Edward Pentin: The Deafening Silence and Grievous Complicity of Catholic Church Leaders During COVID

[nuclearfuels]

My mom was born and rasied as a Catholic. 

Just curious if anyone feels the same about our church, the Catholic churches, or other churches/faiths.

A woman protestor holds a placard at a freedom rally in Bournemouth, England, Feb. 5, 2022.

By Edward Pentin

Church leaders, beginning with Pope Francis and the Vatican, have been silent and complicit in the face of grave wrongs committed over the past two years — each neatly summed up in the picture above.

In the case of the Vatican, it has committed these injustices on its own territory, enforcing some of the world’s strictest vaccine mandates even when evidence mounts that these shots pose considerable health risks, especially for young people, and the threat of the virus, once serious according to scientific modelling, recedes. 

Having long washed its hands of any concern over the jabs being abortion-tainted, the Vatican unquestioningly went along with the powers-that-be followed by most of the world’s bishops. That might have been understandable at first but this position did not change.

Never mind the gross injustices, unnecessary hardships, and suffering caused to millions by the madness of lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

The Church’s leaders remained silent on the policies, but not before becoming complicit: committing injustices against the souls of their flocks by closing churches for long periods, enforcing restrictions on worship, banning the unvaccinated from the sacraments in some cases, and most recently backing grossly unjust, state-sanctioned vaccine mandates.

The sheep felt abandoned by their shepherds as their bishops fixed their gaze on physical health and mass groupthink rather than the eternal well-being of souls and common sense — a this-worldly orientation that has been in the making for decades but which came of age during COVID.

History will not look kindly on the leaders of the Church during this period, even less so if they remain silent and complicit as more details of unjust and dishonest public health policies of the past two years continue to emerge.

https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/ef527fdbac5fc8d73461701de3579ecf-Edward-Pentin-The-Deafening-Silence-and-Grievous-Complicity-of-Church-Leaders-During-COVID

[Fether]

I think the church should be VERY careful about when and when not to state political opinions.

I would also add that the church is a world wide church and American conservative opinions on constitutional law may not fit nicely with Brazilian, European or Asian politics.

[ksfisher]

1 hour ago, nuclearfuels said:

My mom was born and rasied as a Catholic. 

Just curious if anyone feels the same about our church, the Catholic churches, or other churches/faiths.

A woman protestor holds a placard at a freedom rally in Bournemouth, England, Feb. 5, 2022.

By Edward Pentin

Church leaders, beginning with Pope Francis and the Vatican, have been silent and complicit in the face of grave wrongs committed over the past two years — each neatly summed up in the picture above.

In the case of the Vatican, it has committed these injustices on its own territory, enforcing some of the world’s strictest vaccine mandates even when evidence mounts that these shots pose considerable health risks, especially for young people, and the threat of the virus, once serious according to scientific modelling, recedes. 

Having long washed its hands of any concern over the jabs being abortion-tainted, the Vatican unquestioningly went along with the powers-that-be followed by most of the world’s bishops. That might have been understandable at first but this position did not change.

Never mind the gross injustices, unnecessary hardships, and suffering caused to millions by the madness of lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

The Church’s leaders remained silent on the policies, but not before becoming complicit: committing injustices against the souls of their flocks by closing churches for long periods, enforcing restrictions on worship, banning the unvaccinated from the sacraments in some cases, and most recently backing grossly unjust, state-sanctioned vaccine mandates.

The sheep felt abandoned by their shepherds as their bishops fixed their gaze on physical health and mass groupthink rather than the eternal well-being of souls and common sense — a this-worldly orientation that has been in the making for decades but which came of age during COVID.

History will not look kindly on the leaders of the Church during this period, even less so if they remain silent and complicit as more details of unjust and dishonest public health policies of the past two years continue to emerge.

https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/ef527fdbac5fc8d73461701de3579ecf-Edward-Pentin-The-Deafening-Silence-and-Grievous-Complicity-of-Church-Leaders-During-COVID

I don't think the church has been silent.

 

12 August 2021 - Salt Lake City

First Presidency Message

The First Presidency Urges Latter-day Saints to Wear Face Masks When Needed and Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

“We can win this war if everyone will follow the wise and thoughtful recommendations of medical experts and government leaders”

 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent the following message on Thursday, August 12, 2021, to Church members around the world:

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-message-covid-19-august-2021

[Fether]

2 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

I don't think the church has been silent.

 

12 August 2021 - Salt Lake City

First Presidency Message

The First Presidency Urges Latter-day Saints to Wear Face Masks When Needed and Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

“We can win this war if everyone will follow the wise and thoughtful recommendations of medical experts and government leaders”

 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent the following message on Thursday, August 12, 2021, to Church members around the world:

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-message-covid-19-august-2021

The issue is more about mask mandates and the like. Not about sharing what is the best and safest way of dealing with it, but rather the government forcing everyone to do something

[James 1 5]

I do what I know God wants me to do.  I receive guidance from God every day.  I'm also a member of our Lord's church and very open about it.  Do any of you want me to tell you what I know you should do? 

