While the Pope was on his Hungary visit. Hardly gets mentioned in the press of course - including some of the Catholic press.
According to a report from the Catholic News Agency, abortion is currently legal in Hungary for up to 12 weeks and up to 24 weeks under certain conditions. It is also required for a woman to first hear the fetal heartbeat within that window.
Leaders in Hungary have been creating incentives to help boost the country's birth rates with family-centered initiatives which give bonuses up to $33,000 for married couples who have three children.
During his remarks, Pope Frances spoke of the idea of Hungary acting as "a bridge builder" while discussing a new family centric vision for Europe.
Pope Frances said, "How much better it would be to build a Europe centered on the human person and on its peoples, with effective policies for natality and the family, policies that are pursued attentively in this country, a Europe whose different nations would form a single family that protects the growth and uniqueness of each of its members."
May 02, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Give the video a moment to load. You have to go to the 3:40 mark if you don't watch the entire five minute segment.
April 23, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Astonishing. This is an update - with the video added. Originally posted yesterday without the interview.
Here are two articles. The first is from the Daily Caller FBI Used Undercover Agent to Cultivate Sources among Catholic Clergy and Leadership, House Republicans Reveal and the one below it is from National Review Online.
“Based on the limited information produced by the FBI to the Committee, we now know that the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce its analysis, and that the FBI proposed that its agents engage in outreach to Catholic parishes to develop sources among the clergy and church leadership to inform on Americans practicing their faith,” the letter says. (RELATED: ‘It’s Appalling’: Attorney General Merrick Garland Disavows Memo Targeting Catholics)
Documents produced by the FBI reportedly show it desired “to sensitize the congregation to the warning signs of radicalization and enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires,” according to the letter.
This information reinforced the Committee’s need for “all FBI material responsive” to its request without redactions, the letter continued.
The subpoena was issued in response to Wray’s alleged “disregard” for the Committee’s voluntary requests.
The FBI confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation that it received the subpoena and is working to respond to the records requests.
“The FBI recognizes the importance of congressional oversight and remains fully committed to cooperating with Congress’s oversight requests consistent with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities,” the Bureau said in a statement. “The FBI is actively working to respond to congressional requests for information including voluntary production of documents.”
Here is the National Review article.
Jordan wrote in the Monday letter that the FBI has not been sufficiently responsive to demands for further documents related to the investigation of Catholics, and demanded that Wray explain the lack of cooperation. The documents the FBI has turned over reveal that the bureau “sought to enlist Catholic houses of worship as potential sources to monitor and report on their parishioners,” according to the letter.
The memo that prompted Jordan’s oversight efforts was retracted after being made public, and FBI director Wray earlier condemned it during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in March.
“When I first learned of the piece I was aghast, and we took steps immediately to withdraw it and remove it from FBI systems. It does not reflect FBI standards. We do not conduct investigations based on religious affiliation or practices, full stop. We have also now ordered our Inspection Division to take a look at how this happened and try to figure out how we can make sure something like this doesn’t happen again,” Wray said at the time.
“I will note it was a product by one field office, which, of course we have scores and scores of these products. And when we found out about it, we took action. We’re also taking steps to reinforce with our workforce, all of the long standing policies we have that speak to this kind of thing. We’ve got refresher training for the relevant employees, etc. And we do not and will not target people for religious beliefs, and we do not and will not monitor people’s religious practices.”
April 10, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Good turnout on a rainy day with 200 pro-life participants - about double last year's attendees. About 30 pro-abortion minions complete with their vile signs and cowbells. The rally was at the corner of Centre St. and Reade St. and then a march down Broadway into the financial district.
Pictures below and at the end, three very short videos.
Here are some of the calmer pro abortion people
Back to the Rally... The young man with the grey beanie is Father Vincent, a Diocesan priest.
The walk sets off
This woman and about 25 others followed the march all the way
You can't be more vile then this - very, very, sad.
Some video - this Hispanic woman with the pink backpack did a great job with her megaphone - a continuous stream of right to life calls and prayers.
The end of the walk -
To see 40 seconds of a brief altercation, including Fr Fidelis being harassed, go here -
https://twitter.com/ViralNewsNYC/status/1640024035185553410
March 27, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (5)
From an guest column by Cardinal Dolan last week in the Wall Street Journal. The Cardinal won't mind us posting this ... Mostly excerpted below the link.
If You Want ‘Inclusion,’ I’ve Got a List
I am proud that my country and my church are both committed to the noble ideal of inclusion. ... We couldn’t dare to claim to be “one nation under God” if it were otherwise.
Yet society and the church are falling short of this noble ideal. By accepting one dominant cultural narrative that presumes to define those who are “excluded,” we are ignoring those who don’t tidily fit into the prevailing cultural story line. Want some examples?
• Moms and dads in lifelong, life-giving marriage, cherishing a large number of children, who are routinely ridiculed and regularly stereotyped as threatening to the planet.
• Fragile unborn babies, who have no legal protection in most states, with all of us forced to pay for the taking of their lives.
