This is an official picture of the Charlotte Diocese’ Catholic News Herald of the banners for the Eucharistic Procession of the Eucharistic Congress we just had on 8-9 September 2017 in Charlotte. You can see the two Black Lives Matter banners behind and to the left and right of the Immaculate Heart of Mary banner on the left of the picture. Here are some close-up shots:
The quote — “…and then they came for me...” — is, of course, from Protestant minister Martin Niemöller, the thing about not defending others because they are not oneself until one realizes that oneself is finally among those others and so also needs defending, but now it’s too late. Sounds nice as a critique of our weakness, but it is a principle of anarchy and fascism if it is cut off from reason and justice. Black Lives Matter, as it itself says, will stand up for a cause regardless of its value as long as people with lots of pigmentation are involved. Thus, just a few bits from the official website of Black Lives Matter:
TRANSGENDER AFFIRMING: We are guided by the fact all Black lives [matter], regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status or location
QUEER AFFIRMING: We are committed to fostering a queer-affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking or, rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual unless s/he or they disclose otherwise.
BLACK VILLAGES: We are committed to disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, and especially “our” children to the degree that mothers, parents and children are comfortable.
BLACK FAMILIES: We are committed to making our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children. We are committed to dismantling the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work “double shifts” that require them to mother in private even as they participate in justice work.
In other words, black lives don’t matter at all to Black Lives Matter, for they don’t respect black people enough to do right by them, tearing them down to the lowest common denominator of bullying ideology and self referential congratulations, attacking the family, attacking the upbringing of kids, attacking the image of God in marriage, making it all about pigmentation and pigmentation alone. Well, with one exception. Black Lives Matter are against all Law Enforcement Officers, including those who are black and, in that case, because they are black. So, we know what this really about.
BLM is a terrorist organization. I specifically disagree with their absolute hatred of our public safety officials and the extreme violence of their movement.
- “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want it? Now!”
- “Pigs in a blanket. Fry em like bacon.”
I could multiply those kinds of videos of this hate group in their own words from all around these USA. This is who they are. This is what they do. Extreme haters.
“But Father George, can’t you open your heart and understand where they are coming from? After all, there are high emotions after a ‘police killing’ when some black man points his gun at police, or when there is black on black violence.”
No. There’s no excuse. And this is not all black people, so many of whom are upset that they are all included by BLM in BLM just because they are black. No. People are people not because of any pigmentation or lack thereof. It’s because they are people. I’m offering Holy Mass today for all the victims of violence among black people, including and especially Justin Carr.
I doubt very much whether these banners were approved by anyone official for the Eucharistic Congress though they are certainly the long advertised banners of the parish specifically promoted on the parish website to be carried in the Eucharistic Procession of the Eucharistic Congress. It’s not that they “snuck in” as some tried to assert. Parishes simply come with their banners and join in the procession. These were their parish banners. The banners did, however, stay put in the main hall throughout the day, until the end. No big deal. But hey! Maybe nobody noticed. At all. All day. But…
As surely expected by those who carried these banners in the procession, the abuse of the Most Blessed Sacrament as a means to legitimize a controversial political ideological movement stirred some emotions among the other participants of the Eucharistic Congress. Such abuse of the Most Blessed Sacrament is, of course, both blasphemy and a sacrilege and is not to be tolerated. I’m wondering if the disgruntlement was actually pre-planned so as to cause a stir on purpose. I saw three police officers rushing to and then standing around the banners as what appeared to be an incident of emotions unfolded just off to the side of the stage where adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament was proceeding in front of ten to twenty thousand people. The police were peaceful and exemplary in keeping good order at that time and during the entire Eucharistic Congress. We thank them for that. I, for one, support the thin blue line. I later thanked the police officer who seemed to be in charge of security.
I should offer the disclaimer that I’m a “white priest” and also Jewish and Pope Francis’ Missionary of Mercy, and I was a participant at the Eucharistic Congress and I feel that the fact of my presence and that of other priests, including black priests, and brown and yellow, was hijacked and speciously used in support of a movement with which I, with which we do not agree.
But, wait a minute, no disclaimer is necessary. I’m a person. Period. That’s why I disagree with Black Lives Matter.
Black Lives Matter is entirely racist and by definition anti-Catholic, by definition an anti-Semitic political movement. Catholic means universal, and Black Lives Matter is specifically not that. It’s all black, everything black and only black, no matter what they otherwise say with the saccharine presentation of the local parish. No room for any universal. No room at all for Jesus. It’s them and only them, alone. BLM is separatist, segregationalist. Like the old South Africa in reverse. To say that the parish means well (and maybe they do ever so incredibly naively) and to add, however, that that makes it all O.K., is as bogus and dishonest as saying that Planned Parenthood loves black people, and therefore it is all OK that Planned Parenthood is also in an all out genocidal war against black people, placing the vast majority of their clinics in poor black neighborhoods with the explicit purpose of getting rid of the black population through attrition. Remember Hitleresque whitey-white Margaret Sanger, their ultra racist founder?
