The 2021 March for Life in Berlin, Germany. / Rudolf Gehrig/CNA Deutsch.
CNA Newsroom, Aug 11, 2022 / 06:58 am (CNA).
According to a new representative poll, 58% of German Catholics do not like “the fact that the Pope and the Church speak out against abortions.”
The Catholic weekly newspaper Die Tagespost commissioned the survey from the opinion research institute INSA Consulere, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.
“Among Lutheran respondents, the opinion picture is even clearer: 67% do not support the position of the pope and the church on the protection of life,” the Tagespost reported on Aug. 8.
The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is a grave evil and is never acceptable at any stage of pregnancy.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.”
“Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.”
In July, a leading laywoman and co-president of the German “Synodal Way” demanded a “nationwide provision of abortion” across the European Union’s most populous country.
Irme Stetter-Karp, president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), acknowledged that abortion should not be considered a “regular medical service,” adding, however, that the committee advocated for “ethically responsible action on the part of all those involved.”
The Central Committee of German Catholics is the organizer of the controversial “Synodal Way,” together with the German Bishops’ Conference. As serving president of the lay committee, Stetter-Karp is also co-president of the German process.
In an open letter launched by the initiative “Maria 1.0,” several well-known German signatories criticize Stetter-Karp and call on the president of the German Bishops’ Conference to cut ties with her, reported CNA Deutsch on Aug. 11.
Germany currently permits abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with mandatory counseling at a state-approved center, as well as later abortions in certain circumstances.
The country of 83 million people recorded approximately 100,000 abortions in the pandemic year 2020.
Following the German federal government’s decision in March, the German bishops’ conference published a statement expressing cautious criticism of the government’s plans to lift the ban on abortion advertising.
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A memorial Mass for the late Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell was held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California, on March 1, 2023. / Credit: YouTube/St. John Vianney Hacienda Heights
Boston, Mass., Mar 2, 2023 / 13:27 pm (CNA).
As three days of memorial services began Wednesday for the late Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, who was murdered in his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18, Pope Francis and President Joe Biden commended the man known as a “peacemaker.”
News of O’Connell’s murder and the subsequent arrest of his housekeeper’s husband in connection with the killing came as a shock to Catholics across the nation. Among those mourning the late bishop was Pope Francis, whose message was read at Wednesday’s memorial Mass at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez was the main celebrant of a 7 p.m. memorial Mass in which O’Connell’s younger brother attended and shared memories of growing up together in Ireland.
Pope Francis: O’Connell had ‘profound concern for the poor’
In a message from Pope Francis read aloud at the beginning of Mass by Gomez, the Holy Father commended O’Connell, 69, for his efforts to uphold the sanctity of life and his profound concern for the poor.
The pope sent his “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his spiritual closeness” to all the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after the bishop’s “untimely and tragic death.”
Pope Francis remembered the bishop for his “profound concern for the poor, immigrants, and those in need; his efforts to uphold the sanctity and dignity of God’s gift of life; and his zeal for fostering solidarity, cooperation, and peace within the local community.”
“In commending the late bishop’s soul to the love and mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd, His Holiness prays that all who honor his memory will be confirmed in the resolve to reject the ways of violence and overcome evil with good,” said the message, which was signed by Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
“To those gathered for the Mass of Christian burial and to all who mourn Bishop O’Connell’s loss in the sure hope of the resurrection, the Holy Father cordially imparts his blessing as a pledge of peace and consolation in the Lord.”
‘Dave got us through tough times’
O’Connell’s younger brother, Kieran O’Connell, thanked the local Catholic community for the outpouring of support and said that his brother had a strong belief in the power of prayer.
“I know he has been a source of solace for myself and my family as well,” he said.
“As my older brother, he was an immense support to me during the passing of our parents and also my brothers and sister. Dave got us through these tough times. He always said it was God’s plan and thanked God for their wonderful lives,” O’Connell said.
Reflecting on his brother’s ordination, O’Connell said: “It was the proudest moment for our family and for the whole community when he said his first Mass in our local parish church.”
O’Connell noted the many “great memories” he had of visiting his brother in Los Angeles and the active role that the bishop played in the raising of his children.
“He was present at every milestone in our lives, baptism, holy Communion, graduation, weddings,” he said. “We forever cherish those memories.”
