The White House on Tuesday, Dec. 29, issued a proclamation praising St. Thomas Becket, an English archbishop who was martyred 850 years ago after conflict with King Henry II over the rights of the Church.
“Before the Magna Carta was drafted, before the right to free exercise of religion was enshrined as America’s first freedom in our glorious Constitution, Thomas gave his life so that, as he said, ‘the Church will attain liberty and peace,’” President Donald Trump wrote in a Dec. 29 proclamation.
“To honor Thomas Becket’s memory, the crimes against people of faith must stop, prisoners of conscience must be released, laws restricting freedom of religion and belief must be repealed, and the vulnerable, the defenseless, and the oppressed must be protected. The tyranny and murder that shocked the conscience of the Middle Ages must never be allowed to happen again. As long as America stands, we will always defend religious liberty.”
“We pray for religious believers everywhere who suffer persecution for their faith. We especially pray for their brave and inspiring shepherds — like Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong and Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu — who are tireless witnesses to hope,” Trump’s proclamation added.
Becket was born in the twelfth century, and became an expert in canon and civll law, and eventually the Lord Chancellor of England. But after 1162, when he became Archbishop of Canterbury, he found himself in conflict with King Henry II over the autonomy of the the Church in England. Becket and the king clashed over the freedom of clergymen from secular courts, and, in 1164, the Constitutions of Clarendon, a set of laws passed by Henry II in an effort to limit papal authority and ecclesiastical courts in England.
Becket did not accept the Clarendon laws, and was briefly exiled. On Dec. 29 1170, knights supportive of King Henry murdered Becket at Canterbury cathedral, shortly after the bishop had prayed vespers.
“When the Archbishop refused to allow the King to interfere in the affairs of the Church, Thomas Becket stood at the intersection of church and state. That stand, after centuries of state-sponsored religious oppression and religious wars throughout Europe, eventually led to the establishment of religious liberty in the New World,” Trump’s proclamation said.
“Thomas Becket’s martyrdom changed the course of history. It eventually brought about numerous constitutional limitations on the power of the state over the Church across the West. In England, Becket’s murder led to the Magna Carta’s declaration 45 years later that: ‘[T]he English church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished and its liberties unimpaired.’
“Thomas Becket’s death serves as a powerful and timeless reminder to every American that our freedom from religious persecution is not a mere luxury or accident of history, but rather an essential element of our liberty. It is our priceless treasure and inheritance. And it was bought with the blood of martyrs,” the president added.
Trump’s statement called for an end to religious persecution around the work.
“A society without religion cannot prosper. A nation without faith cannot endure — because justice, goodness, and peace cannot prevail without the grace of God,” it concluded.
The above comes from a Dec. 29 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
Donald J. Trump the most Pro-Life Pro Catholic President in the History of The United States and he is not even a Catholic, yet the US bishops cannot stand him. Melania Trump who is a Slovenian and a Roman Catholic has had a very very big influence on her husband. As Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano has stated Trump was sent by Divine Providence to save America and Western Civilization, Trump an “imperfect” man as was St. Thomas Becket.
I feel deeply sorry for those who are still drinking the koolaid. I will pray that you choose to accept reality.
Hard to know what reality you mean. The election was stolen.
Kristina, I have been guilty of using that expression, also, but I stopped using it because it so badly trivializes a horrible, tragic mass murder-suicide that was as shocking and distressing as can be.
Annon I will take this NYE as a day of atonement. I had a friend from high school who we think went to Jonestown, though it was never confirmed. I remember now how that event felt. I will not use that phrase again.
Kristina, God bless you. i will pray for your friend.
So according to your logic, America and Western Civ are now saved, and God has seen fit for Mr. Biden to take over the lead. Correct?
Yes, America was being saved by an imperfect person (not unlike others in history that God chose) until the massive election fraud occurred. God sometimes allows to evil (passively) to exist so that more good may come of it. However, it’s not over yet.
I agree with Ronnie.In time the truth will be clear to all.
Keep telling yourself it’s not over.
And keep telling yourself that there wasn’t massive fraud.
The request by the White House for Georgia’s Sec of State to “find” just enough votes to change the result long after certification was a verifiable criminal attempt at fraud. Listen to it or read the transcript, then understand where the real threat to our democracy is. I sincerely sympathize with your clinging to an impossible narrative and I pray that your eyes will be opened.
