ACTION ITEM: Come and join us with a Rosary for Mary Wagner on her Birthday

Tomorrow is Mary Wagner's birthday. She will celebrate her birthday in prison. Arrested last December 12th, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at a Toronto abortion killing factory, Mary will go on trial March 10th, and is expected to receive a nine month sentence. 

We are extremely grateful to Fr. Stephen Imbarrato of the Priests for Life, who is offering up his Masses this week for Mary. God bless you Father! 

Fr. Imbarrato leading a Eucharistic procession outside
a Planned Parenthood abortion mill 

How to pledge a Rosary for Mary by Facebook: 

Please visit our Facebook page, where we have created an "event". Please join. In doing so, your Rosary will be counted. 

How to pledge a Rosary for Mary by email: 

Please email me at: torontocatholicwitness@rogers.com. All you need to do is  state "Rosary Bouquet", your Rosary will be counted. 

How to pledge a Rosary for Mary on this blog: 

Simply click to post a "comment" and let us know you are joining! 

BREAKING: Patriarch of Moscow departs for Cuba to meet Pope Francis for historic meeting

Pray for reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Orthodox churches. 

BREAKING: Cardinal Burke speaks ~ video of his conference in Krakow, Poland

Raymond Cardinal Burke was in Poland very recently, meeting members of the hierarchy, including Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki. Photos of him celebrating a Pontifical High Mass are available at the website of Polonia Christiana. He also gave a conference February 8, 2016 at the Franciscan Monastery in Krakow. He was introduced by Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz as a "great theologian and...canon lawyer". 

The Cardinal, in an answer to a question if the jurisdiction granted to the Society of St. Pius X during the Year of Mercy will continue indefinitely, was of the opinion that they are in an irregular canonical situation but that a positive situation has been created with this gesture from Rome, and that CDF and Cardinal Muller can become engaged in a further discussion to lead to a great union within the Church. 

On the change of the Manadatum, the Cardinal replied that the ritual of the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday should be given the emphasis that Christ gave it, on the washing of the feet of the Apostles. The rite has great meaning, though it is not part of the Mass. Cardinal Burke said no clergy is obligated to wash anyone's feet, certainly not of a person who does not represent one of the twelve apostles. 

On the hermeneutic of continuity and the "reform of the the reform" he felt it is a living reality; recalling Cardinal Sarah's article, from June 12th of 2015; Cardinal Burke: "have courage". Cardinal Burke said the young have a great need for a beautiful sacred liturgy in a desacralized world. 

The Cardinal suggested two points in emerging from the crisis in the Church: a greater deepening in catechetical learning and studies from youth, and a return to a sacred liturgy that is Christocentric, the action of Christ. 

On the last Synod of the Family, regarding those who wish to give Holy Communion to those in grave sin, the Cardinal said he cannot give a precise answer on what transpired because he did not take part in the Synod, but he wished to mentioned that he had read in the press that Archbishop Thomasz Peta of Kazakhstan had recalled the extraordinarily strong words of Paul VI that the "smoke of satan" was trying to  enter into the synodal aula. 

Conrad Black's Private Chapel ~ the house of prayer in Black's Toronto home

Conrad Black's private chapel, inside his Park Lane Circle Toronto home. 

BREAKING: Bishop David Motiuk, the Eparch of Edmonton, continues to send very confusing signals on gender ideology

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparch of Edmonton, David Motiuk, has written a letter regarding schooling and gender ideology which leaves the reader very confused. It becomes even more confusing, when the Eparchy has excellent resources denouncing the evil of gender ideology.  

However, this has not stopped Bishop Motiuk from writing a very contradictory letter. The full Letter may be read on his blog. 

Bishop Motiuk writes: 

Contrary to what many loud voices would have you believe, Catholic schools are, and have been, places of inclusivity regarding the broad spectrum of diversities that all students bring to our educational communities, including sexual diversity. 

