Irish State Permits Drag Shows for Kids But Not Communions

As they take their holidays this weekend, the Irish government have reacted angrily to efforts by Catholics to host First Communions and Confirmations for children.

A number of bishops have already signalled their intention to proceed with these, having had to change plans at the last minute repeatedly, including when Leo Varadkar cruelly announced ‘Yeah they’re off’, when asked about them at the end of a recent interview. That insult, deliberate or not, appears to have been the final straw for the bishops, as it coincided with clips of Leo Varadkar celebrating ‘Dublin Pride’ on the streets of Dublin.

Now, the angry responses from Micheal Martin ring hollow with images of another Pride event being ignored by the government. Those images came from Red FM, who organised a surreal drag show in the presence of children in Cork this past week.

The event called ‘Heels on Wheels’ was organised by Cork’s Red FM and involved Drag Queens travelling to a number of homes to eh, perform.

Red FM’s Facebook stated:

We had great fun last night joining Cork Pride in surprising five happy households with Heels on Wheels, an outdoor performance from some of Cork’s favourite drag queens

The children present looked objectively terrified, as many on social media noted.

Unacceptable @CorksRedFM If you don't protect your children from exposure to Drag Queen sexualisation nobody will. pic.twitter.com/V82PmgqFAl

— Hermann Kelly (@hermannkelly) July 28, 2021

We’re not particularly interested in the ins and outs of the event as such, but it is interesting that Micheal Martin failed to express upset at children attending that particular outing. There is no doubt that this government appears to have gleefully enjoyed shutting down Mass, changing rules at the last minute and sending Gardai to storm Catholic churches in the past year. If they have not done so, then that public relations issue is their problem and not the problem of Catholics.

How to Pray the Hail Mary in Latin

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen.

Áve María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum; benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Jésus.

Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstræ. Amen.Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen.

Taoiseach Fumes as Church Defies Hypocrite Government

On Irish State Media today, Bilderberg member Simon Coveney openly bragged of travelling to Kenya and Somalia in recent days.

The controversial former prolifer has attended pointless junkets in locations as far flung as Iran and Turkey as his own people were under de facto house arrest during much of 2021.

The hypocrisy of Coveney, and others, was often highlighted during increasingly draconian attacks against religious freedom in the Irish State. Some of these attacks included Gardai being sent to confront priests who were distributing Communion, national newspapers watching webcam footage of Catholic funerals and reporting on 5 (yes 5) extra mourners and even footage of Gardai storming a church before Mass in Athlone in images that shocked the world.

Now, in the wake of a stream of images of Taoiseach in Waiting Leo Varadkar regularly attending large outdoor events for ‘Dublin Pride’, the Catholic Bishops have finally said ‘enough’.

In a statement released yesterday, the bishops stated that they would be allowing Communions, Confirmations and Baptisms to proceed as planned. The anti Catholic government have repeatedly strung the church along on allowing these events only to change their minds at the last minute, leaving the religious authorities to deal with angry parents and disappointed children.

Yes, there is a merit to children arriving to Mass on any given day to receive their First Holy Communion as some have suggested, but perhaps that is better off as a future initiative. Right now, the church were being made fools of by a government that has repeatedly mocked and derided them in the Dail, yet now expected them to accept their discriminatory decisions as being made in good faith.

The increasingly maligned Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who will step aside to allow for Leo Varadkar to resume the role soon, has reacted angrily to Bishop Kevin Doran's statement on the matter.

Martin stated he opposed ‘‘any unilateral breaching of regulations no matter what quarter they come from”. The Fianna Fail leader, who was once prolife but turned his party into a pro abortion outfit, continued ‘I'd say to the church authorities that the Government's only motivation here in terms of the regulations we have brought in, in respect of gatherings and congregations, is to protect people and to protect people's health. That is our only motivation and I think that should be accepted in good faith’.

His anger eminated from Bishop Doran's statement that ‘‘The mission of the Church cannot be put on hold indefinitely”. Surely even the most ardent anti Catholic could not say with a straight face that the church should think of the discriminatory behaviour of the past year as being ‘in good faith'.

The bishops have done the right thing. They have been singled out because of bigotry and spite, for no other reason. It is impossible to take in ‘good faith's such restrictions from the same politicians who were hissing and abusing Catholics praying outside churches during lockdown and who were recording videos of processions and uploading them to media to encourage bullying of people of faith, not to mention those who picketed a Catholic church recently to demand that they fly certain flags.

Stand by your bishops and support them.

Between now and when the government attempts to inevitably shut down Masses at Christmas again, we are all in this battle together.

Biden Campaigner Handed Lucrative ‘Free Speech' Role At Expense of Irish Taxpayer

Notorious ‘change work' figure Katherine Zappone has been handed a money spinning made up position by the Irish government, prompting outrage and bewilderment across the political spectrum in the country.

Bilderberg extremist Simon Coveney has denied that the position of Freedom of Speech Czar was created especially for Ms. Zappone, but nonetheless stated that he refused to consider anyone else for the ludicrous position, since she ‘happened to live in New York’, near the UN. Despite Ireland’s homeless crisis and looming economic difficulties, Zappone will net a cool €20,000 basic salary for the made up role, which Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has stated will involve only 60 hours ‘work’ PER YEAR. Zappone is expected to receive expenses for the fake and pointless job also.

Zappone is an American who received an Irish passport in 1995. She was handed a lucrative Senator position by pro austerity left winger Eamon Gilmore and anti Vatican Taoiseach Enda Kenny. In 2016, she was elected to the Dail. The American lesbian stated that Ireland’s prolife 8th amendment ‘oppresses us with the burden of choicelessness. As long as the Constitution treats a foetus as equal to a woman, her autonomy can be nothing more than a myth’.

Zappone was handed the position of ‘Minister for Children’ by the Fine Gael/Fianna Fail government, as the ‘Repeal the 8th’ movement became wed to the cruel austerity positions of the regressive government. Rather than protect children from conception, as one would expect of a ‘Minister for Children’, Zappone worked eagerly to remove the rights of unborn children to be alive during pregnancy, which had been protected under the 8th Amendment. She was the essential driving force behind the movement to remove their rights, leading to the 2018 scenes of bloodthirst at Dublin Castle which shocked even hardened anti baby cultures such as Zappone's native United States and the United Kingdom.

After being roundly rejected by Irish voters in 2020, Zappone promised to continue her ‘change work'. She campaigned for Joe Biden during his election campaign that same year, stating after he had won, ‘We needed to bring democracy back to America.

“And we were voting as well for the character of the man, the values that he holds as well as the plans he’s put together.”

Here we go! #votebidenharris #Demconvention #election2020 #usa🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/WGxCqv2aJC

— Katherine Zappone (@k_zappone) August 12, 2020

Wearing my pearls to celebrate Madame #VicePresidentHarris pic.twitter.com/CeSw7aOwXy

— Katherine Zappone (@k_zappone) January 20, 2021

41 days to confine the Trump era to history.... Do everything possible now to get the #Vote out... #VoteBidenHarris2020 let's make this happen..

— Katherine Zappone (@k_zappone) September 23, 2020

Her appointment as Freedom of Speech Czar has been roundly mocked by all sectors of Irish society, though her Repeal colleagues have been unconvincing in their protests. In a car crash interview with state media today, Bilderberg member Simon Coveney (who was once prolife but now is not) stated, ‘Some people have responded to this as if this was some kind of makey-up job to do a favour for Katherine Zappone. It was nothing of the sort’. While the ‘doing a favour’ part is unprovable, the ‘makey up job’ part is clear. The official title ‘UN Official Envoy for Freedom of Speech’, is laughable and an insult to the intelligence of the ordinary Irish people, who pay for this.

Coveney has stated that no one is questioning her suitability for the role, however we must do so. In 2019, Zappone was among an Irish delegation who travelled to an international anti baby conference in Nairobi, Kenya last year, in an event that was termed ‘neo colonialisation’, as it sought to encourage Africans to embrace aborting their babies instead of delivering them alive. Western nations accused of ‘neo-colonialism’ as they try to impose abortion on Africa during pandemic (righttolife.org.uk)

Minister @KZappone, leading Ireland’s delegation at #NairobiSummit for #ICPD25, attends this morning’s vibrant Opening Ceremony where global leaders commit to ensure universal sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls around the world #KeepThePromise pic.twitter.com/mvJ0022ynO

— Embassy of Ireland (@IrlEmbKenya) November 12, 2019

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has laughed off criticism of the role stating, ‘It’s not a big deal, we move on now’.

Micháel Martin on the appointment of Katherine Zappone as UN special envoy on freedom, "it's not a big deal, we move on now.😡😡😡

— Pádraig O Coileáin (@c46_p) July 28, 2021

When we get regular comments on our social media asking us ‘What happened to Ireland?’, it might be worth considering if any other country would allow a leading member of the Democrats (or even Republicans) to be made a Senator (without the election of the people) and then to take a prominent role as Minister for Children (while seeking the legalisation of abortion) and then to be handed a cash laden ‘Freedom of Speech’ role because of (according to Bilderberger Coveney) her work in LGBT campaigning.

This story looks set to run for another week, but Zappone is royalty to the Irish LGBT and abortion movements, she will keep it, even against the will of the people who rejected her at the ballot box last year.

The issue has turned personal in many ways and perhaps some might consider our words as an attack on Zappone or Coveney themselves, but they are just a symptom of how attaching LGBT or abortion to a job or to a role can lend it legitimacy, even urgency, when it is of absolutely no benefit whatsoever to the Irish people.