Anonymous. What? Do please pray for me, thanks. But worry more about those in the Democrat party who were involved in not only four years of unprecedented smear campaign against a sitting President and now because they knew Trump would win engaged in massive voter fraud. And the so-called
Republican (in name only) Sec. of State is a joke. It was certified before a full investigation, a cover-up and calculation to prevent further examination. And who is the one being deceived?
One more thing, are you referring to Sec. of State Raffensperger’s leaking this to the nasty Washington Post? Here’s some accurate information you might have missed: If you listen to the selectively edited segments released by the Washington Post of the call, with only selective segments released by them, there is nothing that the President says that is untrue. This is something that is common during the Trump years. Information from private calls are leaked to the liberal media by nefarious characters in an attempt to embarrass or damage President Trump.
Ronnie the Post has put on record the entire hour long call. The Post didn’t put words into his mouth or smear him. They simply put out the entire call.
Anonymous.. Except where it was bleeped out and certainly taken out of context. No crime. You liberals love to invent conspiracy theories. But the full transcript of the call showed that Trump asserted that he won the state and asked the election official to probe election irregularities—something he has been saying publicly for weeks.
Trump also lost the 2020 election.,
No, he didn’t; it was stolen.
Whatever you think of Donald Trump, his policies, his personality, his communication skills, the Good News of Jesus Christ was shared from the White House of the United States of America.
Yes! Great speech! I will keep a copy of it.
I am glad that he did this. So many people (Christians and others) have been killed because of their religion. 500 Christians have been killed in the last 6 months in Ethiopia.
Cardinal Dolan wrote this piece in the Wall Street Journal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/remember-the-persecuted-at-christmas-11608160963
Such a shame to see such hatred for President Trump. Never thought in a millions years Communism would become mainstream in America.
I saw it coming. I used to teach in Catholic high schools. 80% of the teachers were Commies, although they wouldn’t describe themselves that way, and they taught their Communism to students, who ate it up. I saw it beginning there and could tell that, multiplied by high schools all over the country, the days of logical thinking and freedom were numbered in America. “Social Justice” is the new disguise for Communism.
Agreed. How sad that so many Americans died over the years protecting America and other nations from communism, and now idiots in this country vote for politicians who are leading the country straight to it. God save us from ourselves,
Wrong YFC. I suggest look at what your friends did to Russia and Eastern Europe in the 20th century. The Left is hate.
There is no communism in power in the US. And as for hatred, I assume you’ve never read Trump’s twitter.
Communism controls California. Look around. Just because they don’t have a red flag with a hammer and sickle doesn’t mean it isn’t Communism. The state in California and the ruling elites have become totalitarians. Look at Big Tech tracking and controlling more and more of people’s lives. Wed leftist Big Tech with leftist government politicians, and you have Communism. The fact that you can’t see it doesn’t make it not true. And the calls for locking you out of your bank account if you don’t get vaccinated… it’s all a scheme to make America and the whole world Sovietized. Wake up.
There are no “calls for locking you out of your bank account if you don’t get vaccinated”. There is no communism, my friend. You can vote. You can opt out of tech. Far from the ruling elites controlling everything, we probably put more propositions up for a vote than any pure democracy in history.
Communism is the system in which capital is held by the public with central control over means of production and distribution. If anything, California is a place where the very rich control an awful lot of capital and the average farmworker or hospital nurse barely has any claim on capital at all.
Yes, Bill Gates and European Nations have advocated that very thing.
Anon at 7:16 AM There have been lots of claims —lies really— about what Bill Gates said or didn’t say about the vaccines. Please provide a link to his actual words, preferably a video, to prove that he said such a ridiculous thing. And what European Nations advocated for such a thing? Exactly how would a Nation “advocate” for things to be done in the US? Again links, facts, evidence. I’ll bet you don’t have any of the above.
LOL…You can vote? With massive fraud taking place? Watch One America News OAN and see the evidence. Wait, slowing creeping socialism is what’s happening. Not all at once because people would rise up. Keep the masses clueless by the lies and pushing crisis after crisis to scare them. Big brother will take over and all your rights will be taken away one at a time.
