Catholic Discussion
- Thread starter sanctus
- Start date
Man jailed in sexual assaults and killing at religious store
Associated Press
Published:
November 21, 2018
Updated:
November 21, 2018 7:22 PM EST
Authorities investigate the scene at a Catholic Supply store where a gunman went into the religious supply store, sexually assaulted at least one woman and shot a woman in the head, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Ballwin, Mo. (Johanna Huckeba/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
ST. LOUIS — A man was charged Wednesday with killing one woman and sexually assaulting two others after herding them at gunpoint into the back room of a suburban St. Louis religious supplies shop.
The arrest of 53-year-old Thomas Bruce, of Imperial, ended a two-day manhunt that followed the brazen Monday afternoon attack at a Catholic Supply store in another St. Louis suburb, Ballwin. The attack frightened the region and led some schools, churches and businesses to close.
Bruce is charged with 17 counts, including first-degree murder, sodomy and attempted sodomy, kidnapping and other crimes. He is jailed without bond, and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney yet.
At a news conference announcing the arrest, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch called the crime “heartbreaking,” a sentiment that was echoed by the county’s police chief, Jon Belmar.
“It shocked the senses,” a sombre Belmar said.
Authorities allege that Bruce entered the store and said he was shopping, then left briefly before returning with a handgun. He forced the three women into the back room, told them to strip, exposed himself and ordered them to “perform deviant sexual acts on him,” detectives wrote in the criminal complaint.
Two of the women complied but the third, 53-year-old Jamie Schmidt of nearby House Springs, refused, so he shot her in the head, they wrote. The attacker ordered the other women to continue performing the sexual acts on him, and he later fled, apparently able to blend in along the busy street in broad daylight.
McCulloch said there was no indication the store was targeted because of its religious affiliation.
“It seems to me a guy like this saw an opportunity — three women in the store alone,” McCulloch said.
Bruce, who claimed to be a Navy veteran on his LinkedIn page, had no previous criminal record in Missouri beyond a traffic ticket in 2001. McCulloch said his office is checking with other states.
Belmar said tips from the public helped lead to Bruce’s arrest, though he declined to elaborate.
McCulloch said the aggravating circumstances make the crime eligible for the death penalty, but he said that decision will be up to the man who replaces him in January. McCulloch, the county’s prosecutor for nearly three decades, lost to Wesley Bell of Ferguson in the August Democratic primary. Bell ran unopposed in the November general election.
Dan Stutte, president of Catholic Supply store, which operates three stores in the St. Louis area, said the company was “deeply relieved” by the arrest.
Schmidt, of House Springs, was a married mother of three who worked as a secretarial assistant at St. Louis Community College’s campus in Wildwood, Missouri. Two of her children are adults and the third is in high school.
Several members of her parish, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in High Ridge, gathered for a memorial service Tuesday to remember Schmidt, who sang in the church choir. A friend told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Schmidt may have been at the store to buy supplies to make rosaries for fellow parishioners.
http://torontosun.com/news/crime/man-jailed-in-sexual-assaults-and-killing-at-religious-store
Associated Press
Published:
November 21, 2018
Updated:
November 21, 2018 7:22 PM EST
Authorities investigate the scene at a Catholic Supply store where a gunman went into the religious supply store, sexually assaulted at least one woman and shot a woman in the head, Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, in Ballwin, Mo. (Johanna Huckeba/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
ST. LOUIS — A man was charged Wednesday with killing one woman and sexually assaulting two others after herding them at gunpoint into the back room of a suburban St. Louis religious supplies shop.
The arrest of 53-year-old Thomas Bruce, of Imperial, ended a two-day manhunt that followed the brazen Monday afternoon attack at a Catholic Supply store in another St. Louis suburb, Ballwin. The attack frightened the region and led some schools, churches and businesses to close.
Bruce is charged with 17 counts, including first-degree murder, sodomy and attempted sodomy, kidnapping and other crimes. He is jailed without bond, and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney yet.
At a news conference announcing the arrest, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch called the crime “heartbreaking,” a sentiment that was echoed by the county’s police chief, Jon Belmar.
“It shocked the senses,” a sombre Belmar said.
Authorities allege that Bruce entered the store and said he was shopping, then left briefly before returning with a handgun. He forced the three women into the back room, told them to strip, exposed himself and ordered them to “perform deviant sexual acts on him,” detectives wrote in the criminal complaint.
Two of the women complied but the third, 53-year-old Jamie Schmidt of nearby House Springs, refused, so he shot her in the head, they wrote. The attacker ordered the other women to continue performing the sexual acts on him, and he later fled, apparently able to blend in along the busy street in broad daylight.
McCulloch said there was no indication the store was targeted because of its religious affiliation.
“It seems to me a guy like this saw an opportunity — three women in the store alone,” McCulloch said.
Bruce, who claimed to be a Navy veteran on his LinkedIn page, had no previous criminal record in Missouri beyond a traffic ticket in 2001. McCulloch said his office is checking with other states.
Belmar said tips from the public helped lead to Bruce’s arrest, though he declined to elaborate.
McCulloch said the aggravating circumstances make the crime eligible for the death penalty, but he said that decision will be up to the man who replaces him in January. McCulloch, the county’s prosecutor for nearly three decades, lost to Wesley Bell of Ferguson in the August Democratic primary. Bell ran unopposed in the November general election.
Dan Stutte, president of Catholic Supply store, which operates three stores in the St. Louis area, said the company was “deeply relieved” by the arrest.
Schmidt, of House Springs, was a married mother of three who worked as a secretarial assistant at St. Louis Community College’s campus in Wildwood, Missouri. Two of her children are adults and the third is in high school.
Several members of her parish, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in High Ridge, gathered for a memorial service Tuesday to remember Schmidt, who sang in the church choir. A friend told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Schmidt may have been at the store to buy supplies to make rosaries for fellow parishioners.
http://torontosun.com/news/crime/man-jailed-in-sexual-assaults-and-killing-at-religious-store
Teacher reprimanded for forcing boy to wash off Ash Wednesday cross
Associated Press
Published:
March 7, 2019
Updated:
March 7, 2019 9:50 PM EST
This April 1, 2018 photo provided by Karen Fisher shows fourth-grader William McLeod at his home in Bountiful, Utah. A teacher in the predominantly Mormon state was placed on administrative leave Thursday, March 7, 2019 after she forced McLeod, a Catholic student to wash off the Ash Wednesday cross from his forehead. (Karen Fisher via AP)
SALT LAKE CITY — A teacher in the predominantly Mormon state of Utah was placed on administrative leave after she forced a Catholic student to wash off the Ash Wednesday cross from his forehead.