“Just thank you most sincerely for taking care of Dave for these 45 years and know that he was happiest here among his people,” he said, fighting back tears.
Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell’s brother, Kieran O’Connell, speaks at the bishop’s memorial Mass on March 1, 2023. Credit: YouTube/St. John Vianney Hacienda Heights
‘Christ was looking Dave right in the eyes’
Monsignor Timothy Dyer, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Los Angeles, gave the homily and opened his remarks by recalling Archbishop Gomez’s presence at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Feb. 22 press conference following the arrest of O’Connell’s alleged murderer, Carlos Medina.
The archbishop had fought back tears as he struggled to get through his brief comments during that press conference.
“Before we begin to reflect on the Scripture readings I would like think that I represent each of you when I say to the archbishop that on the day he spoke in the news conference with the officials from the city and the state and the county around him, his inability to put into words his feelings, was the best way to speak for all of us,” Dyer said.
Dyer said that the Catholic community has been “overwhelmed” at the “pouring out of praise and gratitude” and sympathy from both the Catholic community and the secular community for O’Connell.
“If ever there was a man of prayer that I’ve known it was Dave,” he said. O’Connell would often begin meetings with the prayer method of lectio divina, he said, joking that “and he didn’t worry about how much time it took.”
O’Connell was passionate about standing up for immigrants, standing against racism, and standing up for the unborn and women, Dyer said.
“You could not pigeonhole him. If you wanted to put him up on your banner and let him be your patron for your particular cause, you could only do it if you embraced all of the things that he embraced, and all of the places he fished because it was an ethic of life from beginning to end,” he said.
Dyer’s recommendation that “it would be wise” for the seminary to hold an annual seminar to study O’Connell’s spirituality and ministry, was received with applause from those gathered at the church.
Dyer said that O’Connell had a “great devotion to Mary” that was “reflected in his respect and his admiration for women in religious life.”
Speaking briefly abuse the clergy sex abuse crisis, Dyer said that O’Connell would say to his fellow priests: “Wear it like a hairshirt. Let it irritate you so that it will never happen again.”
For O’Connell, becoming a bishop was a cross rather than a promotion, Dyer said, adding that “it almost broke his heart.”
O’Connell did not want to leave the flock that he pastored, Dyer said. “We need to take care of our bishops. It is not an easy life,” he said.
Fighting back tears, Dyer reflected on the last moments of O’Connell’s life.
“When the bullets were being fired, Christ was looking Dave right in the eyes, and he said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You may lay down the nets now Dave. I’ve prepared a place for you in the Father’s house,’” he said.
Dyer continued: “And there’s someone there who’s waiting too, the one you’ve always called the Blessed Mother, as well as your own mother, waiting to fold you in her arms. And Dave, you don’t have to be a bishop anymore. But in front of your dwelling place, there’s a great big lake. And we have a lot of fishing to do on behalf of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles still,” he said.
Biden White House statement
In response to a question from EWTN White House Correspondent Owen Jensen, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said March 1 that “the president and the first lady join Archbishop Gomez, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the entire Catholic community in the mourning of Bishop David O’Connell.”
“We also express our sympathy and prayers for the family and friends of the bishop, who will certainly remember his legacy of service to those on the margins of society. And so, again, we offer up our condolences to the community.”
The White House responds to the murder of Bishop David O’Connell from Los Angeles and to the leaked FBI document comparing Catholics to violent extremists.
— EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) March 1, 2023
There will be a public viewing on Thursday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. The viewing will take place from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A vigil Mass will be held following the public viewing at 7 p.m. and will be livestreamed both here and here.
O’Connell’s funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 3, at the same Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 11 a.m. local time. The funeral Mass will be livestreamed both here and here.
Vatican City, Nov 25, 2021 / 04:32 am (CNA).
Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to Titus Brandsma, an outspoken opponent of Nazism martyred at Dachau concentration camp in 1942.The p… […]
The media lends legitimacy to the pro death cause by even reporting the figures in a neutral tone. The world must remember that the killing of innocent souls is, indeed, murder, regardless of circumstances, the committing of which has been the rallying cry of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, PolPot, Idi Amin and every other tyrannical maniac in history.
