Pope: U.S. faces threats to religious freedom of ‘unprecedented gravity’

By Patrick B. Craine

ROME, Italy, August 7, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pope Benedict XVI is warning that the United States is facing threats of “unprecedented gravity” to religious freedom.

In a letter on behalf of the pope to Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone observed that “concerted efforts are being made to redefine and restrict the exercise of the right to religious freedom.”

The comments come as the U.S. bishops campaign for religious liberty in the face of attacks such as President Obama’s HHS mandate, which requires employers to cover contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs in their health insurance packages.

The bishops recently concluded their “fortnight for freedom” - two weeks of intensive “prayer, study, catechesis, and public action.” Shortly before launching the event, the bishops had reaffirmed their condemnation of the HHS mandate, nothing that the rule effectively punishes Catholic institutions for operating in the public sphere.

“Those deemed by HHS not to be ‘religious employers’ will be forced by government to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions. This is not only an injustice in itself, but it also undermines the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world,” they wrote.

Writing in advance of the Knights of Columbus’ annual Supreme Convention, which opened Tuesday in Anaheim, the prelate praised the Knights of Columbus for working “tirelessly to help the Catholic community recognize and respond to the unprecedented gravity of these new threats to the Church’s liberty and public moral witness.”

In his letter, Bertone quoted remarks by Pope Benedict in January in which he called on America’s bishops to “counter a reductive secularism which would delegitimize the Church’s participation in public debate about the issues which are determining the future of American society.”

Link:

• Pope: U.S. faces threats to religious freedom of ‘unprecedented gravity’

The Knights, Redux - The Vortex With Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV

The article mentioned by Michael Voris:

• Knight Errant : Article from "Fidelity" Magazine

Related:

• Good Night, Knights! - The Vortex With Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV

Fr. Farrow’s Rebellion, Action against Knights of Columbus

By Deacon Keith Fournier
7/3/2009

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Father Farrow has chosen to engage in open rebellion and anti-Catholic activism. He is also trying to destroy the Knights of Columbus.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) - In a June 27, 2009 article entitled “Expose and Engage the ‘Fifth Column’ in the Catholic Church” I wrote about Catholics who use their position within the Church to undermine the Church. I explained:

“I use the phrase “fifth column” in reference to people within our Church, fellow Catholics. These folks have rejected the teaching of the Church in an area of moral truth and, rather than honestly admit it and seek to change themselves so that they can properly inform their conscience and give a religious submission of intellect and will,(which is our obligation as faithful Catholics), they now attempt to confuse the faithful. However, they go even further. They engage in a covert operation intended to undermine the Church.

“This is done in several ways. Sometimes it is through a kind of slow drip of dissent. Other times through a concerted campaign which overtly opposes the ‘Magisterium’ , the teaching office of the Catholic Church, though still containing its rebellion and opposition within the family of the Church. Still other times it goes beyond all propriety by overtly rejecting the clear teaching of the Church. Then, using a public forum, they intentionally try to hurt the Church and cause a scandal. It is to the last group that I now address this article.”

Today I write to expose a suspended priest who is acting in just this way. I begin by asking all of our readers to pray for Fr. Geoffrey Farrow. He was the pastor of the St. Paul Newman Center at California State University at Fresno until he was suspended by his Bishop and removed from his position. This strong action was required and intended to be remedial, as are all canonical sanctions.

Fr. Farrow openly defies the teaching of the Catholic Church concerning marriage and human sexuality. He also openly condemns the Catholic Church in public for her defense of marriage. Let me be clear, Fr. Farrow needs our prayer. We ask the Lord to help him return to fidelity. However, Father Farrow has chosen to engage in anti-Catholic activism. He has decided that he will try to change the Church in an area where her teaching cannot and will not chenge, rather than change his behavior and be changed through her loving care.

