The China/Vatican Agreement: A Human Tragedy

Pope Francis “has effectively given Xi Jinping a stamp of approval when the latter’s hostility to religious freedom couldn’t be clearer,” said Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch.

“Watching a major world faith come to an agreement with an authoritarian government that’s notorious for repressing religious freedom and to effectively cede some authority to that government sets a very worrying precedent,” Richardson explained. “The deal came as the religious-freedom environment in China reached its worst level in years, as the government has detained Muslim citizens in illegal detention camps, increased control over churches and temples, and sought to incorporate party ideology directly into religious doctrine.”

Besides A.G. Barr, Mick Mulvaney and Pat Cipollone are Opus Dei, too

All three are involved in Trump’s impeachment.

During his July 25th call with Ukraine Pres. Zelensky, Trump urged Zelensky to work with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and Attorney General William Barr to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Humter.

When Trump’s chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, was asked whether a “demand for an investigation [into the Bidens] was part of the reason that [Trump] ordered withholding  funding to Ukraine,” Mulvaney replied, “…. We do that all the time with foreign policy … Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.”

White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, is the “architect” of Trump’s fight against impeachment and “the attorney who will play a leading role in Trump’s Senate impeachment trial defense” according to NPR.

The World Holds Pope Francis Accountable for Clerical Sex Abuse

Pres. Donald J. Trump is more admired than Pope Francis in a worldwide poll.

Trump is ranked at No. 14, Pope Francis at No. 15 as the world’s most admired man in 2019, according to YouGov’s annual study “of which public figures the people of our planet look up to.” The study “covers the views of people in 41 countries with more than 42,000 people being interviewed to compile the list.”

A Grave Financial Scandal or Papal “Get Tough” Posturing?

Vatican police raided offices of the Secretariat of State and the Financial Information Authority, the Vatican’s financial “watchdog” agency, on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

“They seized documents, computers, telephones and passports and blocked bank accounts,” Edward Pentin reported.

Five employees were suspended, including a priest. The police issued a circular to all security personnel, including the Swiss Guards, that the four lay persons were banned from entering the Vatican City State. (The priest resides in the city.)

The circular had photographs of the five employees “designed in the manner of a ‘Wanted’ poster or mugshot.”

Two days later, “Pope Francis named a top anti-Mafia prosecutor, Giuseppe Pignatone, as president of the Vatican criminal court over the alleged financial wrongdoing.”

Why Catholic Officials Have Been So Deferential to Trump

“More judges, more judges, more judges,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) declared in addressing a meeting of some affluent Catholics, bishops, and priests in July. “Graham lauded Trump’s Supreme Court appointees Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, and reminded the audience that two more Supreme Court vacancies could occur during the next presidential term,” Dan Morris-Young reported.

“Trump has confirmed 150 lifetime judges…. piles of unqualified and ideologically extreme people many of whom have records of being anti-abortion [and] anti-LGBTQ rights,” noted Jennifer Bendery on Sept. 17.

The Vatican City State of Dark Money

The Vatican City State is an independent country. The head of state is addressed as “Holy Father” and his government is called the Holy See. There is no complete and accurate account of the Vatican’s investments, commercial real estate, bank accounts, currencies and gold because, with few exceptions, the Holy Father wants his wealth to remain hidden.

Two recent reports provide some additional information as to why this is true. The first not only gives us a hint of the Vatican’s massive wealth, but also “money laundering and fraud” are possibly involved. The second informs us that the Vatican’s top financial policeman was accused of money laundering and collusion in the cover-up of a financial crime. 

Cardinals McCarrick, Wuerl, and Farrell: A Web of Sex Abuse, Bribes, Financial Misconduct and Cover-ups

These men claim to be religious leaders, spiritual guides, moral authorities. They are addressed as “His Eminence.” The man who appoints and promotes them is addressed as “Holy Father” and his government is the “Holy See.”

Theodore McCarrick, Donald Wuerl and Kevin Farrell were among the officials who received thousands of dollars from West Virginia Bishop Michael J. Bransfield. Bransfield was seeking to “purchase influence” with “those whose opinions carry weight with the Vatican” according to a recent Washington Post investigation.