William McLeod, 9, had just returned to his school near Salt Lake City after attending Catholic mass when his fourth-grade teacher called the ash marking “inappropriate” and gave him a hand wipe to clean it off in front of his classmates, grandmother Karen Fisher said.
At first William explained that he couldn’t remove it because it was important for the beginning of Easter but eventually obliged, Fisher said.
“He went to see the school’s psychologist crying,” said Fisher. “He was embarrassed.”
The incident at Valley View Elementary in Bountiful, Utah, is being taken very seriously and an investigation into whether disciplinary action will be levied against William’s teacher has been opened, said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams. In the meantime, she isn’t teaching, he said.
Story continues below
“The actions were unacceptable,” Williams said. “No student should ever be asked or required to remove an ash cross from his or her forehead.”
The teacher, Moana Patterson, was called into a meeting with the principal and the school board about the incident, Williams said. After that meeting, she called Fisher to apologize, he said.
Fisher, who lives with William, said Patterson gave a handwritten note and candy bar to William as an apology.
Patterson didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment about the incident.
Williams said he doesn’t know Patterson’s religious affiliation.
In Utah, Catholics are the minority. The 330,000 Catholics in the state account for about 10 per cent of the population, according to Jean Hill at the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints account for about two-thirds of the state. The faith’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City.
Mormons celebrate Easter, but don’t observe Ash Wednesday, a Christian holy day of prayer and repentance that falls on the first day of Lent, six weeks before Easter. The use of ash is a sign of mortality and has a long history in Christian and Jewish worship.
“We understand that mistakes happen,” Hill said in a statement. “The diocese is also very grateful to the young student who used the situation to educate his teacher about a part of his faith and its importance to him.”
Fisher said Patterson asked if she could reapply the ashes herself.
“I told her that’s not how it works,” Fisher said.
A Catholic deacon who happens to be a member of the school board came to the school to reapply the ashes, Williams said.
“Learning about one another is one way we build community across religious, political, racial, ethnic and other borders,” Hill said.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/teacher-reprimanded-for-forcing-boy-to-wash-off-ash-wednesday-cross
Associated Press
Published:
March 7, 2019
Updated:
March 7, 2019 9:50 PM EST
This April 1, 2018 photo provided by Karen Fisher shows fourth-grader William McLeod at his home in Bountiful, Utah. A teacher in the predominantly Mormon state was placed on administrative leave Thursday, March 7, 2019 after she forced McLeod, a Catholic student to wash off the Ash Wednesday cross from his forehead. (Karen Fisher via AP)
SALT LAKE CITY — A teacher in the predominantly Mormon state of Utah was placed on administrative leave after she forced a Catholic student to wash off the Ash Wednesday cross from his forehead.
William McLeod, 9, had just returned to his school near Salt Lake City after attending Catholic mass when his fourth-grade teacher called the ash marking “inappropriate” and gave him a hand wipe to clean it off in front of his classmates, grandmother Karen Fisher said.
At first William explained that he couldn’t remove it because it was important for the beginning of Easter but eventually obliged, Fisher said.
“He went to see the school’s psychologist crying,” said Fisher. “He was embarrassed.”
The incident at Valley View Elementary in Bountiful, Utah, is being taken very seriously and an investigation into whether disciplinary action will be levied against William’s teacher has been opened, said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams. In the meantime, she isn’t teaching, he said.
Story continues below
“The actions were unacceptable,” Williams said. “No student should ever be asked or required to remove an ash cross from his or her forehead.”
The teacher, Moana Patterson, was called into a meeting with the principal and the school board about the incident, Williams said. After that meeting, she called Fisher to apologize, he said.
Fisher, who lives with William, said Patterson gave a handwritten note and candy bar to William as an apology.
Patterson didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment about the incident.
Williams said he doesn’t know Patterson’s religious affiliation.
In Utah, Catholics are the minority. The 330,000 Catholics in the state account for about 10 per cent of the population, according to Jean Hill at the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints account for about two-thirds of the state. The faith’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City.
Mormons celebrate Easter, but don’t observe Ash Wednesday, a Christian holy day of prayer and repentance that falls on the first day of Lent, six weeks before Easter. The use of ash is a sign of mortality and has a long history in Christian and Jewish worship.
“We understand that mistakes happen,” Hill said in a statement. “The diocese is also very grateful to the young student who used the situation to educate his teacher about a part of his faith and its importance to him.”
Fisher said Patterson asked if she could reapply the ashes herself.
“I told her that’s not how it works,” Fisher said.
A Catholic deacon who happens to be a member of the school board came to the school to reapply the ashes, Williams said.
“Learning about one another is one way we build community across religious, political, racial, ethnic and other borders,” Hill said.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/teacher-reprimanded-for-forcing-boy-to-wash-off-ash-wednesday-cross
A Catholic deacon who happens to be a member of the school board came to the school to reapply the ashes, Williams said.
That was the first time he cared to mention why some students would be marked as must have happened in the past how many times, a few 100 or so??
That was the first time he cared to mention why some students would be marked as must have happened in the past how many times, a few 100 or so??
Toronto Catholic school teacher charged with sex assault
Postmedia News
Published:
March 12, 2019
Updated:
March 12, 2019 8:31 AM EDT
Brian Ross, 36, of Toronto, is charged with sexual assault.
A Toronto Catholic school teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a student in 2017.
Toronto Police say that a 15-year-old girl met with a man in March of that year and was driven to his home to “discuss school issues.” Police allege that he sexually assaulted the teen during the visit.
On March 6, 36-year-old Brian Ross, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and sexual interference.
Police say Ross, a Toronto Catholic District School Board teacher, taught at Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School on Avenue Rd. from Sept. 1, 2006 to Aug. 31, 2016 and at Senator O’Connor College School on Rowena Dr. from Sept. 1, 2016 to Feb. 18, 2019.