On June 4, 2009 Fr. Farrow published a recommendation on his weblog (http://fathergeofffarrow.blogspot.com) which is an ongoing act of rebellion. He has turned his anger against the Knights of Columbus because of their support for the Magisterium of the Church and their work to defend marriage. He is calling others to rally to his heretical positions (Scandal CCC #2284) and asking them to engage in fraudulent actions intended to cause economic harm to the Knights of Columbus. I fully disclose that I am a fourth degree Knight and I am completely supportive of their apostolate.

However, there is more involved in Father Farrow’s actions than his disagreement with the Knights. He is inciting people to engage in fraudulent acts with the express intention of injuring the Knights of Columbus economically. As a Lawyer, I see potential civil liability issues everywhere in the scheme which he proposes. In addition, I encourage any priest who may be sympathetic to his errant moral and theological positions to be very careful in following his encouragement to not allow the Knights freedom in their parish; Pay close attention to Canon Law as well.

Here is a portion of the posting from Fr. Farrow’s blog entitled “Boycott the Knights of Columbus” which shows his rebellion and exposes his scheme:

From Fr. Farrow's Blog

“Father Donald Cozzens, PhD is a psychologist and the former president-rector of St. Mary’s Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio. In his books “The Changing Face of the Priesthood” and “Freeing Celibacy.” He unveils the fact that a very large percentage of Catholic priests are gay. In his book “Freeing Celibacy” in chapter six, which is entitled “Celibacy and Homosexuality,” he states bluntly “the growing awareness that the priesthood is or is becoming a gay profession” [page 65].

“Many priests have E-mailed me and expressed their rage and anger over the hypocrisy of the Catholic hierarchy in supporting anti-marriage equality legislation. They have often referred to the bishops as “old queens” who blithely support anti-gay efforts, because of their own self-loathing. One of the organizations, which the bishops have effectively employed to do their dirty work, has been the Knights of Columbus.

“Specifically in California, the K of C donated large amounts of monies to the “yes on Prop 8” campaign. Priests feel impotent to fight back because they are kept in positions of economic servitude by their bishops. Cozzens explains why priests are paid in such a Byzantine fashion in his book “The Changing Face of the Priesthood.” Most people express surprise when I tell them that priests are "self-employed" and also receive a "W-2 Form" from the Diocese for their taxes. Self employed persons are not protect(ed) like employees by labor laws.

“Beyond the issue of salary, priests traditionally receive a BA in Philosophy and then, another four-year degree which is a Masters in Divinity. Neither of these two degrees is very easily translatable into secular employment. This effectively makes it very difficult for a priest to transition out of active ministry. A young priest from the Mid-west recently told me “they gave us all the training we needed to be effective counselors, teachers, administrators, etc BUT they made damn sure we never got any of the credentials necessary to get secular employment in any of those fields.” This is no mere coincidence.

“So, what can priests do to fight the anti-gay agenda of the bishops and the K of C? Here is a short list: “1) Divest the full amount of your Knights of Columbus life insurance policy immediately. Take the check and invest the funds with an LGBT friendly fund. If every priest and K of C insurance policy holder were to do this, it would create a considerable capital drain on K of C and cripple their ability to write large checks to thwart LGBT legislation and ballot initiatives. “2) If you are a layperson, write them at tell them why you have done this. If you are a priest, simply inform them that you have decided to use the funds to promote social justice. “3) Pastors have the power to decide what is published in the Sunday bulletin and what is announced at Mass on Sundays. Do not let the K of C publish or announce. 4) Pastors may grant or withhold permission for organizations to use church facilities for their meetings. Most parishes have very tight facility scheduling. Create a program and tell the K of C they need to meet elsewhere.”

End of Blog Quote

In addition to praying for Fr. Farrow and exposing his errors so as to protect the faithful, I propose that our readers demonstrate their fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church and solidarity with the Knights of Columbus by engaging in a concerted action which is the opposite of what Father Farrow suggests: Those who have not yet obtained insurance through the Knights of Columbus should do so. Their products are excellent and their profits further the wonderful work of the Order which, unlike Father Farrow, is fully and completely faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

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A Hunger for the Truth

Americans Turn Ear to Benedict XVI

By Carl Anderson

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, MAY 17, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Packing venue after venue during Benedict XVI’s visit last year, Americans showed an eagerness and enthusiasm to hear his Gospel message that many did not expect. They exhibited a hunger -- for the truth and for moral leadership.

And -- despite a trend in the media to be very critical in their coverage of Benedict XVI -- more than a year later, by wide margins, Americans in general -- and American Catholics in particular -- have a positive view of the pope and a strong desire to hear him speak on the most pressing issues of the day.

A Knights of Columbus-Marist College survey, conducted in late March, found that Americans have a positive view of Benedict XVI by a nearly 3:1 margin (59% to 20%). Among Catholics, he is viewed favorably by a nearly 7:1 margin (76% to 11%).

By a nearly 3:1 margin (4:1 among Catholics), he is seen as “good for the Church.”

That Benedict XVI remains so respected by Americans -- in spite of a 24-hour news cycle often hostile to him and his message -- is a great testament to the Pope’s ability to communicate the Gospel directly to people. It also says something significant about the American people’s desire for the message of hope and love that Benedict XVI preaches in calling us to say “yes” to Jesus Christ.

And that message has not been lost on a great number of the American people, who want to hear him weigh in on the most contentious issues of the day. This underscores a quiet hunger for the truth of the Church’s message, the message enunciated by Benedict XVI.

As state after state redefines marriage, Americans want to hear the Pope’s views on marriage and the family by more than 2:1 (57% to 22%). Among Catholics it’s nearly 5:1 (68% to 14%).

In a country where laws concerning abortion and stem-cell research are increasingly being liberalized, a great number of Americans are eager to hear what Benedict XVI has to say about these life issues (50% to 29% and 60% to 21% among Catholics).

In other words, in spite of a legal and media culture increasingly tolerant of “moral relativism,” Americans -- by large margins -- see Benedict XVI's commitment to Catholic morality as valuable, and are looking for Catholic leadership on core issues.

Americans also want to hear what Benedict XVI has to say about making God a part of our daily lives, sharing time and talent with those in need, the shortsightedness of greed, and the creation of a society where spiritual values play an important role.

In the midst of a serious economic slump brought on by a series of moral failures, Americans want Benedict XVI’s perspective on building a society based on values -- not on greed.

Having seen where moral relativism leads economically, Americans are looking instead for an unwavering moral compass, and looking to the man they know has one.

On the international stage as well, Americans see the pope as very important. Seventy-four percent of Americans -- and 84% of American Catholics -- would describe the Pope as “an important religious leader in the world.” And by more than 2:1 margins both the American people and American Catholics see him as “active and visible.”

On the eve of Benedict XVI’s trip to the Middle East, Americans -- by a 2:1 margin (46% to 23%) -- believed he was sensitive to Muslims, and by a similar margin (48% to 20%), said he was also sensitive to Jewish people. Among Catholics the ratio was 3:1 -- about 60% believed he was sensitive to people of both religions, only about 20% disagreed.

Reflected in these attitudes is something very profound. Despite the occasional flack that the Holy Father has received on his trip to the Holy Land, the fact is that his willingness to put his own life in danger in the unstable and often violent region in order to seek a lasting peace underscores his sensitivities to both sides of Middle East conflict.

And despite occasional criticism, he has not allowed any negativity to distract from what he believes is possible: a peaceful resolution to the violence endemic in the Holy Land.

Those who have taken issue with aspects of the Pope’s trip should pause to consider this, and further, might consider that while past grievances are part of memory and cannot be put aside, such grievances must not become barriers to a real opportunity for peace that is now at hand.

And those who would dismiss our Pontiff -- or some part of his message --should take a lesson from the attitudes catalogued in this survey and should realize that the human heart is restless until it rests in God. This is a fact not lost on Catholic thinkers from Augustine to Benedict XVI himself, who has made bringing human hearts to God a hallmark of his pontificate.

It is an unswerving commitment to the truth -- and the ability through his own prayerfulness to introduce people to Jesus Christ -- that has made Benedict XVI a beacon of moral courage whose message the American people and people worldwide respect and wish to hear. We might call it a triumph of truth over television.