YFC And I assume you don’t get your fake news from the NY Times, CNN, MSBNBC, NPR, CBS, NBC, ABC. Trump was just responding to the deranged hate-filled venom from the Left.. The majority of the Left are socialists or on their way there now.
Ronnie, correct at least in the first part. I rely on OAN and Fox for all my fake news. But for deranged hate-filled venom I read Trump’s twitter feed and listened to the call he made to the Georgia Secretary of State basically threatening him if he didn’t find enough votes that he “needed”.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-georgia-vote/2021/01/03/d45acb92-4dc4-11eb-bda4-615aaefd0555_story.html
Just responded to Anonymous above about this. Just look at the source, the nasty fake news Washington Post! Selectively edited and then beeped out when the full audio was finally released. And let’s not forget certified before any examination and legitimacy of the votes which were in question.
The Washington Post put out the audio of the entire hour long call. But you just want to pretend that he didn’t ask the SOS to find him enough votes so he could win, so you blame the Post.
The source says it all. Leaking two days before the Senate election…Ha, ha. He said nothing wrong. Once again the far left fails. They are pathetic.
Mr Mayor [aka Rudy] has been trying to prove election was stolen. So far, he’s 0 for 40+ in Courts across the land. Former AG Bill Barr said publicly there was no fraud.
mikem, Attorney Barr said that “To date, [DOJ investigators] have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.” Dec 1, 2020
Mike It’s apparent you don’t watch the hearings on OAN for details of massive election fraud being exposed.
RA if you are referring to my comment, there is no hate included or implied. I simply question those who state that the 2016 election result was the will of God but the 2020 result is not. Why would that be so?
Think more along those lines and you’ll begin to ask questions like I’m asking… where is God? Is he even doing anything? The people who were so confident that Trump’s election was divinely ordained now can’t explain why he’s going to be replaced by a semi-senile, “Catholic” Biden* who full-on supports abortion, transgender ideology and homosexual marriage. They can’t explain why the hours they spent praying the rosary and adoring didn’t have the desired effect of ensuring Trump would remain president. So, really, where’s God and what’s he doing? Because he sure doesn’t seem to be helping his church nor his people. God wants Biden to be president now?
I listened to a streamed homily for January 1 in which the priest said Mary is our spiritual mother and will always help us. Hello? How can you say such things after the year we’ve had? Where’s the help? The Catholic Church in this country and especially here in California is getting slammed. Abortion is on the rise again. Gays are ascending. Transgenderism is becoming normalized. Yeah, thanks for all the help from heaven in opposing all those evils. Sure.
And who do you think you are Kevin T. to ask God “where are you”? Who do you think you are to be asking God “why aren’t you helping”? You weren’t even present when God decided to create the universe, and yet here you are asking these near blasphemous questions? The gall. Why don’t you read the Book of Psalms and even the Book of Job to get God’s answers to such impertinence as you display here.
if Job asked those questions, it seems okay for others to ask them too. the Bible has lots of laments, including in the book of psalms. ever heard of “my God my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus said that, so I don’t think it’s blasphemous because the Son of God would not have blasphemed. Respect Scripture!
Dust off your Bible Anonymous at 6:42pm. Our Lord on the Cross was quoting Psalm 22 when He said “My God, my God why have you forsaken Me.” He was applying the lament in the Psalm and the feeling of abandonment expressed in it to His suffering on the Cross. Very powerful. He wasn’t merely “asking a question”; He was demonstrating that He has fulfilled the Scriptures. So, to say He was basically only “asking” shows a lack of knowledge of the profundity of what was going on at the Cross.
As for Job, why don’t you read God’s response to him. God’s response is precisely what I wrote earlier: Who are you to be asking God where He is? Who do you think you are? You weren’t around when He created the universe, yet you dare ask God what He’s doing and how’s He’s helping? Why should He answer to you? Questioning God is a sign of a lack of faith. In the end Job even repents of having ever doubted or questioned God.
Job expresses genuine pain; Our Lord was pointing out how He was fulfilling the Scriptures; but Kevin T. here in my estimation just ends up sounding either insufferably maudlin at best, or impertinent bordering on blasphemy at worst.
Job 20-22
Then Job arose and tore his cloak and cut off his hair. He fell to the ground and worshiped.
He said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back there.*
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”
In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with wrong.
