Anti-Catholic bigotry is epidemic

America has worked hard to promote pluralism. We’ve been wildly successful. Yes, there have been setbacks. But our motto of e pluribus unum, “out of many, one,” has worked because our nation enshrined in our Constitution as its most important rights the freedoms of religion and speech. The re-emergence of anti-Catholic bigotry in the past decade is a cause for alarm.

America is amazing. Protestants and Catholics; Democrats and Republicans; and even Red Sox and Yankee fans all peacefully co-exist despite major differences. But the bonds that bind seem to be fraying.

The election of Joe Biden as only the 2nd self-professed Roman Catholic (John Kennedy was the first) in our nation’s history should have been a cause for celebration. And yet his administration has been anything but a friend to our nation’s Catholic community.

FBI targets ‘Catholic extremists’

We learned this year that the FBI targeted traditional Catholics as ‘extremists’. When pressed on the matter before Congress, FBI Director Christopher Wray downplayed the matter. He asserted under oath that it was the work of a single rogue FBI field agent. Sadly, Mr. Wray’s testimony was less than forthright. He said:

“as soon as I found out about it, I was aghast and ordered it withdrawn and removed from FBI systems,”

The story changes

When a less-redacted version of documents involving the case was provided, the story changed. The FBI probe didn’t involve a single ‘rogue’ field office, it included several. Richmond. Los Angeles. Portland.

This single report is profoundly troubling. If this was a stand-alone incident, it wouldn’t loom as large as it does. But it’s not a stand-alone incident.

Raid on a Catholic pro-lifer

In Pennsylvania last year, the FBI implemented a dawn raid at the home of a Catholic pro-life activist, Mark Houck. Houck’s wife, Ryan-Marie described the events:

“A SWAT team of about 25 came to my house with about 15 vehicles and started pounding on our door. They said they were going to break in if he didn’t open it. And then they had about five guns pointed at my husband, myself, and basically at my kids.”

Houck’s crime? While praying at an abortion clinic with his 14 year old son, he had an altercation with an abortion proponent, whom Houck said verbally harassed his son. Houck acknowledges he shoved the man twice to get him away from his son. The man sustained no injuries. Watch the video above for a recap.

The Philadelphia DA declined to take up the case. A follow up private criminal claim was also thrown out. But that wasn’t good enough for the Biden Justice Department who arrested Houck.

The jury found Mr. Houck not guilty of assault charges related to violating the FACE Act, (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act). Presiding Judge Gerald Pappert was surprised the Justice Department had even pursued the case, wondering aloud to the prosecution whether the FACE Act didn’t “seem to be stretched a little thin here.” Had Houck lost the case, he could’ve received 11 years in prison … for shoving a man who harassed his young son.

Catholic Churches under attack

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reported on the proliferation of arson, vandalism, and other destruction taking place at Catholic Churches in the United States:

“At least 272 incidents have occurred across 43 states and the District of Columbia since May 2020.  Incidents include arson, statues beheaded, limbs cut, smashed, and painted, gravestones defaced with swastikas and anti-Catholic language and American flags next to them burned, and other destruction and vandalism. This list shows incidents of vandalism, arson, or other destruction at Catholic sites that have been publicly reported in news media. It excludes incidents where circumstances suggest a motive other than hostility toward the Church.”

Most of these acts of desecration go unsolved.

Foster care obstacles

In Massachusetts, the state’s Department of Children and Families denied a Catholic couple’s foster-care application. The state considered them unfit to be foster parents because of their unwavering Catholic beliefs.

The State didn’t pull any punches. They said of Michael and Kitty Burke that …

“… their faith is not supportive [of LGBT issues] and neither are they. [They] would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA.”

Kamala Harris

As a senator, current vice president, Kamala Harris demonstrated anti-Catholic bigotry (above) in her questioning of Brian Buescher a few years ago, who was nominated to serve as a district judge in Nebraska. Harris asked:

“Since 1993, you have been a member of the Knights of Columbus, an all-male society comprised primarily of Catholic men. In 2016, Carl Anderson, leader of the Knights of Columbus, described abortion as “a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths.” Mr. Anderson went on to say that “abortion is the killing of the innocent on a massive scale.” Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman’s right to choose when you joined the organization?”

She demanded to know if Mr. Buescher “ever, in any way, assisted with or contributed to advocacy against women’s reproductive rights.” In essence, Kamala Harris suggests that membership in the Knights and adherence to this core teaching of our Catholic faith disqualifies a person from judging the laws of our land.

Similarly, Senator Diane Feinstein indicated misgivings about Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Catholicism during her 2017 confirmation hearing to the Court of Appeals. Senator Feinstein fretted:

“The dogma lives loudly within you.”

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Dodgers honored the Catholic hate-group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Bishop Robert Barron weighed in:

Bishop Barron wonders if the cultural power structure would react the same if Islam was similarly under attack. The answer is self-evident.

Five Catholic jurists 

The Supreme Court features five originalist Catholic jurists: Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Bret Kavanaugh, and Samuel Alito. Cartoons like the one above suggest that decisions from this group are tainted, if not illegitimate, because of the underpinnings of their Catholic faith.

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Catholics believe that human life begins at fertilization; so they support pro-life laws and oppose human abortion.

They believe that marriage is between one man and one woman.

They believe that God created man and woman. Period. There are but two sexes.

These beliefs put them in the cross hairs of a woke political party and culture that feels liberated to put their anti-Catholic bigotry on full display.

[Pulse Life Advocate’s pro-life educational outreach depends on you. Donate today.]