He was also involved in coaching athletics, police say.
Story continues below
He is to appear in an Eglinton Ave. courtroom on May 3.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2922 or Crime Stoppers.
http://torontosun.com/news/local-news/toronto-catholic-school-teacher-charged-with-sex-assault
Postmedia News
Published:
March 12, 2019
Updated:
March 12, 2019 8:31 AM EDT
Brian Ross, 36, of Toronto, is charged with sexual assault.
A Toronto Catholic school teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a student in 2017.
Toronto Police say that a 15-year-old girl met with a man in March of that year and was driven to his home to “discuss school issues.” Police allege that he sexually assaulted the teen during the visit.
On March 6, 36-year-old Brian Ross, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and sexual interference.
Police say Ross, a Toronto Catholic District School Board teacher, taught at Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School on Avenue Rd. from Sept. 1, 2006 to Aug. 31, 2016 and at Senator O’Connor College School on Rowena Dr. from Sept. 1, 2016 to Feb. 18, 2019.
He was also involved in coaching athletics, police say.
Story continues below
He is to appear in an Eglinton Ave. courtroom on May 3.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2922 or Crime Stoppers.
http://torontosun.com/news/local-news/toronto-catholic-school-teacher-charged-with-sex-assault
MANDEL: Toronto Catholic diocese must pay over $500,000 to abused altar boy
Michele Mandel
Published:
March 19, 2019
Updated:
March 19, 2019 7:18 PM EDT
Shame on them.
It was bad enough that one of their priests preyed on an 11-year-old altar boy more than 50 years ago, taking him on a trip to see a Montreal cathedral only to sexually assault him in a motel room.
It was bad enough that the Toronto diocese waited to admit liability until the first day of the civil trial, adding years of stress to an already emotionally shattered victim, even though the church knew by that time that a multitude of complaints had been made against the late Father Alphonse Robert.
That was all bad enough. But then the church actually had the temerity to appeal the jury award, arguing it was too high.
Have they no shame?
After a 16-day trial, a jury awarded general and aggravated damages of $250,000, loss of income of $280,000, treatment expenses of $5,000, and punitive damages of $15,000 for increasing his suffering by waiting so long before admitting fault.
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet,
but your article continues below.
Born in 1952, the victim was raised in a strict Roman Catholic home in Toronto and became an altar boy at 11– at about the same time Robert transferred to their parish.
In 1963, the priest — who had befriended the family — took the boy to Montreal to visit the Basilica of Notre Dame. When they spent a night in a Cornwall motel room equipped with just one bed, Robert fondled the child and performed oral sex on him.
The boy would never recover. He “believed that because Father Robert was a priest, the events of that night were his fault and that he was damned to hell,” the appeal court noted.
“He suffered guilt and shame. He was not able to confide in anyone and could not go to confession because Father Robert was his confessor.”
Decades later, his alcoholism and PTSD could be traced back to that ugly encounter. In 2014, he sued the church.
By that time, court heard the diocese was well aware of other complaints against the late priest: “Father (Brian) Clough noted that Father Robert had transferred parishes a number of times and that he had been twice rejected from the priesthood.”
So how dare the church stubbornly deny liability right up until the trial began in 2017?
Even after finally admitting fault, the church still called an expert to minimize the sex assault. The most he would say was that it was “extremely unpleasant.”
When the jury awarded the victim $550,000, the church called it “so far out of the appropriate range” and blamed the victim’s lawyer for inflaming the jury with his closing submissions.
MANDEL: Jury unaware former pastor had faced murder charge
MANDEL: Shoeshine boy killer seeks first taste of freedom after 41 years
MANDEL: OSPCA will finally be brought to heel
The appeal panel disagreed, saying all but the punitive damages were supported by the evidence and were not awarded “out of an impermissible sense of outrage.” But two of the three judges did set aside the $15,000 ordered against the church for not admitting liability until the morning of the trial.
Only Justice Mary Lou Benotto dissented, saying the punitive damages should have stood as a “symbolic condemnation” and overturning them “would be to sanction the conduct.”
For shame, they have.
mmandel@postmedia.com
http://torontosun.com/news/local-ne...cese-must-pay-over-500000-to-abused-altar-boy
Michele Mandel
Published:
March 19, 2019
Updated:
March 19, 2019 7:18 PM EDT
Shame on them.
It was bad enough that one of their priests preyed on an 11-year-old altar boy more than 50 years ago, taking him on a trip to see a Montreal cathedral only to sexually assault him in a motel room.
It was bad enough that the Toronto diocese waited to admit liability until the first day of the civil trial, adding years of stress to an already emotionally shattered victim, even though the church knew by that time that a multitude of complaints had been made against the late Father Alphonse Robert.
That was all bad enough. But then the church actually had the temerity to appeal the jury award, arguing it was too high.
Have they no shame?
After a 16-day trial, a jury awarded general and aggravated damages of $250,000, loss of income of $280,000, treatment expenses of $5,000, and punitive damages of $15,000 for increasing his suffering by waiting so long before admitting fault.
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet,
but your article continues below.
Born in 1952, the victim was raised in a strict Roman Catholic home in Toronto and became an altar boy at 11– at about the same time Robert transferred to their parish.
In 1963, the priest — who had befriended the family — took the boy to Montreal to visit the Basilica of Notre Dame. When they spent a night in a Cornwall motel room equipped with just one bed, Robert fondled the child and performed oral sex on him.
The boy would never recover. He “believed that because Father Robert was a priest, the events of that night were his fault and that he was damned to hell,” the appeal court noted.
“He suffered guilt and shame. He was not able to confide in anyone and could not go to confession because Father Robert was his confessor.”
Decades later, his alcoholism and PTSD could be traced back to that ugly encounter. In 2014, he sued the church.
By that time, court heard the diocese was well aware of other complaints against the late priest: “Father (Brian) Clough noted that Father Robert had transferred parishes a number of times and that he had been twice rejected from the priesthood.”
So how dare the church stubbornly deny liability right up until the trial began in 2017?
Even after finally admitting fault, the church still called an expert to minimize the sex assault. The most he would say was that it was “extremely unpleasant.”
When the jury awarded the victim $550,000, the church called it “so far out of the appropriate range” and blamed the victim’s lawyer for inflaming the jury with his closing submissions.
