Update: Cardinal Sarah denied having been a signatory.
May 7, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Catholic clergy led by former papal nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò and Cardinals Robert Sarah, Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, Joseph Zen, and Janis Pujats have joined an appeal “for the Church and the world” that warns that the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a “pretext” by world leaders to “control” people, strip them of their fundamental rights, while providing a “disturbing prelude to the realization of a world government beyond all control” (read full text below).
In the face of restrictions around the world on the public celebration of the sacraments, the signatories assert the right of the Church to offer public worship, unimpeded by State interventions.
Finally, as Pastors responsible for the flock of Christ, let us remember that the Church firmly asserts her autonomy to govern, worship, and teach. This autonomy and freedom are an innate right that Our Lord Jesus Christ has given her for the pursuit of her proper ends. For this reason, as Pastors we firmly assert the right to decide autonomously on the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments, just as we claim absolute autonomy in matters falling within our immediate jurisdiction, such as liturgical norms and ways of administering Communion and the Sacraments. The State has no right to interfere, for any reason whatsoever, in the sovereignty of the Church.
The signatories ask that “restrictions on the celebration of public ceremonies be removed.”
Along with the 4 cardinals signing the appeal are 8 bishops, 3 priests, 21 journalists, 11 medical doctors, 13 lawyers, 18 teachers and professionals, and 12 various groups and associations.
For the whole article, click here.
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STEVE RAY’s comments below at the end:
The Black Death in the Middle Ages is estimated to have killed between 75 million and 200 million people. The 1918 flu pandemic killed between 50 million and 100 million people. The cholera outbreak of 1831 in Germany, which followed the pandemic in Asia and Africa, caused widespread alarm and fear. The causes of cholera, still less the cures for it, were not then known. One was faced with a silent and potent killer, which affected old and young, rich and poor, alike.
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has topped 75,000 and is projected to keep rising at a rate as high as 3,000 deaths a day in the coming weeks. But President Trump is continuing to push for states to reopen businesses despite the public health risk. The Trump administration has rejected detailed recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how schools, churches and businesses could safely reopen. This marks the latest attempt by the White House to sideline the CDC, which has not held a regular news briefing on the pandemic in two months. President Trump is also reducing the public role of two key medical advisers — Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx — who had taken part in daily televised briefings about the crisis.
One of President Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for COVID-19. NBC News reports Trump became “lava level mad” at his staff over the incident, accusing them of failing to protect him from the virus. Trump confirmed the valet’s positive test during an Oval Office meeting Thursday with Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The U.S. coronavirus death toll continues to climb, even as 41 states have announced plans to partially reopen their economies. Officially, more than 73,000 U.S. residents have died of COVID-19 — more than a quarter of the global toll — though many researchers believe the true figure is likely tens of thousands of deaths higher. This week, a University of Washington study predicted more than 130,000 U.S. residents will die of COVID-19 by the end of the summer as states loosen stay-at-home and social distancing rules. In Texas, leaked audio of a conference call reveals Republican Governor Greg Abbott knew his plan to reopen Texas’s economy would result in more coronavirus infections and deaths.
STEVE RAY HERE: First, I would like to thank Robby for his kind and irenic tone and appreciate him for visiting my blog and sharing his thoughts.
However, I disagree with his emphasis, at least what I perceive it to be. I don’t have time to deal with this extensively but maybe someone else will. But there are a lot of excellent websites and doctors who are beginning to accurately explain the lockdown is unnecessary and unwise. Citing the numbers of deaths from previous plugs and viruses is irrelevant. None of them are the same. In the past we’ve always isolated the sick, vulnerable and elderly, not the whole population. This is the first time such an insane thing has been done in the world.
When we look at the fact that millions of people were estimated to die we see how irresponsible the estimates and projections were/are.
No matter how long we keep people isolated, which is not proven to stop the virus buy any, once people are released the virus is still there. All we’re doing is prolonging the problem. How long can you shut down the whole country and for bid anybody to go to church, shopping, etc. And it’s partially the inconsistencies That irritate people and cause us to distrust and resist the government. One can go get an abortion, buy whiskey and lotteries, go to Costco and shopping but they close down churches and stopped us here in our state from visiting friends or our vacation home. That is insanity.
I would suggest everybody watch Bill Maher because I think he struck something very good. Except for a couple snarky anti-conservative comments his editorial is right on. You can see it here https://youtu.be/28I5WyLp15o
There are also plenty of doctors in interviews that Eliza current policies. I don’t have any more time but hope somebody else well if they so desire.
Hi Steve: The reason for the WH to sideline the CDC recommendations is that CDC had been doing a lousy job from the beginning. They were created precisely to stop this mess before it get to the point that it is now. They failed to identify, isolate and develop a treatment for it because they are more focus on global warming than in pandemics.
The fact that China do not allowed them to visit the lab in Wuhan and take samples speak volumes of how inefficient this government bureaucracy had become. They wanted to submit the recommendations because they want to be relevant and want to be on charge of when to open or if we ever will. They were not elected by the people.
The left want the scientist to lead America but like Reagan said "science is good but some scientist are bad." Ironic that the guy who run WHO is not a Doctor and used to be a terrorist.
This is all politics. First Cuomo needed 40,000 ventilators. He ended up using 4,000. Then he needed thousands of hospital beds and we built just a for him a hospital at their Convention Center and never got a patient. We sent a hospital ship to NY with a 1,000 beds and it only got 20 patients, but rather that sending the seniors to this hospital for treatment Cuomo send then back to the nursing home to contaminate everybody. No bueno!
STEVE RAY HERE: Well said Guillermo. Thanks!
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