Those claiming outrage but who voted for the ‘change work’ of the past decade have made their beds, they can now lie in them.

Catholic Arena

RELATED: Children's Minister Katherine Zappone praised by top white witch for her interest in the Wicca tradition and studying witchcraft (thesun.ie)

Canadian Terrorists Behead Statue of Baby Jesus

Canada is a rogue state that refuses to address, even encourages, terrorists within its borders.

These terrorists have been emboldened in recent months by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's refusal to condemn, let alone stop, their atrocities. So far these attacks have included arson, vandalism and desecration. Trudeau's former adviser Gerald Butts also came out and stated that he ‘understands’ why the terrorists are attacking Catholics. The terrorists are essentially blaming the Catholic church for burying bodies that the secular authorities refused to pay to repatriate from Residential Schools. They are also attempting to deflect from Secular Canada's ‘Sixties Scoop’, where secular Canadians stole indigenous kids between the 60s and 80s, using mainstream media to run a campaign of encouraging rehoming thousands of native children with woke secular parents instead.

In the latest attack, a statue of the baby Jesus was DECAPITATED at Sainte-Anne-Des-Pins Catholic Church in Sudbury.

With the escalation and frequency of terror attacks, Canada is now fast approaching the persecution levels of certain countries in Africa and Asia, with the red martyrdom of being murdered for the faith now looking like a realistic imminent threat for Canadian Catholics. The terrorists know that their Prime Minister will not take action against them, they know that his advisers ‘understand’ their terrorism, so why wouldn’t they escalate it?

The Canadian media, who encouraged secular people to ‘scoop’ indigenous peoples into their homes during the 60s, 70s and 80s, have been encouraging these attacks from day one. They are also falsely claiming that these terrorist attacks are being committed by indigenous Canadians when in fact, they are being committed by Antifa, feminists and woke secularists.

The global church needs to speak out as it would against similar attacks in Nigeria, China or elsewhere. This violence is only escalating under Justin Trudeau, Catholics need to call on their governments to expel Canadian ambassadors, people need to boycott Canadian businesses and Canadian churches need to to start protecting themselves since the police seem to have no interest in doing so.

Church Destroyed and Priest Attacked in Dark Week for Scottish Catholics

Two awful stories from Scotland this week.

Firstly, a priest in Edinburgh was attacked by a man brandishing a broken bottle. The aggressor entered St. Mary's Cathedral and asked the priest, who was praying alone, if he was a priest. When he stated that he was the thug then tried to stab him in the head with a broken bottle.

The priest managed to grab a chair and fend off the demonic thug, whi repeatedly lunged at him in an effort to shove the broken bottle into his head.

Eventually the violent coward fled the scene and the priest avoided injury.

Then last night, the third oldest church in Scotland erupted in flames in Glasgow.

Established by Irish priest Fr. Daniel Gallagher in 1858, the church hosts many of the Polish Community's Masses in the city.

Authorities are still investigating but both events come at a time when Anglo Protestant countries such as Canada and the United States have been gripped by anti Catholic terrorism. We hope that this is not the case, but the growing hatred for Catholics from Anglo Protestant journalists and politicians is a form of stochastic terror, where elites incite attacks by egging ordinary people into them. This has been done in Canada through conspiracy theories about ‘mass graves’ being created to facilitate ‘mass murder’. In reality the secular Canadian authorities woudln’t pay to repatriate the bodies and the Residential Schools had no option but to bury those who died on site.

Please pray for an end to the current demonic forces plaguing Catholics in Anglo Protestant countries.

Bishops Condemn Sinn Fein/Westminster Abortion Brutality

In a strongly worded statement released this week, the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland have condemned Westminster and Sinn Fein's abortion imposition on the six counties.

Last week, Westminster instructed that abortion ‘services' be established in Northern Ireland, to the shrieking support of Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald, who are now Unionists in all but name, as are all Sinn Fein supporters by association with a party who now recognises the authority of Westminster to make laws for Ireland.

These laws are among the most extreme abortion laws in Europe, with their existence proving offensive for several reasons. Firstly, as the the bishops point out, it is an act of violence against the unborn. Secondly, there is the laughable insult to the Good Friday Agreement and to Sinn Fein's supposed desire to be separate from British Rule. Thirdly, there is the delusion that Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees Mogg are representative of some nascent Catholic influence in the British establishment.

The statement from the Northern Ireland bishops is a good one and Catholics need to be reminded that there is more to one's Catholic identity than one's postcode, wearing a Celtic kit or even getting married at Westminster Cathedral.

The statement in full:

The decision last week by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis MP, to direct the NI Executive and Department of Health to make abortion services available in Northern Ireland by 21 March 2022, is gravely disquieting. It is the latest in a line of decisions by the current Westminster Government which we believe threaten the fragile balance of relationships at the heart of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Sadly, some of our local political parties seem content to welcome this unilateral move by Westminster on an issue which is of fundamental importance to local voters, while rightly challenging such unilateral impositions on other issues.

With many others, from a wide range of moral, philosophical and religious backgrounds, we have consistently held that the right to life of every person, irrespective of stage of development or ability, is the prior and essential right of all other human rights. Our shared search for peace is driven in no small part by our collective rejection of the brutality and demeaning of human dignity that occurs when the right to life is diminished in any way. Thankfully, we live in an age when sensitivity to the preciousness and fragility of all life on our planet, even in its most microscopic forms, is better understood and appreciated. The failure to extend this sensitivity and care to our own fellow human beings in the womb, as well as to mothers in pregnancy will, we believe, one day be seen as a grave moral blindness on the part of this generation and a profound dereliction of our responsibility to uphold the most basic human right of all – the right to life.

In unilaterally imposing this direction on the local Northern Ireland Assembly to provide abortion services, it is as if the Westminster Government, and those local parties who have supported them, believe the answer to the issue of providing compassionate care for a woman and her unborn child in pregnancy can be framed simply and exclusively as a “healthcare issue”. Absent from the discussion however are the thousands of unborn children, who have no legal protection and whose humanity is excluded from the political equation. It is for this reason that the argument for the protection of all human life can never be abandoned or referred to human rights experts alone. Westminster has imposed an unjust law. Christians, and all people of good will, can never stand silently by and fail to raise their voices at any attempt to ignore completely the fact that unborn children are human beings worthy of protection.

As our society prepares in coming months to engage in the ultimate expression of democratic participation – the election to our local Assembly – we encourage all Catholics, and those share our view on the inviolability of all human life, to reflect carefully on the issues raised by this succession of unilateral impositions by the Westminster Government. We encourage everyone who believes in the equal right to life and compassionate care for a mother and her unborn child to ask local candidates and political parties to explain their position on these interventions and on this most fundamental of all issues.

*This statement is issued in the names of Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of All-Ireland and Apostolic Administrator of Dromore; Bishop Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor; Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry; Bishop Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher; and, Bishop Michael Router Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh.

Ruling Irish Party Marches in Hungarian ‘Pride' in Act of Diplomatic Aggression

American Irish self professed Catholic Maria Walsh, who once controversially voted against an EU motion aimed at helping refugees at sea, stormed Budapest's so called ‘Pride Parade' this past weekend in a brazen act of international aggression by Ireland's ruling Fine Gael party.

Fine Gael have overseen a decade of brutal austerity which has led to high levels of homelessness, a collapse in birth rates by 25% and high levels of emigration. They have largely placated the left however by aligning themselves to the Pride and Abortion lobbies as well as advocating for unlimited levels of immigration. They are now, alongside their subservient ‘partners’ Fianna Fail, engaged in sustained psychological warfare against the Hungarian people, evidently because of the country's rising birth rates, its pro family policies and its reluctance towards allowing banks to take priority over ordinary people.

With this in mind, notorious politician Maria Walsh (who is famous for winning a female beauty contest in Ireland) stormed into Budapest this past weekend and took part in its ‘Pride Parade’.

In a tweet she wrote

🇭🇺🇮🇪🇪🇺🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Today, @MariaWalshEU marched in the Budapest Pride parade to show support for Hungarian rainbow family members, activists, and allies. #BudapestPride 🌈 https://t.co/gI629b8OgJ

The American Irish politician, who is a member of a party that has at least one TD who has been photographed at a parade honouring the anti Catholic genocidal Oliver Cromwell, claimed that she was going to ‘shout from the rooftops’ before claiming that ‘human rights’ need to be respected by ‘Orban’.

Imagine if a member of Viktor Orban’s government joined Catholic Arena in a procession through Dublin and warned Leo Varadkar that they would be ‘shouting from the rooftops’ about his refusal to recognise religious freedom? Fine Gael and their many supporters in the Irish media and on the left would be quick to warn that Fascism had arrived on Irish shores.

This is not the first act of aggression that Irla nds’s’s government have shown towards Hungary and its prolife counterparts in Poland.

Failed TD Fiona O'Loughlin, who was roundly rejected by voters at the last election after she voted for abortion, has repeatedly campaigned aggressively against the two countries.

