CNA Staff, Oct 29, 2020 / 12:07 am (CNA).- This Election Day, voters in multiple U.S. states will consider several proposals to legalize drugs, ranging from medical and recreational marijuana to harder drugs. Catholic bishops in several states have said voters should look to Pope Francis’ warnings that legalization is ‘highly questionable,’ as it becomes a compromise with drug addiction.
The Oregon Catholic Conference “strongly opposes” Ballot Measure 110, which would decriminalize the possession and use of small amounts of controlled substances including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. It would reduce penalties for possession of large amounts of such controlled substances.
“The Oregon Catholic Conference firmly supports treatment and rehabilitation for all those suffering from addictions. We encourage you to get behind solid programs and not accept an initiative that promotes the use of illegal drugs,” the bishops said.
“Pope Francis has unequivocally stated that drug use is incompatible with human life,” the conference said in a flier. It cited the pope’s 2014 address to the International Drug Enforcement Conference in Rome.
“Let me state this in the clearest terms possible: the problem of drug use is not solved with drugs! Drug addiction is an evil, and with evil there can be no yielding or compromise,” the pope said. “To think that harm can be reduced by permitting drug addicts to use narcotics in no way resolves the problem. Attempts, however limited, to legalize so-called ‘recreational drugs’, are not only highly questionable from a legislative standpoint, but they fail to produce the desired effects.”
According to the Oregon Catholic Conference, local communities and treatment groups have expressed reservations about how the program will be applied under Ballot Measure 110. Other critics have said decriminalization of the drugs would cause more addiction by making drugs easier to acquire and by removing law enforcement and the courts from drug regulation, the New York Times reports.
“The treatment options the measure provides will be primarily funded by diverting marijuana tax revenues away from education, alcohol/drug abuse prevention and law enforcement,” said the Catholic conference, citing the Oregon Secretary of State’s financial impact evaluation of the measure.
Major backers of the measure include the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, which previously backed the successful 2014 Oregon ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of social media giant Facebook, and his wife Priscilla Chan have backed the measure through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Oregon Public Broadcasting reports.
The text of the proposed act cites poor access to drug addiction treatment compared to other states. Backers of the measure argue that reduced arrests and incarceration will provide savings that can be used to make addiction treatment more widely available and free of charge. They also say drug crimes are disproportionately enforced against racial minorities.
Oregon has already legalized marijuana, which is a talking point in the proposed act.
“Oregon now receives more than $100 million in marijuana tax revenue a year,” it says. “The amount of marijuana revenue is expected to grow by more than $20 million per year.”
Oregon voters will also consider ballot Measure 109, which would legalize psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in some mushrooms, for mental health treatment. Though the FDA has deemed psilocybin a potential breakthrough therapy for major depression, studies are inconclusive. The American Psychiatric Association and the Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association both oppose the measure, saying proponents overstate the drug’s usefulness in treating many phenomena including anxiety and addiction, according to the New York Times.
In South Dakota, voters will consider Amendment A, which would legalize recreational use of marijuana for those 21 years and older. It would legalize possession or distribution of up to one ounce of the drug. It would require the state legislature to pass laws providing for a medical marijuana program and the sale of hemp.
Like the bishops of Oregon, the South Dakota Catholic Conference cited Pope Francis’ June 2014 remarks to drug enforcement agencies. The conference also noted the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s paragraph 2291, which teaches that drug use “inflicts very grave damage on human health and life.”
The conference said on its website that marijuana use overstimulates the nervous system while also decreasing high-functioning rational thought.
“Often these effects are accompanied by others, including distorted sensory perception or hallucinations, irrational anxiety or panic, diminished motor control and slowed reactions, and reduced learning and memory,” South Dakota’s bishops said. “Studies have shown that impaired cognitive function continues into the workweek even after a person no longer feels intoxicated, and that regular users are at approximately twice the risk of developing psychosis as non-users.”
“Human beings are endowed by God with the gift of reason. Reason aids us in differentiating between right and wrong and is foundational for human freedom and personal responsibility,” the bishops continued. “Thus, we can understand that to directly intend to suppress our God-given rational faculties is gravely wrong.”
They warned that in Seattle and Denver, where marijuana businesses are legal, they are disproportionately located in poorer neighborhoods. According to another analysis, every dollar raised in marijuana sales costs $4.50 in unwanted effects, primarily in healthcare and reduced workforce readiness.
