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| FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 |
| “SHAME AND SORROW” The Holy See responds to the Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy abuse. ““The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible,” said the statement from the Vatican. “The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society.” READ |
| THE PROBLEM IS PERSONNEL Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley reacted to the crisis: “The clock is ticking for all of us in Church leadership. Catholics have lost patience with us and civil society has lost confidence in us.” READ |
| CLEANSING THE CHURCH Fr. Dominic Legge, O.P.: “Most priests who persist in infidelity with women eventually leave the priesthood, but priests who cheat on their vocation with men often continue to live a double life. Most of the issues stem from this kind of duplicity. Networks of active homosexual priests have developed: They protect and promote their own and others who will tolerate them.” READ |
| PURIFIED AT THE ROOT Cardinal Raymond Burke says that a “homosexual culture” inside the Church must be dealt with. “It was clear after the studies following the 2002 sexual abuse crisis that most of the acts of abuse were in fact homosexual acts committed with adolescent young men. There was a studied attempt to either overlook or to deny this. Now it seems clear in light of these recent terrible scandals that indeed there is a homosexual culture, not only among the clergy but even within the hierarchy, which needs to be purified at the root,” he said. READ |
| TWO MORE JUDGES No August recess for the Senate. They just confirmed the 25th and the 26th Trump nominee to the federal bench. One out of every seven appeals court judges in the country was picked by President Trump. READ |
| BAKER SUES GOVERNMENT The tables have turned. Christian baker Jack Phillips is suing the Colorado Civil Rights Commission after the agency filed a complaint against him for refusing to create a cake celebrating a man’s gender transition. “The state of Colorado is ignoring the message of the U.S. Supreme Court by continuing to single out Jack for punishment and to exhibit hostility toward his religious beliefs,” said his lawyer Kristen Waggoner. READ |
| BATHROOM TO BEDROOM A man sued a women’s shelter, demanding that they are legally required to allow him to sleep among the women they housed. READ |
| PELOSI IN TROUBLE? Democrats are suggesting that they might need new leadership in the House. Rep. James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat and a leader in the Congressional Black Caucus, said if Democrats take the House and Pelosi struggles to get 218 votes, that he would seek the speakership. READ |
| ELECTION 2018 Hollywood actors are trying to help turn out the vote for Democrats. They claim: “We’re working to save our democracy.” READ |
| INTELLIGENCE DEBACLE A flaw in the CIA’s covert communications system from 2010-2012 exposed dozens of Chinese informants, and at least 30 are believed to be executed by the Chinese government. READ |
| SUPREME COURT Senate Democrats threaten to sue the National Archives if they don’t turn over documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. READ |
| EVIL IN THE WORLD A young American couple went on a year-long bike trip around the world. While in Morocco, Jay Austin wrote: “You watch the news and you read the papers and you’re led to believe that the world is a big, scary place…. I don’t buy it. Evil is a make-believe concept.” But a few months later in Tajikistan, both Americans were butchered by ISIS militants. READ |
| GOSNELL MOVIE It’s here. Watch the first trailer for the ‘Gosnell’ movie. WATCH |
| SAINT OF THE DAY From greedy, surly businesswoman to saint, this is the story of Saint Joan of the Cross. Her conversion is credited to an elderly woman who most people thought was crazy, but who reached Saint Joan’s heart. Saint Joan of the Cross went on to found a religious congregation and several charitable institutions. READ |
| DAILY READINGS “You have turned from your anger.” (Is 12:2) READ |
| TRUTH |