Fianna Fail bypassed democracy by handing O'Loughlin a Senator role even after voters made clear that they did not want her, yet she has been amongst those wanting to tell the democratically elected leaders of Poland and Hungary how to run their nation. The irony of this is not easily lost, O'Loughlin's party have overseen Irish birth rates falling below replacement level in conjunction with large scale homelessness and rising drug problems, yet now have the gall to take aim at those who actually care for their citizens. Perhaps shame is what is motivating this behaviour from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Much of this aggression is being implemented not necessarily because Ireland has suddenly decided to become hawkish in its approach towards diplomatic relations, but because of its eagerness to impress its European Union masters, specifically Germany. Ireland is one of the biggest believers in the European Union project, but its belief is rooted in its experiences in the late 1990s and 2000s rather than in the European Union standing by as the parties of Maria Walsh and Fiona O'Loughlin ripped through every household in Ireland with the cruel whip of the International Monetary Fund. The European Union is now a project for the oligarchs, for the banks and for Germany to use the likes of Ireland as pawns to attack those in Eastern Europe who prefer not to have low birth rates, abortion and free for alls for banks.

The stakes have been raised as of late with Western European propaganda undermined by clips of Euro 2020 matches in Budapest that showed tens of thousands in the Hungarian capital enjoying the football in good spirits that served as a dagger to the heart of the fake perceptions of ‘fascism’ that Germany and Ireland have been trying to flame surrounding Hungary's image.

Ireland is now entering into dangerous territory by acting with such aggression, aggression that is primarily anti life, anti European and anti Christian. Simon Coveney recently travelled (during lockdown) to both Iran and Turkey and the Fine Gael Bilderberger did not make a single remark about homosexuality in either country. Why should Hungary be an exception?

Antifa Threaten Terror Attacks Against American Catholics

North America has become one of the worst places for anti Catholic terrorism, indeed anti Christian terrorism against all denominations including Orthodox and Protestant, in 2021.

Most of these acts of terrorism have been concentrated in Canada, egged on by the Anglo Secularist Canadian media, who have been working hard to make people forget their mistreatment of the indigenous Canadians by the secular state. From the 1960s to the 1980s, secular Canadians rehomed thousands of indigenous children with non indigenous families in an event known as the ‘Sixties Scoop’, an event which occurred in living memory and which was facilitated with the help of Canadian mainstream journalists, who ran propaganda pieces encouraging people to adopt these children.

The Canadian media have presented the Residential Schools as a Catholic invention, with their portrayal of the accompanying cemeteries as synonymous with mass murder. One thing that they have refused to inform their audience of however, is the fact that part of the reason as to why they were not returned to their families to be buried was that the state refused to pay to have their bodies repatriated to their families, hence the responsibility fell on the schools to bury them.

No wonder men like Justin Trudeau and his friend Gerald Butts have been so reluctant to implicate the Canadian State, with Butts stating that he ‘understood’ why people were carrying out terror attacks on Catholic churches.

Images have now emerged showing Antifa in Portland threatening terror attacks against Catholic churches there.

Journalist Drew Hernandez wrote on Twitter:

BREAKING: Portland ANTIFA has now begun to vandalize churches They vandalized church doors with a threatening #hotchurchsummer Reports of gasoline being poured on church steps as a threat Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church both targeted

Journalist Andy NGO wrote:

Antifa have been vandalizing Christian houses of worship in Portland (& elsewhere) for months. They’ve done it without condemnation from local & national officials. Any other religion that experienced hate crime targeting like this would be treated differently.

The violence brings to mind the worst behaviours of the Ku Klux Klan, who were also inclined to intimidate Catholics and to set their churches on fire in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Evidently, they also believe that the Anglo Protestant United States which wiped out the Native Americans and which maligned Catholics is somehow synonymous with Catholicism itself.

The level of anti Catholic violence in North America has gone without reply from either Joe Biden or Justin Trudeau, this cannot continue. The countries are on the verge of violence that will soon turn towards priests, nuns and laity if something is not done to bring those committing it to justice.

Catholic Arena

‘Severe and Revolutionary’ Cardinal Burke Speaks on Latin Mass Suppression

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke has become the latest high profile prelate to express dismay at the Vatican’s widely panned document Traditionis Custodes, which sought to ostracise the Traditional Latin Mass and those who find it fulfilling.

A week has now passed since the document with published with virtually zero informed public support for it and countless instances of impassioned and sincere upset at the perceived harshness of its language and implications.

The Vatican must come out and clear up this mess sooner rather than later.

Cardinal Burke's statement:

Many faithful – laity, ordained and consecrated – have expressed to me the profound distress which the Motu Proprio «Traditionis Custodes» has brought them. Those who are attached to the Usus Antiquior (More Ancient Usage) [UA], what Pope Benedict XVI called the Extraordinary Form, of the Roman Rite are deeply disheartened by the severity of the discipline which the Motu Proprio imposes and offended by the language it employs to describe them, their attitudes and their conduct. As a member of the faithful, who also has an intense bond with the UA, I fully share in their sentiments of profound sorrow.

As a Bishop of the Church and as a Cardinal, in communion with the Roman Pontiff and with a particular responsibility to assist him in his pastoral care and governance of the universal Church, I offer the following observations:

1.  In a preliminary way, it must be asked why the Latin or official text of the Motu Proprio has not yet been published. As far as I know, the Holy See promulgated the text in Italian and English versions, and, afterwards, in German and Spanish translations. Since the English version is called a translation, it must be assumed that the original text is in Italian. If such be the case, there are translations of significant texts in the English version which are not coherent with the Italian version. In Article 1, the important Italian adjective, “unica”, is translated into English as “unique”, instead of “only.” In Article 4, the important Italian verb, “devono”, is translated into English as “should”, instead of “must.”

2.  First of all, it is important to establish, in this and the following two observations (nos. 3 and 4), the essence of what the Motu Proprio contains. It is apparent from the severity of the document that Pope Francis issued the Motu Proprio to address what he perceives to be a grave evil threatening the unity of the Church, namely the UA. According to the Holy Father, those who worship according to this usage make a choice which rejects “the Church and her institutions in the name of what is called the ‘true Church’,” a choice which “contradicts communion and nurtures the divisive tendency … against which the Apostle Paul so vigorously reacted.”

3.  Clearly, Pope Francis considers the evil so great that he took immediate action, not informing Bishops in advance and not even providing for the usual vacatio legis, a period of time between the promulgation of a law and its taking force. The vacatio legis provides the faithful and especially the Bishops time to study the new legislation regarding the worship of God, the most important aspect of their life in the Church, with a view to its implementation. The legislation, in fact, contains many elements that require study regarding its application.

4.  What is more, the legislation places restrictions on the UA, which signal its ultimate elimination, for example, the prohibition of the use of a parish church for worship according to the UA and the establishment of certain days for such worship. In his letter to the Bishops of the world, Pope Francis indicates two principles which are to guide the Bishops in the implementation of the Motu Proprio. The first principle is “to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration and need to return in due time to the Roman Rite promulgated by Saints Paul VI and John Paul II.” The second principle is “to discontinue the erection of new personal parishes tied more to the desire and wishes of individual priests than to the real need of the ‘holy People of God’.”

5.  Seemingly, the legislation is directed to the correction of an aberration principally attributable to the “the desire and wishes” of certain priests. In that regard, I must observe, especially in the light of my service as a Diocesan Bishop, it was not the priests who, because of their desires, urged the faithful to request the Extraordinary Form. In fact, I shall always be deeply grateful to the many priests who, notwithstanding their already heavy commitments, generously served the faithful who legitimately requested the UA. The two principles cannot help but communicate to devout faithful who have a deep appreciation and attachment to the encounter with Christ through the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite that they suffer from an aberration which can be tolerated for a time but must ultimately be eradicated.

6.  From whence comes the severe and revolutionary action of the Holy Father? The Motu Proprio and the Letter indicate two sources: first, “the wishes expressed by the episcopate” through “a detailed consultation of the bishops” conducted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2020, and, second, “the opinion of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.” Regarding the responses to the “detailed consultation” or “questionnaire” sent to the Bishops, Pope Francis writes to the Bishops: “The responses reveal a situation that preoccupies and saddens me, and persuades me of the need to intervene.”

7.  Regarding the sources, is it to be supposed that the situation which preoccupies and saddens the Roman Pontiff exists generally in the Church or only in certain places? Given the importance attributed to the “detailed consultation” or “questionnaire,” and the gravity of the matter it was treating, it would seem essential that the results of the consultation be made public, along with the indication of its scientific character. In the same way, if the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was of the opinion that such a revolutionary measure must be taken, it would seemingly have prepared an Instruction or similar document to address it.

8.  The Congregation enjoys the expertise and long experience of certain officials – first, serving in the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei and then in the Fourth Section of the Congregation – who have been charged to treat questions regarding the UA. One must ask whether the “opinion of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith” reflected the consultation of those with the greatest knowledge of the faithful devoted to the UA?

9.  Regarding the perceived grave evil constituted by the UA, I have a wide experience over many years and in many different places with the faithful who regularly worship God according to the UA. In all honesty, I must say that these faithful, in no way, reject “the Church and her institutions in the name of what is called the ‘true Church’.” Neither have I found them out of communion with the Church or divisive within the Church. On the contrary, they love the Roman Pontiff, their Bishops and priests, and, when others have made the choice of schism, they have wanted always to remain in full communion with the Church, faithful to the Roman Pontiff, often at the cost of great suffering. They, in no way, ascribe to a schismatic or sedevacantist ideology.

