Do Episcopal Bishops Support Genital Mutilation?

 A week and a half ago we saw that the Episcopal organization's bishops unanimously approved the following Resolution adopted by the House of Bishops,

March 19, 2022

In light of the baptismal covenant’s promise to see Christ in all persons, and the recentand any actions by elected officials in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, NewHampshire, Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, Ohio, North Dakota, Mississippi,South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, South Carolina and any other states, municipalities,and school districts targeting transgender children and their families, we, the Bishops of The Episcopal Church gathered at Camp Allen, Texas, in March 2022, voice our love and continued support for all persons who identify as transgender or non-binary and their families. We decry legislative initiatives and governmental actions targeting trans children and their families. We urge all in our Church to create safe spaces and shield all people from harassment based on gender identity.

Many states are trying to pass legislation that would prevent the administration of puberty blocking drugs to children who, and their parents believe that they were born with the wrong sexual organs.  States are also trying to stop sex "reassignment" surgeries from being performed on minors. 

In light of the above resolution, doesn't this mean that Episcopal bishops support genital mutilation?

I believe it does, but what more would you expect from a bunch of bishops who support the killing of babies in the womb?

To those of you who say that your bishop is a nice, gentle, and wonderful person, this proves you wrong.

These are truly evil people.

H/T reader Katherine.

Beati Quorum

This Sunday's Psalm is a perfect mid-Lenten prayer, 

Psalm 32, Beati quorum:

1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *

and whose sin is put away!

2 Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, *

and in whose spirit there is no guile!

3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *

because of my groaning all day long.

4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *

my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *

and did not conceal my guilt.

6 I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." *

Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.

7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in

time of trouble; *

when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.

8 You are my hiding-place;

you preserve me from trouble; *

you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

9 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you

should go; *

I will guide you with my eye.

10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *

who must be fitted with bit and bridle,

or else they will not stay near you."

11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *

but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.

12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; *

shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

Rejoice indeed!

 

Abortion Rights Ice Cream Truck Rolls

I saw this at Fox News, and could not believe that anyone would do this,

During the recent South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas, an "abortion-themed" ice cream truck was seen making its way up and down the local streets, touting its "wares."

Across the side of the ice cream truck — instead of signs offering delicious cold desserts for sale — were signs that read, "Ice cream, you scream, ‘Abortion rights for all.'"

On Twitter, Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action fund and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, promoted the truck and its messages, writing, "Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for abortion rights!" 

She included a photo of the truck in her tweet.

"Catch us around SXSW and stop by to grab some free Bans Off swag, condoms and education on the cold-hearted policies of the Texas legislature," her tweet also said...

...In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Monday morning, Ed Vitagliano, executive vice president of the American Family Association (AFA), said, "There is no better illustration of the moral depravity of the pro-abortion crowd than this monstrosity."

He added, "To associate the thrill for children of the sights and sounds of an ice cream truck with the dismemberment of unborn children is wickedness … Yes, Planned Parenthood, your mission in life is connected to screams all right."

"But it's not screams for ice cream," Vitagliano also said. "The blood of the innocent cries out to God for vindication."

Well said Ed.

 

Jesus Calls Us to Repent, or Else

In this Sunday's reading from Luke 13:1-9, Jesus pulls no punches,

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

Seems to me that I am called to repent many times each day. 

Seems to me that I could always be more fruitful.

Thankfully I have a Master Gardener tending for this little fig tree.

Meanwhile in England, Misgendering Will Wind You Up in Jail

In the U.S. if you use a pronoun that offends a transexual, you can get fired, banned from social media, doxed, or your business can be boycotted. In jolly old England, you can be arrested. 

(LifeSiteNews) – If you are one of those who believes that the transgender movement is about tolerance rather than a totalitarian takeover, you have not been reading the news these past few years.

Back in 2018, a 38-year-old mother was arrested in Hertfordshire, U.K., at her home in front of her ten-year-old autistic daughter and 20-month-old still-breastfeeding son — for having an argument with a transgender activist on Twitter and “misgendering.” She was detained, photographed, fingerprinted, and locked up for seven hours.

Then there was Marion Miller, an accountant and mother of autistic twin boys. She was charged with “hate speech” under the Malicious Communications Act for tweets disagreeing with transgender ideology posted in 2019 and 2020 and could have faced two years in prison. The charges were not finally dropped until late 2021.

And on Sunday, January 23, the Gwent Police arrested 53-year-old disabled women’s rights campaigner Jennifer Swayne, detaining her for over 12 hours and releasing after 3:00 a.m. for defending biological sex against gender ideology.

They subsequently raided her house, taking posters and stickers deemed “offensive” by trans activists with phrases such as “no child is born in the wrong body,” “humans never change sex,” “no men in women’s prison,” and “Woman=Adult Human Female.”

I hope and pray that this never happens here. 

