Pope Francis meets Jesuit who has been criticised for LGBT outreach

The Vatican listed the audience with Father James Martin among the pope’s activities, in a sign that Francis wanted it publicised.

Since only some of Francis’ private meetings are announced, the implicit message was a public vote of confidence in Fr Martin’s ministry.

 

Fr Martin, author of Building A Bridge, a book about how the Catholic Church should reach out more to the LGBT community, has had several talks cancelled in the United States because of pressure from conservative groups who oppose his advocacy.

The Vatican under Francis has welcomed him, however, appointing him as a communications consultant, giving him a speaking slot at a 2018 Vatican-sponsored family rally, and now, a private papal audience.

In a tweet on Monday, Fr Martin said that during the 30-minute meeting, he shared with Francis “the joys and hopes, and the griefs and anxieties, of LGBT Catholics and LGBT people worldwide”.

In a telephone interview, Fr Martin said Francis listened intently to his presentation, delivered in Spanish, about the struggles of LGBT Catholics “and how many of them still feel marginalised” by the church.

“I felt encouraged, consoled and inspired by our meeting,” he said.

“It was like talking to the most compassionate parish priest you can imagine.”

Official church teaching calls for gay men and lesbians to be respected and loved, but considers homosexual activity…

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Teen Boy Saves Neighbor Trapped under Car, Says God Helped Him Rescue Him

Teen Boy Saves Neighbor Trapped under Car, Says God Helped Him Rescue Him



A 16-year-old teenager in Ohio says God helped him save his neighbor, whose car fell on top of him.


Zac Clark added that he thanks God for the opportunity to help his neighbor.


Clark was outside in the yard working with his mother when he heard his neighbor crying for help.


According to CBN News, the neighbor was pinned under a Volkswagen Passat.


“I guess the jack broke or slipped and the car fell on top of him from the waist up,” Clark said. “Only thing I could see was his legs and he was struggling.”


Clark then lifted the 3,000-pound sedan off his neighbor so his mother and the neighbor’s wife could pull the man out from under the car.


“He had a couple of cracked ribs and his face was messed up pretty bad, but the doctors told him if I wasn’t there, then he’d be dead,” he said.


“I was thankful that I was put in the opportunity to be able to save someone’s life. I thank God for letting me be able to do that.”


Clark’s mother, Lora, told CNN that he was raised “to be kind to one another and if you can help, then to help. I’m just very proud.”


Clark’s football team, Clear Fork High School, tweeted the news last week, calling Clark a “real life (sic) hero.”


“We have a real life (sic) hero on our football team. Our left guard, Zach Clark, lifted a car that fell off the jack and on to his neighbor’s chest yesterday. His neighbor…

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Selena Gomez Says Lauren Daigle Has an ‘Anointing,’ Calls Her Music a ‘Blessing’

Selena Gomez Says Lauren Daigle Has an ‘Anointing,’ Calls Her Music a ‘Blessing’



Popstar Selena Gomez is raving about Lauren Daigle’s music on social media once again. 


On Sunday, Gomez posted a clip of Daigle in concert to her Instagram, captioning it, “This girl is a ball of sun. She has an anointing that bursts out ferociously in her voice, words, and music. You and your music are a blessing @lauren_daigle.” 



Accompanying Gomez’s message was a clip of Daigle singing her popular tune, Rescue, which ranks No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Daigle’s You Sayhas been No. 1 for 61 weeks. 


It’s not the first time Gomez has recommended Daigle’s music. Last year, Gomez posted a video on Instagram Story explaining why she likes Daigle’s song, This Girl. Daigle’s songs, Gomez has said, encouraged her during her battle with anxiety and depression. 


“I want to suggest a song for you to listen to if you like it,” Gomez told her fans last year on Instagram. “No worries if you don’t. As some people know, I like to listen to worship music and this song, in particular, makes me feel like I’m talking about that feeling – you know, like, I’m not going anywhere, I’m just showing up.”


