceremonialism, we find no sign of the Gospel of salvation by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

This is proof that the term, “evangelical,” has become entirely meaningless, with 70% of so-called evangelicals professing that “people are basically good.”

There’s “some” truth in what Pastor John Koletas of Grace Baptist Church in Troy, New York (hardcore-IFB) is saying about Roman Catholicism, but there’s also a lot of exaggeration, unfounded claims, and mean-spiritedness. Like Jack Chick’s fanciful anti-Catholic rhetoric back in the 80’s, Koletas’ brand of extremism is irresponsible and damages credible Gospel outreach to Roman Catholics. The Roman Catholic church openly teaches PLENTY of anti-Biblical heresies and heterodoxies. There’s no need to resort to wild and unfounded conspiracy theories.

Catholics are taught that the use of any form of artificial birth control, including non abortifacients such as condoms and diaphragms, is a mortal sin. Incredulous Catholics wonder why the church blesses unreliable natural family planning (aka the rhythm method), but condemns non abortifacient contraceptives when the desired end-result is the same. Research shows that 98% of Catholic women have used artificial birth control in opposition to their church’s teaching. When the entire membership of an institution is not following its mandated requirements, it’s called a SHAM.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 7/18/20

Posted on by Tom

Catholic statues are being targeted for defacement or destruction at the direction of Black Lives Matter activist, Shaun King, who says the statues are symbols of White European racism. Catholicism’s statue worship is definitely idolatry, but I do not condone violence and the destruction of private property.

With the increased scrutiny sparked by the Black Lives matter protests, Catholic educators are reevaluating schools named in honor of Christopher Columbus and Juniper Serra. But the scrutiny shouldn’t stop with those two. Many of the Catholic church’s revered popes and prelates of the past were involved in church-sponsored persecutions including the Inquisition, anti-Semitic pogroms and expulsions, and the deadly oppression of Protestants.

The Black Lives Matter controversy is further dividing conservative and progressive Roman Catholics.

This article examines a regrettable conflict between Protestant and Catholics in 1920 Michigan. Not all Protestant evangelists reached out to Catholics with truth AND grace. I once owned a book (“House of Death and Gate of Hell”) written by the evangelist, Louis J. King, referred to in this article, which included material supportive of the Ku Klux Klan.

Hmm. I had never heard of the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of London in 1780 prior to this article. It’s interesting how the riots indirectly impacted the outcome of the American Revolutionary War. It’s also interesting how those who write about anti-Catholicism always fail to mention the anti-Protestant persecutions in Catholic-controlled countries.

Only 25% of Roman Catholics go to yearly confession at the minimum as they are required to do under threat of mortal sin. Catholics ask themselves why they should go through all the rigmarole and personal embarrassment of confessing their sins to a priest when the pope says even atheists can merit heaven if they follow their conscience and are “good.” The entire system is an anti-Biblical sham.

Pope Francis decries the Turks’ plan to turn the famous Hagia Sophia back into a mosque, but the papal posturing has more to do with pleasing the Eastern Orthodox than theology. Francis and the other post-conciliar popes have taught Muslims are God’s children and are also able to merit heaven through their religion.

No doubt Barna included many doubtful additions in its broad category of “practicing Christians,” but it’s reasonable to assume that some genuine believers have unplugged from church and other spiritual resources during this four-month pandemic. For some, going to church on Sunday was their only spiritual discipline.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 7/11/20

Posted on by Tom

The March 3rd deposition of former-Rochester Catholic bishop, Matthew Clark (photo above), in bankruptcy court was finally released to the public this past week. Clark, 82, oversaw the Rochester diocese from 1979 to 2012, the time period that most of the surviving victims of priest abuse say they were preyed upon. In his deposition, Clark fully admitted to reassigning (aka shuffling) predatory priests and maintaining secret files. I’m glad Clark told the truth (attorneys for the diocese are attempting to impugn his testimony), but he’s indirectly responsible for the abuse of hundreds (or thousands?) of Rochester-area children over the course of his thirty-three-year tenure as bishop.

