https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/hong-kong-religious-freedom-and-catholic-responsibility
Hong Kong, Religious Freedom and Catholic Responsibility
National Catholic Register
Commentary by Thomas F. Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute. He was the first director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and traveled to China and Hong Kong in that capacity. His book, World of Faith and Freedom: Why International Religious Liberty is Vital to American National Security (Oxford, 2008) includes a chapter on China.
And while we're on the subject, if you have a couple of minutes read this article from Crisis magazine regarding the "role"of the clergy.
Bishop Barron states 'People are putting way too much onus on the clergy and not nearly enough on themselves.” He goes on to say "it is the laity, not the clergy, who must fight the legal and cultural battles in the public square"
With all due respect, Bishop Barron, if that's the case, then why was Timothy Gordon fired by his own Bishop for doing exactly that. On June 3, 2020, Timothy Gordon found out that he had been fired by his employer Garces Memorial Catholic High School in Bakersfield, CA. And why did this happen? Timothy Gordon was was fighting the battle in the public square and because he called Black Lives Matter a Terrorist Organization ( which they clearly are) Garces Memorial Catholic High School in Bakersfield, CA sacked this faithful Catholic father of six. Like hello, is anybody home?
Our Good and Faithful priests and lay people deserve, at the very least, the encouragement and support of the Bishops. If everyone who speaks the truth is silenced then what?
Below is an excerpt from from Father Altman's homily
" As we keep the roughly 3,000,000 dead and wounded Americans in the back of our minds, and as we ponder the despicable riots, looting and burning over the past 11 days, also keep in mind an amazing Truth. The first March for Life which was founded by Nellie Gray was held on January 22nd 1974, 46 years ago with an estimated 20,000 supporters in peaceful attendance on the West steps of the Capital. That March for Life has continued ever since and in 46 years the number has grown to an Annual amount of more than half a million in Washington DC alone. But also, major Marches in other major cities throughout this whole country. All to speak up and speak out for the million babies murdered every year in this country. So, let's do the math and settle the issue about the criminal riots, right here, right now.
46 years of Marches, now with over half a million in DC alone plus concurrent Marches in almost every other State in the Union to defend innocent children murdered at the rate of a million a year, zero Police cars burned, zero broken shop windows and stollen pairs of Nikes. Zero looting, zero fowl language screamed at news people. ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO
Now let’s compare that the just the last 11 days. The anarchy, the violence, the countless burned police cars, that we, that we the honest hard working citizens have paid for. Over 17,000 in National Guard called out, that we pay for. And we could show videos of an estimated $400, 000,000 dollars in looting, pillaging, burning damages from just the past 10 days
We can show a picture of the black retired policeman intentionally murdered in cold blood, versus the unintentional death of one man at the hands of one bad apple, one of only a few amongst over 700,000 good Law Enforcement Officers, who we as law abiding taxpayers pay to serve and protect us from the criminal elements, from the criminal who was unintentionally killed in Minneapolis: He was a criminal.
WE can compare 46 years of Marching for Life that honours about 60,000,000 Intentionally murdered babies, and zero police cars burned, versus 11 days of repugnant violence all over one unintentionally killed criminal and countless police cars burned. And then dear family, just try and tell me that we owe any respect of any kind to the rioters and their cause.
Keep that on the back of your mind that on this D-Day when we honour those who offered up their lives, who sacrificed themselves, so that we could live in freedom under the American Flag, especially, for us today, freedom of Religion"
Fr. Altman
National Catholic Register
Commentary by Thomas F. Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute. He was the first director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and traveled to China and Hong Kong in that capacity. His book, World of Faith and Freedom: Why International Religious Liberty is Vital to American National Security (Oxford, 2008) includes a chapter on China.
China’s current policy is a toxic blend of Mao’s ruthlessness and sophisticated 21st-century surveillance techniques — in effect, an updated religious Cultural Revolution.
On June 30, China’s draconian “security law” went into effect in Hong Kong. The law represents a dramatic escalation of Beijing’s assault on the island’s autonomy and its freedoms, including those of Catholics.
Once again, Vatican diplomacy is on trial, especially the 2018 Sino-Vatican accord. China’s actions in Hong Kong and the mainland have raised the question of the Church’s proper role in defending religious freedom for Catholics and for others. This is increasingly true as the Church’s partner in diplomacy — Chinese communism — attacks the very ground of Catholic witness.
for more of this excellent commentary National Catholic Register click here
On June 30, China’s draconian “security law” went into effect in Hong Kong. The law represents a dramatic escalation of Beijing’s assault on the island’s autonomy and its freedoms, including those of Catholics.