The word catholic, itself, means universal and all-inclusive. We welcome all children and meet their needs as individuals, and have successfully done so for many years, so that they may reach the fullness of their God-given potential. We will continue to do so, for that is the mission of Catholic education.

According to Mr. Marcel (aka "Marni") Panas, a gender ideology activist and advisor to the Alberta government on the school Guidelines pertaining to gender ideology we read the following from the Edmonton Journal: 

I am a transgender woman. Weeks before I came out last year to the rest of the world, I met the bishop — at his invitation — for another in a long line of very important conversations. I later talked to our priest. From my personal journal dated Jan. 29, 2014, this is how part of that conversation went. “Will we still be welcome to practise our faith as we always have in the church?” I asked. 

The bishop replied: “My answer is an overwhelming yes. As a church, we need to be welcoming to all. We are taught to show kindness and compassion for each other. The church is not a ‘what,’ but a ‘who.’ As humans, we don’t always get it right. You may experience some resistance and negativity, whether in church or anywhere in your life, for many reasons besides even being transgender — as I’m sure you already very well know. But you should feel welcome in your church. You are welcome.”

Asked if I would be denied Holy Communion, he responded with this quote from Pope Francis, of whom he’s obviously a huge fan: “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, it is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” It is not intended to be a reward for the perfect, and no person is, but it is a means to bring us closer to God.

In the Ukrainian church, the funeral is very gender-specific. When I asked how I will be referred to during my burial, I was told: “Well, after March 21, you will be Marni and we will call you a she.”

Is the above true? We need clarity from Bishop Motiuk, not confusion. We need all the bishops of Alberta, indeed all of Canada, to stand up in one voice against gender ideology. 

BREAKING: Pope Francis to meet the Patriarch of Moscow

From the Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow: 

The Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow are pleased to announce that, by the grace of God, His Holiness Pope Francis and His Holiness Patriarch Kirilll of Moscow and All Russia will meet on February 12th next. Their meeting will take place in Cuba, where the Pope will make a stop on his way to Mexico, and where the Patriarch will be on an official visit. It will include a personal conversation at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport, and will conclude with the signing of a joint declaration. 

This meeting of the Primates of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, after a long preparation, will be the first in history and will mark an important stage in relations between the two Churches. The Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate hope that it will also be a sign of hope for all people of good will. They invite all Christians to pray fervently for God to bless this meeting, that it may bear good fruits.

The Gospel reading of the Orthodox church of Friday 12th is from Matt 5:14-19:

	You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15	Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16	Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
17	Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18	For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19	Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

From a sermon, delivered by the Patriarch on July 29, 2013: 

It is not easy to confess this gospel’s truth today. In some places and in some countries there is even a conviction that those who insist on their possession of the truth should be punished. They should accept the truths held by other people – false truths even if these truths belong to a minority but are included in the life of society and state through law. And if some people speak of the truth of Christ and reject these false truths, in some countries they can already be subjected to legal persecution.

We believe that Jesus born from the Virgin Mary is the Lord and Saviour. There is no other saviour; He is the one. And that is why He is the way and the truth and the life.

We proclaim our faith without hesitation or fear, just as St. John Chrysostom states this in his instruction to catechumens on the Easter day. It is quite clear that the Church as Divine organism living in history among people also has human nature, just as the Lord Jesus Christ had human nature. This human nature of the Church is vulnerable as was the human nature of the Saviour. Indeed, He was beat up, outraged, nailed to the Cross. And the Church bears these wounds of Christ, this weakness of human nature. We are witnesses to a great deal of consequences of this weakness, human weakness. Perhaps more relevant for us today is the sin of schism, division, when people motivated by political or ethnic interests destroy the one body of Church. But no one is ever given to destroy the foundation stone, just as no one is given to destroy the invisible body of the Church which is the Body of Christ the Saviour Himself.