10.  The Letter accompanying the Motu Proprio states that the UA was permitted by Pope Saint John Paul II and later regulated by Pope Benedict XVI with “the desire to foster the healing of the schism with the movement of Mons. Lefebvre.” The movement in question is the Society of Saint Pius X. While both Roman Pontiffs desired the healing of the schism in question, as should all good Catholics, they also desired to maintain in continuance the UA for those who remained in the full communion of the Church and did not become schismatic. Pope Saint John Paul II showed pastoral charity, in various important ways, to faithful Catholics attached to the UA, for example, granting the indult for the UA but also establishing the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, a society of apostolic life for priests attached to the UA. In the book, Last Testament in his own words, Pope Benedict XVI responded to the affirmation, “The reauthorization of the Tridentine Mass is often interpreted primarily as a concession to the Society of Saint Pius X,” with these clear and strong words: “This is just absolutely false! It was important for me that the Church is one with herself inwardly, with her own past; that what was previously holy to her is not somehow wrong now” (pp. 201-202). In fact, many who presently desire to worship according to the UA have no experience and perhaps no knowledge of the history and present situation of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X. They are simply attracted to the holiness of the UA.

11.  Yes, there are individuals and even certain groups which espouse radical positions, even as is the case in other sectors of Church life, but they are, in no way, characteristic of the greater and ever increasing number of faithful who desire to worship God according to the UA. The Sacred Liturgy is not a matter of so-called “Church politics” but the fullest and most perfect encounter with Christ for us in this world. The faithful, in question, among whom are numerous young adults and young married couples with children, encounter Christ, through the UA, Who draws them ever closer to Himself through the reform of their lives and cooperation with the divine grace which flows from His glorious pierced Heart into their hearts. They have no need to make a judgment regarding those who worship God according to the Usus Recentior (the More Recent Usage, what Pope Benedict XVI called the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite) [UR], first promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI. As one priest, member of an institute of the consecrated life, which serves these faithful, remarked to me: I regularly confess to a priest, according to the UR, and participate, on special occasions, in the Holy Mass according to the UR. He concluded: Why would anyone accuse me of not accepting its validity?

12.  If there are situations of an attitude or practice contrary to the sound doctrine and discipline of the Church, justice demands that they be addressed individually by the pastors of the Church, the Roman Pontiff and the Bishops in communion with him. Justice is the minimum and irreplaceable condition of charity. Pastoral charity cannot be served, if the requirements of justice are not observed.

13.  A schismatic spirit or actual schism are always gravely evil, but there is nothing about the UA which fosters schism. For those of us who knew the UA in the past, like myself, it is a question of an act of worship marked by a centuries-old goodness, truth and beauty. I knew its attraction from my childhood and indeed became very attached to it. Having been privileged to assist the priest as a Mass Server from the time when I was ten years old, I can testify that the UA was a major inspiration of my priestly vocation. For those who have come to the UA for the first time, its rich beauty, especially as it manifests the action of Christ renewing sacramentally His Sacrifice on Calvary through the priest who acts in His person, has drawn them closer to Christ. I know many faithful for whom the experience of Divine Worship according to the UA has strongly inspired their conversion to the Faith or their seeking Full Communion with the Catholic Church. Also, numerous priests who have returned to the celebration of the UA or who have learned it for the first time have told me how deeply it has enriched their priestly spirituality. This is not to mention the saints all along the Christian centuries for whom the UA nourished an heroic practice of the virtues. Some have given their lives to defend the offering of this very form of divine worship.

14.  For myself and for others who have received so many powerful graces through participation in the Sacred Liturgy, according to the UA, it is inconceivable that it could now be characterized as something detrimental to the unity of the Church and to its very life. In this regard, it is difficult to understand the meaning of Article 1 of the Motu Proprio: “The liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the only (unica, in the Italian version which seemingly is the original text) expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” The UA is a living form of the Roman Rite and has never ceased to be so. From the very time of the promulgation of the Missal of Pope Paul VI, in recognition of the great difference between the UR and the UA, the continued celebration of the Sacraments, according to the UA, was permitted for certain convents and monasteries and also for certain individuals and groups. Pope Benedict XVI, in his Letter to the Bishops of the World, accompanying the Motu Proprio «Summorum Pontificum», made clear that the Roman Missal in use before the Missal of Pope Paul VI, “was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted.”

15.  But can the Roman Pontiff juridically abrogate the UA? The fullness of power (plenitudo potestatis) of the Roman Pontiff is the power necessary to defend and promote the doctrine and discipline of the Church. It is not “absolute power” which would include the power to change doctrine or to eradicate a liturgical discipline which has been alive in the Church since the time of Pope Gregory the Great and even earlier. The correct interpretation of Article 1 cannot be the denial that the UA is an ever-vital expression of “the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” Our Lord Who gave the wonderful gift of the UA will not permit it to be eradicated from the life of the Church.

16.  It must be remembered that, from a theological point of view, every valid celebration of a sacrament, by the very fact that it is a sacrament, is also, beyond any ecclesiastical legislation, an act of worship and, therefore, also a profession of faith. In that sense, it is not possible to exclude the Roman Missal, according to the UA, as a valid expression of the lex orandi and, therefore, of the lex credendi of the Church. It is a question of an objective reality of divine grace which cannot be changed by a mere act of the will of even the highest ecclesiastical authority.

17.  Pope Francis states in his letter to the Bishops: “Responding to your requests, I take the firm decision to abrogate all the norms, instructions, permissions and customs that precede the present Motu proprio, and declare that the liturgical books promulgated by the saintly Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, constitute the unique [only] expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” The total abrogation in question, in justice, requires that each individual norm, instruction, permission and custom be studied, to verify that it “contradicts communion and nurtures the divisive tendency … against which the Apostle Paul so vigorously reacted.”

18.  Here, it is necessary to observe that the reform of the Sacred Liturgy carried out by Pope Saint Pius V, in accord with the indications of the Council of Trent, was quite different from what happened after the Second Vatican Council. Pope Saint Pius V essentially put in order the form of the Roman Rite as it had existed already for centuries. Likewise, some ordering of the Roman Rite has been done in the centuries since that time by the Roman Pontiff, but the form of the Rite remained the same. What happened after the Second Vatican Council constituted a radical change in the form of the Roman Rite, with the elimination of many of the prayers, significant ritual gestures, for example, the many genuflections, and the frequent kissing of the altar, and other elements which are rich in the expression of the transcendent reality – the union of heaven with earth – which is the Sacred Liturgy. Pope Paul VI already lamented the situation in a particularly dramatic way by the homily he delivered on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in 1972. Pope Saint John Paul II labored throughout his pontificate, and, in particular, during its last years, to address serious liturgical abuses. Both Roman Pontiffs, and Pope Benedict XVI, as well, strove to conform the liturgical reform to the actual teaching of the Second Vatican Council, since the proponents and agents of the abuse invoked the “spirit of the Second Vatican Council” to justify themselves.

19.  Article 6 of the Motu Proprio transfers the competence of institutes of the consecrated life and societies of apostolic life devoted to the UA to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The observance of the UA belongs to the very heart of the charism of these institutes and societies. While the Congregation is competent to respond to questions regarding the canon law for such institutes and societies, it is not competent to alter their charism and constitutions, in order to hasten the seemingly desired elimination of the UA in the Church.

There are many other observations to be made, but these seem to be the most important. I hope that they may be helpful to all the faithful and, in particular, to the faithful who worship according to the UA, in responding to the Motu Proprio «Traditionis Custodes» and the accompanying Letter to the Bishops. The severity of these documents naturally generates a profound distress and even sense of confusion and abandonment. I pray that the faithful will not give way to discouragement but will, with the help of divine grace, persevere in their love of the Church and of her pastors, and in their love of the Sacred Liturgy.

In that regard, I urge the faithful, to pray fervently for Pope Francis, the Bishops and priests. At the same time, in accord with can. 212, §3, “[a]ccording to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.” Finally, in gratitude to Our Lord for the Sacred Liturgy, the greatest gift of Himself to us in the Church, may they continue to safeguard and cultivate the ancient and ever new More Ancient Usage or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sinn Fein Celebrate Westminster's Abortion Edict

Westminster's allies Sinn Fein have today celebrated the imposition of abortion on Irish babies aa decreed by Westminster.

Despite carrying banners in recent years that stated ‘England Get Out of Ireland’, Sinn Fein's leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill are now avid supporters of London's rule in the North.

In recent years the party have become increasingly anti Catholic, even picketing a Catholic church in an Orange Order style event last month, using ‘homophobia’ as an excuse, despite later appearing at a major Islamic festival at Archbishop Croke Park.

Michelle O'Neill has referred to these new ‘services’ as ‘compassionate’ and has presented them as a victory against the DUP.

One can only wonder what level of idiocy it takes to think that allowing London to kill your own people's babies is a victory for either Irish people, Republicanism or for compassion.

Today is a victory for London. Sinn Fein and Michelle O'Neill are now de facto Unionists and so is anyone who votes for them at the ballot box. After decades of fears that Catholics would ‘outbreed’ Protestants, that reality is no longer a threat.

All of this has been allowed to happen under ‘Catholic' Prime Minister Boris Johnson with not a whisper of opposition from ‘Trad' Jacob Rees Mogg.

Archbishop Fisher And Others To Keep Latin Mass

Pope Francis's Motu Proprio Traditione Custodianes has been, by any objective measure, something of a disaster.

It has been criticised for being poorly written, it has been criticised for being divisive while claiming to be unifying, it has been criticised for claiming to have consulted bishops, while most of them have now claimed that they will essentially ignore it, citing the surprise of the news as a reason.

Almost a week has passed since the document was released, with the Vatican making no follow up statements to repair the damage done. This has been a complete PR disaster, yet no one in the Vatican seems to be aware, or at the least to care.