MANDEL: Jury unaware former pastor had faced murder charge
MANDEL: Shoeshine boy killer seeks first taste of freedom after 41 years
MANDEL: OSPCA will finally be brought to heel
The appeal panel disagreed, saying all but the punitive damages were supported by the evidence and were not awarded “out of an impermissible sense of outrage.” But two of the three judges did set aside the $15,000 ordered against the church for not admitting liability until the morning of the trial.
Only Justice Mary Lou Benotto dissented, saying the punitive damages should have stood as a “symbolic condemnation” and overturning them “would be to sanction the conduct.”
For shame, they have.
mmandel@postmedia.com
http://torontosun.com/news/local-ne...cese-must-pay-over-500000-to-abused-altar-boy
Teacher who had student wipe off ash cross is back in classroom
Associated Press
Published:
March 19, 2019
Updated:
March 19, 2019 2:14 PM EDT
Rev. Joe Dunagan applies ashes to the foreheads of parishioner during an Ash Wednesday service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in Bristol, Va. (David Crigger/Bristol Herald Courier via AP)
BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Utah officials say a teacher who asked a student to wipe an ash cross off his forehead on Ash Wednesday has returned to work.
KUTV reports that the Davis County School District says fourth-grade teacher Moana Patterson is back in the classroom after gave 9-year-old Catholic student William McLeod a wet wipe to clean off the cross. She has said she did not know it was a religious symbol.
The district apologized to the family, saying it recognizes Ash Wednesday as one of the holiest days of the year in the Catholic faith. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.
Patterson had been placed on administrative leave.
The principal of her Valley View Elementary School will work with the district officials to provide additional training to educators.
http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-teacher-who-asked-student-to-take-off-ash-cross-returns-to-work
http://torontosun.com/news/world/teacher-who-had-student-wipe-off-ash-cross-is-back-in-classroom
Associated Press
Published:
March 19, 2019
Updated:
March 19, 2019 2:14 PM EDT
Rev. Joe Dunagan applies ashes to the foreheads of parishioner during an Ash Wednesday service at Emmanuel Episcopal Church Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in Bristol, Va. (David Crigger/Bristol Herald Courier via AP)
BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Utah officials say a teacher who asked a student to wipe an ash cross off his forehead on Ash Wednesday has returned to work.
KUTV reports that the Davis County School District says fourth-grade teacher Moana Patterson is back in the classroom after gave 9-year-old Catholic student William McLeod a wet wipe to clean off the cross. She has said she did not know it was a religious symbol.
The district apologized to the family, saying it recognizes Ash Wednesday as one of the holiest days of the year in the Catholic faith. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.
Patterson had been placed on administrative leave.
The principal of her Valley View Elementary School will work with the district officials to provide additional training to educators.
http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-teacher-who-asked-student-to-take-off-ash-cross-returns-to-work
http://torontosun.com/news/world/teacher-who-had-student-wipe-off-ash-cross-is-back-in-classroom
Priest stabbed during morning mass in Montreal
Montreal Gazette
Published:
March 22, 2019
Updated:
March 22, 2019 10:52 PM EDT
Several people rushed to the altar, blocking the attacker from getting too close to the rector.
A suspect is to be arraigned in court on Saturday, the day after the rector at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal was stabbed as he said mass in the church.
Footage from the 8:30 a.m. mass on Friday, broadcast on a Catholic television network, showed a man dressed in dark clothing and wearing a white baseball cap walking toward the altar. The man knocked over a candle as he rushed toward Father Claude Grou, striking him at least twice with an object in his right hand. Grou moved away, falling as the man attacked him and knocking over a banner at the right of the altar.
Several other people rushed to the altar, blocking the man from getting close to Grou. The priest then stood up and was helped by people in the church.
“There was a man, a young man, who stood up and, quickly, went to the front, into the sanctuary, behind the altar where Abbé Claude Grou was standing. No one was sure what exactly was happening and I saw the priest move a bit, farther away from this person,” said Philip Barrett, who witnessed the scene. “He struck him. I didn’t see clearly how he struck him, but it was toward (Grou’s) body, then after that I think the priest fell. Then, suddenly, people reacted and went toward the front of the church.”
Barrett said the suspect did not resist when he was subdued by security guards.
“The assailant was on the ground, calm, and had two men on top of him keeping him there,” said witness Alice Plamondon.
Police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said the 26-year-old suspect is known to police. He was questioned and is to be arraigned by videoconference in the Court of Quebec in Montreal on Saturday, the police announced on Friday afternoon. They did not release the name of the suspect because he wasn’t yet charged.
For its part, the Crown had not announced by late Friday what charges would be laid against the suspect.
Oratory spokesperson Céline Barbeau confirmed that Grou, 77, was taken to a hospital. She said she spoke to Grou later Friday and that he was doing well.
“The wounds were superficial,” she said. “He’s shaken by the situation but he has a clear voice and is doing very, very well.”
Grou was released from the hospital later Friday. He told CTV News he would go home to rest and return to work after he has recuperated, but “my health is fine.” He also thanked all those who helped after the altercation, and those who expressed concern and prayed for him.
Grou, who is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, has been at the Oratory since the early 2000s.
Police closed off the area around the crypt in the lower section of the Oratory for their investigation. But Barbeau said the rest of the building is open to the public. Masses are being said in the basilica at the church, she said.
“People will come to pray for Father Grou,” she said.
Rector of St Joseph's Oratory, Father...
Montreal police officers at the scene of a...
Father Claude Grou is in stable condition...
Rector of St Joseph's Oratory, Father...
1/7
While there is 24-hour security at the Oratory, Barbeau said there are no metal detectors in the building.
“This is a place of openness and a place of prayer so we cannot close a place like that,” she said. “It is an absolutely safe place.”
The Archbishop of Montreal, Christian Lépine, issued a statement on the website of the Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal offering support to Grou and thanks to those who assisted him.
“We are all shocked by this act of violence that has taken place in our city, in a space dedicated to peace,” the archbishop’s message said.
“We know that places of worship of many religions are targets of acts of violence. We must continue to follow the path of peace and love, believing that good will overcome evil through prayer and good works. … I would especially like to recognize the first responders, especially those who courageously protected Father Grou. I thank the police force for their timely response, the ambulance technicians for their diligence and the support staff for their courage.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante reacted to the attack on Twitter, saying, “What a horrible and inexcusable gesture that has no place in Montreal. I am relieved to learn that Father Claude Grou … is out of danger and in stable condition. In the name of all Montrealers, I wish him a speedy recovery.”