Okay. God’s in control. I’ll just watch TV and wait to see what he does.
Mother Teresa asked those same questions. She wondered where God was for forty years because she thought he was absent from her life. She worried she was a fraud because she didn’t feel God in her life. Stop the armchair spiritual direction and theology. Every post by you (Jon) is an attempt to assert superiority and put others down, as if you are the website Ph.D., but you often don’t know what you’re talking about or assert half truths. We don’t need back of the class smart alecks here.
SJ Catholic is wrong. Rather, most if not all posters here attempt to assert superiority over the popes and the bishops of the Church. Many if not all posters here attempt to put down the Magisterium and the teachings of the Church. They’re ok with teachings they agree with; but routinely and scandalously, they pour venom and scorn over the Pope and the bishops united to him if they don’t like a particular doctrine or dogma.
Then you have Kevin T. there basically questioning God Himself, as if God is answerable to him. That’s blatant “attempt to assert superiority”. Just read his words: “Yeah, thanks [God] for all the help from heaven in opposing all those evils. Sure.” The attitude there blatant blasphemy and scorn for the Almighty.
So, SJ Catholic’s point there misses the mark. He/she ought not to be correcting someone like me who is here only to defend the Church, and the name of God.
And when Job said “blessed be the name of the Lord!” the Hebrew employs a euphemism. Job was actually cursing God by uttering that phrase sarcastically. Much as we would say, “Have a nice day,” sarcastically to someone we don’t like or have just had a rude encounter with. Study Scripture, people!
And just to use your classroom analogy here SJ Catholic: the back-of-the-class smart alecks here are the so-called Catholics who comment by unjustly deriding, mocking, criticizing, impugning the Pope and the bishops of the Church–they are the teachers, the Magisterium. I am actually one of those in front of the class defending the teachers from those at the back of the class.
@ Jon – And who do you think you are? You fire missives across the bow like a blunderbuss on this site as though you’re battling dragons instead of Catholics sharing their faith experiences. I sense people on here have a deep relationship with God but who also might struggle to feel His presence at all times. This was also the path of saints who most likely cried out, “Awake, Lord, why do you sleep? Don’t reject us forever”. I doubt God thought them impertinent.
Silent Observer (S.O.) is wrong. Many of the people who comment here do not harmlessly “share their faith experiences.” Many of the comments I’ve read here over the years (and I’ve been commenting here on-and-off for over 10 years, people), have unjustly mocked, derided, castigated, impugned the clergy and the Magisterium of the Church; they’ve expressed heresy by deriding the Ordinary Form of the Mass and the Second Vatican Council. The saints of the Church never were disobedient to the Church. Such an attitude do not make for saints, S.O. They make for dissenters.
@ Jon – It takes very little effort to show kindness on here, but where is your own joy? You don’t seem to have any, yet you have all the answers, joylessly. I know a Religious Education director who was so convinced of her holiness that, when I quietly interrupted her at Mass to tell her that her car was about to be towed, she said, “Don’t interrupt me. I’m with Jesus”. Her car was towed.
Jon…”Many of the comments have unjustly mocked, derided, castigated, impugned the clergy and the Magisterium of the Church” Do you think we should just be silent when abuse is covered-up by some Bishops and Cardinals and the Pope does and says things which are contrary to the teachings of the Church? All those victims and he elevates men who confuse the laity by their questionable conferences and Masses celebrating sodomy?
Ronnie and Silent Observer are both wrong. Firstly, the Pope has said nothing contrary to Church teachings; but to those who believe in how some in the media and the virulent blogs spin and twist things, they’d think that. Secondly, as for the “abuse crisis”–here we go again. Ronnie, all of us are sick and tired of people exploiting this crisis in order to damage the Church, her teachings, and her message which is none other than the Gospel. The fact that you raise abuse again here as if the Church has done nothing to address this is flat wrong. The truth is that the Church has advanced tremendously in this area due to the Dallas Charter, yet there are folks who can’t see past errors, mistakes, scandals, the bad things, blunders, oversights, abuses, etc. For example the Church is growing in Africa where it is persecuted, yet there are people who only complain about McCarrick? He’s part of a past that is dying away, people. I mean, where is your and Silent Observer’s joy? Mine is in the Gospel, to take the title from Pope Francis’ first Encyclical “Evangelii Gaudium.” It should alarm any Catholic who finds joy in the Gospel to see how this message is being eclipsed by bad media, dissent, heresy, gossipy talk, irreverence towards the clergy, snide comments about the Church as read in many comments here. And then you have Silent Observer asking me where is “my joy”? I daresay, he/she should be asking you that.