A growing chorus of high profile prelates are now rejecting what was essentially a call to suppress the Traditional Latin Mass. We could give the document the benefit of the doubt and state that it simply meant to afford the bishops more involvement with the decision to allow the TLM in their area, but the tone of the document suggests no such benignity.

In the United States, high profile prelates such as Cardinal Chaput have said they will be allowing Traditional Latin Mass communities to continue as normal. Even prelates in Germany have announced that they will be continuing as normal.

One of the most interesting replies has been from Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher OP, who warned that to use the liturgy as a ‘weapon’ would ‘factionalist’ the church. He pointed out that there was a reference to the glib celebrations of the Novus Ordo in Traditione Custodianes, but only ‘in passing’.

Like any good Dominican, he explains the situation from a rational beginning, by pointing out that there are ‘24 Catholic Churches in full Communion with the Pope and with each other. 23 Eastern and One Western (Latin)’. Archbishop Fisher then explains the liturgical variety in each, stating: ‘Each has its particular liturgical rites, customs and spiritual traditions, and there are also varieties within each tradition. So, while we share one faith, we are a very ritually diverse Church! That is part of our richness’.

He then explains how with the Latin Rite, there are still countless diverse elements, the Dominican Rite being one, he writes ‘While we share one rite, Western Catholics are also ritually diverse’.

With more and more bishops expressing an appreciation for the Latin Mass in their dioceses, it may soon become the case that this Motu Proprio has strengthened rather than weakened the availability of the TLM and the fondness for it.

You can read the full text of Archbishop Fisher’s letter below:

Far Left's Euthanasia Bill Stalls Because of 'Serious Flaws'

Since last year, the ironically named ‘Dying with Dignity’ Bill has been heavily promoted by the Irish Far Left and their ever obliging supporters in the Irish media (much of which is actually British owned).

Although it has seemed quite bizarre that the party promoting the bill, People Before Profit, were also calling for the most severe lockdown restrictions in order to ‘save lives’, the strange timing of a bill that would encourage higher and quicker deaths of elderly and disabled rarely received criticism from the Irish media, apart from those printed in their Letters sections.

What mostly received criticism in those instances was the poor wording of the bill. Put together by Gino Kenny, the bill seemed to completely lack any necessary safeguards towards stopping abuse of its system, it lacked all awareness of the potential for the right to die becoming the duty to die in a country with serious healthcare problems.

This was outlined repeatedly by Dr. Kevin Hay’s articles in Catholic Arena.

Hard Cases Make Bad Law — Catholic Arena

A Detailed Analysis of Ireland's Dying with Dignity Bill — Catholic Arena

Now, Gino Kenny is claiming that the current bill will make little to no further progress. He has tweeted:

It’s becoming evident that the Justice Committee will not be recommending the progress of the Dying with Dignity. This is a complete prevarication of the issue and the bill. There was no policy scrutiny just a legal opinion which could have been overcome. A shambolic process.

One of his supporters replied:

We're still under the thumb of the Church in Ireland. They will never relent.

The recent slew of ‘progressive’ bills in Ireland meant that People Before Profit may have expected this to progress in an easier manner than it did.

Despite Kenny’s claims that it would not progress, it will go to a Special Oireachtas Committee, as announced today. In recommending the Special Oireachtas Committee, the Joint Committee on Justice Report pointed out that the bill has many flaws, which they have given as reason for it not progress to the Committee Stage.

Following detailed scrutiny of the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020, the Joint Committee on Justice has recommended that an Oireachtas Special Committee be established to undertake an examination on the topic of assisted dying which should report within a specific timeframe.

The Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 is a Private Member’s Bill from Deputy Gino Kenny that seeks to allow for the provision of assisted dying to qualifying persons – those suffering from a terminal illness – with the aim of allowing them to achieve a dignified and peaceful end of life. If enacted, this Bill would give a medical practitioner the legal right to provide assistance to a qualifying person to end their life, according to the terms of this Act.

While conducting Pre-Committee scrutiny for this Bill, the Committee sought public submissions on the topic and over 1,400 submissions were received by the deadline in January 2021. These submissions fall under broad categories relating to legal, medical, personal, academic, faith-based and end-of-life or rights-based perspectives on the provisions contained within the Bill.

The Bill was also sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisers (OPLA) to ascertain the legal and constitutional implications of such proposed legislation. An analysis of both these submissions and the OPLA analysis forms the basis of the Committee’s Report on Scrutiny of the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020.

Committee Cathaoirleach James Lawless TD said: “The Committee, in considering the matter, recognised that its function is to legislate, however, this comes with particular responsibilities and care must be taken when recommending the progression of legislative proposals. On foot of its deliberations, the Committee has made a number of observations and an overall recommendation, which can be found at the end of this report.

“Based on its consideration, the Committee has determined that the Bill has serious technical issues in several sections, that it may have unintended policy consequences – particularly regarding the lack of sufficient safeguards to protect against undue pressure being put on vulnerable people to avail of assisted dying – that the drafting of several sections of the Bill contain serious flaws that could potentially render them vulnerable to challenge before the courts, and that the gravity of such a topic as assisted dying warrants a more thorough examination which could potentially benefit from detailed consideration by a Special Oireachtas Committee.  

“Therefore, it reluctantly decided that the Bill should not progress to Committee Stage but that a Special Oireachtas Committee should be established, at the earliest convenience, to progress the matter.  In addition, all submissions received by the Justice Committee would be shared with any such Committee.”

Deputy Lawless added: “I would like to commend Deputy Kenny for his dedication in proposing and advocating for the progression of this legislation and for opening up a conversation which needs to be had. I would also like to express my gratitude on behalf of the Committee to all those who sent in written submissions and to the OPLA for their insight into this important Bill.”

The ‘Faith Based’ arguments that were given in submission were summarised as thus:

Individuals, groups, and organisations who sent submissions to the Committee on a religious basis accounted for approximately 435 submissions and all of these submissions fundamentally opposed this Bill on religious grounds, while also highlighting several other reasons for their opposition. Many of the submissions made on a personal religious basis used the same template to express their opposition to the Bill, which highlighted five key reasons to oppose assisted dying. Firstly, many of the submissions felt that assisted dying was always morally wrong and they equated assisted dying with murder, highlighting that it would breach the fifth Commandment of God, which proclaims ‘Thou shalt not kill’. They believe that human beings have been created in the image of God and that it is God who gives life, therefore the end of life should be entirely in God’s hands. As stated previously, many of the submissions based on religious beliefs expressed their displeasure with assisted dying and with the previous legalisation of abortion in 2018, drawing comparisons between the two and arguing both of these essentially allow for vulnerable individuals to be killed. They argued that Irish society is still nominally Christian and needs to reflect on itself and on its core values. Secondly, these submissions believed in the sanctity of life or that all lives have value, and repeated previous arguments that introducing assisted dying would further devalue human life. Thirdly, they argued that we have a duty to protect the vulnerable in society, who would face increasing pressure to avail of assisted dying if it were introduced. Some submissions even argued that allowing assisted dying would alter society’s attitudes towards the elderly and vulnerable and create a culture where these groups are not valued and they may begin to think that ‘they’re better off dead’. Finally, they also believe that assisted dying would be a step back for genuine healthcare and that it is unnecessary as palliative care is a sufficient method of assisting those who are terminally ill. These submissions highlighted research by the Irish Palliative Medicine Consultants’ Association (IPMCA) which had demonstrated that palliative care experts and other members of the medical profession were themselves strongly opposed to the introduction of assisted dying. A survey undertaken by the IMPCA in 2020 found that 88% of palliative medicine doctors are opposed to assisted suicide. This sentiment was also REPORT ON SCRUTINY OF THE DYING WITH DIGNITY BILL 2020 [PMB] Page 25 of 47 expressed by several palliative care professionals in their submissions in the medical section. Submissions questioned the rationale and fairness behind proposals to introduce assisted dying if those who were expected to undertake this task were themselves strongly opposed to it. One submission argued that despite the stated intention of the Bill to be motivated by compassion for the terminally ill, their understand having compassion to mean “suffering with” someone and that assisted dying reflects a failure of compassion on the part of society to respond to the challenges of caring for patients at the end of their lives. In addition to these five points, submissions in this category were also submitted from individuals in Northern Ireland who were concerned at the effect of the legislation on Northern Ireland and the prospect of ‘Euthanasia tourism’ where people from Northern Ireland could cross the border to avail of assisted dying. Finally, other submissions mentioned points previously highlighted in other categories which include the ‘slippery slope’ argument and the risk that assisted dying would be viewed as a cheaper option for insurance companies than conventional treatments for patients.

You can read the full report here: 2021-07-21_report-on-scrutiny-of-the-dying-with-dignity-bill-2020-pmb_en.pdf (oireachtas.ie)

Irish Government Confirms No Ban on Prolife Vigils

Despite a sustained campaign by left wing politicians and their supporters in the Irish media, the Irish government have declined to ban prolife vigils near abortuaries at this time.

Former prolifer Stephen Donnelly, now Minister for Health, was asked by Holly Cairns about the status of legislation on the ‘safe access to the Termination of Pregnancy Bill’ this past week in the Dail.

Cairns is infamous for once tweeting that she would get at an abortion for every minute of air time devoted to the papal conclave.

Abortion had only been legalised for over a year when the lockdown crisis began, putting a dent in a growing prolife movement in Ireland.

For this reason, Stephen Donnelly responded:

nsuring access to termination of pregnancy services remains an ongoing priority for the Department of Health.  