Mary Wagner: The Church and physicians must focus on "outright resistance" to euthanasia in Canada

Euthanasia is coming to Canada. Of this latest evil, Mary Wagner - arrested on December 12th, 2015 for actively resisting the evil of abortion - sees not "resistance" from the Church in Canada or from Catholic physicians, but "defeatism". Mary writes: 

 ...the efforts of the church here, and the medical profession, are not focused on outright resistance..."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem admonishes us: 

"...maintain the same faith in times of persecution. Otherwise you will be a friend of Jesus in times of peace and his enemy during war...When war comes fight courageously for him". 

How did we get to the state of no resistance from the Church to such great evils? 

The spiritual state of the Church in Canada?

For decades, the Church in this country has betrayed Our Lord. It officially began with the Winnipeg Statement, with the Canadian Hierarchy subtly, but officially dissenting from Humanae Vitae. In doing so, these bishops publicly professed there shame in Christ, in the Cross. He in turn, cut them off from the Life of Grace, for they refused His Grace. A branch cut off from a tree, initially still looks alive. But, being cut off it soon withers and dies. 

So it is with the Church in Canada. The crisis, the fall is massive. Yes, there still is a lot of bricks and mortar, a lot of statements, noise, grandiose plans made and re-made; huge fund raising plans outlined, monies raise for vague and mysterious "new evangelization"... and so on. But to anyone who has eyes to see, and ears to hear: the Faith, for all practical purposes is nearly dead in Canada. The vast majority of Catholics, led by their "mis-leaders" - the vast majority of bishops - (but not all) eagerly took up the practice of contraceptive sex; thereby, in the process depriving themselves of the life of Grace. Less Grace, the greater the fall. 

When was the last time you heard your parish priest tell you that contraception was a mortal sin? Logically, onanistic sex led to the widespread use and acceptance of abortion. Where is the Catholic resistance to abortion? Having separated sex from life, the next step would be unnatural sexual acts: hence the spread of homosexuality. Amongst Catholics the great shame is that a majority actually support the abomination of "same-sex marriage". How did we get here? A decadent Christianity having wormed its way into the Church over 200 years of being surrounded by liberalism bred a dissenting clergy, that being ashamed of the Cross poured confusion and poison into the Faithful's souls and minds. 

But evil, not facing opposition, always expands. Why not now take up euthanasia? So it will happen in Canada. Will there be opposition? From the bishops? Perhaps a few statements before parliament, but "outright resistance"? 

What about our Catholic physicians; can we expect from them "outright resistance" to euthanasia? Not if they follow the totally unacceptable and immoral "The Proposal",  as the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians are doing. But if the "mis-leaders" do not lead, can we expect the foot soldiers to follow? A few may, gloriously martyred. Perhaps Canada may yet have a St. Thomas More amongst her physicians. 

Martyrdom is a mysterious thing. As in Ancient Rome, those who were thought to be of the Faith offered incense to Caesar, and those who were thought to be pagans, suddenly converted and died in the Lord. 

Catholic compromise with evil led Germany to disaster in the 1930s 

As a friend of this blog wrote in the combox a few weeks ago: 

"They see the assisted death train roaring down the tracks and they really don't know what to do, having been long abandoned through the silence of the moral leaders representing Christ, as well as His 'moral theologians'."

In a letter to the "Doctors and Nurses of the Holy Family Medical Group" dated January 15, 2016, Mary addressed the issue of euthanasia in Canada: Please pray for Canadian physicians and nurses: 

You may have heard that our Supreme Court has decriminalized doctor "assisted” suicide? In August this lawlessness could take effect. 

From what I have learned, the efforts of the church here, and the medical profession, are not focused on outright resistance, (such as prof. Bogdan Chazan’s actions) but more so on how not to be involved in this latest attack on life. Who will intervene when doctors begin killing their patients? Thank you for prayers.

Fascism in Alberta: are the totalitarians of relativism preparing to abolish the Catholic schools following the Bishops' rejection of Gender Ideology?