The progressive German Catholic bishops are pursuing radical reforms via their “Synodal Way” initiative, such as married and female priests, and pope Francis has given them a green light.

Any tax dollars diverted to Roman Catholic schools is a blatant violation of the separation of church and state.

Some of same pastors who correctly object to Hindu yoga being taught in public schools, still bemoan the fact that school-sponsored, conscripted prayer was banned from public schools in 1962. Tax-supported government institutions should not support/endorse ANY religion, even the nebulously-inclusive “In God We Trust” American civil religion.

Catholic archbishop and gadfly, Carlo Viganò, speaks for many conservative and traditionalist Catholics with his unqualified denunciation of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis continues to respond to Viganò’s critical broadsides with silence.

Yes, there were individual Roman Catholics who contributed to the founding of the United States. What the writers of articles such as this one deliberately fail to mention is that the Roman Catholic popes continued to condemn democratic forms of government, freedom of religion, and the heresy of “Americanism” right up until the end of the 19th century. Examples? Pope Leo XIII condemned “Americanism” in his apostolic letter, Testem Benevolentiae, of Jan. 22, 1899. See here.

The Vatican has been engulfed by rumors and reports of financial corruption since the early-1970s. See here for an embarrassing timeline of Vatican finances from a Catholic source.

In his new book, “The Next Pope,” conservative Catholic, George Weigel, hopes the next “pontiff” is the polar opposite of the pragmatic and doctrine-bending progressive, Bergoglio.

I’m not scandalized by CNN host, Don Lemon’s absurdly false and ignorant statement that “Jesus Christ admittedly was not perfect.” Lost people (including all of the lost people at FOX news) have no clue about Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Yes, Don, Jesus Christ was perfect and He came to save the lost like you.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 7/4/20

Posted on by Tom

Nothing is escaping the scrutiny of the Black Lives Matter protesters, including the statue of King Louis IX (1214-1270), in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The city was founded in 1764 by French fur traders and named after the French king. Louie led the Catholic armies against the Muslim forces in the Seventh and Eighth Crusades. French Jews were also the targets of the crusaders. Louis presided over the public burning of the Talmud (see Disputation of Paris, 1240) and issued a preliminary decree preparing for the eventual expulsion of the Jews living in France. He was canonized a “saint” in 1297. Protesters deem Louis to have been an anti-Semite and an “Islamophobe” and are not only demanding the mammoth statue in the nearby-suburb of Forest Park be removed, but that the city be renamed.

Catholics don’t generally read the Bible because the Roman church hasn’t encouraged it. When I was an adult Catholic, I had The Way Bible, which was the Catholic version of The Living Bible paraphrase, and also The New American Bible (NAB) for Catholics (see here). As I was reading the New Testament in my NAB Bible, the Holy Spirit illuminated the many differences between Roman Catholic doctrine and God’s Word. Catholic Bibles include the Apocrypha, seven books written in the intertestamental period that were never considered as Scriptural by Rabbinic Judaism in Palestine. In addition, all Catholic Bibles contain notes that attempt to reconcile Scripture with anti-Biblical, Catholic “sacred tradition.”

In this era of heightened awareness regarding racism, everything is being vetted. Warner Screenshot 2020-07-01 at 5.44.04 AME. Sallman’s “Head of Christ,” completed in 1940 and widely popularized during World War II, stereotyped Jesus Christ as an ethnic Northern-European Caucasian with delicate facial features. Jesus was actually a Middle Eastern Semite and as such probably had a darker skin tone and dark hair. The character in Sallman’s fanciful painting looks as if a stiff breeze might blow him over, but we know Jesus probably apprenticed under His stepfather in the physically demanding occupation of carpenter/stone mason. Sallman crafted his genteel Jesus portrait according to his own ethnic sensibilities. The Jesuits were also famous for adapting icons of Jesus to the particular ethnic groups they were proselytizing. Worship God in spirit and in truth.