Would anyone like step-by-step instructions, daily, hourly, minute by minute, from me?

[ksfisher]

2 minutes ago, Fether said:

The issue is more about mask mandates and the like. Not about sharing what is the best and safest way of dealing with it, but rather the government forcing everyone to do something

There are pages and pages and pages of things the government forces us to do (or doesn't allow us to do).  They're called laws, ordinances, etc.  I'm not sure why so many people want to die on this particular hill.

Christ taught doctrines such as

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mark 12:31)

and

"whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." (Mark 5:41)

and

"Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s." (Luke 20:25)

I don't see Him teaching anywhere that we should insist on our individual rights at the expense of public welfare or protest legitimate public health efforts because we feel somehow like our freedom is being taken away.

 

[James 1 5]

2 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

There are pages and pages and pages of things the government forces us to do (or doesn't allow us to do).  They're called laws, ordinances, etc.  I'm not sure why so many people want to die on this particular hill.

I like to think of those things as recommendations.  Things we can choose to do to avoid having problems with law officers and legal officials.  

2 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

Christ taught doctrines such as

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mark 12:31)

and

"whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." (Mark 5:41)

and

"Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s." (Luke 20:25)

I don't see Him teaching anywhere that we should insist on our individual rights at the expense of public welfare or protest legitimate public health efforts because we feel somehow like our freedom is being taken away.

Most Christians are comfortable doing what Jesus says we should do, as far as they understand his teachings.  It's those dadburn secular government officials that most people don't want to "obey".  Who do they think they are, giving us laws to live by?

[Fether]

8 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

There are pages and pages and pages of things the government forces us to do (or doesn't allow us to do).  They're called laws, ordinances, etc.  I'm not sure why so many people want to die on this particular hill.

Christ taught doctrines such as

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mark 12:31)

and

"whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." (Mark 5:41)

and

"Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s." (Luke 20:25)

I don't see Him teaching anywhere that we should insist on our individual rights at the expense of public welfare or protest legitimate public health efforts because we feel somehow like our freedom is being taken away.

 

I agree completely. 
 

If the church bent their knee to a political ideology and then went about complaining about every counter narrative of said political ideology in every nation… man… we would hardly have a church. I think this is why political opinion from our church leaders has died down a TON since Pres Benson.

[mtomm]

6 minutes ago, Fether said:

I agree completely. 
 

If the church bent their knee to a political ideology and then went about complaining about every counter narrative of said political ideology in every nation… man… we would hardly have a church. I think this is why political opinion from our church leaders has died down a TON since Pres Benson.

Since when are public health recommendations by the government a political ideology? 

[Fether]

3 minutes ago, mtomm said:

Since when are public health recommendations by the government a political ideology? 

They are not. However, a very large faction of people in the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe find it wrong that the government is forcing (or at least wanting to) them to west masks under the punishment of fines or imprisonment

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 hour ago, nuclearfuels said:

Just curious if anyone feels the same about our church, the Catholic churches, or other churches/faiths.

Nope.

And please don't ask me how I feel about churches/mosques/synagogues (we have a few here) that have been telling their worshippers that vaccines are of Satan, that receiving the Covid vaccine is the 'mark of beast' from John's Revelation, etc. ...

[James 1 5]

19 minutes ago, mtomm said:

Since when are public health recommendations by the government a political ideology? 

Since when any government official was a Democrat or Republican or Liberal or whatever.  Every government official is acting on behalf of and under the authority of whichever political party is in power.  

[James 1 5]

17 minutes ago, Fether said:

They are not. However, a very large faction of people in the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe find it wrong that the government is forcing (or at least wanting to) them to west masks under the punishment of fines or imprisonment

That's me and a lot of other people you are talking about, whoever wants those fines or penalties for those not wearing a mask in public.  I'd like my political party to take it to an even higher level for people who won't get their shots for vaccines and boosters.

BURN THE LOT OF THEM!!!  Well, okay, maybe that is a bit drastic, so we shouldn't go there.  JUST HOLD ON TO THEM AND FORCE THEM TO GET THEIR SHOTS !!!  Yeah, I could live with that.

[mtomm]

9 minutes ago, James 1 5 said:

Since when any government official was a Democrat or Republican or Liberal or whatever.  Every government official is acting on behalf of and under the authority of whichever political party is in power.  

Still not a political ideology. 

[James 1 5]

13 minutes ago, mtomm said:

Still not a political ideology. 