First you start doubting and even mocking your parish priest; next you start publicly criticizing your bishop; next you begin writing anonymous and online comments derogatory of and in hostility against the Pope; down the line you’d end up like Kevin T. over there seemingly mocking and criticizing God: “Yeah, thanks for your help God from heaven. Sure.” Note the dangerous slide you could be leading yourselves into.
I know of good and holy priests that have been personally victimized by their bishop, for the sin of offering the NO ad orientem or offering communion on the tongue.
Jon…How come everyone is wrong except you? Closing your eyes to the confusion in the Church and the confusion this Pope has caused is dangerous. What about all those victims? Sorry for having to say this but how dare you minimize all the homosexual abuse in the Church. All those boys who were raped, abused and damaged for the rest of their lives. No, it is not been cleaned up. They still haven’t admitted that it was primarily a homosexual sex abuse scandal and when you fail to acknowledge the cause you doomed to fail. And yes, there are good Priests, Bishops and Cardinals and they are not afraid to state the truth. And I thank God for them everyday. But the Dallas Charter was a joke:
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/10/the-dark-side-of-the-dallas-charter
Jon….The last link was about innocent Priests being accused with zero tolerance in the Dallas Charter and here’s another which is also problematic especially the programs that were implemented for our children:
https://onepeterfive.com/who-watches-the-watchmen-the-fatal-flaw-of-the-dallas-charter/
jon is clearly wrong in asserting that the Holy Father has never said anything contrary to church teachings. Even if Amoris Laetitia can be given an interpretation that is consonant with the Church’s teaching that divorced and civilly remarried couples without annulments cannot receive Holy Communion, the pope’s endorsement of the Argentinian bishops’ guidelines that such couples can receive Communion is clearly against church teaching. So much for the shepherds of the church always getting it right in matters of faith and morals. And the pope endorsed civil unions for homosexual couples. That’s against church teaching too. So much for this pope being worth listening to.
Sorry, but the various Anonymous-es up there and Ronnie are still wrong. Firstly people, it has never been conclusively proven that Pope Francis has said anything contrary to the constant teachings of the Church. Nothing. For example, the Vatican has clarified that Pope’s comments on civil unions was taken out of context. Even Cordileone reaffirmed that in his last ad limina visit, Pope Francis “clearly differentiated between a civil arrangement which accords mutual benefits to two people, and marriage.” And then Cordileone added, “The former, [the Pope] said, can in no way be equated to marriage, which remains unique.” As for the Dallas Charter, what the First Things article is saying is that the American bishops seems to have leaned towards an abundance of caution in these cases on behalf of alleged victims.
So people, instead of adopting this knee-jerk reaction of suspicion, negativity, and contempt for Christ’s Vicar on earth, why don’t you take a new attitude this new year by listening to the visible Head of the Church with humility and docility, by discerning if quite possibly it is in fact you who might have gotten things wrong, and by repenting of any antipathy towards the man God has willed to place on Peter’s throne.
Ronnie – jon is not the only one who thinks you are out of line. Posting on this blog will not change anything. Respect the Holy Father and the bishops chosen to lead us.
“Masses celebrating sodomy?” Please Ronnie! Either you are an anti-Catholic hater troll or the most uninformed person I have ever heard of. Please give some proof of your horrendous statement.
@ jon – Your favorite word is “wrong”. Everyone is “wrong” but you. Sad. Also, Ronnie is correct; the decades and decades of sexual predation upon our Catholic youth by sexually deviant Catholic clergy is diabolical; the cover-ups wicked. I have two family members, both brothers, who were molested as boys by a “beloved” pastor at their parish in Illinois. We were shaken to the core when this came to light. It shattered my blind trust in priests and a Church that fostered and cosseted disordered men from the seminary through parish life. Yes, I also know many good priests and, for that, I am grateful. My faith is also intact, thank you, but I will never again look at the clergy the same way. I found out the hard way that consecrated men might not be men worthy of my esteem.