The Catholic church’s pedophile priest scandal turned into a tsunami in 2018 with revelations regarding cardinal Ted McCarrick and other predatory prelates, prompting independent investigations into the abuse and cover-up by the attorney generals of multiple states. Claims against Catholic dioceses tripled from 2018 to 2019 and expect the same in 2020.

The German Catholic church is leaking members like a sieve, but the progressive German bishops are hoping their current “synodal path” initiative, with its goals of married priests and female priests, will intrigue the increasingly disinterested masses and slow the tide.

Arch-conservative prelate and thorn in pope Francis’s side, archbishop Carlo Viganò, raised eyebrows once again with his praise for President Trump’s photo op in front of the John Paul II statue at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. Viganò is now publicly criticizing the Second Vatican Council as the launching pad for liberal heterodoxy throughout the RCC. Many conservative Catholics share this sentiment, but are reluctant to openly criticize a papal-sanctioned church council.

Jesuit priest, James Martin, the Vatican’s point man on LGBT integration, continues his crusade for full acceptance of practicing LGBTers within the RCC.

Israel welcomes evangelical support, but not God TV? The cable channel actually purveys the bogus health and wealth prosperity gospel, just like TBN.

In the not-so-distant past, EVERY Latin American country recognized Roman Catholicism as the official state religion. Likewise in much of Europe. That meant tremendous persecution for Protestants in those countries. This article states that only the nations of Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco and Vatican City still recognize Catholicism as their state religion.

Bishop-emeritus, Matthew Clark, age 82, was in charge of the Rochester Catholic diocese when the majority of the priest abuse cases that are currently being investigated took place. Was he involved in the cover-up? There’s little doubt, but he’s now in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and his testimony is useless.

Closing thoughts:

  • The dramatic spike upward in COVID-19 cases recently is the result of a laissez-faire attitude in many states. The pandemic and business lockdowns are now prolonged because people did not act responsibly. Political leadership was/is lacking and in some cases even undermined the warnings/guidelines of public health officials.
  • Readers of this blog know that I’m critical of how Christians in America have historically mixed faith and nationalism. On the other hand, I’m grateful for the political freedoms we enjoy in this country. My paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Eastern Europe in the early-20th century to escape political and economic oppression. Many of our Christian brothers and sisters living throughout the world must deal with persecution; in some cases very severe persecution. As Americans celebrate the 244th anniversary of the founding of the United States today, we Christians can also contemplate the ultimate and eternal freedom that comes with salvation by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 6/27/20

Posted on by Tom

As part of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, we’re seeing the statues of slave-owning political leaders and Confederate military heroes being vandalized, torn down, or removed. Some Roman Catholic institutions and memorials are also coming under scrutiny. The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s fraternal organization is on the hot seat, first for its name (Christopher Columbus  enslaved and exploited Native Americans) and for historically “blackballing” African Americans from membership. Barred from the K of C, Black Catholic men started their own fraternal, the Knights of Peter Claver. Statues of Junipero Serra are also being targeted by Californian protesters. Serra led the Franciscan missionary effort in California, which was marked by mistreatment and abuse of Native Americans by the authoritarian friars. Putting it in a spiritual perspective, the Roman Catholic church has enslaved billions of souls over the centuries with it’s false gospel of salvation by sacramental grace and merit.

This past month, the Roman Catholic dioceses of St. Cloud, Minnesota and Syracuse, New York became the 21st and 22nd dioceses respectively in the United States to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is used by dioceses to shield financial assets from survivors of priest sexual abuse.

Bishop Georg Bätzing has replaced retired, uber-progressive, cardinal Reinhard Marx, as head of the German Catholic bishops, but Bätzing has vowed to continue Marx’s agenda, including the demands for married priests and the ordination of women. German Catholicism’s current “synodal path” initiative will present its “conclusions” (not recommendations) to the Vatican in 2021.

