Anger at Reports That Communion Ban was NOT Medical Advice

At the end of a press conference on Monday, Taoiseach in Waiting Leo Varadkar (who will resume his former post when Micheal Martin’s run comes to an end soon) uttered ‘They’re off’, when asked about Communions and Confirmations that some families had been waiting a year for. The evident insensitivity towards Catholic families was reflected in a bizarre follow up interview the morning after, when Varadkar told State Media that cinemas were safe, but that Communions and Confirmations were ‘linked to superspreader events’. This is completely untrue, as not a single outbreak has been linked to a Catholic church in Ireland. If the argument is that people might have parties afterwards, then what next? Cancel coverage of the Euros on tv? Cancel birthdays? Weddings are proceeding lest we forget.

Leo Varadkar today falsely connected Communions and Confirmations to 'superspreader' events, after he himself partied without a mask at Pride in Dublin this past weekend.@CatholicBishops @frmichaeltoomey pic.twitter.com/xZfZV05qbw

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 30, 2021

Getting away from focusing on Varadkar too closely, the Irish government appears to be in complete chaos.

Remarkably, despite the picketing of a Catholic church by members of his party in Ballyfermot last week, it was Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould who spoke first, saying:

I want to take this opportunity to raise a particular issue. In the Taoiseach's report, he discussed the Covid-19 crisis. In the scale of things, the following might not be a big issue but I have been contacted by many people last night and today who are very upset. They are the parents of children, and they are very angry and frustrated about how the cancellation of confirmations and communions was communicated. An off-the-cuff remark by the Tánaiste at the end of a press conference is not good enough. People have spent the year calling for clarity and clear communication. When announcements such as that made yesterday are being made it is important these communications are made clearly and correctly in order that we do not have people not knowing what is happening. Events have been organised for schools in Cork on Monday and Tuesday and parents have contacted me, as have parish priests. They are going ahead and no one has given them clarity. It is unfair and disrespectful to people who are following all the public health guidelines and the Government's timeline. There needs to be clarity on this.

Peter Fitzpatrick then said:

Another upsetting aspect is the fact that first holy communions and confirmations are not permitted to go ahead. This beggars belief. I have been inundated with calls from angry clergy, school principals and parents all week as a result of this ridiculous situation. I know families that have cancelled holidays and got everything ready so that their loved ones could make their first holy communion or confirmation. It is a ridiculous situation when there are large churches around the country that could take 1,000 or 1,500 people. I heard the Tánaiste this morning mention that he loved going to the cinema and that there would be four or five seats between people, yet he will not let children have their first holy communions and confirmations. It is a disgrace.

Government TD Jim O’Callaghan implored the government to find a solution.

I would like to deal with a specific issue raised with me repeatedly by constituents who have sent me emails yesterday and today, which concerns the cancellation or postponement of confirmations and communions. They had already been postponed on a number of occasions. I was speaking with one grandmother today who told me her granddaughter had to have clothes bought again for her since she had grown out of the clothes that had been bought for the previous planned communion. I would ask that the Government could look at this. There must be creative ways by which this matter can be resolved in order that we can facilitate such communions and confirmations. We are all aware of what we are told is the risk in respect of statistics and modelling by NPHET but it is the responsibility of the Government to come up with solutions for issues such as this. These are very important social development issues for people in our society and we must be seen to try to facilitate them

Others such as Mattie McGrath also spoke out.

One priest claimed that he would not comply with Varadkar’s ‘off the cuff remarks’, if his bishop allowed him.

Priest says he will defy Leo Varadkar’s ‘off the cuff’ postponement of Communions and Confirmations https://t.co/UdGRUUven1 @frmichaeltoomey #Communions #Confirmations #COVID19

— Sarah R Mac Donald (@SarahRMacDonald) June 29, 2021

Bishops are now currently releasing statements advising priests and parishioners that events are postponed.

This was the document released by the Bishop of Meath:

As you will be aware, Government has, once again, decreed that the celebration of the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion should not proceed at this time. The decision was, according to the Tanaiste, based on the recommendation of NPHET. However, today’s newspapers report that Dr. Tony Houlihan informed members of Dail Eireann yesterday that he never requested that Confirmations and First Holy Communions be postponed. That has added to the sense of confusion and anger amongst callers to the Diocesan Office.

This decision by Government is a source of much disappointment to the young people who have been preparing for and looking forward to the various ceremonies. It is a source of disappointment to their parents, teachers and clergy too who have been involved in preparing them for an important moment in their faith. The proximity of the cancellation to the actual ceremony, which was based on previous Government advice, means that parents have days off planned and other expenses have been incurred.

It is of some surprise that while Government officials have indicated that churches are safe, their concern is what happens afterwards in relation to domestic and other settings. I am confident that, at this juncture, parents know what is safe, will not want to put their families at risk and should be trusted in relation to what happens in their own home.

The Church is in a difficult position in this regard. While there is a temptation to ignore Government on religious worship and the celebration of the sacraments, and many have encouraged such a course of action, that would cause concern to some parents too and would politicise the Sacraments, something which, I believe, should be avoided at all costs.

Once again, despite having a schedule devised for Confirmation in the Diocese starting next week, I find myself in the troubling and regrettable position of having to cancel.

This is a political decision that was made without consultation with Church authorities. I remain troubled that any Government or Government minister can cancel the celebration of religious worship or the Sacraments while, crucially, saying at the same time that what happens within a church is safe. This goes to the heart of freedom of worship.

All religious authorities have worked hard to ensure that whatever happens in places of worship is safe. The parishes of this diocese, through the voluntary work of parishioners, have responded generously, courageously and at some cost to ensure that all ceremonies are conducted in accordance with safety measures for the protection of public health.

This is the right, necessary and prudent thing to do. It is unreasonable to ban Sacraments for everyone on the basis of what might happen in some cases afterwards. Such measures have not been applied across any other sector of society. Other places have either been closed or can open based on what happens within those places. The Church seeks no more and no less.

Many people have been contacting this office and the various parishes expressing concern and seeking information. In the light of Dr. Houlihan’s clarification, I would suggest that such calls are directed towards the politicians who made this decision. In the meantime, be assured that the important Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation will be celebrated as soon as possible in the Diocese. The celebration of Baptism will proceed in this diocese subject to the pastoral judgement of the local clergy, minimum numbers and public health precautions.

The document references the interesting thing about all of this, that the National Public Health Emergency Team are now apparently claiming that they did not advise the government to postpone Communions and Confirmations.

Equally interesting, is the fact that the government appears to have updated its document on public health measures yesterday to include Communions and Confirmations after they had been absent from the original message.

gov.ie - Public health measures that will come into place from 5 July (www.gov.ie)

The Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, said that the communication of these changes was ‘disrespectful’ and a ‘complete reversal’ of earlier promises.

It is worth noting, that Irish society at large has accepted the strictest and least productive lockdown measures in Europe without any real resistance. Those who are angry at the bishops are missing this fact, there is much public disgruntlement but very little genuine appetite for ending restrictions.

It is also worth noting, that the spiritual element of the sacraments has long since been lost in celebrations.

Robert Nugent’s video, discussing how 80% of kids who get First Holy Communion don’t return the next week, is food for thought and perhaps a reminder that sometimes God permits such things to be withheld for a time for our own good.

My thoughts pic.twitter.com/2HgbORwcFw

— Robert Nugent (@robertjnugent) June 29, 2021

The Story of How St. Oliver's Head Ended up in Drogheda

St. Oliver Plunkett was found guilty of treason in 1681, before being hanged, drawn and quartered.

At Tyburn, his body was torched by the bloodthirsty Reformers in an act of depraved zealousness.

Painting of St. Oliver’s death in St. Peter’s Parish Church in Drogheda

His head was eventually recovered from the fire and Dom Maurus Corker had it smuggled to the Benedictine Monastery in Lamspringe, Germany. Within the next few years, it was passed on to Cardinal Philip Howard OP at Rome, a friend of St. Oliver, who had helped the Archbishop of Armagh to return to Ireland safely after his ordination as Archbishop. From him, it passed to Oliver’s successor, Archbishop of Armagh Hugh McMahon, who returned the head to its rightful place in Ireland. McMahon brought the head to the Dominican Nuns at Siena, the prioress at the time being Sister Catherin Plunkett, St. Oliver’s grand niece.

As this came during the penal laws, when it was illegal to be a Catholic, much less a member of a religious order, the order and the relic both had to survive together in secret. Having originally started out in a mud cabin, the sisters moved to other parts of Drogheda over the years, always maintaining the veneer of being a boarding house for women rather than a convent.

When Pope Benedict XV declared Plunkett a martyr for the faith on St. Patrick’s Day in 1918, it was inevitable that his head eventually would have to be moved (incidentally it has been claimed that Benedict XV also blessed plans for the Easter Rising when Count Plunkett brought documents written by his son Joseph Mary Plunkett, apparently a distant relative of St. Oliver). Count Plunkett was in the audience on the day that Oliver was beatified.

The sisters had kept the head in good condition for 200 years at this point, with a shrine surrounding the relic at their convent.

Cardinal Michael Logue then requested that the sisters transfer his head to the St. Peter’s Parish Church in Drogheda, which fulfilled an agreement made initially by the sisters when they promised to return it to a successor of McMahon. The head had not been entirely hidden away however before this, in 1881 thousands had flocked to the convent to venerate St. Oliver on the 200 anniversary of his death.

In 1920, which the War of Independence raging, St. Oliver was beatified and his head transferred to the parish church in Drogheda with Eucharistic processions in celebration.

Pope Paul VI visited the shrine on a number of occasions in order to venerate it, eventually lifting Oliver to sainthood during his pontificate, in 1975.

The Canonisation of St. Oliver Plunkett celebrated at his shrine in Drogheda in 1975. pic.twitter.com/zhUeTeOWIe

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 20, 2021

The canonisation of St. Oliver Plunkett in Rome

1975

Today is the Feast of the Irish Martyrs pic.twitter.com/4R8ZwaVaxF

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 20, 2021

Pope John Paul II visited Drogheda in 1979 and venerated the shrine also.

Most of the information in this article is sourced from Tommy Burns’s book ‘St. Oliver Plunkett: Two Centenaries 1921-2021’

Another Canadian Church Burns as Propaganda Prevails

In a now forgotten 2014 article, The Irish Times, wrote the headline ‘The Trouble with the Septic Tank Story’. The article brilliantly outlined some of the problems with the Tuam story, which had morphed from a tale regarding children without proper records, into an urban myth that involved the public imagining 800 babies being ‘dumped’ in a ‘septic tank’ on site.

That story begins with:

‘I never used that word ‘dumped’,” Catherine Corless, a local historian in Co Galway, tells The Irish Times. “I never said to anyone that 800 bodies were dumped in a septic tank. That did not come from me at any point. They are not my words.”

The story that emerged from her work was reported this week in dramatic headlines around the world.

“Tell us the truth about the children dumped in Galway’s mass graves” – The Guardian.

“Bodies of 800 babies, long-dead, found in septic tank at former Irish home for unwed mothers” – The Washington Post.

“Nearly 800 dead babies found in septic tank in Ireland” – Al Jazeera.

It proceeds:

The children’s names, ages, places of birth and causes of death were recorded. The average number of deaths over the 36-year period was just over 22 a year. The information recorded on these State- issued certificates has been seen by The Irish Times; the children are marked as having died variously of tuberculosis, convulsions, measles, whooping cough, influenza, bronchitis and meningitis, among other illnesses.

The deaths of these 796 children are not in doubt. Their numbers are a stark reflection of a period in Ireland when infant mortality in general was very much higher than today, particularly in institutions, where infection spread rapidly. At times during those 36 years the Tuam home housed more than 200 children and 100 mothers, plus those who worked there, according to records Corless has found.

What has upset, confused and dismayed her in recent days is the speculative nature of much of the reporting around the story, particularly about what happened to the children after they died. “I never used that word ‘dumped’,” she says again, with distress. “I just wanted those children to be remembered and for their names to go up on a plaque. That was why I did this project, and now it has taken [on] a life of its own.”

We are not going to focus too much on the contents, but you get the drift, the initial claim took on a life of its own. You can read the full article here: Tuam mother and baby home: the trouble with the septic tank story (irishtimes.com)

Another story has now taken on a life of its own, the Canadian Residential School story.

The initial claim of finding children buried in a mass grave at a home run over the course of a century has now morphed into an ever evolving urban myth where the Catholic Church ran a house of horrors where children were intentionally murdered and then dumped into a mass grave.

Never mind that the British established the Mother and Baby system in Ireland and that Anglicans, not Catholics, established the residential system in Canada for natives, the media is now determined to deliberately try to provoke violence against churches. This is a very serious situation and timidity is not the solution.

The Canadian bishops must hire historians, open their records and deal with this situation head on and immediately. Churches cannot be allowed to burn like this.

Another Catholic Church in Edmonton set on fire because of Anglo Protestant media propaganda.

If these natives were sincere, assuming it is natives starting the fires, they'd turn their ire on the Commonwealth, not the church who tried to help lift those people in subjugation. pic.twitter.com/PFIpQeOT39

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 30, 2021

'They're Off!' Varadkar Cruelly Calls off Communions and Confirmations

The Irish State are once again under criticism for their broken promises regarding lockdown.

Some are upset about indoor dining being delayed, some with the potential for extended lockdowns heading into winter once more, some with the hospitality sector. The most cruel of all of these however, was the nasty and dismissive manner with which he informed families that they would not be permitted to have their children’s First Holy Communion or Confirmation in July.

Varadkar’s insensitive remarks came at the end of an hour long press conference, when a reporter asked them about the restrictions. Varadkar and Martin looked at one another as Martin fumbled with a mask. Varadkar then shrugged ‘Yeah…they’re off’, when pressed for clarification, he shrugged again ‘they’re off’, before leaving the stage.

Varadkar’s comments were particularly galling considering his behaviour at the weekend, openly cavorting alongside tens of thousands on Dublin’s streets as he attended Pride events.

Catholics parents, children and clergy must remember, they simply do not matter as much to him or to his government as Pride does.

Saturday:Leo Varadkar partied alongside thousands of others for Pride,no mask, alcohol everywhere

Today:Casually dismissed thousands of Catholic parents & children who have been waiting for Communions & Confirmations, ending an hour long press conference with 'yeah, they're off' pic.twitter.com/sZmA0Pm6QJ

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 29, 2021

Ireland's Abortion Rate Increases (Again)

At this stage, everyone admits that the removal of the right of unborn babies to be born without the threat of murder was done so on dishonest grounds in 2018, yet it is still worth repeating.

Some of the lies that were told were that the legislation would only be necessary for cases where the woman’s life was in danger, that the abortion rate would not increase and that babies would not be born alive and left to die (some have speculated that this is in order to harvest their organs for sale to pharmaceutical companies).

Last year, many were shocked that the number had skyrocketed to 6,666. The number this year is at 6,577, which as Angelo Bottone has pointed out, that when the numbers who aborted babies on British soil are also included, this amounts to an increase in the rate of abortions, due to the fall in the number of births. In total, there were 6,771 abortions of Irish babies in Ireland and in the UK. This went up from 117 per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 123.3 in 2020.