Silent Observer is exactly right and I believe Jon you’re totally confused. The Pope did not clarify so-called “civil unions” and only made it worse by recognizing same sex couples in a civil union. How can you recognize a sinful relationship? It was civil unions which lead us to so-called gay marriage! And please enough with the sanctimonious lecture. And I don’t care what another Archbishop in his confusion says. I pray for both him and the Pope every day but will not deny the confusion they are both causing. History reveal there were many who didn’t just lay down and throw the Church into turmoil. They fought. Yes, respect but truth must prevail.
The only ones who are totally confused, Ronnie, are the detractors of the Pope. It was clear in the Vatican statement sent to the bishops around the world that the Pope’s remarks were taken out of context. To those who have confirmed themselves as “enemies” of the Pope, no explanation will ever satisfy them, sadly. That’s the truth. You people are confused about Pope Francis because you folks seem to have set your face against him; against God’s own anointed Vicar. Imagine that.
I reiterate my original point on this thread that the attitude in you that despises, mocks, and disregards God’s own ministers may inevitably lead into the mocking, deriding, and questioning of God Almighty Himself. As proof, again I present to you Kevin T.’s most unfortunate post up there.
Jon does not say that everyone is wrong. And he is spot on in rebuking those who attack the church hierarchy and the Holy Father. You cannot call yourself a traditionalist while selectively trashing authority. If the leadership of the Church is so awful, leave. That’s what “reformers” do. Not one of you is St. Katherine de Siena.
No, it’s jon who is confused and wrong as a consequence. The vatican’s clarification does not erase the fact that the pope endorsed civil unions for homosexuals. He said “What we need is a civil union law.” The vatican’s CDF about fifteen years ago issued an instruction that stated unequivocally that “clear and emphatic opposition to homosexual civil unions is a moral duty” for Catholics. Not just opposing same-sex marriage: Catholics are required to oppose homosexual civil unions. The pope did not adhere to that instruction; he supported civil unions for homosexuals. The pope went against Catholic doctrine. Sorry, jon. You and the pope and the vatican “clarification” (damage control effort) are all wrong.
Sorry but Shirley is quite mistaken. According to the letter itself that the Holy See sent to the various bishops’ conferences around the world, “it is clear that Pope Francis was referring to certain provisions made by states, and certainly not to the doctrine of the Church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.” Get that Shirley. Pope Francis has reaffirmed many times what the Church has always taught about this matter. I am sorry to say but there will always be people like Shirley who, no matter what, seem to want, desire, and long to believe the worst. This reminds me of something C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, which I quote here and I do hope the administrators include it for Shirley’s benefit:
“Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one’s first feeling, ‘Thank God, even they aren’t quite so bad as that,’ or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything — God and our friends and ourselves included — as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.”
Silent Observer.. According to Jon, I guest we are both “accused enemies of the Pope”! Jon just cannot understand that people throughout the history of the Church have challenged Popes who were confusing the laity or even worse were bad Popes. I guess blind obedience is his way of claiming superiority over overs.
The doctrine of the church is that Catholics must oppose secular state homosexual civil union laws. Or is jon trying to say now that the state can do what it wants and Catholic views about marriage and unions shouldn’t interfere with what a state’s laws are? How different from what he claims about how the state should abolish capital punishment because a few popes say so. jon can’t have his cake and eat it two. he can’t have it both ways. he’s wrong both ways.
Hey, John, Pope Francis just released a Twitter video in which he says that all religions are basically the same, that God wills the diversity of religions, and they all work together for human fraternity. There we go again with the pope teaching error. Still saying we should blindly follow our shepherds? This man was chosen by God to lead the church, the One True Faith? This is what Christ wants?
Ronnie, just for your information, the people who have challenged popes in the past were known heretics. And guess what, many of them were burned at the stake. You should grateful that isn’t done anymore.
Shirley I just watched the Pope’s video. You completely mischaracterized what he said.
I have to agree with my fellow Anonymous who commented at January 5, 2021 at 1:06 pm! When it comes to homosexual unions, the Pope tells us that we should just let the heathen governments have their way. When it comes to the death penalty, we are told that we must impose this newly defined dogma on the whole world. Which is it Holy Father? Do you want us to be doormats or do you want us to fight for our religious beliefs? If one religious belief can be forgotten by the faithful, then why not all of them?