In the previous two weekend roundups, we examined 1) President Trump’s staged photo op in front of the John Paul II statue at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., and 2) the contrasting reactions to the photo op from the liberal and conservative Catholic camps. Must notable were the pro-Trump sentiments of archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a vocal opponent of pope Francis. The controversy continued this past week with some conservative priests publishing Viganò’s remarks in their parish website bulletins.

The Catholic church has conferred a myriad of official titles on Mary. It would take a dedicated researcher to list them all (see here). Pope Francis has added to the catalog by conferring three new titles, including “Comfort of Migrants,” reflecting his own progressive agenda.

The Vatican Bank was involved in many dubious investments in the past, including shares in Istituto Farmacologico Serono, a pharmaceutical company that made birth control pills, and Udine, a military weapons manufacturer, along with possible investments in firearms manufacturer, Beretta, as well as in companies with activities in gambling and pornography (see here). The Vatican Bank is quite famous for its corruption.

Catholic authorities are wringing their hands over the theft of this altar tabernacle, which contained many consecrated Jesus wafers at the time it was stolen. The Roman church teaches that its priests change bread wafers into Jesus Christ during its masses, which are then consumed by communicants in order to allegedly receive graces. Excess Jesus wafers are stored in the altar tabernacle, to be administered later to shut-ins or to be recycled at the next mass. Catholics believe any mishandling or misappropriation of Jesus wafers, such as this theft, to be an unconscionable desecration.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 6/20/20

Posted on by Tom

“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” – Matthew 23:9. Roman Catholics look to their priests and prelates for salvation rather than to God the Father and the only way of salvation that He provided, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Last weekend, I briefly commented on President Trump’s photo op in front of the statue of pope John Paul II at the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. Progressive Catholic archbishop, Wilton Gregory, responded by criticizing the president, which led to angry denunciations of Gregory by conservative Catholics, including archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. The former-papal nuncio to the United States gained fame among conservative Catholics in 2018 for accusing pope Francis of complicity in cover-ups for disgraced ex-cardinal and sexual predator, Ted McCarrick. In his June 7 letter, Viganò, praised the president for visiting the shrine and, among other things, claimed the restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were part of a Masonic plot to establish a New World Order.

Roman Catholic dioceses restrict wedding ceremonies to Catholic churches with only a few exceptions. Dispensations for outdoor weddings were granted during the pandemic lockdown. Where there’s a crack in the dam, a flood usually follows.

Two weekends ago, we saw that Austrian Catholic bishops were promoting a book that propagated full acceptance of practicing LGBTers in the RCC. Now there’s this book published by Italian Catholics pushing the same agenda. Progressive RC crusaders are systematically turning the tide to full-acceptance of practicing LGBTers.

Catholic churches are gradually reopening and many Catholics are rejoicing at the “opportunity” to once again attend the “sacrifice of the mass” and receive the alleged Jesus wafer. Catholics love their religious rituals and ceremonies, but don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. I consumed the Jesus wafer for twenty years (ages 7-27) as a Roman Catholic. It was not some kind of life-changing, mystical experience as fervent Catholics describe. It was simply stale bread in my mouth. Jesus Christ must be received as Savior by faith alone.

This news article is two weeks old, but I wanted to point out pope Francis’s prayers for George Floyd’s soul. Catholic prelates teach that most souls will go to purgatory after death for the expiation of venial (minor) sins and that prayers from the living will shorten their stay. Most Protestants no linger even blink at such un-Biblical statements.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 6/13/20

Posted on by Tom

I generally try to avoid political commentary because I’m supposed to be apolitical, but some things can’t be overlooked. Yes, politicians will be politicians. I get it. However, I squirm when I see the Bible used as a political prop as President Trump did before the riot-damaged St. John’s Episcopal Church (no Gospel) in Washington, D.C. The President and First Lady’s subsequent photo-op in front of the statue of pope John Paul II at the John Paul II National Shrine (no Gospel) was an obvious ploy to generate support from conservative Catholic voters. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Bible-waving retort was equally ridiculous. I seriously doubt that either President Trump or Governor Cuomo ever opens a Bible. We evangelicals lose our focus and credibility when we combine our faith with temporal politics and nationalism.