The diocese, meanwhile, said it wouldn’t comment on whether any security measures are being taken to protect churches in the city in the wake of the attack.
Barbeau said about 50 people were attending the mass when the attack occurred, including the attacker, who was at the back of the church.
She said people were shaken and saddened by what happened. “Father Grou is very much appreciated by the pilgrims who come to the Oratory.”
Barbeau said that to her knowledge a similar attack has never taken place at the Oratory.
The Oratory towers over Queen Mary Rd. in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges district. It is visited by more than 2 million people every year.
It houses a basilica that can seat 2,000 people, as well as a smaller crypt church with seating for 1,000. It is also home to the tomb of Saint Brother André, the Catholic lay brother whose small wooden chapel laid the foundations for the massive basilica.
The Oratory is the largest church in Canada.
Some people visiting the Oratory on Friday said they were shocked by the attack.
“That’s crazy,” said Abilash Uthayabas, 19, visiting from Toronto. “Why would they do that to a priest? It’s a holy place to commit a crime. I’m wondering why that would happen to begin with? We’re going to pray for the best for the priest.”
“In Paris, these kinds of attacks are frequent,” said Isabelle Michel, visiting from Chartres, France. “It is always shocking, though. There are more and more of these kinds of dramatic events. And that it happened to a priest — it’s true that it’s difficult.
“The world in which we live is getting worse and worse. But we can’t live in fear. We have to take measures.”
The Montreal Gazette’s T’Cha Dunlevy and Linda Gyulai and Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Mélanie Joly, minister of Canadian Heritage, speaks with Father Claude Grou, rector of St. Joseph’s Oratory in 2016. John Kenney / Montreal Gazette file photo
Related
Timeline: St. Joseph’s Oratory began as a modest wood chapel built by Brother André
Tap here for more from the crime beat
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/priest-st...-looks-forward-to-returning-to-work-1.4347479
http://diocesemontreal.org/en/news-...sault-st-josephs-oratory-statement-archbishop
http://torontosun.com/news/local-news/a-priest-has-been-stabbed-during-mass-at-st-josephs-oratory
Montreal Gazette
Published:
March 22, 2019
Updated:
March 22, 2019 10:52 PM EDT
Several people rushed to the altar, blocking the attacker from getting too close to the rector.
A suspect is to be arraigned in court on Saturday, the day after the rector at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal was stabbed as he said mass in the church.
Footage from the 8:30 a.m. mass on Friday, broadcast on a Catholic television network, showed a man dressed in dark clothing and wearing a white baseball cap walking toward the altar. The man knocked over a candle as he rushed toward Father Claude Grou, striking him at least twice with an object in his right hand. Grou moved away, falling as the man attacked him and knocking over a banner at the right of the altar.
Several other people rushed to the altar, blocking the man from getting close to Grou. The priest then stood up and was helped by people in the church.
“There was a man, a young man, who stood up and, quickly, went to the front, into the sanctuary, behind the altar where Abbé Claude Grou was standing. No one was sure what exactly was happening and I saw the priest move a bit, farther away from this person,” said Philip Barrett, who witnessed the scene. “He struck him. I didn’t see clearly how he struck him, but it was toward (Grou’s) body, then after that I think the priest fell. Then, suddenly, people reacted and went toward the front of the church.”
Barrett said the suspect did not resist when he was subdued by security guards.
“The assailant was on the ground, calm, and had two men on top of him keeping him there,” said witness Alice Plamondon.
Police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said the 26-year-old suspect is known to police. He was questioned and is to be arraigned by videoconference in the Court of Quebec in Montreal on Saturday, the police announced on Friday afternoon. They did not release the name of the suspect because he wasn’t yet charged.
For its part, the Crown had not announced by late Friday what charges would be laid against the suspect.
Oratory spokesperson Céline Barbeau confirmed that Grou, 77, was taken to a hospital. She said she spoke to Grou later Friday and that he was doing well.
“The wounds were superficial,” she said. “He’s shaken by the situation but he has a clear voice and is doing very, very well.”
Grou was released from the hospital later Friday. He told CTV News he would go home to rest and return to work after he has recuperated, but “my health is fine.” He also thanked all those who helped after the altercation, and those who expressed concern and prayed for him.
Grou, who is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, has been at the Oratory since the early 2000s.
Police closed off the area around the crypt in the lower section of the Oratory for their investigation. But Barbeau said the rest of the building is open to the public. Masses are being said in the basilica at the church, she said.
“People will come to pray for Father Grou,” she said.
Rector of St Joseph's Oratory, Father...
Montreal police officers at the scene of a...
Father Claude Grou is in stable condition...
Rector of St Joseph's Oratory, Father...
1/7
While there is 24-hour security at the Oratory, Barbeau said there are no metal detectors in the building.
“This is a place of openness and a place of prayer so we cannot close a place like that,” she said. “It is an absolutely safe place.”
The Archbishop of Montreal, Christian Lépine, issued a statement on the website of the Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal offering support to Grou and thanks to those who assisted him.
“We are all shocked by this act of violence that has taken place in our city, in a space dedicated to peace,” the archbishop’s message said.
“We know that places of worship of many religions are targets of acts of violence. We must continue to follow the path of peace and love, believing that good will overcome evil through prayer and good works. … I would especially like to recognize the first responders, especially those who courageously protected Father Grou. I thank the police force for their timely response, the ambulance technicians for their diligence and the support staff for their courage.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante reacted to the attack on Twitter, saying, “What a horrible and inexcusable gesture that has no place in Montreal. I am relieved to learn that Father Claude Grou … is out of danger and in stable condition. In the name of all Montrealers, I wish him a speedy recovery.”
The diocese, meanwhile, said it wouldn’t comment on whether any security measures are being taken to protect churches in the city in the wake of the attack.
Barbeau said about 50 people were attending the mass when the attack occurred, including the attacker, who was at the back of the church.
She said people were shaken and saddened by what happened. “Father Grou is very much appreciated by the pilgrims who come to the Oratory.”