In addition to pointing out that Shirley has lost all credibility by lying about the Pope’s Twitter video, I must say that Anonymous at 1:06pm is wrong in his/her assertions. Anonymous, the Church’s teachings with respect to marriage and same-sex civil unions have not changed; and whatever the Church teaches officially remains its message to the world: whether it be about the moral inadmissibility of the death penalty in our time, or about the true nature of marriage, or about legal recognition of civil unions. Nothing has changed.
No, I didn’t. The pope is teaching religious indifferentism. He’s saying it doesn’t matter what anyone believes, and Jesus is only important for Christians. The pope is saying that Jesus doesn’t have universal significance or importance for the world and for people’s salvation. Whatever anyone wants to believe is okay with God. That’s not Catholic faith. But that’s what the pope is saying.
@ jon – That’s a very vindictive streak you have there. What kind of Catholic would imply a threat of medieval death toward another, no matter how absurd the concept, just because you don’t like what that person says? I’m fed up with your self-aggrandizing, snorting harangues.
This is the petty nasty stuff that comes out when people argue for too long. jon has defended the faith here for a decade. Everyone should stick to the topic and not insult the other person. If you disagree, do it respectfully.
It does not matter who is right and who is wrong; it matters what is right and what is wrong. Some do not accept the fullness of the faith and the teachings of the Church. jon does. If you do not agree with the Church, it is wiser not to publish it online because you will harm others who may be ignorant or confused.
Talking about “self-aggrandizement,” the true culprits of that in this thread, Silent O., are the people who unjustly castigate and dissent from the Pope and the bishops. Additionally, there is no more blatant display of “self-aggrandizement” than to question, mock, and deride God Himself which is what Kevin T. disgracefully did in his one-and-only post in this thread. Equally disgraceful is your omission to condemn such impudence and blasphemy.
This is the last thing I’ll say to jon — and all your other aliases: You need to learn humility.
Romulus Augustus– when you and other posters here, use the term “Communism,” do you mean actual Communism– or Socialism, as many European nations have adopted– or do you mean today’s mindless, badly-educated, extremely immature and immoral American leftist “politically-correct” group??
May God and his holy angels look after Pastor Wang Yi.
May the soul of Bishop Andrew Han Jingtao, an underground bishop of the Catholic Church who died yesterday, Dec. 30, 2020, at 99, and who was previously imprisoned and persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
May God watch over Cardinal Zen and the underground Catholic Church through through their pains and sufferings.
St. Thomas Beckett pray for them and us.
Amen.
Being opposed to abortion does not make one a “good” Catholic or Christian. Following the Lord and Savior of the Universe, Jesus Christ, gives one the strength and courage to live a meaningful and purposeful life. Donald Trump lives for himself, pleasure and wealth. He is not a disciple of Christ.
“Donald Trump lives for himself, pleasure and wealth. He is not a disciple of Christ.” My oh my, how incredibly imperious you sound, Trumputin. A little meaningful self-reflection, done with strength and courage, would appear to this reader to be in order to give you a more Godly purpose in life, although this could be said for most of us.
It’s really simple: God wanted Trump out of the White House, but Trump would have sailed to reelection on the basis of historical measures unless there was a black swan event. So God caused the coronavirus, which caused lockdowns, which necessitated mail-in ballots in swing states, which opened up the way for Democrats to commit and conceal voter fraud, which permitted enough ballots to be cast to give Biden an ostensible victory to secure the White House.
“It’s really simple: God wanted Trump out of the White House…” Maybe a little too simple, Anonymous, but a clever post nonetheless. There was indeed a black swan event which the media and seemingly everyone else used to hammer Trump and which does seem to include massive voter fraud. At least the Chinese Communists are happy to have their man in the White House. But this thread should be about Trump’s defense of religious liberty, sorely needed in these militantly atheistic times. Why God would want one if His defenders out of the White House is anyone’s guess.
“Never let a crisis go to waste.” I believe I’ve heard that somewhere in Democrat circles. Democrats used the virus to commit massive fraud and thought they would get away with it not knowing (how clueless they are about him) Trump would find a way to expose it. As I’ve written before God allows evil so that more good will come of it. But we can’t know the mind of God. For whatever reason this is happening I’m sure good will prevail, whether for Trump or God forbid Biden, we will still have this massive voter exposed and hopefully cleaned up for the next election.