In Arizona, the bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference criticized Proposition 207, called the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, which would both allow persons 21 and older to possess one ounce of marijuana and provide for the legal sale of the drug.
“It is anticipated that legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in Arizona will lead to more abuse by teens, increase child fatalities, and result in more societal costs,” the Arizona bishops said in a Sept. 23 statement.
Legalization would send the message to children that “drug use is socially and morally acceptable,” they warned. Marijuana use is 25% higher among teens in states with legalized recreational marijuana, they said.
Self-reported use of Arizona middle- and high-schoolers has already increased because fewer youth believe it is risky, said the bishops. Marijuana is a direct or contributing factor in almost as many child deaths as alcohol, according to the state’s most recent child fatality report.
“As people of faith, we must speak out against this effort and the damaging effects its passage would have on children and families,” the Arizona bishops said.
They cited the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area’s September 2019 report on the effects of marijuana legalization in Colorado under a November 2012 ballot measure. That report found that Colorado traffic deaths, crime, emergency room visits, and youth usage of marijuana increased significantly in the period of 2013 to 2015, the first two years following the legalization of recreational pot.
In Mississippi, Initiative 65 would license and regulate marijuana dispensaries and allow a patient to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana to treat any of 22 conditions.
The American Medical Association said there is a “lack of rigorous medical evidence to support cannabis as a medical treatment” that is a good alternative to FDA-approved drugs. The Mississippi proposal would require state health officials to create “new complex agriculture and revenue programs” that divert resources from its public health focus, the association said.
“Amending a state constitution to legalize an unproven drug is the wrong approach,” Susan R. Bailey, MD, president of the American Medical Association, said Oct. 8. “Early data from jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis are concerning, particularly around unintentional pediatric exposures that have resulted in increased calls to poison control centers and emergency department visits, as well as an increase in traffic deaths due to cannabis-related impaired driving.”
The Mississippi State Medical Association also opposes the measure.
If approved by voters, fees on dispensaries would fund only the medical marijuana oversight program. The language prohibits revenue from going into the state’s general fund.
Critics say the fees are extremely low and the amendment fails to restrict the number of marijuana businesses. They also argue the amendment could trump local zoning laws. Pot dispensaries are barred within 500 feet of a school, church or child care center, but the language says zoning ordinances on dispensaries must be no more restrictive than they are on pharmacies and “shall not impair the availability of and reasonable access to medical marijuana.”
Some law enforcement leaders say the amount of legal purchase allowed is enough that patients would be able to re-sell marijuana on the streets.
Since marijuana is still an illegal drug under federal law, banks tend to avoid handling money linked to marijuana businesses and insurance companies also avoid involvement, Mississippi Today reports.
Over 228,000 Mississippi voters signed a petition to place Ballot Measure 65 the ballot. The legislature responded by approving its own ballot measure 65A, which would allow lawmakers to regulate medical marijuana. Some thirty-four states have already legalized medical marijuana, with a great diversity of regulations and programs, Mississippi Today said.
In New Jersey, where medical marijuana use is already allowed, the state legislature has introduced Public Question 1, a ballot proposal to legalize recreational marijuana.
Legalized drug sales are being touted as a way to boost revenue and employment, save money and redirect police resources.
New Jersey borders Pennsylvania and New York, which have not legalized the drug. Medical marijuana presently sells for about $400 to $500 per ounce in the state, the New York Times reports. The state legislature’s research arm has estimated that a developed recreational marijuana industry would generate about $126 million in tax revenue a year. Municipalities may charge their own 2% tax under the proposal.
Backers of the New Jersey measure also point to the disproportionate criminal charges against Black Americans for marijuana possession, even though they use the drug at similar rates to white Americans.
Catholic News Agency sought comment from the New Jersey Catholic Conference and the Mississippi dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi but did not receive a response by deadline.
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Let the teachers, parents, and students who do not like the policies go, and stop worrying about how to please them.
It’s not like dissenting parents & teachers don’t have other choices in educational opportunities. Especially in the Portland area for goodness sakes.
Absolutely, they don’t like or agree with Catholic teaching then the question is “how will evangelization help those who don’t agree with it, who believe the secular definitions of gender out weighs that which was deemed by God our Creator as Truth, that is man and woman, boy and girl.