• Parents, especially struggling ones, who must pay constantly increasing taxes to support monopoly government schools and who are denied the right to use tax dollars to send their children to the schools of their choice.
• Citizens who for ethical reasons can’t obey the tidal wave of bureaucratic decrees on healthcare and are forced to choose between their consciences and their jobs.
• A gay person trying his best, with God’s grace, to live according to biblical teaching, who hears church leaders call that morality unjust and oppressive.
• Immigrants who came to this country eager to work in the belief that America was a sanctuary but who can’t get a labor permit and are treated with scorn.
• A woman who chooses to give birth to a baby while worried by hints and even outright threats that she’ll lose her job.
• Young people who are spiritually thirsty for a sense of awe, reverence and transcendence but who have difficulty finding a church to satisfy their needs.
• Relief agencies labeled as lawbreakers by members of Congress for welcoming, feeding and housing refugees.
• Our beloved elders near the end of life, who are coaxed into feeling useless, a burden, with euthanasia the answer.
• Folks who want only inspiration, encouragement and clear teaching from their pastors and religious leaders, but who instead must listen to dissent every Sabbath.
• Cops who face danger daily, who see their colleagues killed and wounded, their resources shrinking, and the criminals they apprehend released in an hour.
• Elderly people who are scared to take the bus or subway, or to walk down the block for milk and bread.
• Parents who worked two jobs and saved for decades to send their children to college, and struggled to pay back the loans they had to take, only to see their neighbors with weekend homes have their loans forgiven.
These good people tell us they are also marginalized and excluded. Rarely do I find them bitter, angry or judgmental. They, too, want a society that is inclusive—not merely for the groups now chic to defend, but for all.
March 20, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 20, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
This trial was held at the 46th District Court in Southfield, Michigan before Judge Cynthia Arvant for a Red Rose Rescue that took place on 23 April 2022. The rescuers arrested for their intervention on behalf of the innocent are Fr. Fidelis Moscinski, Laura Gies, Dr. Monica Miller, Elizabeth Wagi, Jacob Gregor, & Matthew Connolly.
Below is from the Red Rose Rescue facebook page. It is a long posting so we are simply putting up the link. Of special interest: the testimony of Fr. Fidelis and the herculean efforts of the defense attorney.
Go here - it's a bit easier to read. -> Southfield Michigan Red Rose Rescue Trial Day 4.
February 26, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Harrison Butker, who was wearing a scapular when he kicked the winning field goal in the Super Bowl (picture below) is not afraid to express his pro-life views.
Despite the opposition to his campaign, Butker once again took a stand for life following the ballot movement’s failure, speaking out against the “terrible legislation” that allows for the unborn to remain unprotected and observing that Kansas could have become “a place where all children are valued at every stage of life.”
“When the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the meaning of life in the Kansas Constitution refers only to those outside the womb, they left those without a voice to be targeted by terrible legislation and outside forces,” he wrote. “The only way to defend the unborn, protecting the Sanctity of Life, is to amend the Kansas Constitution.”
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While some might fail to see the significance in Butker’s support of a failed pro-life campaign, it is important to remember just how strongly today’s cancel culture criticizes and condemns those who stand up against the set narrative. Given the massive backlash following the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, for example, Butker’s continued dedication to the pro-life cause, as a man who has everything to lose, exemplifies a deep moral courage and a firm commitment to truth that Christians everywhere can learn from and ought to imitate in our own daily lives.
February 16, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Jane's Revenge Fact Sheet
Overview
Jane's Revenge is a militant group of pro-abortion extremists. They use the tactics of
domestic terrorism to target pro-life activists, many of whom are Catholic. They
frequently employ incendiary bombs, vandalism, and other forms of property destruction
to intimidate those they disagree with.
Targeting Catholics and Other People of Faith
The blog for Jane's Revenge is littered with bombastic statements that demonstrate great
euphoria for the organization's violence. These screeds joyously recount the carnage and
mayhem the organization has caused while calling for more destruction. Many display an
obvious animus for pro-life activists, especially Catholics and other people of faith.
On May 30, 2022, Jane's Revenge attacked a Catholic pro-life pregnancy resource center in Hollywood, FL.
On June 2, 2022, Jane's Revenge attacked a Christian pro-life ministry in Des Moines,
IA. One of the phrases spray painted on the facility read, "God loves abortion."
On June 7, 2022, Jane's Revenge fire-bombed a Christian pro-life ministry in Amherst,
NY.
In a letter dated June 16, 2022, Representative Michael Guest (R-MI) noted that Jane's
Revenge attacks often come with threatening messages such as "'Jane was here;' 'Abort the church;' and 'If abortions aren't safe, you aren't either.'"
On June 25, 2022, Jane's Revenge attacked a pregnancy resource center in Lynchburg,
VA. According to Jane's Revenge, it chose to attack this location because "Lynchburg is
a hotbed of Christian fascism" as it is the home of Liberty University.
On June 25, 2022, Meta, Facebook's parent company, circulated an internal memo that
designated the abortion rights group Jane’s Revenge as a terrorist organization for their
many attacks on pro-life activists and other people of faith.