“But it’s really hard to not get worked up or upset when you constantly feel like you’re doing the right thing and you’re showing up for people and you’re wanting to be, you know, nice and you’re doing all…

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Tennessee Students Plan Prayer Circle after Atheist Group Complains

Tennessee Students Plan Prayer Circle after Atheist Group Complains



Students from Rockvale High School in Tennessee will pray before their football game this week after a complaint was filed against the coach.


The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued an objection against football coach Rick Rice after he prayed for his team, as reported by Faithwire. According to the organization, only students are allowed to lead prayers. The coach apologized for any misunderstanding after discussing the matter with the school principal and acknowledged that he led two prayers after games so far that season. 


But students from the high school believe the complaint was not needed.


“We always prayed before games. It was just part of what we did,” said Drew Kilgour, a Rockvale resident.


“That’s something that you see on the fields. That’s something that you see in the locker rooms. That’s something you see in the classrooms, in small groups when it comes to any athletic sport, but especially in football, we really see that,” Ronnisha Simmons-Duke, a mother of a Rockvale high school student, said.


In response to the complaint, Rockvale students Madison Nowacki and La’Naya Nelson announced an official prayer circle at 6:30 p.m. before their weekly football game, according to the Daily Journal.


“We have been talking about wanting to pray with our team for a while, but we were scared at first,” Nowacki said. “After the…

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Bethel Musician Announces Run for U.S. Congress: ‘Together We Can Be the Change’

Bethel Musician Announces Run for U.S. Congress: ‘Together We Can Be the Change’



Last week, Christian musician Sean Feucht announced that he is running for Congress in California’s third district.


“Family values are being eroded, the unborn are sacrificed, morals are low, and taxes are high,” his website says. “Families face unimaginable challenges to make ends meet. We need a new generation of leaders. Leaders with a vision, leaders who don’t seek a career, but are willing to sacrifice to fight for what is right.”


Feucht, best known for his work with Bethel Music, believes Congress has failed the country and needs a leader to “stand up and speak up,” CBN News reports.


In the days before his announcement, he opened up to his Instagram account about the upcoming race.


“Kate and I are moving into a season where we are about to find out who our true friends, family, and support systems are,” he wrote. “As sobering as that may sound, I actually believe it’s a gift from God, at least I keep telling myself that. We rarely get these seasons in our lives, at least living in the safe zones of the West, where we must make a choice between the fear of God and fear of men. I know Heaven records our response.”


On Friday morning, in a video narrated by his wife Kate, he announced his decision to run for Congress.


“This is our time to stand up and speak up, this is our moment to be the change. I’m not going to sit…

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Faith-Based Agency Can’t Be Forced to Place Kids with Same-Sex Couples, Court Rules

Faith-Based Agency Can’t Be Forced to Place Kids with Same-Sex Couples, Court Rules



In a first-of-its-kind decision, a federal judge Thursday ruled that the state of Michigan likely displayed “hostility” toward religion when it required a Catholic adoption agency to place foster children with same-sex couples. 


The ruling is a victory for St. Vincent Catholic Charities, a Michigan adoption agency which holds traditional biblical beliefs that marriage was ordained by God for one man and one woman. 


Although a 2015 law had protected religious adoption agencies, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel labeled it “indefensible” during her campaign. Nessel, a Democrat, also called supporters of the law “hate-mongers” and said the law’s purpose was “discriminatory animus.” She was elected in 2018. 


Nessel refused to defend the law, and this year announced a settlement requiring all adoption agencies – including religious ones – to work with same-sex couples if the agencies are to have foster care contracts with the state.  


Becket Fund for Religious Liberty sued the state on behalf of St. Vincent, foster parents and a former foster child who is now an adult. 


Federal Judge Robert J. Jonker on Thursday issued an injunction against the new rule, ruling St. Vincent likely will win the lawsuit. He was nominated by President George W. Bush.


“The State … wants to cancel St. Vincent’s contract if St. Vincent…

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Norway Removes 3 American Christian Children from Home despite Abuse Accusations Being Falsified

Norway Removes 3 American Christian Children from Home despite Abuse Accusations Being Falsified



Norway’s child welfare agency, Barnevernet, has taken permanent custody of three American children after accusations of child abuse that have since been falsified.


“Our hearts are shattered; I can’t hold back tears,” Natalya Shutakova, mother of the three, told CBN News. “Today is a terrible day, another hit to our family.”