* * *

Carl Anderson is the supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus and a New York Times bestselling author.

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Pastor Who Helped Get 'Under God' in Pledge Dies at 97

ALEXANDRIA, Pa. — A church official says the clergyman credited with helping to push Congress to insert the phrase "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance has died in Alexandria, Pa. The Rev. George M. Docherty was 97.

Gene J. Puskar, AP

The Rev. George M. Docherty, here with wife Sue in 2004, delivered sermons in 1952 and 1954 saying "under God" should be added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Nancy Taylor, historian for the Huntingdon Presbyterian Church, says Docherty died on Thanksgiving at his home in Alexandria, with his wife, Sue, by his side.

Docherty delivered a sermon saying the pledge should acknowledge God in 1952 at Washington's New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, just blocks from the White House.

On Feb. 7, 1954, he delivered it again after learning that President Dwight Eisenhower would be at the church.

Congress inserted the words a few months later.

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How the words “UNDER GOD” came to be added to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States originated on Columbus Day, 1893. It contained no reference to Almighty God, until in New York City on April 22, 1951, the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus adopted a resolution to amend the Pledge of Allegiance as recited at the opening of each of the meetings of the 800 Fourth Degree Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus by the addition of the words “under God” after the words “one nation”. The adoption of this resolve by the Supreme Board of Directors had the effect of an immediate initiation of this practice throughout the aforesaid Fourth Degree Assembly meetings.

At their annual State Meetings, held in April and May of 1952, the State Councils of Florida, South Dakota, New York and Michigan adopted resolutions recommending that the Pledge of Allegiance be so amended and that Congress be petitioned to have such amendment made effective. On August 21, 1952, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, at its annual meeting, adopted a resolution urging that the change be made general and copies of this resolution were sent to the President, the Vice President (as Presiding Officer of the Senate) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The National Fraternal Congress meeting in Boston on September 24, 1952, adopted a similar resolution upon the recommendation of its President, Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart. Several State Fraternal Congresses acted likewise
almost immediately thereafter.

At its annual meeting the following year, on August 20, 1953, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus repeated its resolution to make this amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag general and to send copies of this resolve to the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, and to each member of both Houses of Congress. From this latter action, many favorable replies were received, and a total of seventeen resolutions were introduced in the House of Representatives to so amend the Pledge of Allegiance as set forth in the Public Law relating to the use of the flag. The resolution introduced by Congressman Louis C. Rabaut of Michigan was adopted by both Houses of Congress, and it was signed by President Eisenhower on Flag Day,
June 14, 1954, thereby making official the amendment conceived, sponsored, and put into practice by the Knights of Columbus more than three years before.

In a message to Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart at the meeting of the Supreme Council in Louisville, August 17, 1954, President Eisenhower, in recognition of the initiative of the Knights of Columbus in originating and sponsoring the amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance, said:

“We are particularly thankful to you for your part in the movement to have the words ‘under God’ added to our Pledge of Allegiance. These words will remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded. For the contribution which your organization has made to this cause, we must be genuinely grateful.”

In August, 1954, the Illinois American Legion Convention adopted a resolution whereby recognition was given to the Knights of Columbus as having initiated, sponsored and brought about the amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance; and on October 6, 1954, the National Executive Committee of the American Legion gave its approval to that resolution.

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Pope challenges Knights of Columbus to continue seeking Church renewal

Vatican City, Oct 3, 2008 / 09:57 am (CNA).- A contingent from the Knights of Columbus making a pilgrimage to Rome for the occasion of the Year of St. Paul was received in an audience by Pope Benedict this afternoon at the Vatican. The Holy Father praised the men’s organization for its work to seek holiness and renewal in the Church.

Addressing them in English the Pope recalled his own recent pastoral visit to the United States, noting how he had sought to encourage the lay faithful "to recommit themselves to growth in holiness and active participation in the Church's mission.”

This same vision was what inspired the foundation of the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal association of Christian laymen, the Holy Father noted, adding that “it continues to find privileged expression in your order's charitable works and your concrete solidarity with the Successor of Peter in his ministry to the Universal Church.”