Barbeau said that to her knowledge a similar attack has never taken place at the Oratory.
The Oratory towers over Queen Mary Rd. in the city’s Côte-des-Neiges district. It is visited by more than 2 million people every year.
It houses a basilica that can seat 2,000 people, as well as a smaller crypt church with seating for 1,000. It is also home to the tomb of Saint Brother André, the Catholic lay brother whose small wooden chapel laid the foundations for the massive basilica.
The Oratory is the largest church in Canada.
Some people visiting the Oratory on Friday said they were shocked by the attack.
“That’s crazy,” said Abilash Uthayabas, 19, visiting from Toronto. “Why would they do that to a priest? It’s a holy place to commit a crime. I’m wondering why that would happen to begin with? We’re going to pray for the best for the priest.”
“In Paris, these kinds of attacks are frequent,” said Isabelle Michel, visiting from Chartres, France. “It is always shocking, though. There are more and more of these kinds of dramatic events. And that it happened to a priest — it’s true that it’s difficult.
“The world in which we live is getting worse and worse. But we can’t live in fear. We have to take measures.”
The Montreal Gazette’s T’Cha Dunlevy and Linda Gyulai and Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Mélanie Joly, minister of Canadian Heritage, speaks with Father Claude Grou, rector of St. Joseph’s Oratory in 2016. John Kenney / Montreal Gazette file photo
Related
Timeline: St. Joseph’s Oratory began as a modest wood chapel built by Brother André
Tap here for more from the crime beat
http://diocesemontreal.org/en/news-...sault-st-josephs-oratory-statement-archbishop
http://torontosun.com/news/local-news/a-priest-has-been-stabbed-during-mass-at-st-josephs-oratory
Last edited:
GRAPHIC WARNING: Montreal priest expected to survive stabbing
Craig Robertson
Published:
March 22, 2019
Updated:
March 22, 2019 6:19 PM EDT
WATCH ABOVE as a priest in Montreal is attacked at the front of the church by a man with a knife.
What do YOU think?
Are churches and mosques under attack?
Tweet and Facebook us!
And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
http://torontosun.com/news/national/caught-on-video-montreal-priest-expected-to-survive-stabbing
Craig Robertson
Published:
March 22, 2019
Updated:
March 22, 2019 6:19 PM EDT
WATCH ABOVE as a priest in Montreal is attacked at the front of the church by a man with a knife.
What do YOU think?
Are churches and mosques under attack?
Tweet and Facebook us!
And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Saint Mary's student raped by groundskeeper felt 'sick' for weeks after assault
Canadian Press
Published:
March 26, 2019
Updated:
March 26, 2019 5:33 PM EDT
The main entrance to Saint Mary's University is seen in a 2007 file photoWikimedia Commons /Robert Alfers / HO
HALIFAX — A young woman who was raped in her dorm room at a Halifax university says she was “anxious to the point of getting sick” in the weeks following the incident.
Crown lawyer Rick Woodburn read the woman’s victim impact statement today in Halifax provincial court at the sentencing hearing for Matthew Percy.
Percy was found guilty of sexual assault and voyeurism last December for the September 2017 incident.
The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, says in the statement that she suffered from depression and anxiety, and that she turned to drinking in the weeks after she was sexually assaulted.
The Crown is seeking four years in jail for Percy — a former groundskeeper at Saint Mary’s University — while the defence is arguing for a sentence of between 12 and 18 months.
Story continues below
Percy is also accused of sexually assaulting two other women, and will face separate trials next year on charges including sexual assault causing bodily harm, choking and assault.
In another incident involving a fourth woman in September 2017, Percy was accused of sexual assault, voyeurism and overcoming resistance by choking.
He was acquitted of those charges in August 2018, but the Crown has appealed that decision. The appeal is scheduled to be heard in October.
http://torontosun.com/news/crime/sa...oundskeeper-felt-sick-for-weeks-after-assault
Canadian Press
Published:
March 26, 2019
Updated:
March 26, 2019 5:33 PM EDT
The main entrance to Saint Mary's University is seen in a 2007 file photoWikimedia Commons /Robert Alfers / HO
HALIFAX — A young woman who was raped in her dorm room at a Halifax university says she was “anxious to the point of getting sick” in the weeks following the incident.
Crown lawyer Rick Woodburn read the woman’s victim impact statement today in Halifax provincial court at the sentencing hearing for Matthew Percy.
Percy was found guilty of sexual assault and voyeurism last December for the September 2017 incident.
The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, says in the statement that she suffered from depression and anxiety, and that she turned to drinking in the weeks after she was sexually assaulted.
The Crown is seeking four years in jail for Percy — a former groundskeeper at Saint Mary’s University — while the defence is arguing for a sentence of between 12 and 18 months.
Story continues below
Percy is also accused of sexually assaulting two other women, and will face separate trials next year on charges including sexual assault causing bodily harm, choking and assault.
In another incident involving a fourth woman in September 2017, Percy was accused of sexual assault, voyeurism and overcoming resistance by choking.
He was acquitted of those charges in August 2018, but the Crown has appealed that decision. The appeal is scheduled to be heard in October.
http://torontosun.com/news/crime/sa...oundskeeper-felt-sick-for-weeks-after-assault
'Harry Potter' books burned at Catholic parish in Poland
Associated Press
Published:
April 1, 2019
Updated:
April 1, 2019 3:18 PM EDT
Diesel and Fyver, two owls similar to the ones in Harry Potter stories, oversee the security on Amazon.ca's shipment of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" books today, Tuesday, June 10, 2003.
WARSAW, Poland — Priests at a Catholic parish in northern Poland have drawn criticism after they burned books, including from the “Harry Potter” series, and other items that their owners said had evil forces.
Images from the burning at Gdansk’s Mother of Church parish on Sunday were posted on Facebook by Catholic foundation SMS z Nieba (SMS from Heaven,) which uses unconventional means to carry out its religious work.
In the pictures, flames are consuming an African wooden mask, a small Buddhist figure, figurines of elephants and books on personality and magic, as well as those by J.K. Rowling. They were all brought in by parishioners, who were encouraged by the priests to clear their homes of objects that had evil forces. Influential in Poland, the Catholic Church objects to “Harry Potter” books, which are international bestsellers, saying they promote sorcery.