Shutakova, who is a US citizen, moved to Norway from Atlanta, Georgia, last year with her husband, Zigintas Aleksandravicius, who is Lithuanian.


The accusations came from their 11-year-old daughter Brigita, who later acknowledged that her stories were made up. According to a video she created after being separated from her parents, Brigita explained that her parents took away her phone as a punishment. In anger, she later told a story about her parents in school.


“Because of me, my family got separated. I started some drama and I wasn’t honest and then I just made up some story and I lied because I didn’t know what I was doing. I lost control. I wasn’t honest. I was so, so angry and I just made up a story,” she said. “I just want to tell you guys—the president—that I am so sorry for lying. But what I mostly want is my mom and dad back.”


In the video, Brigita appealed to “any president” listening to reunite her family.


But the court disregarded the video and voted against the…

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LGBT Lobby Group Proposes the United Methodist Church Be Separated into 4 Denominations

LGBT Lobby Group Proposes the United Methodist Church Be Separated into 4 Denominations



An LGBT lobby group has placed a radical new proposal before the United Methodist Church’s General Conference in a bid to solve long-standing disagreements on LGBT issues.


In a bid to appease all church members, the pro-LGBT group UM-Forward has suggested that the UMC be split into four separate denominations each with their own policies on the issue.


Despite varying rules and regulations, all four sections of the Protestant UMC will be “grounded in the Wesleyan view of grace and holiness, commitment to mission, and connectionalism,” according to the group’s plan. Each denomination will, however, hold to “a different understanding of how this heritage faithfully serves the present age.”


The four different denominations defined within the plan are named the “Traditionalist Methodist Church,” the “Moderate Methodist Church,” the “Progressive Methodist Church,” and the “Liberation Methodist Church,” the Christian Post reported.


According to the plan, despite their varying positions, these different denominations “may be in full communion with each other and part of a global convention or worldwide Wesleyan Communion.”


One of those heading up the initiative, UM-Forward leader and General Conference reserve delegate, Rev. Alex da Silva Souto, told the United Methodist News Service that the plan was the only feasible…

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New Study Identifies Evangelicals’ Top Public Policy Priorities for the 2020 Election

New Study Identifies Evangelicals’ Top Public Policy Priorities for the 2020 Election



As the 2020 election season draws near, a new study conducted by LifeWay Research reveals which issues evangelicals view as their top priorities and how Christians should engage in politics to solve those issues.


The online survey of 1,317 evangelicals, which was conducted last November, asked respondents to identify their top three public policy priorities from a number of choices.  Atop the list was healthcare at 51%. The economy at 46% and national security at 40% came in as the second and third highest priorities for evangelicals. Also on the list, though with considerably lower percentage figures, were abortion at 29% and addressing racial division at 21%.


However, abortion is still an important issue for many evangelicals.  According to the study, “Only half of evangelicals by belief (51%) say they will only support a candidate who wants to make abortion illegal…” And while still a significant percentage the study points out that this commitment to supporting only pro-life candidates is less than the commitment to support candidates who will fight racial injustice (67%) among other issues.


The study also highlights evangelical voters’ commitment to civility when discussing politics.  “Two in 3 Americans with evangelical beliefs (66%) believe being civil in political conversations is productive.”


In response to the survey,…

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Nun inspired by Mother Theresa released on bail after 15 months in prison

Campaigners have been calling for Sister Concelia Baxla to be released during that time.

She was arrested on charges of human trafficking after one of her co-workers allegedly took money for facilitating an adoption.

 

After those charges were dropped, she remained in prison.

Supporters claimed her imprisonment was an attempt to harm the Church in India.

Tehmina Arora, director of religious freedom charity ADF India, said: “Nobody should be persecuted because of their faith.

“We are thankful that Sister Concelia has been granted bail after more than a year in prison pending trial.

“While others were released sooner, it seems that Sr Concelia was punished for symbolic reasons due to her faith and her position as a member of the Missionaries of Charity.”

There are growing fears over the persecution of Christians in India.

More than 200 incidents of attacks on believers have been recorded so far this year.

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