It was originally intended to provide for safe access to termination of pregnancy services in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. However, a number of legal issues were identified which necessitated further consideration.  

Since services under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 commenced in January 2019, there has been a limited number of reports of protests or other actions relating to termination of pregnancy.  This is an extremely positive development. It suggests that these services have bedded in relatively smoothly to date and are becoming a normal part of the Irish healthcare system, as intended.   

Where problems do arise with protests outside healthcare services, there is existing public order legislation in place to protect people accessing services, staff and local residents.  

The Department of Health has liaised with An Garda Síochána on safe access to services. The Garda National Protective Services Bureau issued a notice to all Garda Stations raising awareness about the issue. It directed that any protests be monitored, and breaches of existing law dealt with. The Department has provided information on existing public order and other relevant legislation to the HSE for appropriate distribution.    

Termination of pregnancy services have continued to function during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is regular ongoing engagement between my Department and the HSE to facilitate the smooth-running of the service and to resolve any issues that may arise. 

There are prolife vigils still taking place quietly in a number of locations, many of which have had successes.

For the most part however, the location of abortuaries in Maternity Hospitals and Family GPs has been a clever means of ensuring that abortion protests are more difficult to carry out than at made for purpose abortion centers as in other countries.

The prolife movement in Ireland is still trying to find a clearer identity post 2018, we encourage people to get behind any prolife work or to initiate their own if none is readily available. The important thing is to start moving forward, with new ideas and a genuine belief that abortion can be removed from Irish society once again.

A recent story from the UK highlighted the importance of prolife witness near abortion clinics, despite the taunts of so called ‘secular’ prolifers who spend more time criticising the Catholic prolife movement than they do criticising abortion.

Catholic Prolife Vigil Leads to Abortion Clinic Closure — Catholic Arena

Seosamh O’Caoimh

Costa Rica BANS the Latin Mass

Despite having rapidly declining numbers of faithful, with many defecting to Evangelical churches instead, the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica has made the shocking dictatorial decision to outright BAN the Traditional Latin Mass within their country. Seminarians are not allowed to learn it, priests are not allowed to say it.

Some of the important parts of the document:

‘‘There is no objective justification for the use among us of the liturgy prior to the 1970 reform."

"Those who express affinity for ancient forms do not always express their appreciation of the "validity and legitimacy of the liturgical reform, of the dictates of the Second Vatican Council and of the Magisterium of the Holy Pontiffs’’.

"With sometimes discreet statements or directly offensive comments they question the "sanctity of the new rite" (Summorum Pontificum). They do not seek the synergy that would give theological-pastoral validity to their ritual preferences,’’.

"Since the previous rules, instructions, concessions and customs have been "abrogated", the use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 or any other of the expressions of the pre-1970 liturgy is not authorized from now on. No priest is authorized to continue celebrating according to the ancient liturgy."

"According to these provisions, "the seminarians shall be educated and the new priests." Their formation should be clearly aimed at the appreciation and practice of the liturgy re-christianized by the Second Vatican Council, which is "the only expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite’’.

"In addition, the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica joins the pain and reprobation that were once expressed by Benedict XVI and are now replicated by Pope Francis: it is necessary to celebrate according to the indications given by the different liturgical books, so that the sacred and cultural character is maintained, the absence of which some rightly claim. It is clear that the liturgy reformed by the Second Vatican Council has all the conditions to uplift the human being and strengthen his spiritual life, while responding in a balanced way to the authentic anthropological and cultural needs of the praying man of our times. It is only necessary an adequate application of the norms, orientations and possibilities that give the liturgical books".

"In particular, today we must remember that our liturgy, celebrated according to the books promulgated by Saints Paul VI and John Paul II, must be preserved from any element from the ancient forms. Prayers, vestments or rites that were typical of the liturgy prior to the 1970 reformation should not be introduced into our celebrations’’.

Although many expect the Motu Proprio to be mostly ignored by bishops across the world, there will be a select few dioceses who will use it to spitefully hurt and bully Traditionalists, or in this case, an entire country.

Translation: Costa Rican Bishops Ban Traditional Mass Throughout The Country (infovaticana.com)

Pope John XXIII on how Latin must be given a 'Primary Place'

The following encyclical from 1962 is a reminder that Pope John XXIII greatly valued Latin and wanted it to retain its importance in the life of the church.

On the Promotion of the Study of Latin

Apostolic Constitution

The wisdom of the ancient world, enshrined in Greek and Roman literature, and the truly memorable teaching of ancient peoples, served, surely, to herald the dawn of the Gospel which Gods Son, “the judge and teacher of grace and truth, the light and guide of the human race,” proclaimed on Earth.

Such was the view of the Church Fathers and Doctors. In these outstanding literary monuments of antiquity, they recognized man’s spiritual preparation for the supernatural riches which Jesus Christ communicated to mankind “to give history its fulfillment.”

Thus the inauguration of Christianity did not mean the obliteration of man’s past achievements. Nothing was lost that was in any way true, just, noble and beautiful.

Venerable languages

The Church has ever held the literary evidences of this wisdom in the highest esteem. She values especially the Greek and Latin languages in which wisdom itself is cloaked, as it were, in a vesture of gold. She has likewise welcomed the use of other venerable languages, which flourished in the East. For these too have had no little influence on the progress of humanity and civilization. By their use in sacred liturgies and in versions of Holy Scripture, they have remained in force in certain regions even to the present day, bearing constant witness to the living voice of antiquity.

A primary place

But amid this variety of languages a primary place must surely be given to that language which had its origins in Latium, and later proved so admirable a means for the spreading of Christianity throughout the West.

And since in God’s special Providence this language united so many nations together under the authority of the Roman Empire — and that for so many centuries — it also became the rightful language of the Apostolic See. Preserved for posterity, it proved to be a bond of unity for the Christian peoples of Europe.

The nature of Latin

Of its very nature Latin is most suitable for promoting every form of culture among peoples. It gives rise to no jealousies. It does not favor any one nation, but presents itself with equal impartiality to all and is equally acceptable to all.

Nor must we overlook the characteristic nobility of Latin for mal structure. Its “concise, varied and harmonious style, full of majesty and dignity” makes for singular clarity and impressiveness of expression.

Preservation of Latin by the Holy See

For these reasons the Apostolic See has always been at pains to preserve Latin, deeming it worthy of being used in the exercise of her teaching authority “as the splendid vesture of her heavenly doctrine and sacred laws.”5 She further requires her sacred ministers to use it, for by so doing they are the better able, wherever they may be, to acquaint themselves with the mind of the Holy See on any matter, and communicate the more easily with Rome and with one another.

Thus the “knowledge and use of this language,” so intimately bound up with the Church’s life, “is important not so much on cultural or literary grounds, as for religious reasons.” These are the words of Our Predecessor Pius XI, who conducted a scientific inquiry into this whole subject, and indicated three qualities of the Latin language which harmonize to a remarkable degree with the Church’s nature. “For the Church, precisely because it embraces all nations and is destined to endure to the end of time … of its very nature requires a language which is universal, immutable, and non-vernacular.”

Universal

Since “every Church must assemble round the Roman Church,” and since the Supreme Pontiffs have “true episcopal power, ordinary and immediate, over each and every Church and each and every Pastor, as well as over the faithful” of every rite and language, it seems particularly desirable that the instrument of mutual communication be uniform and universal, especially between the Apostolic See and the Churches which use the same Latin rite.

When, therefore, the Roman Pontiffs wish to instruct the Catholic world, or when the Congregations of the Roman Curia handle matters or draw up decrees which concern the whole body of the faithful, they invariably make use of Latin, for this is a maternal voice acceptable to countless nations.

Immutable

Furthermore, the Church’s language must be not only universal but also immutable. Modern languages are liable to change, and no single one of them is superior to the others in authority. Thus if the truths of the Catholic Church were entrusted to an unspecified number of them, the meaning of these truths, varied as they are, would not be manifested to everyone with sufficient clarity and precision. There would, moreover, be no language which could serve as a common and constant norm by which to gauge the exact meaning of other renderings.

But Latin is indeed such a language. It is set and unchanging. it has long since ceased to be affected by those alterations in the meaning of words which are the normal result of daily, popular use. Certain Latin words, it is true, acquired new meanings as Christian teaching developed and needed to be explained and defended, but these new meanings have long since become accepted and firmly established.

Non-vernacular

Finally, the Catholic Church has a dignity far surpassing that of every merely human society, for it was founded by Christ the Lord. It is altogether fitting, therefore, that the language it uses should be noble, majestic, and non-vernacular.

In addition, the Latin language “can be called truly catholic.”

 It has been consecrated through constant use by the Apostolic See, the mother and teacher of all Churches, and must be esteemed “a treasure … of incomparable worth.”

It is a general passport to the proper understanding of the Christian writers of antiquity and the documents of the Church’s teaching. It is also a most effective bond, binding the Church of today with that of the past and of the future in wonderful continuity.

Educational value of Latin

There can be no doubt as to the formative and educational value either of the language of the Romans or of great literature generally. It is a most effective training for the pliant minds of youth. It exercises, matures and perfects the principal faculties of mind and spirit. It sharpens the wits and gives keenness of judgment. It helps the young mind to grasp things accurately and develop a true sense of values. It is also a means for teaching highly intelligent thought and speech.

A natural result

It will be quite clear from these considerations why the Roman Pontiffs have so often extolled the excellence and importance of Latin, and why they have prescribed its study and use by the secular and regular clergy, forecasting the dangers that would result from its neglect.

