Romanian Catholics Persecuted and Martyred by Communists

Johannes Habsburg

In 1950 a prisoner of the communist authorities, held in a Franciscan monastery, Bishop Janos Scheffler managed to send one last message to his flock: "Remain faithful … even up to a martyr's death." Two years later th8e unbreakable man of Satu Mare, Romania, was dead. A bishop who lead by example remained true to his word. (Photos of the Rumanian bishops made at the time of their imprisonment) At the end of the Second World War Romania found itself among those countries dominated by imposed communist regimes. In keeping with communist methodology Georgiju Dej's dictatorship, and later that of Nicolae Ceausescu, was characterized, amongst other things, by an intense stifling of all manifestations of religious life. The main aim of its religious policy was the wholesale nationalization of all Churches.

In 1948 Romania broke off diplomatic relations with the Holy See. As so often under communism, the worst repressions befell the Greek Catholic Church, in full communion with the Bishop of Rome by virtue of the Act of Union of 1700. In October 1948 the authorities rounded up thirty-six Greek Catholic priests from Transylvania in the town of Cluj and induced them to sign a document pursuant to which the Greek Catholic Church would "return" to the Orthodox Church. All of Romania's Greek Catholic bishops were arrested, and on December 1st the government issued a decree by which the Greek Catholic Church officially ceased to exist. Over five hundred priests, nuns and members of the laity were imprisoned.

The state confiscated all Greek Catholic churches and property, handing most of it over to the Orthodox Church. It was at that time that the government also banned the Roman Catholic Bishop Janos Scheffler (1887-1952) of the Satu Mare diocese from performing any public duties. Two years later, he was interned in a Franciscan monastery, though he still managed to maintain contact with his diocese, secretly appointed several replacements and was able to send a final message of consolation to his faithful. Because of his moral strength and unbending attitude, in 1952 he was transferred to a secret underground prison in Bucharest. While bathing, guards released boiling water causing serious multiple burns. He died from his wounds on December 6th 1952. 

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Guardian Gloats Over the End of Confessional Ireland

Editor: the Guardian would never enable elements hostile to Catholicism, would it? The Irish Republic continues to dismantled and put away the remnants of an Irish confessional state with the blessing of a people saturated with media hysteria.

[Guardian] There are two parallel revolutions taking place on either side of the Irish Sea that will radically alter the relationship between government and non-state institutions that exercise major temporal power.

In Britain the ongoing revelations of wrongdoing within the Murdoch empire and the public humiliation of a media baron and his son may result in re-alignment in the relationship between politicians and the press, with the former becoming less supplicant to the latter.

One of the most important by-products of the last few incredible weeks has been the end of fear. Specifically, fear of media tycoons who used to boast that some of their newspapers had "won" elections and had left the prime ministerial ambitions of party leaders in ruins. The humbling of Murdoch Senior and Junior this week marked the end of that fear.

Link to Guardian...

Catholic Cartoon blog, here.

Kevin Myers: There's never been a safer time for children - Kevin Myers, Columnists - Independent.ie

Edit: this is the first major journalist talking any sense.

Kevin Myers: There's ne
ver been a safer time for children - Kevin Myers, Columnists - Independent.ie

Prelate Makes St. Pius X Pilgrims Stand in the Rain:

Prelate Ludwig Limbrunner refused to allow the pilgrims to Altötting to use their Grace Chapel for adoration. Only silent prayer is allowed. As some suggested according to the kreuz.net article, it's a shame that other Faiths are allowed to use the chapel, but not Catholics.

[Kreuz.net]The Society of Pius X is to blame: had they been a homosexual friendly group of protestants, they would have been invited into the chapel to the fanfare of trumpets.

[kath.net]Prelate Ludwig Limbrunner forbid pilgrims of the Society of St. Pius X into the Grace Chapel of Altötting to venerate. Indeed, they were informed by Prelate Ludwig Limbrunner, that they would only be allowed to pray silently in the Grace Chapel and otherwise must leave their banners outside. Thereupon the Pius Pilgrims said their prayers, despite pouring rain, in the courtyard of the Grace Chapel. For a short time there were some tumultuous disagreements in front of the Grace Chapel, according to the Neue Passauer Presse.

Kath.net...

The Good Shepherd Institute Establishes Itself in Colombia

Edit: Now for something completely different: good news.  The Good Shepherd Institute has been approved for war-torn and besieged Colombia.