In the photos, priests and altar boys can be seen watching the burning objects.
The foundation said the book burning was intended to alert parishioners to bad influences that it says come from magic and the occult.
Story continues below
Many comments under the Facebook postings condemned the book burning, recalling that also happened in Nazi Germany before World War II. Some said this taught hatred and asked if the next in line for burning were witches, like in the Middle Ages.
The event was criticized by the Rev. Wojciech Parafianowicz, spokesman for the diocese of Koszalin, where the foundation is based, who said he “did not like this form of priestly activity, which is wrong.”
But, speaking with the wpolityce.pl news portal, Parafianowicz argued that the occult and magic “have a bad influence on human life.”
A popular commentator on religion, Pawel Guzynski, a Dominican Friar, said on Facebook the burning was “rather the fall of wise faith than of unwise superstition.”
The church enjoys great authority in predominantly Catholic Poland because of its historical and political backing. It has the support of the conservative government many of whose members are Catholic.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/harry-potter-books-burned-at-catholic-parish-in-poland
Associated Press
Published:
April 1, 2019
Updated:
April 1, 2019 3:18 PM EDT
Diesel and Fyver, two owls similar to the ones in Harry Potter stories, oversee the security on Amazon.ca's shipment of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" books today, Tuesday, June 10, 2003.
WARSAW, Poland — Priests at a Catholic parish in northern Poland have drawn criticism after they burned books, including from the “Harry Potter” series, and other items that their owners said had evil forces.
Images from the burning at Gdansk’s Mother of Church parish on Sunday were posted on Facebook by Catholic foundation SMS z Nieba (SMS from Heaven,) which uses unconventional means to carry out its religious work.
In the pictures, flames are consuming an African wooden mask, a small Buddhist figure, figurines of elephants and books on personality and magic, as well as those by J.K. Rowling. They were all brought in by parishioners, who were encouraged by the priests to clear their homes of objects that had evil forces. Influential in Poland, the Catholic Church objects to “Harry Potter” books, which are international bestsellers, saying they promote sorcery.
In the photos, priests and altar boys can be seen watching the burning objects.
The foundation said the book burning was intended to alert parishioners to bad influences that it says come from magic and the occult.
Story continues below
Many comments under the Facebook postings condemned the book burning, recalling that also happened in Nazi Germany before World War II. Some said this taught hatred and asked if the next in line for burning were witches, like in the Middle Ages.
The event was criticized by the Rev. Wojciech Parafianowicz, spokesman for the diocese of Koszalin, where the foundation is based, who said he “did not like this form of priestly activity, which is wrong.”
But, speaking with the wpolityce.pl news portal, Parafianowicz argued that the occult and magic “have a bad influence on human life.”
A popular commentator on religion, Pawel Guzynski, a Dominican Friar, said on Facebook the burning was “rather the fall of wise faith than of unwise superstition.”
The church enjoys great authority in predominantly Catholic Poland because of its historical and political backing. It has the support of the conservative government many of whose members are Catholic.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/harry-potter-books-burned-at-catholic-parish-in-poland
Polish priest apologizes for burning of 'Harry Potter' books
Associated Press
Published:
April 3, 2019
Updated:
April 3, 2019 11:56 AM EDT
In this Wednesday Oct. 18, 2017 file photo, a member of British Library staff poses for a picture with Harry Potter books published in several languages at the "Harry Potter - A History of Magic" exhibition at the British Library, in London. Tim Ireland / AP
WARSAW, Poland — A priest in northern Poland who led a public burning of books that included titles from the “Harry Potter” series and other items parishioners wanted destroyed has apologized, saying the ritual was not intended to condemn specific authors, religions or social groups.
The Rev. Rafal Jarosiewicz called the burning of objects thought to be connected to magic and the occult, and deemed by their owners to be an evil force, “unfortunate.” He published the apology late Tuesday on the Facebook page of a foundation he founded.
Jarosiewicz and other priests have drawn criticism for burning books, Buddhist figurines, an African mask, and other items Sunday outside a Catholic church in the city of Gdansk. They said they encouraged parishioners to bring in things that disturbed them so the priests could do away with bad influences.
Jarosiewicz was fined by city guards. An anti-smog group also contacted prosecutors about the illegal burning of waste in an open fire.
Images from the burning at the Parish of Our Lady Mother of the Church and St. Catherine of Sweden were posted on the SMS z Nieba (SMS from Heaven) foundation, which uses unconventional means to carry out religious work across Poland.
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet,
but your article continues below.
In the pictures, flames are consuming an African wooden mask, a small Buddhist figure, figurines of elephants and books on personality, magic and from J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series. Some Catholic faithful and priests think the “Harry Potter” books promote sorcery.
The book-burning attracted attention as Poland’s influential Catholic Church is grappling with revelations about the scale of child sex abuse allegedly committed by pedophile priests.
Last month, the country’s Catholic bishops’ conference, the Episcopal Conference of Poland, said it had recorded cases of 382 clergymen who have abused 625 minors since 1990.
Prosecutors in the eastern town of Zamosc said Wednesday they plan to send an indictment to the regional court charging a priest in his 30s who is accused of recording video of girls and women while they were in public changing rooms and toilets.
Prosecutor Artur Szykula told The Associated Press the priest admitted wrongdoing.
The priest was caught in August in Croatia while recording a girl in a changing room. That case is to be heard by a court in Split, Croatia, Szykula said.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/polish-priest-apologizes-for-burning-of-harry-potter-books
Associated Press
Published:
April 3, 2019
Updated:
April 3, 2019 11:56 AM EDT
In this Wednesday Oct. 18, 2017 file photo, a member of British Library staff poses for a picture with Harry Potter books published in several languages at the "Harry Potter - A History of Magic" exhibition at the British Library, in London. Tim Ireland / AP
WARSAW, Poland — A priest in northern Poland who led a public burning of books that included titles from the “Harry Potter” series and other items parishioners wanted destroyed has apologized, saying the ritual was not intended to condemn specific authors, religions or social groups.
The Rev. Rafal Jarosiewicz called the burning of objects thought to be connected to magic and the occult, and deemed by their owners to be an evil force, “unfortunate.” He published the apology late Tuesday on the Facebook page of a foundation he founded.