Once again, Vatican diplomacy is on trial, especially the 2018 Sino-Vatican accord. China’s actions in Hong Kong and the mainland have raised the question of the Church’s proper role in defending religious freedom for Catholics and for others. This is increasingly true as the Church’s partner in diplomacy — Chinese communism — attacks the very ground of Catholic witness.
for more of this excellent commentary National Catholic Register click here
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My thoughts on being a responsible Catholic:
Ok what are our responsibilities anyways re. these atrocities? Are we to sit back and not speak out and condemn the torture and murder of millions upon millions of people by an evil Communist regime? How can we not say anything? And what about the Godless Christian Haters here at home? Are we to remain silent and just put tape over our mouths? Well I guess so because Father Theodore Rothrock a Faithful Catholic Priest here in North America Speaks the Truth about a Marxist Communist Organization and instead of his bishop supporting Father Rothrock, the good courageous priest who dares to call EVIL what it is gets the old heave ho.
Ok what are our responsibilities anyways re. these atrocities? Are we to sit back and not speak out and condemn the torture and murder of millions upon millions of people by an evil Communist regime? How can we not say anything? And what about the Godless Christian Haters here at home? Are we to remain silent and just put tape over our mouths? Well I guess so because Father Theodore Rothrock a Faithful Catholic Priest here in North America Speaks the Truth about a Marxist Communist Organization and instead of his bishop supporting Father Rothrock, the good courageous priest who dares to call EVIL what it is gets the old heave ho.
And while we're on the subject, if you have a couple of minutes read this article from Crisis magazine regarding the "role"of the clergy.
Bishop Barron states 'People are putting way too much onus on the clergy and not nearly enough on themselves.” He goes on to say "it is the laity, not the clergy, who must fight the legal and cultural battles in the public square"
With all due respect, Bishop Barron, if that's the case, then why was Timothy Gordon fired by his own Bishop for doing exactly that. On June 3, 2020, Timothy Gordon found out that he had been fired by his employer Garces Memorial Catholic High School in Bakersfield, CA. And why did this happen? Timothy Gordon was was fighting the battle in the public square and because he called Black Lives Matter a Terrorist Organization ( which they clearly are) Garces Memorial Catholic High School in Bakersfield, CA sacked this faithful Catholic father of six. Like hello, is anybody home?
Our Good and Faithful priests and lay people deserve, at the very least, the encouragement and support of the Bishops. If everyone who speaks the truth is silenced then what?
********************
Freedom, Socialism and Sharing in the Sufferings of Christ
Brilliant Homily by Father Altman who describes in vivid detail with video clips the anarchy, the violence, the countless burned police cars the 17,000 in National Guard called out, and he describes the estimated $400, 000,000 dollars in looting, pillaging, burning damages from just the 10 days.
" As we keep the roughly 3,000,000 dead and wounded Americans in the back of our minds, and as we ponder the despicable riots, looting and burning over the past 11 days, also keep in mind an amazing Truth. The first March for Life which was founded by Nellie Gray was held on January 22nd 1974, 46 years ago with an estimated 20,000 supporters in peaceful attendance on the West steps of the Capital. That March for Life has continued ever since and in 46 years the number has grown to an Annual amount of more than half a million in Washington DC alone. But also, major Marches in other major cities throughout this whole country. All to speak up and speak out for the million babies murdered every year in this country. So, let's do the math and settle the issue about the criminal riots, right here, right now.
46 years of Marches, now with over half a million in DC alone plus concurrent Marches in almost every other State in the Union to defend innocent children murdered at the rate of a million a year, zero Police cars burned, zero broken shop windows and stollen pairs of Nikes. Zero looting, zero fowl language screamed at news people. ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO
Now let’s compare that the just the last 11 days. The anarchy, the violence, the countless burned police cars, that we, that we the honest hard working citizens have paid for. Over 17,000 in National Guard called out, that we pay for. And we could show videos of an estimated $400, 000,000 dollars in looting, pillaging, burning damages from just the past 10 days
We can show a picture of the black retired policeman intentionally murdered in cold blood, versus the unintentional death of one man at the hands of one bad apple, one of only a few amongst over 700,000 good Law Enforcement Officers, who we as law abiding taxpayers pay to serve and protect us from the criminal elements, from the criminal who was unintentionally killed in Minneapolis: He was a criminal.
WE can compare 46 years of Marching for Life that honours about 60,000,000 Intentionally murdered babies, and zero police cars burned, versus 11 days of repugnant violence all over one unintentionally killed criminal and countless police cars burned. And then dear family, just try and tell me that we owe any respect of any kind to the rioters and their cause.
Keep that on the back of your mind that on this D-Day when we honour those who offered up their lives, who sacrificed themselves, so that we could live in freedom under the American Flag, especially, for us today, freedom of Religion"
Fr. Altman
************************
from the Warning by Christine Watkins
"Right now is the time to tell the truth. God has asked that of me and of all His faithful. To tell the truth is to pay a consequence, such as being disliked, talked about, ridiculed, or avoided - the peer rejection that I formerly dodged at all costs. Only through suffering can we come to deeply know, and embody religious values. This is martyrdom in a way - an unbloody martyrdom, and we are all called to be martyrs. We can be, and we will be."
Father Steven Scheier