Good news. The Good Shephed Institute (GSI or IBP in Spanish) has recently been allowed to set up a public apostolate in Bogota.  They were also allowed to have a TLM in the Basilica.  To my knowledge, outside of Campos, this is the first official TLM at a major Church/Basilica in South America in the last 30-40 years or so.  Here are some pictures of the TLM.

Source, here...

Assault on Altar in Irish Republic Continues: Sacrament of Confession

Presidential Candidate David Norris: A True Irish Republican in Every Sense

Editor:  They don't mind taking seriously men like David Norris, who are not only advocates for homosexual depravity, but he actually supports pederasty,  and it's hardly surprising since the politician campaigned successfully to abolish the law that jailed child predator Oscar Wilde and the libertine and anti-Clerical James Joyce.  But the double standard is in full play here.  Entertainment and political figures, like Roman Polanski, Micheal Jackson or Peter Yarrow or France's Minister of Culture, Frederick Mitterand, get a get out of jail free card while the Catholic Church's property,  personnel and liberties are under persistent attack.

Meanwhile, the assault on Ireland continues as the Republic sheds crocodile tears over the "problem" of clerical sex-abuse.

Let us remind you that this has been done before in Nazi Germany, Revolutionary France and the Soviet Union.  It's going on in the United States and Communist China.  Of course, there are many interests involved, but fifth columnists within the Church's walls are playing this crisis for all it's worth.  If the Bishops were as adamant at defending Catholic Orthodoxy as they are defending socialist agendas, they might have an easier time maintaining credibility.  Instead, like the homosexual enabling Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, they collaborate on the abuse issue rather than treat the accusations for what they're worth.  They refuse to challenge them, but use them as a means to promote more liberalism, sex-education and political correctness.

The abuse-hysteria has even aroused outcries for the recall of the Vatican Ambassador.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the government will not exempt priests from reporting evidence of child abuse obtained in the confessional, under a strengthened legislation, reports the Irish Times.

But the Independent.ie reports that the Church is expected to counter any effort to break the traditional seal of the confession box.

Ian Elliott, the CEO of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, said he welcomed the tough new legislative package announced by Justice Minister Alan Shatter in the wake of the publication of the Cloyne Report. But Mr Elliott said he saw no justification for breaking the confessional seal, which is known as sacredotal privilege.

Read further, here...

Troops march in San Diego's gay pride parade | ajc.com

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SAN DIEGO — About 200 active-duty troops and veterans wearing T-shirts advertising their branch of service marched Saturday in San Diego's gay pride parade with American flags and rainbow banners, marking what is believed to be the first time a military contingent has participated in such an event in the U.S.

Sean Sala poses in front of a statue of a Navy sailor kissing a nurse Thursday, July 14, 2011, in San Diego. Sala, a former sailor, is organizing a military contingent of hundreds of former and active-duty troops to lead San Diego’s Gay Pride March set for July 15th, in a show of unity to honor those who serve the country and have died for it. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A Marine marches past a small group while yelling anti-homosexual comments during the Gay Pride Parade, Saturday, July 16, 2011, in San Diego. More than 200 active duty troops and former service members marched Saturday in San Diego’s gay pride parade with American flags and rainbow banners, marking what is believed to be the first time an identifiable group involving active duty troops participated in such an event in the U.S. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Two women, both active duty sailors in the Navy who gave their names as Nikki, left, and Lisa, kiss as they march in the Gay Pride Parade in San Diego Saturday, July 16, 2011. More than 200 active duty troops and war veterans waving small American flags alongside rainbow banners marched in San Diego's gay pride parade in what is believed to be the first time an identifiable group of active duty troops has participated in such an event in the U.S. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A Marine who did not give his name laughs as he marches past a small group yelling anti-homosexual comments during the Gay Pride Parade Saturday, July 16, 2011, in San Diego. More than 200 active duty troops and war veterans waving small American flags alongside rainbow banners marched in San Diego's gay pride parade in what is believed to be the first time an identifiable group of active duty troops has participated in such an event in the U.S. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Many of the active-duty troops said they were moved to come out because it is time to end the military's ban on openly gay troops. The march comes a day after a federal appeals court reinstated "don't ask, don't tell" but with a caveat that prevents the government from investigating or penalizing anyone who is openly gay.
National Guard member Nichole Herrera, 31, said she didn't think twice about marching, even though the policy is back on the books. She said she was "choked up" several times as she walked down a main thoroughfare in San Diego, a major Navy port.


Troops march in San Diego's gay pride parade | ajc.com

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