I agree, you either conform or go to the public school. Christianity is not always an easy road to follow, or pave for our youth.
We don’t have to participate in directly or indirectly, the slice and dice of our youth, especially when they are under the influence of growth hormones.
Some of these ‘parents’ likely do not have children in Catholic schools and are attempting to transform the Catholic Church into a materialistic/’diverse’ church which is clearly visible in some of the non-Catholic churches. Satan comes in all shapes and sizes and the church as resisted this many times over. Hold tight and protect God’s Kingdom and the teachings of the Savior.
For years now, homosexuals have purposely tried to get hired in Catholic schools, precisely so they could object to Catholic teaching, then get news media to pressure the bishop. This is an old game by now. Archbishop Sample simply forced their hand. They have exposed themselves and now we know who the really really bad teachers are who should never have been teaching in a Catholic school anyway.
Genesis 1:27
We read: “More than 1,000 people in the archdiocese’s Catholic community signed statements opposing the guidelines…”
With 15,000 students, and assuming two school students per family and, possibly, 1.5 parents per family, and assuming that all of those signing the statement of concern are parents directly involved in the schools (e.g., are not contracted teachers, or enlisted bystanders), then even this means that at least 80% of the parents did NOT sign the statement.
A strong mandate to stay the course! Bishop Sample’s document was overdue but still came in time.
As for Fr. Biewend and, yes, the “preciousness of every child,” perhaps he can reconsider protecting each child long term from short-term socio-chemical experimentation–as if they were lab specimens for the business-as-usual pharmaceutical/medical industrial complex.
1000 signatures but have they actually been verified to be the parents of enrolled students?
Good point
“…1,000 people in the archdiocese’s Catholic community…” It doesn’t say they were in any way connected to the schools, i.e., parents, students, teachers etc. There are over 400,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Portland so less than 0.25% signed the statement.
Oh! And…where those 1,000 people who signed actually Catholic? Were any Jewish or Hindu or Atheist or Protestant or anything else? If a Catholic school has good test scores, that draws all sorts of folks who are not necessarily Catholic.
People are quick to comment but this isn’t the full story. Sample has removed women from the alter. He’s suggesting that Spanish no longer be taught in schools, only Latin. As for the gender identity, I wonder how many of you have young kids in today’s society? They are exposed to everything whether they have a social account or not. Many are biological girls who are going through the awkward stage and trying to figure things out. They are not seeking suppress hormones or surgery. It would be nice if the church would allow them time to get comfortable in their skin while teaching them about a loving God instead of turning them off of religion. How many of us knew who we were in middle school? Where is the grace? To my knowledge, the group hasn’t even made any requests beyond a meeting.
Why is being a “biological girl” different now than when it was when I was a teenager 40 years ago? Back then, you didn’t have people on social media telling girls they were boys, or telling boys they were girls.
The issue is more that kids are more aware than 40 years ago. They are aware of various issues ranging from fashion to environmental to gender identities. My daughter told me in 7th grade that it was rape awareness day. I’m not even sure I knew what rape was at that age. She went through a baggy clothes stage because it removed her shape. She was tired of males of varying ages look at her chest. She’s not showy, quite the opposite actually. She felt that women are sexual targets so she wanted to reject that what made her feel weak – the female gender. What is the Church doing to encourage this thought or the opposite and prove that because she is female it does not make her weak? For her, she has gotten more comfortable in her skin.
I’m not saying that’s everyone’s journey but I do think if people just let these kids breathe a little, the child can figure themselves out in an age where they are exposed too much. Kids’ minds are black and white at this stage and there are many gender identity options that didn’t exist even 15 years ago let alone 40. They have a rigid definition of girl or boy and find they don’t fit so they look for another category. Some folks may continue that identity throughout their lives, but for some they find out that they can be a female who likes to play in a creek with frogs and then later may want to embrace a more stereotypical feminine side or be the entire sliding scale of female in one day! Same for males.
My other child was born a girl and currently identifies as a boy. I asked why does “he/him” feel more comfortable and he doesn’t know. He’s 12. Who knows if it will stay. (Again, that is my kid’s experience only.) I do know that my child is a loyal friend. If he sees a child walking around on the playground who looked lonely, he would see if they are okay. He made PB&J sandwiches during COVID and handed them out to homeless and saved some tadpoles today from a puddle that was soon to dry up because he doesn’t want any living thing to hurt. Some may say we should mandate that he use the correct pronouns because his age. He also became very depressed before the pronoun switch to a point that right now, the most important thing he know is that his parents love him whoever he is. And while we are struggling through this, instead of feeling like we can go to the Church for support, we feel abandoned and pushed aside.
It seems like portions of the Church are ready to “throw the baby out with the bath water”. He hasn’t asked for gender suppression hormones or surgery. He just wants people to be nice to him. Because he is struggling to get through this middle school phase of maturing, are you suggesting we boot him from the church because only the pure can stay in the faith? Who is pure enough? I don’t remember Jesus saying, “Bring me only the pure!” The world could stand to learn to be more compassionate. Ask why and what can I do to help others. I think we’re more alike than we are different. Like the family we are, there’s a place for us all.
Why are you allowing your daughter to pretend she’s a boy? You are reinforcing her spiritual illness by going along with this fallacy. She needs to hear the truth, especially from the one person in her life who can give her security and confidence. God created her a female. That is the truth. The culture that teaches otherwise is to be rejected. That’s the most loving thing a parent can do. Of course you love your DAUGHTER for who SHE is. Walk in truth and encourage her to love herself the way God sees her, not the way the evil culture wants her to see herself.
My other child was born a girl and currently identifies as a boy. . . He . . .saved some tadpoles today from a puddle that was soon to dry up . . ”
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So what I am getting is that your daughter is a tomboy. Guess what, it is perfectly okay for a girl to want to dig around in the mud. She is a she. Not a he.
Although Blaire White, a “trans-woman,” is dressed rather, um, provocatively, s/he has just dropped a video about a de-transitioned high school “biological girl” who was put on testosterone, and then decided she really was a girl.
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Much food for thought here. There are several de-transition videos on YouTube actually. Some are just heartbreaking.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSXVA9RZ-I
I’m very sorry to hear about your family situation. Truly. But you are the parent. Children can pretend to be anything they want to during play time but a parent’s role is not to enable delusions.
And for goodness sakes playing in a creek with frogs is neither a masculine nor feminine pastime. It’s just being a child.
Yes, biologically being a girl doesn’t differ much from 40 years ago but the easy availability of hardcore, violent porn to young people has changed since then.
It affects young men and boys, their expectations of women, and how they approach relationships. It’s not a pleasant scene and some girls just want to check out of it.
I think getting women off the altar is a good thing. If we could remove laypeople from the altars period that would be even better. It’s a huge distraction during Mass.
Well, lay people gone? Then you could not have an altar boy. My husband is an “altar boy”—Eastern Churches often have men in that role as well as boys/teens.
But, I think women can find other ways to be helpful. No need for altar girls.
Yes, sorry. Altar *boys* are a different matter. I think the older notion of minor orders for boys & young men was a good thing. Once it became “ministries” instead of minor orders we got the distracting crowds of people on the altar we see now.
I’m not a liturgical expert but I think minor orders is what I’m thinking of. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Good for your husband & God bless him.
Spanish should be an option, but so should Latin.
Yup & foreign languages should be taught ASAP. The younger the student, the better they are at picking those up.
We read: “People are quick to comment but this isn’t the full story. Sample has removed women from the alter.”
At first we might have thought “alter” was a misspelling. But this wonderfully encapsulates the mixed ecclesial and cultural meltdown–the “full story”–of our sexually confused and even transgender predickament…from altar girls to alter girls.
No such thing a a “biological girl” (as if implied in this left open the possibility of a “non-biological girl). It’s apparent where you’re coming from and so little gravitas accrues to your opinions.
I applaud Archbishop Sample for his principled stand. In this he is adhering to church teaching. The priest who had the temerity to speak in contradiction to both Church teaching and his bishop’s guidance, in of all places a Catholic school’s graduation, should be admonished, at the least. Cafeteria Catholics are severely weakening and hurting our Lord’s church, but when His priests are picking and choosing what doctrine to preach …. tough times. The diocese, it’s children, laity and clergy are in my prayers. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
The Archbishop would be well advised to understand that the 1,000 people who signed this document do not want compromise. They want the large majority to capitulate.
#1. Priests who support unnatural gender ideology are more than likely sympathetic to sinful homosexual lifestyles. Don’t doubt me on this.
