The Lepanto Institute weekly Review carries an article by Michael Hichborn titled: Pope Francis Awards Architect of Safe-Abortion Fund with Pontifical Ho

It commences:

On January 12, reports began surfacing on Twitter that Lilianne Ploumen, former Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in the Netherlands, was honored by Pope Francis with the title of Commander in the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great. The Lepanto Institute was able to confirm from a December 22, 2017 Dutch radio broadcast that Ploumen indeed received the honor. In a brief video clip promoting the broadcast, Ploumen displays the medal while saying that she received it from the Pope.

Here is the video:

Here is a crude translation of the exchange:
BNR – And this is the umpteenth prize that Lilianne Ploumen observes, won in 2017 and from whom they came.
Ploumen – Yes, it is a high distinction from the Vatican; from the pope.
BNR – From the pope.
Ploumen – Beautiful.
BNR – Yes.
Ploumen – It is Commander in the order of St. Gregory.
BNR – And that despite that you are pro-abortion.
Ploumen – Yes you can check.

To say that Lilianne Ploumen is “pro-abortion” is an extreme understatement and doesn’t even come close to the scandalous reality of her activism.

In January of last year, after US President Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy, Ploumen launched a new NGO called She Decides to provide mass amounts of funds to organizations that would no longer receive funds from the US government. The Mexico City Policy automatically denies US funding for international organizations which perform or promote abortion.

Referring to the Mexico City Policy as a “Global Gag Rule,” Ploumen stated that the intention of She Decides was to continue support for existing programs being run by organizations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International. She said, “These are successful and effective programs: direct support, distributing condoms, making sure women are accompanied at the birth, and making sure abortion is safe if they have no other choice.”

And concludes:

The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great was established in September 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI. The honor of membership in the Order is conferred on individuals for their “personal service to the Holy See and to the Roman Catholic Church, through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See, and their excellent examples set forth in their communities and their countries.”

It remains to be seen what service Lilianne Ploumen has provided for the Catholic Church or the Holy See, given her staunch support for homosexuality, abortion and contraception. Given that the one thing that Lilianne Ploumen is known for in the past year is the establishment of a fund that provides hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations that commit abortion and dispense contraception, it is difficult, if not impossible, to separate her recent Pontifical honor from this grievous and scandalous act.

To imply that Lilianne Ploumen is a one dimensional character devoid of all human compassion, might well be an opinion loaded with bias...or, is the target of this article, Pope Francis?

A classical example in evading the point, Alex.

I doubt that anyone else could possibly put that construct on the article. Why not just check the transcript? BNR could see the point. Why can’t you?


--Previous Message--
:
: To imply that Lilianne Ploumen is a one
: dimensional character devoid of all human
: compassion, might well be an opinion loaded
: with bias...or, is the target of this
: article, Pope Francis?
:
:
:
:
:
:

It is also arguable that the focus of the article's criticism is Pope Francis, and not Lilianne Ploumen who is merely the catalyst.

To evade the obvious, is to believe that the reader is devoid of intelligence.

Alex, you wrote: ”To evade the obvious, is to believe that the reader is devoid of intelligence. “ Precisely! You must think that all your readers are morons who can be convinced that your Orwellian distortions are the truth. Some obviously can – their ears itch for teachings such as yours, but I’d like to think that there are still some readers of this board who have not allowed their God-given intelligence to shrivel.

There has been no attempt to hide the fact that the article expresses incredulity that the Pope could confer such an award on such a high-profile advocate of contempt for the Church’s teachings. What I was commenting on after your fist post was this example of inanity: ”To imply that Lilianne Ploumen is a one dimensional character devoid of all human compassion, might well be an opinion loaded with bias.” Who implied that, and even if someone had done so, of what relevance would it be?




--Previous Message--
: It is also arguable that the focus of the
: article's criticism is Pope Francis, and not
: Lilianne Ploumen who is merely the catalyst.
:
: To evade the obvious, is to believe that the
: reader is devoid of intelligence.
:
:

I'm glad to read your admission John, for the thought had struck me that Pope Francis is not your cup of tea.

Does bestowing honours on one who openly opposes important doctrines of the Church make him yours, Alex?


--Previous Message--
:
:
: I'm glad to read your admission John, for
: the thought had struck me that Pope Francis
: is not your cup of tea.
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

I'm in nn position to apportion fault in others, when looking into my bathroom mirror, I identify one who is as flawed as the next person.

Et tu, Brute?