This table shows that a total of 25, or 0.38% of abortions were Risk to life or Health or Risk or Life to Health in an Emergency.

A total of 97, or 1.47% of abortions were in cases for ‘Condition likely to lead to death of foetus’.

The following table shows how many abortions occurred in each month, with abortion doctors still performing destructions on fetuses even during lockdown.

Lastly, the data included stated each county by numbers of abortion. Leitrim had the lowest at 28. Louth, despite having a population of only 128,884, had 220 abortions. The Irish abortion stats are completely inadequate compared to their British counterparts, yet this one is telling in other ways for comparison. In the UK, 81% of abortions last year were to women who had a marital status as ‘single’. Louth’s exceptionally high abortion rate coincides with the fact that it has the highest rate of births outside of marriage/civil partnerships.

The UK stats also offer such information as the number of repeat abortions, the number of abortions that were paid for by taxpayers (my taxes my choice?) and nationality and ethnicity rather than simply ‘residency’. Although these haven’t made much difference in the general scheme of things, since the abortion rate there is increasing each year, it nonetheless offers a more clear picture of what is happening.

This weekend will see the Rally for Life taking place across Ireland. It is important to demonstrate publicly against these laws but there is no doubt that their implementation has been a massive success for the government during these past 3 years, with very little effective resistance of note. Those who have kept on the fight deserve much credit, especially those who have helped women in crisis pregnancies with financial, spiritual and material assistance. There are those who have lobbed criticism from the sidelines while doing nothing themselves, particularly towards Catholic prolife activists, they need to be simply ignored.

The first step nonetheless will be to try to get more visible political representation. Abortion is rarely raised as a topic in the Dail, mostly when it is, it is by pro abortion TDs. Prolife TDs need to be reminded of why we vote for them, lest they take the vote for granted. Prolife issues should be raised at least once a week in the Dail or Seanad. Ireland’s birth rate is completely freefalling, with a 25% decline in a decade thanks to the austerity imposed by Fine Gael, Labour , Green Party and Fianna Fail. Even abolishing USC for families should be the kind of prolife issue that politicians are in pursuit of.

Above all, pray for mothers, the unborn and for our country.

Seosamh O’Caoimh

Ireland’s abortion rate increased last year | The Iona Institute

Will the Government Fly the Prolife Flag?

The following letter was written by prolife group Deise for Life and published in the Sunday Independent on 27/06/21. It is republished here with permission from Deise for Life.

Sir — It will not be known to most of your readers, as it is not the sort of thingthat our national media are likely to report, but the international pro-life movement is currently in the process of designing its own flag.

Now here’s the thing.That particular flag will likely never be displayed on a public building in Ireland. No matter that 720,000 citizens voted in 2018 to retain the Eighth Amendment, most of them still alive and most of them taxpayers.

The media would not like it, you see, and in consequence neither would the politicians. Unborn babies do not matter in these quarters, and neither do the adults who cherish them. That pro-life flag will not fly for a day on public buildings, never mind a whole month.

Deise for Life

French Catholics Demonstrate After Latin Mass Order Moved

Hundreds of Traditionalist French Catholics staged a rally today at the office of the Archbishop in Dijon, after his controversial decision to remove the FSSP from the diocese after over two decades of presence there.

The move made headlines around the world recently, with many concerned that the events at the Basilica of St. Bernard in Fontaine-lès-Dijon would be a foretaste of wider restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass. At the demonstration at the Rue du Petit-Potet, the French Catholics carried signs that expressed their unhappiness at what had transpired, with diocesan priests set to take the places of the FSSP ones.

French Catholics loyal to the Latin Mass and the FSSP prayed outside the bishop's house today in Dijon after he instructed the order to leave their parish. pic.twitter.com/z4p5XaHH7Z

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 26, 2021

According to Bishop Roland Minnerath, at the heart of the row was the refusal of the FSSP to partake in concelebration.

The Archbishop left his gate during the event today, speaking to the crowd as they prayed and sang. Although they did not come to any agreement, nonetheless they accepted his blessing upon them before it ended. In a touching moment, the crowd kneeled in front of the Archbishop.

Beautiful moment

After 30 minutes of public debate, the Archbishop of Dijon was asked to bless Traditional Catholics, he duly complied as they knelt in front of him pic.twitter.com/R94kVxsKXA

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 26, 2021

Prior to the event, the Basilica’s page had posted the following:

My lord,

Since you still don't want to receive us, we continue to remind you through tracts, rosaries etc.

The genesis of this story should therefore be remembered:

- You sent two letters in mid-May, one to the senior of the FSSP, the other to the Abbé de Dijon, requiring them to leave after 24 years of good and loyal services.

- No explanation or reason were mentioned.

- For 10 days, the devotees, kept asking you individually for appointment, no response. (quid of art 212 of barrel law).

You even refuse to receive the FSSP superior Abbé Paul-Joseph (dialogue is broken, say to yourself... strange way of seeing things when the breakup is desired by yourself).

Only representatives of the Basilica friends association were received.

What could we do....??

- So a Facebook page was created by the devotees and it allowed us to have some exchanges via press releases...

- A few days after your thank you mail, we are unofficially learning that reason would be a matter of concelebration at the Chrismal Mass.

Once again you sow disorder in the flock while concelebration cannot be a serious or valid motive for such revocation.

We remind you that the FSSP abbots are present at this mass.

This point is a personal decision of every priest and cannot in any case be a means of blackmail.

Since the FSSP has responded to you in a detailed way, enough is enough.

In your second and last internet statement, you say several things to try to argue:

′′ Another party (of the faithful) does not admit ordinary mass and rejects what they call "." the conciliary church "."

(have we read correctly?? stunned! ))

′′ I believe in the Church, One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic."

We are IN the Church and we recognize the validity of the ordinary mass, it is unquestionable.

We are victims of this early judgement, we are victims of your aprioris, we are victims of your baseless allegations, we are victims of your way of exercising power, we are victims of your will to consistency, which is not unity.

- On Wednesday, June 16, some devotees spoke with you in the parking lot of the diocesan house, an unexpected (and amazing) conversation:

You said that decision wasn't ′′ a lubie ′′ and that you were ′′ several who have the same discernment on the issue, it's going to be universal, you'll see!!" you've started.

.... that is??

While they pointed out that you were creating a split voluntarily you replied:

′′ They don't concede, they don't recognize that our mass is a true mass ".

Incredible note from a bishop... it leaves thinking!

Accusing the FSSP, belonging to the Church since 1988, and the faithful of not recognizing the ordinary form and the ′′ true mass ′′ is gravity and false!

The feeling of many faithful and non-faithful, is that you seek any excuse to justify the unjustifiable in a diocese that has lost 18 practicing priests in the space of 6 years (between 2014 and 2020).

It is heartwarming for us to receive many messages of support from priests of the Diocese, local non-faithful who also do not understand this decision.

They are shocked by your refusal to dialog but also your very personal opinion about some of your wounds attending the mass in extraordinary form...

By your decision, you also punish and despise many of those, who benefit from the wide apostolate of our abbots, you disappoint those who believe in the diversity and unity of the Church.

In your Sunday school ′′ The Catholic Church seeks to realize the unity of Christians through dialogue, prayer and conversion of hearts ".

So we will be gathered this Saturday, June 26th from 10 am to 12 pm, at the gates of the bishopric, asking you to review your decision, to show our commitment to the FSSP and to the unity of Christians.

Euthanasia: A False Promise of Autonomy

The push for Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide is a phenomenon which seems limited to developed nations — some might call it an anomaly.

Autonomy / self-determination is the main argument for the legalization of Voluntary Euthanasia [VE] and Assisted Suicide [AS]. In Oregon, ‘losing autonomy’ is the prime reason cited for requesting AS. (Cumulative figures for 1998-2019 in the far-right column = 90.2%.)  

The First Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, 2019 must use different definitions or data points because “autonomy” is tabulated with “loss of control” and “independence” and is listed at a mere 4.1%. The most common reason given by Canadians is “loss of ability to engage in meaningful life activities” at 82.1%.

Dr. Kevin Yuill, from the University of Sunderland (UK) wrote an excellent article: “Why we mustn’t legalise Assisted Dying” published May 7th in Spiked Online. His poignant comments on autonomy deserve further exploration. *

“Rather than self-determination – which would imply suicide – people want to be killed. If it was about autonomy, we would expect, in areas where assisted suicide and euthanasia were both legal, for assisted suicide to dominate. But it is the opposite. Only 3.5 per cent of Dutch assisted deaths are assisted suicide. In Canada, only 7 of 5,361 assisted deaths were self-administered. People wish to be killed rather than take on the moral burden of killing themselves. They want the doctor’s blessing. They are outsourcing huge moral decisions.”

Dr. Yuill’s observation is that when people have a choice between Assisted Suicide (‘Take this poison and you will die’) and Voluntary Euthanasia (‘I will kill you with this injection of toxic medication’) they strongly gravitate towards Euthanasia. He contends that if a person truly wanted self-determination, they would choose Assisted Suicide over Euthanasia. People clearly prefer the deed to be performed by a third party — a doctor or Nurse Practitioner, etc.

Euthanasia is faster (intravenous v. oral), very effective, ‘cleaner’ (because governments legislate doctors and nurses to provide the ‘service’) and is unlikely to have a complication which cannot be handled immediately. Providers are probably encouraging the use of the IV option. From a recipient point of view, Euthanasia takes away the psychological hurdle of “committing suicide.”

It seems reasonable to compare Oregon (USA) to Alberta (Canada) because they have similar populations & demographics. Oregon only provides Assisted Suicide whereas Canada provides both Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia, without any legislative emphasis on either route.

Oregon provides regular, well-tabulated reports on their Assisted Suicide Program (euphemistically termed “Death with Dignity.”) The last was published in 2019. At that time, the population of Oregon was 4.2 million people, yet less than 300 people received a fatal prescription. So far there has only been one Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada which is also for 2019. (Unfortunately the Canadian data is presented quite poorly in comparison to the report from Oregon.)

In 2016, the overall demographics of Oregonians included: “…76% identified as white, 13% Latina(o), 5% Asian and Pacific Islander, 2% African American, 1% American Indian and Alaska Native, and 3% two or more races.” 

Quick correlation with the Dying with Dignity report shows that that the demand for Assisted Suicide in Oregon comes primarily from Whites / Caucasians. (There is another deficiency in the Canadian reporting because AS/VE is not separated by race.) Demographics in Alberta show very few Latina(o), a higher percentage of Asians with 4.4% Filipino & 4.4% South Asian and 5% First Nations & 2.9% Métis.

One can guess at some of the causes for Caucasian’s affinity to AS/VE. Profound individualism; a lack of an extended family network; attacks on the nuclear family; health-care costs; diminished belief in an after-life; diminished belief in our Right to Life (shown by the tolerance for late-term abortion & infanticide.) Then there is the routine portrayal of recipients as being “brave” which may induce suicide contagion: the Werther Syndrome.

To this we must add the ‘religion’ of the new World Order — Climate Crisis! — which tells us that we must atone for our ‘original sin’ of infesting this world through the ‘penance’ of curtailing — or eliminating — humanity. **

Dr. Yuill also noted:

“…rather than extending autonomy, legalisation of assisted dying grants the doctor the final decision. Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK, identifies freedom as the basis of the campaign: ‘The ability to choose how, where and when we die is a fundamental freedom, which cuts across party political and ideological lines...’

Copson’s statement: “The ability to choose how, where and when we die is a fundamental freedom” sounds reasonable — till we look at the exact meaning of his words. Copson ingeniously says “Fundamental freedom.” This implies that it holds the same moral value as a Human Right. Yes, everyone has the freedom to kill themselves — that is a part of free will. Human beings are free to choose things which are legally / ethically / socially / morally right or wrong — but that does not validate the end choice. (In simplistic terms, I can commit murder, though I am not allowed to do so legally.)

The Supreme Court of Canada made a similar misinterpretation between our Freedoms and Rights. Now certain Canadians have the legal ‘right’ to kill themselves. Things are advancing so fast that if we keep on our current trajectory, Canada will have the disaster of Suicide-on-Demand, for all, in the near future. 

The Autonomy to choose AS/VE will bring enormous damage to society, much of which is yet to be enumerated. This includes psychological damage to family members, especially the children. (I expect there will be many more second-generation AS/VE/MAiD requests.) Then there is the damage to friends, community, cultural norms and societal values. (Discussed in more detail in my article “Putting the Euthanasia Genie Back in the Bottle.”)

Damage which has been shown clearly is the vast increase in regular suicides in many of the countries which have legalized Assisted Suicide / Voluntary Euthanasia. Over the past 20 years the suicide rate in the Netherlands has increased by ~30% (excluding AS/VE.) Also “the suicide rates in the Netherlands are the fastest growing when compared to surrounding European countries, most of which lack the option of euthanasia.”

In Oregon:

“It must not be dismissed as mere coincidence that the new rise in suicides correlates to the implementation of the first physician-assisted suicide law in Oregon. A 2012 report on suicide trends and risk factors for the Oregon Health Authority found the state's overall suicide rate had risen 41 percent higher than the national rate (Associated Press 2013). This is the “regular” suicide rate. Physician-assisted suicides are not included.  [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5499219/]

Curiously, Canadian suicide rates 2016-2019 have not changed, though AS/VE is only legal for the past 5 years.

Such increases in suicide are a poor trade for the small increase in personal autonomy which allows some to choose the time, place and manner of their death. Of course, Canada has the perfect solution to this dilemma: in 2023 doctors & Nurse Practitioners will be allowed to kill people suffering from mental illnesses alone.

Aurelia Brouwers by Ronald Hissink/De Stentor

Eventually, some depressed young Canadian — with their life ahead of them — will be euthanized, legally. Of course, people will shout: “this can never happen!” Sadly, it can and it has. Please read the tragic story of 29-year-old Aurelia Brouwers from the Netherlands who was given Assisted Suicide on account of her psychiatric illness.

Dr. Kevin Hay.

Kevin is a UCD grad and a Family Doctor in rural Alberta, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @kevinhay77.

Please read more about Euthanasia in Catholic Arena, including: “Hard Cases make Bad Law” & “DOCTORS IN IRELAND — BEWARE! A warning about Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.”

** Ed: An early reference to Original Sin and Climate Change is found in the Wall Street Journal in 2005. The Theology of Global Warming - WSJ More recently, the likes of National Catholic Reporter have adopted the entertained the same idea. On climate change, we must put the apple down | Earthbeat | National Catholic Reporter (ncronline.org)

* Readers can find another article by Dr. Yuill in Science Direct on-line: “The unfreedom of assisted suicide: How the right to die undermines autonomy” (pay-walled) or buy his book “Assisted Suicide: The Liberal, Humanist Case Against Legalization.”  

Spanish Government Attempts to Stop Prolife Progress with Vigil Ban

José Rodríguez Cuadrado is a Councilor for Childhood and Family and VOX party spokesperson in the Majadahonda Town Hall. He writes here on the the Socialist Spanish Government’s efforts to ban prolife vigils and counselling from taking place near abortion clinics.

You can follow him on Twitter José Rodríguez Cuadrado (@JRCuadradoV) / Twitter

The current Spanish government, led by the socialists, has worked in favour of the culture of death since their arrival into power. Euthanasia was legalised last year and the decision of ending someone’s life will be taken by doctors or other people in some cases, not just by relatives.

Moreover, the Socialist Party has now presented in Congress a new law to ask for up to 12 months of imprisonment for those who ‘bully’ women in front of abortion clinics. The law has not been voted yet but it will probably pass.

Spain is well known for attacks against Catholics, not only in our Civil War ninety years ago but also in recent experiences. We remember the anti-Catholic demonstrations in the World Youth day in 2011.

“Lo que necesita el cristianismo cuando es odiado por el mundo, no son palabras persuasivas, sino grandeza de alma”

San Ignacio de Antioquia pic.twitter.com/pYE1yqxbER

— Patxi Bronchalo ن (@PatxiBronchalo) June 7, 2021

As we all know, the international media is mainly in favour of abortion and Spain is no different. Especially because the government has subsidised the media here with more than €100 million plus tax exemptions since COVID-19 started.

The bad news does not stop here. The existing government wants to return to the law that allows 16-year-old girls to abort without informing their parents. It was the only change Partido Popular made while they were in office, even though they had originally promised that they would not change the law.

However, there is still hope in Spain to battle in favour of life.

Not only because there in now one political party pro-life in Congress, VOX, which will speak up against this change in law, but also, because many young people are meeting to pray near abortion clinics and they will not stop. Further good news is that a few months ago it was published that in Soria, one of Spain’s provinces, there are now no abortions due to doctors’ conscientious objections. Therefore, 113 women had to travel to a different province to abort their child.

Everyday there are more people defending life publicly in Spain. Social media is also now a place where a prolife activists are speaking up. A few months ago, a journalist with 130k followers complained about young people who were praying near a clinic. The tweet went viral and he received 3K likes. A mother of those young people replied. She has only 2K followers but she reached almost 10K likes.

Something is changing.

Hola, dos de ellos son mis hijos, no les veo acosar a nadie sino rezar, y en los últimos días podéis haberles visto repartiendo comida a los sin techo y ayudando a madres solteras sin recursos. https://t.co/U0sXcN6Cq2

— Leonor Tamayo (@TamayoLeonor) January 3, 2021

Removing the Three-Day Reflection from Abortion Legislation Will Cost Lives

The following is written by Deise4Life group, Dungarvan, Co Waterford

The 2018 abortion legislation is up for review by the Dáil this year. There have been calls recently, including from the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), for the removal from the existing legislation of the requirement for a 3-day reflection period before an abortion can take place.

 Eighteen European countries have a mandatory reflection period, in ten of them this period is 3 days.

There is nothing remarkable, it should be said at the outset, about Ireland’s current 3-day reflection period.

•  Eighteen European countries have a mandatory reflection period, and in ten of them (including Ireland) this period is 3 days.

•  In Italy the reflection period currently is 7 days, it is 6 days in Belgium and 5 days in the Netherlands.

In this article we explain that, even with an illogical and unfair payment system, and with no state support whatever for organisations assisting mothers who choose life, the 3-day reflection period still saved close to 1000 babies’ lives here in 2019.

1.  What has the legislation achieved as it stands?

Abortion providers are paid per visit by the HSE, and so the number of women who change their minds about abortion can be gauged from the official figures for payment per visit. At the time of writing, this information is available only for the year 2019. In that year, according to the reply given by the HSE to a parliamentary question from Carol Nolan TD:

The 3-day reflection period saved 900-1000 babies’ lives in 2019. 

•  There were 7536 payments to early abortion providers for initial abortion consultations

As there were 6666 abortions here in 2019, according to the official report, this suggests that, at a minimum:

•  870 women (7536-6666) changed their minds about having an abortion here in 2019.

In fact, if we use the official figure of 6542 early abortions in 2019 (omitting the 124 abortions that were performed in our hospitals on health grounds for the mother or disability grounds for the baby) then that yields a figure of possibly 994 lives saved in the first year (=7536-6542), attributable to the 3-day reflection period. This figure of 994 may be a slight exaggeration as it is possible that a small number of women, after an initial consultation with the GP, may have been referred on to a hospital for an abortion.  950 lives saved certainly seems a reasonable, indeed cautious, estimate. 

That is about 1 in 7 women changing their minds in the course of the 3-day reflection period. The Irish Family Planning Association report for 2019 has a figure of 1 in 8 of a sample of their clients changing their minds in 2019.

2.  How many lives could be saved by tweaking the existing legislation?

The legislation and regime put in place in 2018 had literally no other measures to support a change of mind on the part of the woman. Under the current regulations:

•  Generous financial assistance is given to abortion providers, averaging €450 per abortion for GP’s (and adding up to a total of €20m in the two years 2019-2020, according to the reply to a parliamentary question from Peadar Tóibín TD)

Payment per visit to a GP is about €110 for abortion provision, but only about €25 for managing a pregnancy.

•   Much less is paid to GPs who care for mother and baby through all 9 months of pregnancy. Average payment here is €250.

•  Payment per visit to a GP is about €110 for abortion provision, but only about €25 for managing a pregnancy.

•   A GP who does not provide abortions is required under the current system to refer the woman to an abortion provider, but the reverse is not true – there is no requirement on the abortion provider to provide a mother-to-be with information on alternatives to abortion, nor to refer her to these services.

•  Finally, there is no financial support whatever from the state for organisations like Gianna Care and Every Life Counts.

If all of these manifest contradictions were removed from the existing regime, could more lives be saved? We collect no information in Ireland about reasons for abortion, but from other countries we know that, very often, the woman feels that she has no choice because of her economic circumstances. Financial assistance and moral support for the women would surely lead to many more lives being saved. 

Equitable treatment of GP’s by the state should also help. The current system seems to heavily favour abortion-providing GP’s, and that is quite bizarre.

3.  What happens if we get rid of the 3-day reflection period?

If we do as the NWCI suggests, and get rid of the reflection period entirely, what will be the consequences?

Clearly, the immediate consequence will be a jump of close to 1000 in the abortion numbers per year, which is the same thing as a decline in the number of annual births by a further 1000. This seems inevitable, because what is proposed here means that the woman will take the abortion pill on, or very soon after, the occasion of first contact with the abortion provider, leaving no time to reflect.

There will also likely be long-term consequences, for women’s mental health. A recent American study following up on nearly 4000 women, over a period of 10 years or more [Sullins 2019, Medicina], concluded that women aborting wanted pregnancies (which would include women likely to change their minds, given an opportunity) were significantly more likely to develop subsequent mental disorders (such as depression or suicidality) than other women.

The current system seems to heavily favour abortion-providing GP’s, and that is quite bizarre.

Conclusion

This is a deeply flawed proposal from NWCI, which will cause abortions to increase, women’s mental health to be adversely affected, and our declining birth rates to decline further.

It needs to be vehemently opposed by all pro-life organisations and all pro-life politicians. These groups and individuals need to organise resistance to the NWCI  proposal, and to embark collectively upon a programme to raise public awareness of its implications.

It would be a tragedy beyond words if the NWCI proposal were to be accepted by the government because the pro-life movement did not mount a successful campaign of opposition to it. We should campaign for the sensible reforms outlined at Section 2 above, but whatever else is achieved, it is crucially important that the 3-day reflection period in the legislation is retained.

UEFA Rejects German Efforts to Bully Hungarians with Stadium Stunt

Germany has played a significant role in destroying not only its own culture, but the other traditional cultures of Europe also in recent years.

Its cruelty towards Ireland in forcing it to accept psychotic terms for repaying its bailout from the banks was sadistic, paving the way for emigration, homelessness and crushing the Irish spirit so as to usher in an era of bank led liberalism.