The Unwilling Brood

This Sunday's reading is Luke 13:31-35 in which Jesus foretells of the place of his death,

 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”'

This worldly house is unwilling to give up it's hold on us lest we gather under Christ's wings as He would have us to do. 

In reflecting on this passage in the light of today's conflict between Mother Russia and what she sees as her children in Ukraine, I am afraid that the leaders in Russia had not expected to be greeted by such an unwilling brood that refused to take shelter under Russian wings, but instead, have tried very hard to clip those wings.

Lord help us.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, a Priest in Russia gets arrested...

For what you say? Well, he should have known that is now against the law to say anything negative about the Russian military or Vladimir Putin. 

This from Premier Christian News, 

 It's been reported that a priest who gave an anti-war sermon in Russia yesterday has been arrested and is due to appear in court later this week.

Father Ioann Burdin is said to have been detained shortly after giving the sermon to a small congregation in the town of Karabanovo. 

He's believed to have also shared anti-war images and a petition on the parish's website.

According to the Telegraph, Father Burdin, of the Resurrection Church in Russia’s western Kostroma region faces charges of  “discrediting” the Russian army.

A police report quoted by Media Zona said he had told parishioners about “Russian troops in Ukraine shelling the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv and killing citizens of Ukraine - brothers and sisters in Christ.” 

A message on the parish’s website read :

“We, Christians, cannot stand idly by when a brother kills brother, a Christian kills a Christian,” it said.

“Let’s not repeat the crimes of those who hailed Hitler’s deeds on Sept 1, 1939.”

Last week more than 270 Russian Orthodox priests and deacons signed an open letter appealing for reconciliation and an immediate ceasefire in the war.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who did not sign the letter, is seen as subservient to the regime in Moscow and a friend to President Putin.

At the risk of invoking Godwin's law again like Father Ioann Burdin did, let me add that the similarities between Patriarch Kirill and Ludwig Müller are striking, with the exception that the Patriarch has not yet tried to re-write the Bible as the Reich Bishop did.

Priests should stick to the Gospel when preaching and when posting things online because the Gospel is what people need most, especially in times of war. When priests and bishops wander into politics, they often leave Jesus behind. Should they be arrested for that? In today's Russia, they will be. Here, we can vote with our feet when our clergy forgets that the most important message to deliver is that Jesus is Lord of all, and He is the one who said, 

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." - Matthew 26:52

I suspect that I would be guilty of taking up both the sword and the pen if I were in the same situation as Fr. Burdin, and I would forgive him, but I bet Putin and Kirill will not.

 

I probably would have taken the bread

This Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent, and as we face the temptations of the world that distract us from our daily study of scripture and fasting, we are reminded of the temptations Jesus faced in Luke 4:1-13,

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ 

Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ 

Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” 

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’

Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ 

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Who can resist such temptations.

I probably would have taken the bread.

May His Spirit be with you this season of Lent. 

 

Thousands of Invalid Roman Catholic Baptisms Performed = Invalid Sacraments, Invalid Marriages?

I had to ask my Anglican priest what he thought about this story.

From Fox News,

A priest has resigned from a Catholic church in Phoenix, Arizona, after it was determined he incorrectly performed thousands of baptisms for decades by changing one word. 

Father Andres Arango resigned from St. Gregory Catholic Church in Phoenix after it was determined he used the words "We baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," instead of the correct phrase "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," according to Thomas J. Olmsted, the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix.

"The issue with using ‘We’ is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Him alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes," Olmsted said.

Following the mishap by Arango, the diocese created a FAQ page designed to answer questions people may have about specific rules. 

On that page, the diocese stated that if a baptism is invalid, and you've received other sacraments, you may need to repeat some or all of them once your baptism is eventually valid.

Answering a question on the FAQ page if an invalid baptism would impact those married by the church, the diocese stated: "Maybe! Unfortunately, there is no single clear answer."

My questions to my priest were these, "Is the RC Church being too legalistic? What if Fr. Arango was using the royal "We"?

He was not familiar with the story but immediately backed up the Bishop. He could not find an example of "we" baptizing in the Bible, and then made the apostolic succession argument that a priest in succession can do baptisms unless it is an emergency to which I answered that even I, a lowly pewsitter, who had hands laid upon me by a bishop in apostolic succession when I was confirmed can perform a baptism.

The Diocese of Phoenix answered my legalism question this way, 

"It may seem legalistic, but the words that are spoken (the sacramental form), along with the actions that are performed and the materials used (the sacramental matter) are a crucial aspect of every sacrament. If you change the words, actions, or materials required in any of the sacraments, they are not valid. For example, if a priest uses milk instead of wine during the Consecration of the Eucharist, the sacrament is not valid. The milk would not become the Blood of Jesus Christ."

Clearly, Fr. Arango broke the rules by rewriting the liturgy, and that does make the baptisms invalid as far as the Roman Catholic Church goes, but what if those whom he baptized transfer to an Anglican church? Would "we" accept those baptisms as valid?

And what about those marriages?