58% Catholic to 67% Lutheran indicates the inevitable Lutheranization of the German Catholic Church. As does the flaccid German bishops ‘cautious criticism’ of government sanctioned advertise of abortion. German Synodal Way mentality is really a precursor.
Except by decisive and doctrinally convinced [the two go together weak response from the Vatican indication of its own waning of the faith] intervention by Pope Francis, an unfortunate unlikely expectation, will the slide toward apostasy be halted. Goings on at the this pontificate’s raped and humiliated John Paul II Pontifical Academy on Family and Life is the weathervane.
What then for the faithful? Suffering and petition for the salvation of souls. A propitious indicator of our true practice and love of our savior is a burning desire for the salvation of souls.
I’m not sure how the German data works. Are the people identifying simply baptized, cultural Catholics or Mass attending?
One of my children visited friends in Germany after high school graduation and they saw very little attendance at Mass or interest in doing that. In fact their hosts were puzzled why anyone would choose to go to church on Sunday instead of sightseeing.
Germany doesn’t have a replacement level fertility rate so those statistics are going to look a little different in the future.
“Toto, I have the feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” It’s not only the Church; it’s the science, stupid…
Too bad Galileo wasn’t German. The Italian used a telescope to display the outer universe and distinct planetary movements; today the illuminati prohibit the use of ultrasound to display the inner universe and a distinct child’s movements. It’s well known that part of Luther’s revulsion was toward the rational thought of the Renaissance. Today, with Luther exhumed and propped up in the saddle, we see a repeat. Just as Luther stirred up the Peasants’ Revolt and then later disavowed it, so now the illuminati speak of rights and then turn their backs on the unborn.
By coincidence, the number of peasants wiped out in the one year of the Revolt (1524), and for which Luther was partly responsible, was 100,000; while the number of children aborted in a recent year was also 100,000 (in 2020).
No, the percentage is zero percent. If they’re pro-aborts, they’ve completely left the Church, which, incidentally applies to clerics as well.
The media lends legitimacy to the pro death cause by even reporting the figures in a neutral tone. The world must remember that the killing of innocent souls is, indeed, murder, regardless of circumstances, the committing of which has been the rallying cry of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, PolPot, Idi Amin and every other tyrannical maniac in history.
58% Catholic to 67% Lutheran indicates the inevitable Lutheranization of the German Catholic Church. As does the flaccid German bishops ‘cautious criticism’ of government sanctioned advertise of abortion. German Synodal Way mentality is really a precursor.
Except by decisive and doctrinally convinced [the two go together weak response from the Vatican indication of its own waning of the faith] intervention by Pope Francis, an unfortunate unlikely expectation, will the slide toward apostasy be halted. Goings on at the this pontificate’s raped and humiliated John Paul II Pontifical Academy on Family and Life is the weathervane.
What then for the faithful? Suffering and petition for the salvation of souls. A propitious indicator of our true practice and love of our savior is a burning desire for the salvation of souls.
I’m not sure how the German data works. Are the people identifying simply baptized, cultural Catholics or Mass attending?
One of my children visited friends in Germany after high school graduation and they saw very little attendance at Mass or interest in doing that. In fact their hosts were puzzled why anyone would choose to go to church on Sunday instead of sightseeing.
Germany doesn’t have a replacement level fertility rate so those statistics are going to look a little different in the future.
“Toto, I have the feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” It’s not only the Church; it’s the science, stupid…
Too bad Galileo wasn’t German. The Italian used a telescope to display the outer universe and distinct planetary movements; today the illuminati prohibit the use of ultrasound to display the inner universe and a distinct child’s movements. It’s well known that part of Luther’s revulsion was toward the rational thought of the Renaissance. Today, with Luther exhumed and propped up in the saddle, we see a repeat. Just as Luther stirred up the Peasants’ Revolt and then later disavowed it, so now the illuminati speak of rights and then turn their backs on the unborn.
By coincidence, the number of peasants wiped out in the one year of the Revolt (1524), and for which Luther was partly responsible, was 100,000; while the number of children aborted in a recent year was also 100,000 (in 2020).
Unless these are Mass-attending Catholics, these statistics are fairly meaningless. (Maybe the same goes for the Lutherans).