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CLIFTON, New Jersey (LifeSiteNews) – About 60 Catholics of all ages gathered September 24 outside the Diocese of Paterson Center to pray publicly for Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in light of his threat to remove clergy from “active ministry” if they did not take the abortion-tainted COVID injections.
“We are praying for Bishop Sweeney to be the saint of our times and resist this tyranny,” one of the organizers said to LifeSiteNews.
Catholics gathered with a dual purpose: to pray for the defense of the unborn and also so that Bishop Sweeney might rescind his threat to unvaccinated clergy.
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The 51-year-old bishop had sent a letter to his clergy mid-September, strongly urging them to take the experimental “God sent” COVID-19 injections, and threatening that those who did not do so could face the removal of their priestly faculties. 
“Exemptions from vaccination for clergy, other than those for legitimate medical reasons, will be minimal,” the bishop warned. Due to their connection to abortion and, after their rollout, thousands of deaths and millions of other injuries, the hastily developed injections present significant moral issues for Catholics and other Christians.
In response to the letter, Catholics gathered outside the diocesan center to pray that “Bishop Sweeney will realize what is involved in the procurement of these so-called vaccines and that he will stand with us and defend his priest sons from cooperating with such evil.”
The group, composed of Catholics of all ages, numbered around 60 in total, with many children making up the number.
“We were there for an hour,” the organizers told LifeSiteNews. “The vicar General came out to greet us. He was cordial and told us we were fine praying there and to be careful because it was close to the road. He also told us that the bishop was not on the premises but greeted us.”
Many of those driving by honked in support of the prayerful demonstration, with people noting that the recent letter was “uncharacteristic of Bishop Sweeney.”
“To say that vaccines are ‘gifts from God’ makes no sense when they use aborted fetal cells, when we know children are gifts from God,” the organizers added.
“We are praying for Bishop Sweeney to be the saint of our times and resist this tyranny. We cannot take away another’s free will and mandate that they inject something into their body!”
Notable cardinals and bishops have spoken clearly against using abortion-tainted injections. Cardinal Raymond Burke has previously declared, “It must be clear that it is never morally justified to develop a vaccine through the use of the cell lines of aborted fetuses. The thought of the introduction of such a vaccine into one’s body is rightly abhorrent.”
Contact information for respectful communication:
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, DD
Phone: 973-777-8818 X 246
Email: [email protected]
Paterson Diocesan Pastoral Center
777 Valley Road
Clifton, New Jersey 07013 USA
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