In the past year, German media has also put significant pressure on Poland to allow its women to abort Polish babies, most of whom are currently aborted in Germany.

Now, it is the turn of the Hungarians to feel the aggression of the Germans.

Like the United States, the German State seems to lack self awareness in its conviction that it is the harbinger of freedom, seeing no contradiction in bullying smaller countries to follow its way of life. With their game against Hungary taking at Euro 2021 place tonight, thuggish imperalists in Germany have tried to use the game as political tool, by lighting up the Allianz Arena in Rainbow colours to mock Hungarians. UEFA have told them that they are not allowed, sparking a temper tantrum from the German media.

There are two interesting things about this.

The first of course is that large corporations are never too far away, Allianz being the world’s largest insurance provider.

Secondly, there is the hint of jealousy. Germany has traditionally one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. In 2015, Angela Merkel decided to artificially inflate the numbers by importing one million migrants. Recent comments from The Business Standard on this issue are very telling:

In 2015, nearly everyone in the media—German, European, international—referred to the millions of desperate people trying to get into Europe as an “immigration crisis.” They should have given it a different label: the immigration solution to the continent’s demographic crisis. Germany wisely chose to take advantage of this opportunity, while the countries of Eastern Europe by and large have embraced demographic suicide.

Hungary has not imported migrants, but has brought in prolife policies to encourage families to have children, allowing them tax breaks, home ownership and the ability to survive on one income. It is easy to see why the large corporations are so eager to get revenge!

As for the Rainbow Flag? It is merely a prop to insult Hungary, they’ll have something else the next day.

Germany and Hungary’s birth rates are now almost identical, with Hungary set to pass out Germany soon after the latter’s short term solution plateaued.

With the EU meeting today to enshrine the ‘right’ to abortion into EU Law, there is a clear line dividing between those who want a culture of death and those who want a culture of life.

Ken Moore

Saints in the Pits of Hell: Newark Reparation Rally

On June 16, 2021, under a beautiful blue sky, over 150 faith filled Catholics converged in a lush green park across from the French Gothic Revival architectural masterpiece known as Sacred Heart Basilica in Newark New Jersey.

The reason for the gathering was a reparation rally. Speakers and listeners were there to pray, invoke saints, our Blessed Mother and our Lord Jesus Christ to not only put an end to the blasphemous, satanic music being aired by the Seton Hall University radio station WSOU but to call for the absolute shutdown and eradication of this station. This Catholic institution is under the ultimate control of Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Apostolic successor and the sixth Archbishop of Newark. The station itself has been in existence since April 14, 1948. However, the format and programming suddenly turned very dark soon after Theodore McCarrick became Archbishop in 1986. WSOU began playing satanic, literal devil worshiping, vile, disgusting, sadistic, pit of Hell music and lyrics. 

Faithful Catholics have reached out, in vain, for years to have someone (anyone!) from the Seton Hall administration to the Archdiocese Chancery offices to put a stop to this but to no avail. They were met with walls of silence, willful ignorance and clerics wearing spiritual blinders. McCarrick did nothing, his successor Archbishop John Meyers did nothing and the incumbent Cardinal Joseph Tobin allows this demon inspired, soul destroying travesty to continue affecting the lives of thousands of impressionable young people.

Praying the Angelus with Father Altman at Sacred Heart Basilica in Newark this past Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/2KKLy6Cyjv

— Fred Simon (@FredSim69351984) June 20, 2021

Into this battlefield stepped up spiritual warriors bringing the light of Christ to expose the evil darkness. The roster of powerful speakers for this event included Michael Hichborn of the Lepanto Institute, Jesse Romero (author and evangelist) of Virgin Most Powerful Radio and Father James Altman, pastor of Saint James the Less parish in Lacrosse Wisconsin. He is also known as the world famous viral homilist currently being canceled by his own bishop.

They spoke with clarity of voice, vision and message. There was no ambiguity, no confusing doublespeak and no homage to the cult of political correctness. Mr. Hichborn relayed the history and his own investigation into WSOU. His findings made him literally “sick to his stomach.” He has been on this case for years and noted the correlation between the culture of death and the occult.

Jesse Romero, the self proclaimed “nobody” for the Lord, spoke with true evangelic fervor invoking the intercession of our Blessed Mother and saints to exorcise the evil within this institution. He said he loves Cardinal Tobin and prays for him. He offered a nine day novena for his eminence prior to speaking this day. He encouraged all of us present to pray for the Cardinal.

Father James Altman spoke of the need for true spiritual shepherds to guide the flocks entrusted to them by our Lord. He said priests and bishops are fathers to the laity and their sole purpose is to provide us the sacraments and graces to save our eternal souls. He emphasized that nothing else matters than our eternal salvation. He also lamented the fact that churches in New Jersey were closed, sacraments forbidden and laity turned away from God’s graces during the pandemic.

After the remarks by these inspired orators we processed around the basilica directly across from the chancery. Leading the way were altar boys followed by a statue of Our Lady of Fatima carried by four men. A first class relic of Saint Pope John Paul II followed the statue. The Saint was last here, at this fifth largest cathedral in the United States, on October 4,1995 when he designated it a minor basilica. Father Altman led us in praying the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary. We concluded with the Angelus at noon right under Cardinal Tobin’s window. No, the Cardinal did not come out to join us, bless us or address us. In fact no priest from the Newark Archdiocese was present. All the participants at this gathering were acutely aware that a priest, from a small parish, across the country had to fly to Newark to minister to Catholics in one of the largest, wealthiest and vocation rich Archdioceses in the United States. 

It is our hope and prayer that this sordid chapter of the Newark Archdiocese be exorcised along with the scandal ridden radio station WSOU. We encourage every reader to pray for this intention and also pray for Cardinal Tobin.

Fred Simon

You can follow Fred on Twitter (2) Fred Simon (@FredSim69351984) / Twitter

Irish Nun Celebrates 100th Birthday

A nun who has given over 40 years teaching service to her adopted town was recently honoured on the occasion of her 100th birthday.       

Sister Stanislaus Kent, a member of the Presentation Order, arrived in the Cork seaside resort of Youghal in the year of 1939 and has remained there every since. Sr Stan, as she is affectionally known, is originally from Mitchelstown and recalled with an amazing clarity her young days growing up in Ballinamona, just outside the town.

Born in the turbulent year of 1921, Sr Stan explained that during her secondary school years a nun with the same name she would later take made a prophetic statement: “I was told to go in to see Sr Stanislaus, my namesake, and she said to me ‘I want you to continue your studies because I have a little cell for you down in Youghal’”. 

Teaching in the Presentation Primary School – where later she became Principal – Sr Stan recalled the big classes of that era. “I remember 50 pupils in sixth class one time; they were so close together I couldn’t get around the desks, so that was a challenge. But Youghal children were great, I loved the teaching and I always got great satisfaction teaching children who had any difficulties.”

Asked if she had received the ‘big cheque’ from President Higgins, she replied “sure I couldn’t use it anyway, as I have a vow of poverty, but I suppose it will go to the convent.”

Sr Placida, the Community Leader in the sisters’ house with its breathtaking views overlooking Youghal Bay, said the birthday celebrations went on for the best part of a week. “Our neighbours here also organised a party and the Bishop of Cloyne, William Crean, celebrated a special Mass in Sr Stan’s honour.”

After the Mass, Cllr Mary Linehan-Foley, Mayor of the County of Cork and a native of Youghal and former pupil, made a presentation to this remarkable centenarian.

“I have happy memories of Presentation Convent and as the County Mayor I’m honoured to be here but I’m more honoured to be here as Mary Linenhan, the girl that started in the Presentation back those 50 years ago.