Isn’t this story about religious liberty?
It seems some seem to think it’s another opportunity to bash President Trump.
Mr. Trump is right on this (and some other things as well).
Time will tell if our “Catholic brother” Mr. Biden does as much for religious liberty.
We already know that Mr. Biden will reverse Mr. Trump’s prolife actions. (He promised that repeatedly.)
You don’t have to personally like or agree with a man serving in a political office. If he does not have an attractive personality– but really does a great job– I say, vote for him! There are plenty of people with great personalities– who also have no morals and no religious beliefs– and use their job to destroy a nation’s morality and religious faith and freedom! A good example of that, is the evil Biden-Harris combo that recently got elected! Many of our top post-Conciliar prelates tragically seek only an attractive public persona– and never use their holy vocations to call people to Christ’s teachings, and run the Church correctly. I just loved this Presidential speech! I have always thought the same thing, that he said at the end– without God and morality, a nation is doomed to fail! It is only by God’s grace, and Christian faith and morality, that a nation can possibly hope to succeed!
I just can’t believe the Pope and Vatican’s cruel betrayal of Cardinal Zen, and all the truly faithful Catholic clerics and laymen, in China– and now, in Hong Kong! It is so terrible!
Yet the pope did meet with the NBA players , no masks or social distancing, yet he cannot meet with Cardinal Zen and others, speaks volumes
Every living former Secretary of Defense signed a statement that the election is decided and the unfounded allegations need to end. I know how difficult it can be to accept the truth when it is not what you want to hear. Been there. Seek a quiet moment with God and He will grant you the strength to accept and move on. Reread the serenity prayer.
Who isn’t accepting the truth? The allegations are credible and massive. I thank God there are people who refuse to accept this injustice. And God will have the last say, He only asks that will try and not cave into evil. Too bad there are so many here who do give up so easily Not everyone who says Lord, Lord….I agree, the truth will set you free but not the lies of the evil one.
You aren’t accepting the truth.
Dona you voted for the most pro-abortion administration and one that will start persecuting the Faithful.
If you haven’t done anything illegal, why do you worry about prosecution?
“That stand, after centuries of state-sponsored religious oppression and religious wars throughout Europe, eventually led to the establishment of religious liberty in the New World.”
Reality check:
“after centuries of state sponsored religious oppression”
-Yeah, those bad ol’ “Dark Ages” where the Catholic Faith was the sole and supreme influence in society (per the command of God Himself cf. Matt 28:18-20) just can’t have that.
Reality check:
“and religious wars”
– Gee, those intolerant Catholics not simply just rolling over to allow heretics to destroy churches and murder clergy.
The saintly bishop and martyr died in defense of the Church’s rights, (that are God’s Rights) not in defense of the (condemned) error of “religious liberty.”
Jon…”Ronnie, just for your information, the people who have challenged popes in the past were known heretics. And guess what, many of them were burned at the stake. You should grateful that isn’t done anymore.” Unfortunately I believe you’re totally confused and brainwashed by liberal catholic spin. Do you think there were ever bad Popes?
Camila Zavala “Masses celebrating sodomy? Please Ronnie! Either you are an anti-Catholic hater troll or the most uninformed person I have ever heard of. Please give some proof of your horrendous statement.”
A few examples although there are many. And this is the first time I’ve been labeled anti-Catholic!…What a joke!
http://www.breitbart.com/faith/2019/07/01/new-jersey...
hmag.com/…catholic-church-celebrate-lgbtq-pride-mass…30
http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/priest...
And finally in the UK which will be here soon: pulpitandpen.org/2019/11/05/roman-catholic…
I find it ironic that the homosexual sex abuse scandal of the Priesthood has ushered in acceptance of sodomy in so many churches. The Devil has arrived in Go
Jon You’re so misinformed and confused that maybe a course in Church history is in order. And see what you’re done, the bigots and haters of the church are out in force. They think by infiltrating Catholic/Christian sites they will convince people to lose their faith. But it makes us stronger thank God. By the way, what game are you playing?
This thread is ended.