Jarosiewicz and other priests have drawn criticism for burning books, Buddhist figurines, an African mask, and other items Sunday outside a Catholic church in the city of Gdansk. They said they encouraged parishioners to bring in things that disturbed them so the priests could do away with bad influences.
Jarosiewicz was fined by city guards. An anti-smog group also contacted prosecutors about the illegal burning of waste in an open fire.
Images from the burning at the Parish of Our Lady Mother of the Church and St. Catherine of Sweden were posted on the SMS z Nieba (SMS from Heaven) foundation, which uses unconventional means to carry out religious work across Poland.
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet,
but your article continues below.
In the pictures, flames are consuming an African wooden mask, a small Buddhist figure, figurines of elephants and books on personality, magic and from J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series. Some Catholic faithful and priests think the “Harry Potter” books promote sorcery.
The book-burning attracted attention as Poland’s influential Catholic Church is grappling with revelations about the scale of child sex abuse allegedly committed by pedophile priests.
Last month, the country’s Catholic bishops’ conference, the Episcopal Conference of Poland, said it had recorded cases of 382 clergymen who have abused 625 minors since 1990.
Prosecutors in the eastern town of Zamosc said Wednesday they plan to send an indictment to the regional court charging a priest in his 30s who is accused of recording video of girls and women while they were in public changing rooms and toilets.
Prosecutor Artur Szykula told The Associated Press the priest admitted wrongdoing.
The priest was caught in August in Croatia while recording a girl in a changing room. That case is to be heard by a court in Split, Croatia, Szykula said.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/polish-priest-apologizes-for-burning-of-harry-potter-books
Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery
Pope Francis has admitted that clerics have sexually abused nuns, and in one case they were kept as sex slaves.
He said in that case his predecessor, Pope Benedict, was forced to shut down an entire congregation of nuns who were being abused by priests.
It is thought to be the first time that Pope Francis has acknowledged the sexual abuse of nuns by the clergy.
He said the Church was attempting to address the problem but said it was "still going on".
Last November, the Catholic Church's global organisation for nuns denounced the "culture of silence and secrecy" that prevented them from speaking out.
The Pope's comments come amid long-running cases of sexual abuse of children and young men by priests at the Church.
More: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47134033
When the Romans conquered Europe, that took away the power of the Celtic high priestesses by turning them into concubines for the priesthood. They were the nuns. this crap has been going on for almost 2000 years.
Pope Francis has admitted that clerics have sexually abused nuns, and in one case they were kept as sex slaves.
He said in that case his predecessor, Pope Benedict, was forced to shut down an entire congregation of nuns who were being abused by priests.
It is thought to be the first time that Pope Francis has acknowledged the sexual abuse of nuns by the clergy.
He said the Church was attempting to address the problem but said it was "still going on".
Last November, the Catholic Church's global organisation for nuns denounced the "culture of silence and secrecy" that prevented them from speaking out.
The Pope's comments come amid long-running cases of sexual abuse of children and young men by priests at the Church.
More: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47134033
When the Romans conquered Europe, that took away the power of the Celtic high priestesses by turning them into concubines for the priesthood. They were the nuns. this crap has been going on for almost 2000 years.
Pope Francis: Abortion is never OK, equates it to 'hiring a hitman'
Associated Press
Published:
May 25, 2019
Updated:
May 25, 2019 9:52 AM EDT
Pope Francis arrives for an audience with participants of a pilgrimage of the Italian-Albanian diocese of Lungro, in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Saturday, May 25, 2019.Andrew Medichini / AP
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said Saturday that abortion can never be condoned, even when the fetus is gravely sick or likely to die, and urged doctors and priests to support families to carry such pregnancies to term.
Speaking to a Vatican-sponsored anti-abortion conference, Francis said the opposition to abortion isn’t a religious issue but a human one.
“Is it licit to throw away a life to resolve a problem?” he asked. “Is it licit to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?”
Francis denounced decisions to abort based on prenatal testing, saying a human being is “never incompatible with life.”
Even those babies destined to die at birth or soon thereafter deserve to receive medical care in the womb, Francis said, adding that their parents need to be supported so they don’t feel isolated and afraid.
While one can argue about using medical resources this way, there is value to it for the parents, he said.
“Taking care of these children helps parents to grieve and not only think of it as a loss, but as a step on a path taken together,” Francis said.
Francis has spoken out strongly against abortion but also has expressed sympathy for women who have had them and made it easier for them to be absolved of the sin of abortion.
His comments come as the abortion debate is again making headlines in the U.S. with state initiatives seeking to restrict the procedure.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/pope-francis-abortion-is-never-ok-even-when-fetus-is-very-ill
Associated Press
Published:
May 25, 2019
Updated:
May 25, 2019 9:52 AM EDT
Pope Francis arrives for an audience with participants of a pilgrimage of the Italian-Albanian diocese of Lungro, in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Saturday, May 25, 2019.Andrew Medichini / AP
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said Saturday that abortion can never be condoned, even when the fetus is gravely sick or likely to die, and urged doctors and priests to support families to carry such pregnancies to term.
Speaking to a Vatican-sponsored anti-abortion conference, Francis said the opposition to abortion isn’t a religious issue but a human one.
“Is it licit to throw away a life to resolve a problem?” he asked. “Is it licit to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?”
Francis denounced decisions to abort based on prenatal testing, saying a human being is “never incompatible with life.”
Even those babies destined to die at birth or soon thereafter deserve to receive medical care in the womb, Francis said, adding that their parents need to be supported so they don’t feel isolated and afraid.
While one can argue about using medical resources this way, there is value to it for the parents, he said.
“Taking care of these children helps parents to grieve and not only think of it as a loss, but as a step on a path taken together,” Francis said.
Francis has spoken out strongly against abortion but also has expressed sympathy for women who have had them and made it easier for them to be absolved of the sin of abortion.
His comments come as the abortion debate is again making headlines in the U.S. with state initiatives seeking to restrict the procedure.
http://torontosun.com/news/world/pope-francis-abortion-is-never-ok-even-when-fetus-is-very-ill
Pope Francis: Abortion is never OK, equates it to 'hiring a hitman'
You can bet your boots that the Holy See has had a mountain of people hit over the last 1200 years.
You can bet your boots that the Holy See has had a mountain of people hit over the last 1200 years.