#2. My unwavering support goes out to Archbishop Sample. I am reminded about certain churchmen who were unhappy with the content of Mother Angelica’s EWTN. Her response to those who wanted to exert influence over it like Mahoney of Los Angeles was that she’d blow up the whole damn thing before she’d let Mahoney get his dirty little hands on it.
My diocese has the same guidelines and nobody here has raised a fuss. If a few parents, teachers, and administrators cannot support these reasonable guidelines because of their ideology, they are better off elsewhere.
Archbishop Sample is not stupid so he must have foreseen this reaction.
May he stay the course and may his tribe increase.
Amen.
The Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph…Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart…you have entrusted my cause. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord for he has rescued the poor from the power of the wicked – Jer. 10:13. Holy Spirit I pray that you continue to strengthen the likes of Archbishop Sample, Archbishop Corddileone, Bishop Strickland, Bishop Barron, and all our holy Shepards as they battle the old demons of Sodom and Gommorah.
Don’t give in to the progressives. They will not stop until they have absolutely eradicated Catholicism and Christianity. And Catholic parents who are siding with them don’t want a Catholic education for their children. Go elsewhere to mess up your children’s lives.
What we need: https://www.google.com/search?si=AMnBZoEofOODruSEFWFjdccePwMH96ZlZt3bOiKSR9t4pqlu2Mng6I0BqKeYFhgC_v71I9gC1j41jLZx6YaDvlKvsmHzedCbQytXt_oaGXfib8KLAisn4dZsDkDqfc674ESkIpf-4i2cvCxsr1luVGfJzzuniz_ds_Qd417LrZGhYGl9T5GTgujdiEOSxYTMv1slN5xZu1FQaMNz0kP_lehhQkLvyO0j3s9vAOhiMGX7wtJrHaBvPOSnCzFAp2436QsuUzX3vTALyAAaTMiWlBKhXqyuxoK1A4lCftVOm0mEx3mN2Nr7s-M%3D&q=Mark+Trammell&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjgrMLcneX_AhWQBUQIHTtFDwsQs9oBKAB6BAgdEAI&biw=1536&bih=714&dpr=1.25#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:7c3eb0ae,vid:Dmf7HB02yi0
Thank you Bishop Sample and may God be behind you always. The frightening prospect is that once the cowardly Francis puts his imprimatur on the the Synod of sexual deviancy, it is those parents and teachers who will be running the Diocese. Time to start building Priest holes and planting hedges.
Ironically (?), this battle may play out in the public school, where Muslims are starting to make their presence felt (at least here in Ontario).
God bless Muslim families who resist this sort of thing. That’s very encouraging to see & especially so when Muslims & Christians unite together to protest.
Be very, very careful here. Nice to have some allies, but Islam qua Islam is still a most significant threat to Catholicism, all of Christianity, Judaism, and the world in general, and it’s not simply a case of what some wrongly maintain is just a “radical” form of Islam. The basic doctrines adopted by all of Islam are flat out barbaric in many respects, even if many Muslims do not, thankfully, adhere to many of these beliefs and practices. There is no such thing as a “radical Islam” or a “moderate Islam” even though many misguided people believe and promote this absurdity in order to wrongly defend Islam.
Ironically, those Muslims wrongly identified as “radical” by misguided apologists are simply those who most fervently and more completely adhere to the doctrines and practices of Islam that include at times implementing most egregious forms of violence, including murder, in violation of basic human rights that are to be enjoyed by all.
William Kilpatrick has been featured from time-to-time in CWR, and he has written some very insightful articles and a few books that expose what continues to be one of the greatest and most destructive ideologies that has spread its evil for some 1400 years and counting. One insightful book in particular to get a good handle on the danger of Islam qua Islam that cuts through the absurd defense of Islam is Kilpatrick’s “What Catholics Need to Know About Islam.”