"civil democratic society" in 1930s Germany

Following the Bishops of Alberta response to the unacceptable and objectively evil Guidelines promoting gender ideology, the totalitarian government may well be preparing to abolish the Catholic school system. This will be an all party move against the Catholic Church. Opposition to Caesar is not considered an option any more in what "conservative" David King (former Minister of Education) bizarrely calls a "civil democratic society", without providing us a definition. But reading his article one can see that it is State sanctioned and enforced "diversity"; or what is popularly known as "values" - these State sanctioned values will "transform" the person. This is pure fascism. 

In an article attacking Bishop Fred Henry and, by extension all the bishops of Alberta and the Catholic Church, David King wrote: 

Bishop Henry proposes that separate schools should operate in ways that are fundamentally at odds with basic tenets of civil democratic society.... 

Separate school education exercises a preference for exclusivity, is inclusive as a matter of charity, and expects homogeneity in the outcome. For someone who believes in civil democratic society, this is problematic. Within the framework of democracy, inclusion is a responsibility as much as a right, and it is a celebration of diversity, with the expectation that both the ‘includers’ and the ‘included’ will be more or less changed (even transformed) in the resulting relationship. 

Clearly, Bishop Henry is unhappy with the prospect that those within separate schools might be changed as a result of relating to ‘others’. The really important question is this: having made the statement, who decides which decisions get made where? Here, the Bishop and others part company with democrats. 

At the beginning of the 21st century does the continued establishment of separate school education represent the best way of protecting minority rights and endorsing equality treatment for all, diversity, inclusion, and a commitment to democratic decision-making?

The above is eerily similar to Mussolini. The fascist wrote:  

The Fascist conception of the State is all embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism, is totalitarian, and the Fascist State - a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values - interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people . . .

Now let us substitute King's preferred terms, "civil democratic"; "society", and the effect is chilling: 

The civil democratic conception of the State is all embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, civil democratic society, is totalitarian, and the civil democratic State - a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values - interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people . . .

One can thank King for his frankness in admitting that schools are to be incubators of indoctrination. Mussolini, Hitler, Lenin and other tyrants understood this well and used schools to great effect. 

Consider the following from official National Socialist propaganda contra the Church. It is a lesson for us as to how fascistic we have become as a regimented society; now being strait-jacketed into a semi-official state policy on personal morality.

As long as the Roman Catholic Church stays within its boundaries, as long as it deals with the religious lives and experiences of its faithful, and as long as it does not interfere in the areas of politics, economics and culture, those areas that the National Socialist government reserves entirely to itself in the interests of the whole of the people, each church and religious group in Germany can conduct its activities unhindered and free of outside influence.

In his bishop’s letter issued shortly before 30 January 1933, Johannes Maria Gföllner, Bishop of Linz, said it clearly:

“The nation is not the highest power, nor may the state be idolized; The highest power for each nation is and remains religion.” (that is, the Catholic Church)...

 According to the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, these people are more important than all scientific knowledge, so they cry bloody murder about the National Socialist state whose wise genetic policies and careful, justified elimination of incurable defectives are working to make the German people once again into a healthy, strong, youthful people....

Closely related to the agitation against the Law for the Prevention of Genetically Ill Offspring is political Catholicism’s battle against the powerful discoveries in the area of racial science. Bishop Gföllner is even clever enough to declare that the National Socialist standpoint is completely irreconcilable with Christianity, calling it a return to despicable heathenism...

Every German-thinking people’s comrade must resist the arrogant attempts of such people to oppose the state and National Socialist principles. When, for example, an itinerant Catholic preacher stands behind the pulpit and preaches to Catholic Germans that he prefers a Negro, a mulatto of pure soul, to a sinful Aryan, when he says that the Semitic race must be esteemed because Christ the man is of Semitic ancestry, when he calls on his hearers to fight for Rome and to be dissatisfied, then even the most faithful Catholic can only shake his head about such backwardness, narrow-mindedness, and ignorance, and leave such an apostle of agitation and hatred to himself...

We have no intention of allowing hysterical cowl-wearers, foreign to the people and the world, to risk even one word that goes beyond the realm of religion...