Damned Catholics

[Fake Messiah]

How Catholic bishops fail their country

Two prelates played prominent roles at the inauguration of President Trump. One seized the opportunity to speak truth to power; the other did not.

Rev. Marian Budde minced no words, speaking directly to the new president seated just a few feet away.

But Budde’s courage stands in marked contrast to Cardinal Dolan’s silence, even after Trump fulfilled his pledge to go after undocumented immigrants, even in churches and schools.

The silence is nothing unusual. As a Catholic feminist, I’m ashamed to say that the voices of Catholic leaders, whose flock includes about 30 million Catholic voters, have largely been missing in the struggle to save America’s soul.

That’s because for too many Catholic bishops, the marginalized and vulnerable have one key failing: they’ve already been born.

Why didn’t the bishops raise the alarm much sooner when Catholic voters might have paid attention? Because the bishops are focused on one issue — opposition to abortion.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) made that clear in its 2024 voters’ guide. Candidates’ positions on abortion should be the “pre-eminent priority” for Catholics.

In 2024, more than six out of 10 devout white Catholics — 64% — preferred Trump over Kamala Harris. Latino Catholics voted for Harris, but by much smaller margins than for Joe Biden in 2020. Overall, 53% of Catholics supported Trump.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the head of the USCCB, issued a statement on the Trump executive orders that was the bare minimum one would expect from the Catholic Church. He deemed the executive orders on immigrants and refugees, foreign aid and the death penalty, “deeply troubling,” but praised Trump’s order recognizing two biological sexes, male and female.

Most prelates will go to bat for the “pre-born.” Their passion for life declines dramatically after delivery.

https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/01/25/h...r-country/

[Fake Messiah]

‘Disgusting’: New Orleans archbishop condemned over food bank firings

The way that the archbishop of New Orleans’ Roman Catholic archdiocese fired leaders at a church-affiliated food bank Thursday has angered many congregants of the bankrupt organization.

A statement released on behalf of some of the ousted leaders said they had been removed for refusing to send the archdiocese up to $16m to pay settlements for child molestation committed by Catholic clergy.

Like so many others in the community, retired political strategist Sidney Arroyo said he was livid when he heard the news. He said he had worked closely with Jayroe and others at Second Harvest to help raise $15m for the food bank over the years.

“And this is what the archbishop wants to dip into as a money pot for the pedophile priests? I think that’s not only unacceptable, I think it’s disgusting.”

Arroyo says Second Harvest is bound by contracts with its major donors, such as Feeding America and the MacKenzie Scott foundation, which recently awarded the food bank $25m. He said that money could be in jeopardy if it is used for paying abuse settlements.

James Adams knows a thing or two about serving on a non-profit board controlled by the archbishop. He was president of the Catholic Community Foundation – the New Orleans archdiocese’s fundraising arm – until 2020, when he said he was pressured to step down shortly after he filed a lawsuit alleging a priest sexually abused him as a child.

He went on to represent fellow abuse survivors in the archdiocese’s bankruptcy case. He says none of the 500 molestation claims filed in that case have anything to do with Second Harvest, so he always found it strange that the archdiocese listed Second Harvest among its affiliates that might have to contribute to settling the bankruptcy.

“Taking money that’s specifically given to help feed those who are the poorest among us, those who are facing food insecurity, those who are hungry, taking money that’s earmarked for that, and using it to pay for the actions of pedophile priests is absolutely in direct contrast to the teachings of Christ, direct contrast to what we should be doing as church,” Adams said.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...-food-bank

[Fake Messiah]

Oh no, a man goes on a rampage in one of the basilicas and in just a few seconds breaks candelabra worth $31,000.

Rome - A man has caused minor damage at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican after jumping onto the main altar and knocking over 19th-century candelabra, worth several thousand dollars.

The suspect is from Romania and the candelabra he knocked down are worth €30,000 ($31,000), Italian news agency Ansa reported.

A Vatican spokesman told the agency that the incident involved a person with a “serious mental disability, who has been detained by the Vatican Police and then placed at the disposal of the Italian authorities.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/08/trave...index.html

Jesus did warn them: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."

[Mister Agenda]

The world might benefit from some Robin Hoods evening things out between the RCC and the poor.