By the bye, since I know you also like to increase your knowledge of history from time-to-time (I hope you have already enjoyed the series of Thomas Sowell’s videos I previously recommended.), in the past few years, more and more historians are becoming a bit braver in exposing some serious flaws and major league holes in the mainstream narrative regarding the origins of Islam. Of particular note is the discovery of some 30-plus versions of the Quran (not just different languages; instead, different versions with different passages) that one prominent Muslim leader admitted was a serious problem because of the claim/belief of there being only one version of the Quran. Also noteworthy is the lack of any evidence of the existence of the city of Mecca until some 200-plus years after the alleged time of Muhammad (Oops), and perhaps greatest of all is the lack of any supporting evidence that Muhammad himself actually existed as the narrative portrays him. At best, evidence that has emerged strongly suggests that Muhammad was the creation primarily of one Muslim writer along with a few other lesser writers based on the extreme embellishment of one small tribal leader named Muhammad during the very early years of Islam into the “super prophet” some 250 to 300 years after he lived. Also quite amazing is the fact that much of what is written about Muhammad’s alleged life just happens to coincide with what was experienced by another individual who lived around the time of the aforementioned writings some 250-300 years after Muhammad’s supposed lifetime. Yowza!
Food for thought: If more and more people of the non-Muslim world would give up the PC approach to Islam (alas, Pope Francis has been seriously buffaloed by mainstream claims and propaganda on behalf of Islam), and embrace the findings of recent history in support of objective truth, Islam would rightly collapse in due course, and this great heresy would no longer be able to spread its evil in its continuing mission to eventually have a worldwide barbaric caliphate ruling all….If only…..
Thank you for sharing those thoughts, Doc. I actually watched a YouTube video that questioned & explored the origins of Islam, maybe a BBC produced program. The conclusion of was that Islam’s origins were obscured by time & at the end of the day it really matters more about belief & practice. To be fair, historians featured on the BBC also have similar doubts about the historical Christ.
I think we need to find common ground where we can whether amongst Jews, Muslims, Mormons, or whoever still upholds traditional views on marriage & family. People of faith are not the enemy here. Radical secularism is.
We part company here a bit, mrscracker. Islam is a very serious enemy of the Church and Western Culture, and it is not even close to being a trustworthy ally in the fight against radical secularism. Moreover, secular humanism is fed by evil from the spiritual world: “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).
Moreover, recent ecumenical efforts always prove to be virtually one-sided to the point of doing despicable things like removing or covering crucifixes in Catholic Churches and other Catholic buildings so as to “not offend” Muslims when they visit certain locations. This simple denial of the great symbol of what our Lord did for the world just scratches the surface of the many kinds of shameful kowtowing that has been done with nothing to show for it in terms of curtailing any of the unjustified and ongoing violence authored by Muslims in fulfillment of Islamic mandates to engage in such violence. Islam is most definitely Not a religion of peace.
Moreover, Islam does not have legitimately traditional views on marriage. In fact, Islam’s official treatment of women is absolutely appalling, and in marriage the woman has very little rights. Sharia law actually permits and advocates using physical force that includes striking disobedient wives. And on and on and on it goes.
In your kind heart, I know you hope the best for all, but despite there indeed being some fine individuals who happen to be Muslim, the objective reality is that Islam in and of itself has been and remains significantly barbaric, and this has not changed via any ecumenical efforts, especially when it is part of the Islamic creed that all Muslims without exception must work toward achieving an imposed dictatorial caliphate that rules the entire world. In other words, absolutely no real and lasting peace unless under Islamic rule, and there is no convincing Muslim leaders and teachers of a better way because it’s part of unchangeable Islamic doctrine in existence for over a thousand years and continuing.
Do yourself a big favor and get a copy of Kilpatrick’s book to also learn how Islam often finds common cause with much of the secular world when it comes to attacking Western Civilization.
In addition, check out the following website (many articles and pieces of encyclopedic-type information) that has opened many eyes to the sad but real reality of what Islam really is, and its ongoing belligerent jihad against everyone else:
https://thereligionofpeace.com/
What does that mean,”a conscience that’s informed with the preciousness of every child.” Sounds like dribble to me. How can you support Fr. Biewind with a statement like that. We know how a Catholic conscience is formed, through instruction on the Church’s Doctrines. And no watering them down.
Re Muslim parents raising their voices – See The Daily Signal on Interfaith parents speaking out in Maryland.
DocVerit above – Thanks for your entry. I agree with your caution that we not be naive about Islam.
I agree. I’m a Catholic school teacher who often times feels like the Lone Ranger when it comes to wanting to be Catholic. We had employees of the archdiocesan education department quit as well when our archbishop upheld Church teaching on gender ideology.
Any priest or principal that truly cares about the preciousness of each child would also uphold Church teaching that male and female He made them, each in their precious likeness to God, who knows who He made each to be.