“You thought me well, and all the fun we had will always stay with me. So happy birthday Sister from all the people in the area and thank you so, so much for your service throughout the years.” 

John Walshe

Sr Stanislaus Kent (front) pictured on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Also included are Canon Tom Browne (Youghal), Sr Grace (Provincial), Sr Thaddeus, Sr Carmel, Sr Mary John, Sr Placida, Sr Margaret Mary.

Vatican Dramatically Intervenes to Oppose 'Homophobia' Law in Italy

In 1929, then Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran Treaty with then leader of Italy, Benito Mussolini. The treaty formally established relations between Italy and the Vatican, after the Masonic foundations of the State had led to an anti clericalism for much of the previous century.

One of the caveats in the bill, a concordat between two sovereign states, was that the Catholic Church had certain freedoms to operate within Italy, especially with regard to speech and thought. as aligned with its beliefs.

A new proposal from the Italian government, part of which would create a ‘Day against Homophobia’, was interpreted by the Vatican as being a potential transgression of this freedom. The reason for their worry comes down to their suspicions that the bill would be used to impinge upon some of the basic teachings of the Catholic faith, potentially criminalising traditional aspects of the catechism.

Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with the States , sent a message this past week expressing the Vatican’s concerns. These concerns delve far deeper than merely objecting to being called ‘Homophobic’, the so called Zan Bill would also criminalise perceived slights against persons based upon ‘gender identity’.

Italian politicians Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi have offered revisions to the bill, with Left Wing politician Enrico Letta stating that he is willing to ‘dialogue’ with the church, offering assurances that they would not be prosecuted for stating the church’s objections to the state’s definitions of gender and sexual orientation.

The Holy See has never objected to a law in this manner in Italy, even though it is entitled to do so under the Lateran Treaty’s agreement terms. Such a dramatic step tells you that they are worried about what this law will mean for Catholics, particularly in schools.

It is also significant as it has occurred with the blessing of Pope Francis, undoubtedly sending a powerful message to liberal clerics around the world about the limits of appeasing the secular state.

Pope John Paul II on the Irish Martyrs

Pope John Paul II’s words on the beatification of the Irish Martyrs in 1992.

The invitation of the Liturgy finds in us today, gathered in the solemn scenery of this square, a particularly prompt and joyful response. How can we not praise the Lord in the face of the exhilarating spectacle of the new Blesseds? Of these men and women, who courageously gave their witness to Christ, deserving of being offered by the Church to the admiration and imitation of all the faithful? Each of them can repeat with Isaiah: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me"(Is 61:1): the Spirit of the Risen Christ, who, over the centuries, continues to live and work in believers, to push them towards the full implementation of the Gospel message. "The spirit of the Lord is upon me": aware of this, the new Blesseds have always counted on God's help, striving to "strive for justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, meekness"(1 Tm 6:11), so as to "preserve the commandment unblemished and irreproachable"(1 Tm 6:14). They offered themselves to God and to others in martyrdom and consecrated virginity. The Church is pleased today to recognize that these children of hers "fought the good battle of faith" and "reached eternal life"(1 Tm 6:12).

And how can we fail to sing the praises of the seventeen Irish Martyrs being beatified today? Dermot O'Hurley, Margaret Bermingham Ball, Francis Taylor and their fourteen companions were faithful witnesses who remained steadfast in their allegiance to Christ and his Church to the point of extreme hardship and the final sacrifice of their lives.

All sectors of God's people are represented among these seventeen Servants of God: Bishops, priests both secular and religious, a religious brother and six lay people, including Margaret Bermingham Ball, a woman of extraordinary integrity who, together with the physical trials she had to endure, underwent the agony of being betrayed through the complicity of her own son.

We admire them for their personal courage. We thank them for the example of their fidelity in difficult circumstances, a fidelity which is more than an example: it is a heritage of the Irish people and a responsibility to be lived up to in every age.

In a decisive hour, a whole people chose to stand firmly by its covenant with God: "All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do". Along with Saint Oliver Plunkett, the new Beati constitute but a small part of the host of Irish Martyrs of Penal Times. The religious and political turmoil through which these witnesses lived was marked by severe intolerance on every side. Their victory lay precisely in going to death with no hatred in their hearts. They lived and died for Love. Many of them publicly forgave all those who had contributed in any way to their martyrdom.

The Martyrs' significance for today lies in the fact that their testimony shatters the vain claim to live one's life or to build a model of society without an integral vision of our human destiny, without reference to our eternal calling, without transcendence. The Martyrs exhort succeeding generations of Irish men and women: "Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called ... keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ".

To the Martyrs' intercession I commend the whole people of Ireland: their hopes and joys, their needs and difficulties. May everyone rejoices in the honour paid to these witnesses to the faith. God sustained them in their trials. He comforted them and granted them the crown of victory. May he also sustain those who work for reconciliation and peace in Ireland today!

Blessed Irish Martyrs, intercede for the beloved Irish people!

Pope Paul VI on St. Oliver Plunkett

Dia is muire Dhíbh, a chlann Phádraig! Céad mile fáilte rómhaibh! Tá Naomh nua againn inniu: Comharba Phádraig, Olibhéar Naofa Ploinéad. (God and Mary be with you, family of Saint Patrick! A hundred thousand welcomes! We have a new Saint today: the successor of Saint Patrick, Saint Oliver Plunkett).

Today, Venerable Brothers and dear sons and daughters, the Church celebrates the highest expression of love-the supreme measure of Christian and pastoral charity. Today, the Church rejoices with a great joy, because the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is reflected and manifested in a new Saint. And this new Saint is Oliver Plunkett, Bishop and Martyr-Oliver Plunkett, successor of Saint Patrick in the See of Armagh-Oliver Plunkett , glory of Ireland and Saint, today and for ever, of the Church of God, Oliver Plunkett is for all-for the entire world-an authentic and outstanding example of the love of Christ. And on our part we bow down today to venerate his sacred relics, just as on former occasions we have personally knelt in prayer and admiration at this shrine in Drogheda.

For the suffering undergone by Oliver Plunkett is another expression of the triumph and victory of Christ's grace. Like his Master, Oliver Plunkett surrendered his life willingly in sacrifice (Cfr. Is. 53, 7; Io. 10, 17). He laid it down out of love, and thereby freely associated himself in an intimate manner with the sufferings of Christ. Indeed, his dying words were: «Into thy hands, o Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul». The merits of the Lord's Passion, the power of his Cross, and the dynamism of his Resurrection are active and made manifest in the life of his Saint. We praise God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-who gave the glorious gift of supernatural faith to Oliver Plunkett-a faith so strong that it filled him with the fortitude and courage necessary to face martyrdom with serenity, with joy and with forgiveness. Being put to death for the profession of his Catholic Faith, he was, in the expression of our predecessor Benedict XV, crowned with «martyrdom for the faith» (Cfr. Apostolic Brief of Beatification, 23 May 1920: AAS 12, 1920, p. 238).

And after the example of the King of Martyrs, there was no rancour in his heart. Moreover, he sealed by his death the same message and ministrv of reconciliation (Cfr. 2 Cor. 5, 18. 20) that he had preached and performed during his life. In his pastoral activities, his exhortation had been one of pardon and peace. With men of violence he was indeed the advocate of justice and the friend of the oppressed, but he would not compromise with truth or condone violence: he would not substitute another gospel for the Gospel of peace. And his witness is alive today in the Church, as he insists with the Apostle Peter: «Never pay back one wrong with another» (1 Petr. 3, 9). O what a model of reconciliation: a sure guide for our day! Oliver Plunkett had understood with Saint Paul that «it was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation» (2 Cor. 5, 18). From Jesus himself he had learned to pray for his persecutors (Cfr. Matth. 5, 44) and with Jesus he could say: «Father, forgive them» (Luc. 23, 31).