"That solidarity," he continued, "is manifested in a particular way by the 'Vicarius Christi' Fund, which the Knights have placed at the disposal of the Holy See for the needs of God's people throughout the world. And it is also shown through the daily prayers and sacrifices of so many Knights in their local councils, parishes and communities. For this I am most grateful."

The Pope left the Knights with the challenge to “discover ever new ways to serve as a leaven of the Gospel in the world” and to become “a force for the renewal of the Church in holiness and apostolic zeal.” The Pontiff also expressed his appreciation for the Knights’ efforts to provide “a solid formation in the faith for young people, and to defend the moral truths necessary for a free and humane society, including the fundamental right to life of every human being."

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Build a civilization of love in the face of a culture of death, Cardinal Ouellet tells Knights

Quebec City, Aug 5, 2008 / 10:14 am (CNA).- As he opened the Knights of Columbus’ annual convention on Tuesday morning, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Archbishop of Québec, called on the fraternal organization to react to the increasing secularization of society by more strongly promoting “a culture of life and a civilization of love.”

Two thousand five hundred delegates and their families joined Cardinal Ouellet to celebrate the opening Mass of the Knights of Columbus convention in Québec City, Canada with some 80 bishops from around the world.

Cardinal Ouellet began his homily by welcoming the congregation to “the city of Champlain and Laval, a city of explorers and saints, the cradle of Evangelization in North America, a Eucharistic city which has hosted some weeks ago the 49th International Eucharistic Congress.”

In their midst, the cardinal informed the congregation, was a work of art meant evoke the arks of the Old Testament, which traveled throughout Canada in preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress.

“The presence of the Ark of the New Covenant in our midst symbolizes the renewed Eucharistic commitment we are invited to promote in the life of the Church. The great success of the Congress was due to the prayer and involvement of many actors and benefactors, among which -- I tell you sincerely -- the Knights of Columbus were the most committed organization at all levels.”

Cardinal Ouellet then turned to the challenge being witnesses to the Catholics faith in a society that is becoming increasingly dominated by a culture of death.

“Against violence, hatred, addictions, despair,” the Primate of Canada said, “the love stemming from the Eucharist is able to foster hope, reconciliation and peace.”

Examples of this loving witness can be found in the examples of Jean Vanier, Nicolas Buttet, Marguerite Barankitse and Bl. Father Frederic Janssoone for inspiration to live out this love, he added.

The Knights are called to play a unique part in this mission, Cardinal Ouellet pointed out. “As an international Catholic Fraternity, the Knights of Columbus have a special role to play in witnessing the love of Christ in today’s world under the wise leadership of Pope Benedict the XVI.”

This witness is not always popular, he said, pointing to the encyclical Humanae Vitae, which “despite the cultural opposition to this Church teaching, we are called to revisit this document and to realize how prophetic it was and still is.”

Giving this witness requires Catholics to grow “in holiness on the personal level and to be present as a social body on the public scene, particularly by promoting the values of the family, among which the sacredness of human life from the moment of conception to the last breath of natural death.”

Cardinal Ouellet admitted that, “It is not easy to embody those values in today’s context, especially in Canada where the culture of death is making further steps of domination by rewarding publicly an activist of abortion,” he said, referring to the recent granting of Canada’s highest honor, the Order of Canada, to Henry Morgentaler.

In times such as these, Catholics must “wake up and to hear the word of the Lord: ‘Do not be afraid’ when the storm hits the boat, ‘come to me’ and ‘hold firm my hand,’ the hand of the Church.”

When we hear of sad events in the world, Cardinal Ouellet encouraged the congregation, don’t be of “‘little faith’ but of a new faith commitment to hold firmly the Church teaching on human life and love and to engage with courage the cultural challenges by promoting more strongly a culture of life and a civilization of love.”

• Build a civilization of love in the face of a culture of death, Cardinal Ouellet tells Knight
• Knights of Columbus must help change society with ‘new politics,’ says Carl Anderson