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CV NEWS FEED // Bishop Carl Kemme of Wichita, Kansas, urged Catholics to add another day of fasting to their Lenten practices to counter the satanic worship ritual that is scheduled to take place at the Kansas State Capitol March 28.
“It is voluntary, but I hope many will join me in this spiritual act to offer reparation for the offenses God receives because of this blatant show of evil,” Bishop Kemme said in a statement addressing his diocese. “Let us, as a united Body of Christ, lift our voices in prayer and our hearts in supplication. May our fasting and prayer be a powerful witness to our unwavering faith in the face of this spiritual attack.”
He said Catholics “are called to engage in spiritual warfare, to stand against the forces of evil that seek to undermine our faith and defile that which is most sacred to us.”
His statement came amid grave concern that the Satanic Grotto, the group holding the March 28 ritual, was in possession of a consecrated host, the Eucharist. As CatholicVote reported March 18, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City filed an emergency motion asking a local district court to order the ritual’s organizers to return any consecrated hosts and wine in their possession. According to the motion, the organizers had “boasted” online and to the Kansas Catholic Conference executive director that they had “‘secured a consecrated host’ and plan to desecrate it.”
The emergency motion explained that the Catholic Church believes that the consecrated hosts and wine are the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, under the appearances of bread and wine.
On March 20, the leader of the group testified under oath in court that his group does not possess a validly consecrated host.
Satanic Grotto founder Michael Stewart told FOX News Digital in a report published March 21 that he still plans to go to the Capitol March 28 and hold the satanic worship ritual with two or three other members.
FOX also reported that Stewart “did not deny the accusations that he was the owner of a social media account that admitted to taking the host. Stewart said that while he and his group may have sent rude letters to lawmakers in the past, none of them were threatening.”
On March 18, the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council took steps to amend the Capitol building and grounds policy for all demonstrators that may affect the scheduled ritual. The policy amendment included prohibiting people from gathering at the Capitol if police have verified that an involved person made a threat against an elected public official, as CatholicVote reported.
Republican Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said at the meeting that there had previously been “an instance with this particular group and individual threatening members of the legislature,” so the policy amendment was made with that in mind.
The ritual was also originally going to take place inside the Capitol, until Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, ordered that all demonstrations March 28 take place outdoors.
The council also asked Kelly to deploy the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the ritual from taking place, according to the Kansas Reflector.
Stewart asked those unaffiliated but supportive of his group to “stay back” and not engage with law enforcement or public officials, FOX reported.
“Stewart promised to proceed with his demonstration at the Capitol on March 28, despite orders attempting to block it, even if it leads to his arrest,” the news outlet reported.
Archbishop Naumann will lead a Holy Hour and celebrate Mass on March 28 at the church directly across from the Capitol, Bishop Kemme noted in his statement. Seating will be limited for the event, which everyone is invited to attend. Bishop Kemme will lead a Holy Hour of Reparation and noon Mass at the cathedral in Wichita.
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