Each government official has one of those, a political ideology, as well as a political party they align with.  Even people who are not government officials have one of those.

[3DOP]

8 hours ago, nuclearfuels said:

My mom was born and rasied as a Catholic. 

Just curious if anyone feels the same about our church, the Catholic churches, or other churches/faiths.

A woman protestor holds a placard at a freedom rally in Bournemouth, England, Feb. 5, 2022.

By Edward Pentin

Church leaders, beginning with Pope Francis and the Vatican, have been silent and complicit in the face of grave wrongs committed over the past two years — each neatly summed up in the picture above.

In the case of the Vatican, it has committed these injustices on its own territory, enforcing some of the world’s strictest vaccine mandates even when evidence mounts that these shots pose considerable health risks, especially for young people, and the threat of the virus, once serious according to scientific modelling, recedes. 

Having long washed its hands of any concern over the jabs being abortion-tainted, the Vatican unquestioningly went along with the powers-that-be followed by most of the world’s bishops. That might have been understandable at first but this position did not change.

Never mind the gross injustices, unnecessary hardships, and suffering caused to millions by the madness of lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

The Church’s leaders remained silent on the policies, but not before becoming complicit: committing injustices against the souls of their flocks by closing churches for long periods, enforcing restrictions on worship, banning the unvaccinated from the sacraments in some cases, and most recently backing grossly unjust, state-sanctioned vaccine mandates.

The sheep felt abandoned by their shepherds as their bishops fixed their gaze on physical health and mass groupthink rather than the eternal well-being of souls and common sense — a this-worldly orientation that has been in the making for decades but which came of age during COVID.

History will not look kindly on the leaders of the Church during this period, even less so if they remain silent and complicit as more details of unjust and dishonest public health policies of the past two years continue to emerge.

https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/ef527fdbac5fc8d73461701de3579ecf-Edward-Pentin-The-Deafening-Silence-and-Grievous-Complicity-of-Church-Leaders-During-COVID

Since you ask, I agree with Mr. Pentin's analysis of the situation in the Catholic Church in most quarters. I am sure he would agree that there are a few notable exceptions for which we can be thankful. The emphasis on the importance of life temporal vs. life eternal has been all backwards.

Edited February 10, 2022 by 3DOP

[The Nehor]

9 hours ago, mtomm said:

Since when are public health recommendations by the government a political ideology? 

This happened back in the World War I flu epidemic too. People convinced that any public health measure were a violation of “mah freedums!”

 

We were always this stupid.

[Harry T. Clark]

18 hours ago, mtomm said:

Since when are public health recommendations by the government a political ideology? 

Theoretically politics shouldn't enter the equation.  However it has.  It starts with regulatory capture of the FDA by the pharmaceutical companies and then through campaign donations to the various candidates on both sides.  Then it results in the FDA wanting 75 years to disclose the documents Pfizer gave it to authorize the Pfizer covid vaccine.  It looks like it wants 75 years, because Pfizer wants 75 years .... for some reason.

[MiserereNobis]

My parish did a pretty good job with the middle ground, I think. The number of people allowed to attend mass was decreased, but the number of masses offered increased, so everyone had a chance to go.

There were definitely people upset that anything changed, though.

[Saint Bonaventure]

On 2/10/2022 at 1:19 PM, MiserereNobis said:

My parish did a pretty good job with the middle ground, I think. The number of people allowed to attend mass was decreased, but the number of masses offered increased, so everyone had a chance to go.

There were definitely people upset that anything changed, though.

My parish also did a good job. We moved Mass into the parish hall, stopped singing, required masks except while partaking of the Eucharist, and kept our schedule.

[The Nehor]

The covid virus has sure hired a good marketing team to sell itself.

[LoudmouthMormon]

Anyone else have one or two LDS acquaintences who went apoplectic over this photo, and made a big public stink about how the prophet is being deluded?

[Fether]

Anyone notice that not a single mask was worn at the Super Bowl in LA?

Edited February 14, 2022 by Fether

[MiserereNobis]

42 minutes ago, Fether said:

Anyone notice that not a single mask was worn at the Super Bowl in LA?

For many, football is religion, so I guess this was expression of religious freedom..?

[Hamba Tuhan]

6 hours ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

Anyone else have one or two LDS acquaintences who went apoplectic over this photo, and made a big public stink about how the prophet is being deluded?

My nephew's wife in America. She later posted a copy of an outrage-filled email that she sent to someone in Church leadership.

She got Covid in October and spent two weeks in ICU. Despite being only in her 30s, she is still on bottled oxygen and may be for the rest of her life.

I just checked her Facebook page. She's still filled with rage too.

I pray literally every day that my nephew and their daughter will somehow be protected from her madness!

Edited February 15, 2022 by Hamba Tuhan