A resolve to uphold Latin

And We also, impelled by the weightiest of reasons — the same as those which prompted Our Predecessors and provincial synods  — are fully determined to restore this language to its position of honor, and to do all We can to promote its study and use. The employment of Latin has recently been contested in many quarters, and many are asking what the mind of the Apostolic See is in this matter. We have therefore decided to issue the timely directives contained in this document, so as to ensure that the ancient and uninterrupted use of Latin be maintained and, where necessary, restored.

We believe that We made Our own views on this subject sufficiently clear when We said to a number of eminent Latin scholars:

“It is a matter of regret that so many people, unaccountably dazzled by the marvelous progress of science, are taking it upon themselves to oust or restrict the study of Latin and other kindred subjects…. Yet, in spite of the urgent need for science, Our own view is that the very contrary policy should be followed. The greatest impression is made on the mind by those things which correspond more closely to man’s nature and dignity. And therefore the greatest zeal should be shown in the acquisition of whatever educates and ennobles the mind. Otherwise poor mortal creatures may well become like the machines they build — cold, hard, and devoid of love.”

Provisions for the Promotion of Latin Studies

With the foregoing considerations in mind, to which We have given careful thought, We now, in the full consciousness of Our Office and in virtue of Our authority, decree and command the following:

Responsibility for enforcement

1. Bishops and superiors-general of religious orders shall take pains to ensure that in their seminaries and in their schools where adolescents are trained for the priesthood, all shall studiously observe the Apostolic See’s decision in this matter and obey these Our prescriptions most carefully.

2. In the exercise of their paternal care they shall be on their guard lest anyone under their jurisdiction, eager for revolutionary changes, writes against the use of Latin in the teaching of the higher sacred studies or in the Liturgy, or through prejudice makes light of the Holy See’s will in this regard or interprets it falsely.

Study of Latin as a prerequisite

1. As is laid down in Canon Law (can. 1364) or commanded by Our Predecessors, before Church students begin their ecclesiastical studies proper they shall be given a sufficiently lengthy course of instruction in Latin by highly competent masters, following a method designed to teach them the language with the utmost accuracy. “And that too for this reason: lest later on, when they begin their major studies . . . they are unable by reason of their ignorance of the language to gain a full understanding of the doctrines or take part in those scholastic disputations which constitute so excellent an intellectual training for young men in the defense of the faith.”

We wish the same rule to apply to those whom God calls to the priesthood at a more advanced age, and whose classical studies have either been neglected or conducted too superficially. No one is to be admitted to the study of philosophy or theology except he be thoroughly grounded in this language and capable of using it.

Traditional curriculum to be restored

1. Wherever the study of Latin has suffered partial eclipse through the assimilation of the academic program to that which obtains in State public schools, with the result that the instruction given is no longer so thorough and well-grounded as formerly, there the traditional method of teaching this language shall be completely restored. Such is Our will, and there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind about the necessity of keeping a strict watch over the course of studies followed by Church students; and that not only as regards the number and kinds of subjects they study, but also as regards the length of time devoted to the teaching of these subjects.

Should circumstances of time and place demand the addition of other subjects to the curriculum besides the usual ones, then either the course of studies must be lengthened, or these additional subjects must be condensed or their study relegated to another time.

Sacred sciences to be taught in Latin

1. In accordance with numerous previous instructions, the major sacred sciences shall be taught in Latin, which, as we know from many centuries of use, “must be considered most suitable for explaining with the utmost facility and clarity the most difficult and profound ideas and concepts.” For apart from the fact that it has long since been enriched with a vocabulary of appropriate and unequivocal terms, best calculated to safeguard the integrity of the Catholic faith, it also serves in no slight measure to prune away useless verbiage.

Hence professors of these sciences in universities or seminaries are required to speak Latin and to make use of textbooks written in Latin. If ignorance of Latin makes it difficult for some to obey these instructions, they shall gradually be replaced by professors who are suited to this task. Any difficulties that may be advanced by students or professors must be overcome by the patient insistence of the bishops or religious superiors, and the good will of the professors.

A Latin Academy

1. Since Latin is the Church’s living language, it must be adequate to daily increasing linguistic requirements. It must be furnished with new words that are apt and suitable for expressing modern things, words that will be uniform and universal in their application. and constructed in conformity with the genius of the ancient Latin tongue. Such was the method followed by the sacred Fathers and the best writers among the scholastics.

To this end, therefore, We commission the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities to set up a Latin Academy staffed by an international body of Latin and Greek professors. The principal aim of this Academy — like the national academies founded to promote their respective languages — will be to superintend the proper development of Latin, augmenting the Latin lexicon where necessary with words which conform to the particular character and color of the language.

It will also conduct schools for the study of Latin of every era, particularly the Christian one. The aim of these schools will be to impart a fuller understanding of Latin and the ability to use it and to write it with proper elegance. They will exist for those who are destined to teach Latin in seminaries and ecclesiastical colleges, or to write decrees and judgments or conduct correspondence in the ministries of the Holy See, diocesan curias, and the offices of religious orders.

The teaching of Greek

1. Latin is closely allied to Greek both in formal structure and in the importance of its extant writings. Hence — as Our Predecessors have frequently ordained — future ministers of the altar must be instructed in Greek in the lower and middle schools. Thus when they come to study the higher sciences — and especially if they are aiming for a degree in Sacred Scripture or theology — they will be enabled to follow the Greek sources of scholastic philosophy and understand them correctly; and not only these, but also the original texts of Sacred Scripture, the Liturgy, and the sacred Fathers.

A syllabus for the teaching of Latin

1. We further commission the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities to prepare a syllabus for the teaching of Latin which all shall faithfully observe. The syllabus will be designed to give those who follow it an adequate understanding of the language and its use. Episcopal boards may indeed rearrange this syllabus if circumstances warrant, but they must never curtail it or alter its nature. Ordinaries may not take it upon themselves to put their own proposals into effect until these have been examined and approved by the Sacred Congregation.

Finally, in virtue of Our apostolic authority, We will and command that all the decisions, decrees, proclamations and recommendations of this Our Constitution remain firmly established and ratified, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, however worthy of special note.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on the feast of Saint Peter’s Throne on the 22nd day of February in the year 1962, the fourth of Our pontificate.

Westminster Ally Criticises Islamophobia...Despite Party Picketing Catholic Church

Anyone who knows about Sinn Fein, knows that the one consistent thing about them, is that they are inconsistent on every single issue.

They are the ‘opposition’, who boast of their willingness to do whatever the government asks of them.

What is it with David Cullinane boasting about Sinn Féin not being a real opposition for the past 15 months? Why would you see being controlled opposition as something to be proud of? #Covid19Ireland pic.twitter.com/eYVuWpkrZp

— JRD (@JRD0000) July 14, 2021

They hold banners saying ‘Get England out of Ireland’, while cackling for joy as they invite English abortion companies to abort Irish babies. They also complain of ‘sectarianism’ against Catholics in the North, while themselves picketing Catholic churches in the South for refusing to hang ‘Pride’ flags outside churches.

Better yet, they picket Catholic churches for ‘homophobia’, yet stand alongside a religion known for putting homosexuals to death by stoning.

Mary Lou McDonald, who runs for election in working class North Dublin despite receiving a private education in elitist South Dublin, appeared at the annual Festival of Sacrifice at Archbishop Croke Park today. Archbishop Croke Park has long been the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association and its preservation of Irish culture, in recent years however it has become mostly a commercial enterprise, entertaining rugby, soccer and even the Queen of England as well as concerts from Taylor Swift and others. The Festival of Sacrifice was held ‘temporarily’ in Archbishop Croke Park, this year and last year, but we expect, as happened in other countries, that this ‘temporary’ move will become permanent.

McDonald’s presence is particularly galling as only a number of weeks ago, her party stood outside a Catholic church in Ballyfermot in Dublin, screaming abuse about the ‘fascist, racist’ organisation of the Catholic Church. The racism comment was quite bizarre considering that Sinn Fein were reacting to a Rosary Rally led by a person of colour a few days earlier, but no one ever said that anything Sinn Fein do or say is ever intended to make any sense. Another wonderful contradiction was that one man in a Celtic top was videoed criticising the church and asking if the church opposed divorce, evidently unaware of the lives of either Brother Walfred or King Henry VIII.

Mary Lou spoke about the problem of ‘Islamophobia’, evidently, picketing people of the Catholic faith is a lesser crime to Sinn Fein, unless Protestants do it, but if they do do it it should be because of homophobia or something…again, no one said that Sinn Fein ever intended to make sense.

McDonald also took part in an anti Catholic protest a number of weeks ago alongside Fianna Fail’s candidate for Dublin Bay South, the event (get this) was designed to blame the church because the government wasn’t able to build a hospital by itself. No, seriously.

Another day, another anti Catholic sectarian hate event from Sinn Fein

This time, pro Westminster extremist Mary Lou McDonald and #DBS21 candidate Lynn Boylan joined those who blame 'theology' 'nuns' & 'rosaries' for the incompetence of SF and others to offer public healthcare pic.twitter.com/0Se4WvZLUO

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 26, 2021

Nonetheless, she enjoyed herself today at Archbishop Croke Park (named after Archbishop Croke, one of many Catholic prelates who built the Gaelic Athletic Association in order to keep young men and women away from English and Protestant influence) and was praised by Amanaullah De Sondy for her words.

