In a statement on Sunday, the Archdiocese of St. Louis defended the king as a saint who reverenced God and did much to care for the poor.
“The history of the statue of St. Louis, the King is one founded in piety and reverence before God, and for non-believers, respect for one’s neighbor. The reforms that St. Louis implemented in French government focused on impartial justice, protecting the rights of his subjects, steep penalties for royal officials abusing power, and a series of initiatives to help the poor. King Louis IX’s renowned work in charity helped elevate him to Sainthood,” the archdiocese said.
“His daily suppers were shared with numerous beggars, whom he invited to the royal table. On many evenings, he would not let them leave before he washed their feet. He personally paid to feed more than 100 poor Parisians every day. His care for the sick was equally moving; St. Louis frequently ministered to lepers. He also created a number of hospitals, including one for the blind and another for ex-prostitutes. For Catholics, St. Louis is an example of an imperfect man who strived to live a life modeled after the life of Jesus Christ. For St. Louisans, he is a model for how we should care for our fellow citizen, and a namesake with whom we should be proud to identify.”
Bishop Donald Hying of Madison, Wisconsin, was one of the first bishops to publicly denounce the destruction of statues and memorials, saying, “I cannot remain silent.” He released a letter decrying the vandalism. “The secular iconoclasm of the current moment will not bring reconciliation, peace and healing,” he wrote. “Such violence will only perpetuate the prejudice and hatred it ostensibly seeks to end.”
Even statues on church grounds are a target. St. Patrick’s Church in Joliet, Illinois, reported that vandals destroyed a small statue of the Blessed Virgin in front of the parish rectory during the night on June 23. The church pledged to replace the statue and build a grotto to protect it in the future. “We ask that you take this as a call to pray even more fervently for the conversion of hearts,” a representative of the church said on the church’s Facebook page.
National news outlets reported on San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s prayer service and exorcism in Golden Gate Park at the site of a destroyed statue of St. Junípero Serra. Archbishop Cordileone said the service was in response to “an act of sacrilege.”
In St. Louis, vandals and Catholics clashed at the base of a statue of the city’s namesake. After Muslim convert and political activist Umar Lee created a petition to have the statue removed, the Gateway Pundit, a conservative blog, announced a public Rosary in support of St. Louis and the statue. Lee then announced a counterprotest, calling those planning to attend the prayer event “White Nationalists.”
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This line from the bishop's statement:
Such violence will only perpetuate the prejudice and hatred it ostensibly seeks to end.
"Ostensibly" is one of my favorite words to indicate someone is acting in bad faith.
Don't have Twitter, but someone do warn him he is walking into a trap please.
What good would it do? He already took the bait, and the hook is stuck in his lips.
Thanks for reminding me that if you want something done, do it yourself. I sent Dr. Jones a note of with a link to this entry.
Thank you.
America was a mistake.
Hard to argue with that.
It was fantastic seeing pro-lifers crow about the death penalty yesterday not long after churches were just vandalized, Catholics attacked, and the world just went through riots leaving many innocents dead.
But the priority, in their minds? Murderers.
Say what you will about secular cultists, but at least they can focus their aim on the right enemy.
This hippie-dippy boomer utopianism has to die before any sort of change can be enacted. The world is not on your side, and it is not "time" to change centuries old laws because the clock shows a different hour.
Unfortunately, we're going to sit through a lot more idiocy like this before even one thing can change.
The pro-life movement would have succeeded decades ago if it wasn't for pro-lifers.
Many years ago, the small rural Baptist hall we met in was defaced with the slogan
"SATAN LIVES".
We left it there for some time.
If they hate you, you're doing something right.
Yes, you are.