In his speech on the scaffold, his words of pardon were in fact: «I do forgive all who had a hand directly or indirectly in my death and in my innocent blood». O what an example in particular for all those who have a special relationship with Oliver Plunkett, for all those whose life he shared! As an illustrious son of Ireland he is the honour and strength of the people who transmitted to him the Catholic Faith. In 1647 Oliver Plunkett, with five companions, was conducted to Rome by the well-known and revered Oratorian Peter Francis Scarampi; and for the next twenty-two years he remained in this City of Peter and Paul. As a student at the Irish College he is an example of fortitude and piety to the seminarians of today. For three years, after his ordination to the priesthood in 1654, Oliver Plunkett served as Chaplain with the Oratorians at S. Girolamo della Carità and visited the sick in the nearby Hospital of the Holy Spirit. As a minister of Jesus Christ and servant of fraternal love he is a pattern of zeal for his brother priests in the modern world. For twelve years he taught in the College of Propaganda Fide, and as an ecclesiastical professor he is a luminary of true supernatural wisdom to his colleagues today.

Oliver Plunkett was, above all, a Bishop of the Church of God, serving as Primate of Ireland for twelve years. He was a vigilant preacher of the Catholic Faith and champion of that pastoral charity which is fostered in prayer and manifested in solicitude for his brethren in the clergy-that pastoral charity which is expressed in zeal for the Christian instruction of the young, for the promotion of Catholic education, for the consolation of all God's people. Drawing strength from the inexhaustible fountain of grace, from the power of the Cross-which is itself eminently contained in the Eucharist, source of all the Church's power (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10), and in which the work of Redemption is renewed-he infused into his flock new strength and fresh hope in time of trial and need. Yes, Oliver Plunkett is a triumph of Christ's grace, a model of reconciliation for all, and a particular example for many-but Oliver Plunkett is also a teacher of the supreme values of Christianity. As the world enters the last quarter of the twentieth century and the concluding decades of this millennium, at a moment decisive for all Christian civilization, the testimony of Saint Oliver Plunkett proclaims to the world that the summit of wisdom and the «power of God» (1 Cor. 1, 18) is in the mystery of the Cross.

And the Church raises her voice in solemn affirmation, to authenticate and consecrate this testimony, and to reaffirm for this generation and for all time the true hierarchy of evangelical values in the world. The message of Oliver Plunkett offers a hope that is greater than the present life; it shows a love that is stronger than death. Through the action of the Holy Spirit may the whole Church experience his insights and his wisdom, and with him be able to hear the challenge that comes from Peter: «Put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed» (1 Petr. 1, 13). May the Church understand this as yet another call to renewal and holiness of life, knowing as she does that, by reason of the power of God, there is no limit to love's forbearance (Cfr. 1 Cor. 13, 7), and that even the sufferings of the present time cannot be compared with the glory that awaits us (Cfr. Rom. 8, 18). And so we exhort our dear sons and daughters of Ireland, saying with immense affection and love: «Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday» (Hebr. 13, 7).

Let this then be an occasion on which the message of peace and reconciliation in truth and justice, and above all the message of love for one's neighbour, will be emblazoned in the minds and hearts of all the beloved Irish people-this message signed and sealed with a Martyr's blood, in imitation of his Master. May love be always in your hearts. And may Saint Oliver Plunkett be an inspiration to you all. And to the whole world we proclaim: «There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends» (Io. 15, 13). This is what we have learned from the Lord, and with profound conviction we announce it to you. Venerable Brothers and dear sons and daughters: let us praise the Lord, for today and for ever Oliver Plunkett is a Saint of God!

TEXT OF SPEECH GIVEN BY POPE PAUL VI AT THE CANONISATION OF ST. OLIVER PLUNKETT IN 1975

The canonisation of St. Oliver Plunkett in Rome

1975

Today is the Feast of the Irish Martyrs pic.twitter.com/4R8ZwaVaxF

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 20, 2021



Hungary 'We're not going to Apologise for Protecting our Children'

When it comes to protecting our children, there’s no question: We have zero tolerance for pedophiles and we also insist that educating children about sexual orientation must be protected as the sole right of parents.

Hungary has garnered much recognition for our pro-family policies. Aside from these policies and tangible financial support offered to families, which have resulted in a growing number of marriages and births, we have also adopted a number of provisions in the interest of protecting children. 

Every child has the right to the protection and care necessary for his or her proper physical, mental and moral development – this is set out in Hungary’s Fundamental Law. The ninth amendment to the Hungarian constitution, adopted last December, ensures a child’s right to be identified according to his or her biological gender at birth and an upbringing based on Hungary’s constitutional identity and Christian culture.

And now, a new law, passed yesterday by the National Assembly, will further strengthen the protection of children: The Hungarian penal code will become stricter in the case of sexual offenders, with penalties increasing and no statute of limitation for the most serious crimes. Moreover, a register of pedophile offenders will be created to help prevent them from working in jobs where they would meet children. In light of recent criticism from opposition voices, one can only hope this is not at all unacceptable.

The law also prohibits homosexuality and gender reassignment to be displayed or promoted to minors and allows only registered NGOs to provide information on these subjects. Yes, we think this is necessary to protect children in their sexual development. We also believe that certain content should only be introduced at a suitable age in the interest of children’s healthy psychological and mental development.

The bill actually serves to amend an earlier law (Act XLVIII of 2008 on the Basic Requirements of and Certain Restrictions on Commercial Advertising Activities), which already prohibited the display to minors of advertising that depicts sexuality for its own sake or popularizes deviation from gender identity assigned at birth, gender alteration or homosexuality. So, there’s really nothing new: We are simply increasing the protection of a vulnerable group — something the opposition seeks to hinder.

Instead of fighting the battles of gender ideology, we are focused on the important things: the protection and healthy development of children in Hungary and preserving the right of parents to educate their kids on these sensitive matters.

This article was first published by Zoltan Kovacs, Secretary of State for International Communication and Relations, International spokesman, Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister of Hungary.

It is republished here with permission. You can read the original at this link: About Hungary - We’re not going to apologize for protecting our children

Priest Bravely Faces Down Anti Baby Protestors

Last week, Father Fidelis Mocinski CFR went viral after images emerged showing US Police dragging him away from an abortion clinic where he had been counselling. The images of Father Fidelis showed him handcuffed as the police carried him away from the building.

Now, powerful images have once again emerged of Father Fidelis.

This time, he was intimidated and hassled by extremist pro aborts, emboldened by President Joe Biden’s failure to act after a storming of a Catholic Church some months ago. The anti baby activists showed up to St. Paul’s Church in Brooklyn on the morning of Saturday the 12th of June and brutally began screaming anti Catholic slogans to coincide with the beginning of Mass. The vicious anti Catholic chanting continued during Mass and when the faithful emerged from the church, the pro aborts rounded upon them and began to spew their vile venom into their faces.

Why were they so angry?

Father Fidelis and others were due to pray outside an abortion clinic after Mass.

When Father stepped out to lead his flock, the pro aborts shoved signs into his face. They walked up to him and blew smoke right into his eyes.

Biden's America

Pro aborts shove signs and blow smoke into the face of Father Fidelis Mocinski CFR after they assembled at his church in Brooklyn to intimidate Catholics during Mass pic.twitter.com/1w5kXaLACq

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 14, 2021

Eventually, the prayers outside the clinic did go ahead.

The United States is fast becoming a very cold place for Catholics, with the first nominally Catholic president in half a century failing to comment on the matter. If the bishops who are trying to debate his worthiness to receive Communion want to make a case, they should start with his inaction on scenes that should cause disgust around the world.