Pope Francis states that he’s concerned about racism and the recent “disturbing social unrest” in the United States. Hmm. In the meantime, his false gospel church is leading 70 million American Catholic souls to a Christ-less eternity. Which is more disturbing?

Yep, I’m aware that I’ve already posted many stories about pope Francis’ pragmatic sellout of Chinese Catholics, but the sheer audacity of the betrayal is stunning. Francis has been vocally supportive of the recent anti-racism protests in the U.S., but is absolutely silent regarding Beijing’s strong-arm crackdowns in Hong Kong and China.

I admire these “rad trad” Catholics for at least having the courage of their convictions in contrast to the Catholic and so-called “Protestant” ecumenist compromisers.

Speaking of “rad trad” Catholics, Mel Gibson got his ultra-Catholic, sedevacantist ideology from his recently deceased father. Be assured, Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” sequel while have veiled Catholic themes just like the original movie did.

The Southern Baptist Convention is a wide spectrum that includes both orthodox fellowships and seeker-friendly and ecumenical disasters.

The progressive German Catholic bishops are doing pope Francis’ heavy lifting for him with their current “synodal path.” This will be interesting.

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 6/6/20

Posted on by Tom

The headlines since last weekend have been dominated by the nationwide protests in connection with the murder of George Floyd and also by the looting and wanton destruction. The positive is that the Lord can use this chaos to show people this world is NOT the answer, rather it’s sinking sand, and lead them to true hope in Christ.

“Sloppy” Steve Bannon (photo left) and some other “rad trad” Catholics are trying to make their Dignitatis Humanae Institute in Italy THE center for right-wing opposition to pope Francis and his progressive allies. Cardinal Joseph Burke, one of the highest-ranking and most outspoken conservative critics of Francis, withdrew his support from the institute when Bannon indicated he also wanted to make a film based on the 2019 book,  “In the Closet of the Vatican,” which alleged widespread homosexuality in the Vatican and also implicated Burke (see here).

Priest McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 as a Catholic alternative to Freemasonry, which was forbidden to Catholics. The organization aped the Masons with its own secret oaths, secret handshakes, etc. The K of C was once the primary patron of Catholic “evangelization” in this country with its advertisements in local newspapers and free booklets and correspondence courses prior to the internet.

It’s only a matter of time before the RCC officially okays “blessing” same-sex “marriages.” Make no mistake, the “blessing” services are already being conducted on the Q.T. by progressive priests.

Last week, we looked at how the pandemic lockdown is pushing many Catholic schools over the financial edge. The lockdown will also precipitate the end of many Catholic diocesan newspapers. For non-Catholics who are unfamiliar with these publications, they’re full of organizational news, i.e., the comings and goings of various priests and nuns, church closings/consolidations, papal and episcopal news, liturgical issues, etc., but a reader would be VERY hard pressed to find any specific mention of Jesus Christ within.

“Renewal” is Catholic “group speak” for the demoralizing (for Catholics) reality of parish consolidations and closings.

A couple of weekends ago, our feature article reported on some Catholic priests who were dowsing drive-by parishioners with “holy water” from their squirt guns. I was waiting for the second shoe to drop and wasn’t disappointed. The conservative priests in this article accuse their squirt gun-toting peers of the “sin of sacrilege.”

Francis wants the 160-million-member Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement to shift its focus from personal religious hysteria/experientialism to greater commitment to the church’s social gospel and ecumenical agenda.

After throwing loyal Chinese Catholics under the bus by signing the 2018 Vatican-Beijing Accord and betraying them to the Chinese communist government, Francis now entrusts the country to the “Blessed Virgin Mary” while Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, directs his security forces to further “nationalize” all Catholic parishes. I’m definitely not an admirer of Catholicism’s false gospel, but it’s worth noting how Francis has pragmatically acquiesced to Beijing’s “interference.”