Here’s the deal: Jesus loves all of us. He’s redeemed us all. He wants to save us all. Not one of us is better or worse, more entitled or not. Jesus loves all of us whatever the pigmentation levels in our skin happen to be. I feel personally offended when I see Jesus’ love being abused for the racist reductionism vaunted by Black Lives Matter. I disagree with the discourtesy of that parish for having it seem that I am in solidarity with their terrorist ideology.
Having said that, I have a legitimate question. With that being my opinion, could I ever be transferred to be pastor of that parish in Charlotte? You have to know that I already offered this to the bishop long before I was sent to keep the parish in Andrews open. Would there be loud and unending protests and media coverage? I suppose. That’s O.K. The message the world would hear is Jesus’ goodness and kindness and love and… and… truth. Not such a bad result. It seems one has to start over with many aspects of that parish.
I love challenges, and the one and only real challenge is always to bring people closer to Jesus, whether or not they are closer than I am. Jesus is the One. Not us. It’s all about Jesus. I would go in a heartbeat to help lead this parish closer to Jesus, to go from reductionism to universalism, to go from what is self-referential to that which is consonant with natural law and God’s law of goodness and kindness and… and… truth. And if that crowd supporting the banners wanted to be forgiven in the Confessional for their promotion of the ideological terrorists making up Black Lives Matter, I would of course do just that, with joy. And I tell you this, I love every one there in that parish, including and specifically those who carried the banners. I want them all to get closer to Jesus, to His goodness and kindness and love and… and… truth.
From a Black Lives Matter scene elsewhere:
I wonder if the terrorists antifa will be in next year’s procession, along with more explicit promotions of LGBTQ and anti-law-enforcement activities. I suggest that this all be stopped in the bud, and now. I notice that, now days later, the advertisements about the banners are still up on the website at the parish. In fact, an album of pictures of the banners in the procession has been added to the parish website as I write this.
Update: Charlene Duline, whose career in the State Department skyrocketed because of her obvious love and service for all, has, as one might expect with her vast experience in some of the most diplomatically sensitive places on the planet, come up with a solution for us all: Turn Black Lives Matter into All Lives Matter. If the parish were to do that, they would be leaders in the country and the world for a social justice that is truly Christ centered and which is then poised to bring goodness and kindness and… and… truth to all. Thank you dearest Charlene! See her fantastic book on Amazon: HERE.
Update: Just to say: I challenge the pastor, who I know – he used to be the pastor of the parish in Brevard in which territory I lived for a number of years – I challenge him and the Black Cultural Commission of his parish to invite me to preach on Mercy at all the weekend Masses of his choice. After all, I am a Missionary of Mercy of Pope Francis, and we are personally bidden by the Holy Father to preach on mercy. It’s a mercy challenge. Can they take it up?
Amen Fr George.
You would do wonders for people there. They need the spiritual courage and guidance that looks and seeks what is beyond this world.
This is so sad, Father George. I am shocked that the parish allowed such banners. ALL lives matter. I understood the phrase that black lives matter when there was a surge in unjustified police shooting of black men. But at some point there should have been a transition to ALL LIVES MATTER. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” appears to exclude a number of people and colors. When will everyone realize that we all are children of God; that we all bleed red blood; that there are good people and bad people, and that given the opportunity most people will show their good side. Houston is a perfect example of that! I am saddened about that Eucharistic Congress and saddened more that the parish in Charlotte permitted it. Dear Lord, please let there be peace.
Thanks Charlene. Thank you for your humanity and faith. I’m sure you were a breath of fresh air for the diplomatic service of the State Department. If I were pastor there, and I would love that, I would hire you as our good will ambassador.
I understand that he and his mom were members of that parish. And I am sure that she is still mourning him.. but that congress was about Our Lord..which makes me sad this happened… and offering a prayer or 2 about it.
@Janine – Yes. And I am in solidarity with her. We all mourn the loss of his presence in our midst. All the more, he shouldn’t be hijacked, she shouldn’t be hijacked for ideological ends. BLM bullies people. How horrible for them to bully their way into the parish using such tragic violence that he suffered. They are not to be reduced to to ideological fodder for violence. That’s not the way. But it’s BLM’s way. There is another. THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: JESUS.
Yes Father … you are so very right. 😦 how terrible. Offering more prayers for this family.. it’s so sad
If my offer of a parish mission of mercy is taken up, perhaps I could get Charlene to team up with me.
Absolutely! I would gladly serve with you, Father George!
Well. I’ll see if Father del Giudice and I can switch parishes for a weekend!
I would come.
Father, you may not be aware that there WAS a counter-movement called “All Lives Matter.” It was born to awaken in everyone that every single life matters simply because we are all God’s children. It doesn’t matter what color your skin may be, what sex you are, what religion you practice, etc. Every life matters! Believe it or not, there were many schools & workplaces that banned ALM t-shirts, etc. because they were seen as “hateful” of BLM!!! BLM believes that only certain black lives matter as they do nothing about the huge number of black-on-black murders & crimes in the US–complete silence on that issue. They’re anarchists & need to be dealt with as such. While I can pray for these people, I will still condemn their actions because of what they’re doing to our nation.
Thanks Sue. Yikes!
So what action has our Bishop taken against the thugs of OLC?
It absolutely will not happen again. I know more but enough said.