The brilliant @MaryLouMcDonald with a strong statement that Irish society is inclusive, that our diversity is cherished and solidarity with Muslims against Islamophobia, speaking at today’s #EidAlAdha  prayers at @CrokePark. A beautiful #EidMubarak  in #Ireland. pic.twitter.com/pVnLmHwp4h

— Amanullah De Sondy (@desondy) July 20, 2021

The GAA will no doubt enjoy the good press from today. They told Catholic Arena prior to the Ballyfermot picket that their club in Ballyfermot would not be attending, yet they did. The GAA never responded to our follow up email.

The group ‘Alliance of Former Muslims of Ireland’ criticised the event.

'Eid at Croke Park 2021' has been organised by @DrUmarAlQadri, Ireland's poster boy for Moderate Islam™. This is the same moderate who claims that the anti-Semitic murderers of Hamas “love peace” and urges Muslims to exploit Ireland for its economic benefits. #IslamicImperialism pic.twitter.com/K5QHY7m1Ip

— Alliance of Former Muslims 🇮🇪 (@Ex_Muslims_Irl) July 20, 2021

Ken Moore

Statues of St. Therese and Our Lady Destroyed by New York Thug

While terror attacks in Canada have been attracting headlines across the world, another epidemic of anti Catholic terrorism has been taking place slightly further south, in New York.

Over the past 12 months, we’ve reported on a number of attacks that have taken place in New York, stretching from Queens to the Bronx, with Catholic statues in particular a target for terrorists.

Now, another attack has taken place, this time with a statue of Our Lady and one of St. Therese of Lisieux being smashed to pieces at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Queens.

The terrorist appears to have arrived at the church three days earlier and thrown them to the ground, only to fail to smash them. This time, they returned and dragged the statues 180 feet before smashing them with a hammer.

The terrorist may have chosen the path of demonic anti Catholic bigotry, but the parishioners have taken the right path in putting a sign that says ‘Please pray for the person who did this’.

A video has been released of the disturbed individual carrying out the hate crime, an attack which has deeply upset Catholics in a parish that had those statues outside them since 1937.

It is not yet known if the terrorism is linked to media lies about ‘mass murders’ in Canada, but Catholics need to start calling out these attacks for what they are: terrorism.

Ken Moore

Desmond Fennell's Warning About Capitalism's Impact on Irish Catholicism

The following extract is taken from Desmond Fennell's 1962 essay ‘Will the Irish Stay Christian?’

You can read the full essay at the following link Will the Irish Stay Christian? | Lux Occulta (wordpress.com)

Fennell passed away today aged 92. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Part of the current Catholic cant in Ireland is that the “Western world” from Sweden to Argentina, is somehow “good” and the Communist part of the world is “evil” — or at least that the former is “better” than the latter. “Communism” is seen as the main threat to the Christian Church or, in other words, to Christ among us. Now, if our clergy feel that they must talk to the faithful about Communism, it seems reasonable to request them to do some thinking about it. In practice communism means an arrangement of society which is more or less similar to the pagan Roman Empire. The One True God is denied, the State (Caesar) is deified and made the source of all moral authority. Caesar is the false god whom the Communists adore and we have Christ’s plain command: “Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s….” In other words, “Obey Caesar, but don’t adore him as God”. In no instance does Christ tell us to give anything to Mammon or to Ashtaroth. Surely only sluggish or interested thinking could allow us to overlook this very plain fact. The logic inherent in this differentiation of idols is obvious: Caesar (un-deified) is a legitimate part of the rational order: Mammon and Ashtaroth are intrinsically irrational. Caesar (un-deified) is necessary for the common good: deified Ego is the enemy of the common good. But many of the public statements of the Irish clergy could quite easily be understood as meaning that the faithful should prefer the followers of Mammon, Ashtaroth and Ego to the followers of Caesar. This could have dire consequences for many souls.

If the clergy feel compelled to preach against the distant atheism and practically to ignore (or to laud) the atheism surrounding us, then at least they might be requested, in the name of truth, reason and Christian doctrine, to make very clear what they are preaching against and why. Having told us that the Communist State is wrong to claim the things of God, but right to claim the things of Caesar, they can go on to point out that they are not inveighing against “classlessness” as a social ideal, nor against the social elevation of the masses, nor against state enterprise and public ownership as such (witness our own Catholic country as an exemplar of all of these!).  They can make clear that they are not against the measures which the Communist State takes in favour of public decency, for the protection of marriage and the discouragement of divorce and for the suppression of pornography; also, that they are far from opposing the massive efforts of Communist governments to bring education and culture to the people and to protect them from trash and from exploitation by commercial advertising.  They can point out that when Christian faith is not present — enabling conscience and God’s grace to restrain men from evil and make them good — then it is right that the State should use its power to enforce rational behaviour and the natural law, wrong for the State to fail in this duty; wrong also for the State to claim absolute ownership of the people. By not giving proper recognition to the Catholic Church and to that part of man which is God’s, the Communist State (it can be shown) does as most states do, but more openly and defiantly.

It will still remain to explain why Communism, which is distant from us, should be singled out for attack, while the atheism nearer home is glossed over or indirectly lauded. I cannot think of any justification other than “holy expediency” (if such there be) for lauding the atheism which is nearer to us, but I can suggestion a justification for glossing over it. It is likely that the Caesarian idolatry, because it is at least consistent and more nearly rational, will triumph over the cults of Mammon and Ashtaroth and confront the church for a long time to come. Lenin might be cited in support of this. In an interview with Osservatore Romano in 1924 he said: “A century from now there will be one form of government, the Soviet form; and one religion, Catholicism”. He will probably be proved more or less right.

One reason of course, why good priests, who don’t really think, prefer the reign of Mammon and Ashtaroth to that of Caesar, is that in the atheistic societies of the West the organised Church enjoys “freedom” and the clergy are honoured with a great deal of lip-service and enjoy social status. But is the nature of the “freedom” which the Church in the West enjoys ever really reflected on? Surely, in most countries, it is a purely nominal and legalistic freedom, freedom for the body of the Church, but not for its spirit. It is the sort of “freedom” which a farmer might get from the County Council to farm his land, while the Council reserves the right to spray his land daily with plant poison. In a sense, he is freer than another farmer who is allowed to cultivate his land (which is spread with cheap artificial fertiliser at public expense), but on condition that he himself never moves outside his dwelling-house. It is undeniable, however, that the freedom of the first farmer is not of much use to him, while nothing prevents the second farmer from producing good crops, though himself deprived of full freedom of movement. To make the analogy concrete: in Poland, Hungary or the Soviet Union the Church has better chances of making Christ triumph in the people’s hearts than it has in Britain, Sweden or France.

Often in the past the loss of a Christian people to Christ began with a false identification of Christian interests with the interests of a certain social class or a certain political regime. That is why I have stressed the importance of clear Christian thinking about Communism and the rival idolatries. If the temporal Church and the Christian faithful are led up a blind alley, the dire results of this false leadership must justly be blamed on the Catholic clergy. There is not part of the truth of things which they can afford to be careless about, no part where personal inclinations, laziness or lack of adequate information can be accepted as excuses for error. They claim, after all, to be our leaders in the truth. If they cannot be well-informed about certain matters, they should refrain from preaching about them.

If, in fact, Communist society is less inimical to Christian life and salvation than the society of atheistic capitalism — and I suggest that this is the case — then the faithful should be told this plainly. It is their right to know it. Truth which is played about with meretriciously returns some day like a boomerang.

The simple facts that we live in a world of atheistic idolaters and that, for the foreseeable future, Christians will be a tiny minority, are truths which it seems necessary for the clergy to reflect on and for the faithful to have brought home to them. For this realisation will help us to rebel against the present complacent acceptance of full churches as a “satisfactory state of affairs” and will make us pay much more attention to the development of sturdy, adult individualism in Christian devotion. We live in a world where the flock is always liable to be scattered suddenly. It will be the shepherds’ fault if, knowing this, they haven’t made the sheep aware of the realities of their situation and trained them in the arts of survival.

221,000 Left Ultra Liberal German Church Since Last Year

While some claim that becoming more liberal is the Catholic Church’s pass to increasing membership, the German church is an example of the inevitability of failure of this approach.

The most liberal Catholic region in the world, Germany, has offered same sex blessings and even Communion for Protestants, as well as offering ‘experimental’ liturgies.

If the Latin Mass becomes restricted once more, don't fret.

Here are some of the liturgies that will still be available.

1) The Clown Liturgy pic.twitter.com/GWQSTcDhdL

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 8, 2021

Despite, or because of, this, membership has freefalled again and again for the past decade. New figures have shown that 221,000 Catholics walked away from the ultra liberal church in the past year. Similarly, 220,000 left the Evangelical Church.

In an article a few weeks ago, the Irish Times hilariously stated: German Catholic Church's survival may hinge on facing down Rome

It is fending off calls for women priests and blessings of same-sex couples amid criticism of its handling of sex abuse cases

The opposite is of course true, the church as a whole must do its best to try to limit the malignant failures of the borderline schismatic German Church before they spread elsewhere.

A significant factor in both its liberalism and its defections has been the church tax, which forces members to pay a standard amount of their incomes to their church. This has led to a panicked liberal hierarchy have tried to bring in such novelties as same sex blessings as a means of widening their tax base, but so far this has not worked.

Bizarrely, recent surveys have shown that young Germans have more faith in God than their European counterparts have.

There is no east answer to Germany’s problems, but liberalism will only make them worse.

Ken Moore