On June 26, 2022, Jane's Revenge recounted the destruction of the organization's "night of rage." The group threatened that these acts of violence were just the beginning and specifically warns "Christian extremists" that more "is in store for you."
On June 26, 2022, Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized the sign of All Saints Parish with the phrase "If abortions aren't safe neither are you xoxo Jane" in Portland, OR.
Acts of Violence
May 8, 2022: Madison, WI—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for firebombing the
offices of Wisconsin Family Action.
May 14, 2022: Reisterstown, MD—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for
vandalizing Alpha Pregnancy Center.
May 25, 2022: Lynnwood, WA—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Next Steps Pregnancy Services.
May 30, 2022: Eugene, OR—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Dove Medical Center, a pregnancy resource center.
May 30, 2022: Hollywood, FL—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
the Respect Life Office, a pregnancy resource center run by the Archdiocese of Miami.
June 2, 2022: Des Moines, IA—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Agape Pregnancy Resource Center.
June 2, 2022: Washington, DC—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center.
June 7, 2022: Amherst, NY—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for firebombing
CompassCare, a pregnancy resource center.
June 7, 2022: Asheville, NC—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized Mountain Area
Pregnancy Services.
June 8, 2022: Vancouver, WA—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Options360 Women's Clinic, a pregnancy resource center.
June 10, 2022: Gresham, OR—Jane's Revenge allegedly firebombed First Image, a
pregnancy resource center.
June 14, 2022: Minneapolis, MN—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized Minnesota
Citizens for Life.
June 19, 2022: Dearborn Heights, MI—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized Lennon
Pregnancy Center.
June 19, 2022: Redford, MI—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Pregnancy Care Center.
June 21, 2022: Jackson, MI—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized the offices of
Representative Tim Walberg and the Jackson Right to Life.
June 25, 2022: Paso Robles, CA—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized the Tree of Life
Pregnancy Center.
June 25, 2022: Longmont, CO—Jane's Revenge allegedly firebombed Life Choices, a
pregnancy resource center.
June 25, 2022: Winter Haven, FL—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized the Life Choice
Pregnancy Center.
June 25, 2022: Lynchburg, VA—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized Blue Ridge
Pregnancy Center.
June 26, 2022: Portland, OR—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized All Saints Parish.
June 27, 2022: Burlington, VT—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing a
pregnancy resource center.
June 29, 2022: Everett,WA—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for firebombing a
pregnancy resource center.
July 3, 2022: Hialeah, FL—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized the Pregnancy Help
Medical Clinics.
July 3, 2022: Southfield, MI—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Mother and Unborn Baby Care.
July 5, 2022: St. Paul, MN—Jane's Revenge allegedly vandalized Birthright, a
pregnancy resource center.
July 8, 2022: Worcester, MA—Jane's Revenge claimed responsibility for vandalizing
Problem Pregnancy and Clearway Clinic.
Department of Justice's Response
In 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) did not charge a single person in connection to any of the attacks by Jane's Revenge. Meanwhile, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division has
charged 26 pro-life individuals with Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act
violations. There have been few FACE Act violators charged in recent years. In 2021, there were four individuals charged. In 2020, there was only one. In 2019, there were two. In 2018,there was one. From 2011 to 2017, there was a total of nine people charged with FACE Act Violations.
The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at DOJ is Kristen Clarke. She is a vocal
proponent of abortion who has repeatedly expressed her support for preserving Roe v.
Wade, and she also oversees investigations into violations of the FACE Act.
Clarke has called Alliance Defending Freedom a "hate group" and Liberty University a
"fundamentalist Christian school." She has submitted testimony to the Senate that Amy
Coney Barrett was unfit to serve as a justice because she would likely rule to overturn
Roe v. Wade. She has frequently criticized pro-life laws and courts that upheld them. She has branded a law protecting Down Syndrome babies "draconian."
Serving under Clarke in DOJ's Civil Rights Division is Associate Attorney General
Vanita Gupta. At an event celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Division,
Gupta portrayed the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a "devastating blow to women
throughout the country" that took away "the constitutional right to abortion" and
increased "the urgency" of the DOJ's work—including the "enforcement of the FACE
Act, to ensure continued lawful access to reproductive services."
While the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been part of several of the
investigations regarding the attacks made by Jane's Revenge, the FBI's involvement did
not lead to any charges being filed in 2022. Several of the pro-life organizations have
complained about the FBI's less than enthusiastic investigations. Conversely, the FBI
showed great zeal in arresting several of the 26 pro-life activists charged in 2022 with
FACE Act violations. Possibly out of fear of Congressional oversight, on January 24, 2023, Caleb Freestone and Amber Smith-Stewart were indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida for attacks on pregnancy resource centers in Winter Haven, Hollywood and Hialeah by Jane's Revenge. Both also appear to be affiliated with Antifa. However, even though these acts of domestic terrorism have occurred across the country, these are the only two indictments of anyone affiliated with Jane's Revenge.
February 15, 2023 | Permalink | Comments (0)