Interesting John.

Can the reader assume that Milo Yiannopoulos is 'your cup of tea'?

Why would "the reader" assume that, Faz?

A possibly relevant thought comes to us from Dylan Thomas:

We are not wholly bad or good
Who live our lives under Milk Wood"

although you've often given me pause for thought, Faz.

P.S. I drink coffee anyway.

P.P.S. But not latte.


--Previous Message--
: Interesting John.
:
: Can the reader assume that Milo Yiannopoulos
: is 'your cup of tea'?
:

: Why would "the reader" assume that, Faz?

It's a reasonable question given you reference Milo here.

: A possibly relevant thought comes to us from
: Dylan Thomas: We are not wholly bad or good
: Who live our lives under Milk Wood"

Good quote. A reader could possibly apply such a principle to those who award the Commander in the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great. N'est-ce pas?

A quick scan of the recipients would suggest a history of individuals 'not wholly bad or good' (in a broad sense or, indeed, in a strictly Catholic sense).

In short, and despite the protestations of the Lepanto Institute, nothing new here.

: although you've often given me pause for
: thought, Faz.

Compliment accepted.

: P.S. I drink coffee anyway.

I guess, metaphorically speaking, coffee is your cup of tea?

: P.P.S. But not latte.

Not even under Milkwood?

Hi John

I only have an old email address. Could you send me yours to expatmartin@gmx.de ?

Regards,

Martin
--Previous Message--
:
: The Lepanto Institute weekly Review carries
: an article by Michael Hichborn titled: Pope
: Francis Awards Architect of Safe-Abortion
: Fund with Pontifical Ho
:
: It commences: On January 12, reports began
: surfacing on Twitter that Lilianne Ploumen,
: former Minister for Foreign Trade and
: Development Cooperation in the Netherlands,
: was honored by Pope Francis with the title
: of Commander in the Pontifical Equestrian
: Order of St. Gregory the Great. The Lepanto
: Institute was able to confirm from a
: December 22, 2017 Dutch radio broadcast that
: Ploumen indeed received the honor. In a
: brief video clip promoting the broadcast,
: Ploumen displays the medal while saying that
: she received it from the Pope.
:
: Here is the video:
:
: Here is a crude translation of the exchange:
: BNR – And this is the umpteenth prize that
: Lilianne Ploumen observes, won in 2017 and
: from whom they came.
: Ploumen – Yes, it is a high distinction from
: the Vatican; from the pope.
: BNR – From the pope.
: Ploumen – Beautiful.
: BNR – Yes.
: Ploumen – It is Commander in the order of
: St. Gregory.
: BNR – And that despite that you are
: pro-abortion.
: Ploumen – Yes you can check.
:
: To say that Lilianne Ploumen is
: “pro-abortion” is an extreme understatement
: and doesn’t even come close to the
: scandalous reality of her activism.
:
: In January of last year, after US President
: Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City
: Policy, Ploumen launched a new NGO called
: She Decides to provide mass amounts of funds
: to organizations that would no longer
: receive funds from the US government. The
: Mexico City Policy automatically denies US
: funding for international organizations
: which perform or promote abortion.
:
: Referring to the Mexico City Policy as a
: “Global Gag Rule,” Ploumen stated that the
: intention of She Decides was to continue
: support for existing programs being run by
: organizations such as the United Nations
: Population Fund (UNPFA), the International
: Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie
: Stopes International. She said, “These are
: successful and effective programs: direct
: support, distributing condoms, making sure
: women are accompanied at the birth, and
: making sure abortion is safe if they have no
: other choice.”
:
: And concludes: The Pontifical Equestrian
: Order of St. Gregory the Great was
: established in September 1831 by Pope
: Gregory XVI. The honor of membership in the
: Order is conferred on individuals for their
: “personal service to the Holy See and to the
: Roman Catholic Church, through their unusual
: labors, their support of the Holy See, and
: their excellent examples set forth in their
: communities and their countries.”
:
: It remains to be seen what service Lilianne
: Ploumen has provided for the Catholic Church
: or the Holy See, given her staunch support
: for homosexuality, abortion and
: contraception. Given that the one thing
: that Lilianne Ploumen is known for in the
: past year is the establishment of a fund
: that provides hundreds of millions of
: dollars to organizations that commit
: abortion and dispense contraception, it is
: difficult, if not impossible, to separate
: her recent Pontifical honor from this
: grievous and scandalous act.
:
:
: