A priest stands by one of the coffins stored at the
church of San Giuseppe in Seriate, near the hard-hit city of Bergamo in
the Lombardy region of Italy on Thursday. (Piero Cruciatti/AFP/Getty
Images)
There's a lot of focus on the numbers as people try to rationalise for and against measures that restrict their 'freedom'.
So let's add a little clarity.
First the fatality rate is a result of sampling a population. If the sample only includes those symptomatic, then the statistic reflects the fatality of those in that cohort.
In other words, it is a sample of the 15 and 5 percenters that are really sick. No one knows COVID-19's actual fatality rate because of the skewed data. What they do know is that if a person falls in the 20% level, it is bad.
While that may sound like a small percentage (hey 80% was a 'B' in school eh?) it still represents a huge portion of a population. The population of Canada is 37.59M, the states is 327.5M. This translates into 7.5M Canadians and 65.5M Americans being hospitalized. Of this population, based on the Chinese fatality data I posted earlier, the upper fatality would be ~28%. This is based on a 100% infection rate of the population. I don't know how to estimate / validate any smaller number.
So, the data shows a worse case scenario of 2.1M Canadians and 91.7M American deaths. The key factor in this stat is the level of care provided early in the disease. If the healthcare system is overwhelmed (ie Italy), then things get really bad. If the population is older (immune systems diminish with age), then the impact will also be greater.
Hence the need to slow its progression through the population.
That said, I feel that the concerns over the restrictions on personal freedoms are, in large part, misplaced.
If there is a disease passing through a country, the leaders have an obligation to protect society.
If left unchecked, it could create a societal upheaval and breakdown of what societal norms remain in the wasteland of the post-Vatican 2 world.
So, take this time to reflect on your lives repent of your sins, pray for forgiveness and make this your best lent ever.
Because the coffin over which a priest is praying may be your own.
+ JMJ Since I'm looking at the 'four things', I thought this article would be good. Unfortunately, with the new SSPX.org website, I've been unable to locate the original article. This is a copy the I emailed to myself. This is an article that, I believe, was written in response to a conference given by Msgr. Pozzo. P^3
+ JMJ Introduction "I don’t understand why they are so afraid of this Mass!!!" A Conservative Catholic priest spoke these words to me one evening in his parich parking lot in 2011, mere days before Pope Benedict XVI issued his follow up to Summorum Pontificum ( 2007-07-07 Motu Proprio , Letter to Bishops , ), Universae Ecclesiae ( 2011-04-30 Motu Proprio , Note ). The people who were afraid that night were bishops. This conservative priest had started a project a year or so earlier – very simply a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel. Earlier that evening I had visited this chapel with some friends and ended up in a conversation with the priest after everyone had left. Word reached the bishops palace after the completion of the chapel and the priest received a phone call and visit from his local ordinary. My impression (this being now ~15 years ago) was that he was nervous about how the visit would proceed. The bishop came, made a visit to OLJC in the Blessed Sacrament and ...
Shining the light of Church Teaching on the doctrinal positions of the SSPX and the Resistance. Principles are guides used to aid in decision making. It stands to reason that bad principles will lead to bad decisions. The recent interactions between Rome and the SSPX has challenged a number of closely held cultural assumptions of people in both sides of the disagreement. This has resulted in cultural skirmishes in both Rome and the SSPX. Since it is the smaller of the two, the skirmishes have been more evident within the SSPX. The cultural fault-line that Bishop Fellay crossed appears to be linked to two points of Catholic Doctrine: Ecclesiology and Obedience. The cultural difference of view points is strong enough that it has resulted in the expulsion of a number of members. It should also be noted that some other priests expelled since the beginning of the latest interactions (starting in 2000) held the same view points and have joined with the l...
+ JMJ Obviously there's lots of events right now. First we have the April 1st - I almost thought it was April Fools - meeting between Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay. Nothing really news worthy as this is a natural progression as Rome appears to be considering fulfilling Archbishop Lefebvre's wish to 'accept us as we are'. Second we have the April 8th publication of what will be a verbose exhortation of the Synod of the Family. I'm willing to bet that the Pope will give with one hand (unilateral regularization of SSPX) and take with the other (ambiguous document that opens the flood gates of sin further). Much to pray for. P^3
+ JMJ Update: I was reviewing Ott's work directly and noted that some of the Teachings are De Fide while others are different levels of authority (such as Sent Certa etc). So please refer to Ott for the actual classification). Posts Listing the Dogmas of the Catholic Church Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing: Answer for Reader (Oct 2022) Updated List of Teachings of the Catholic Church (Oct 2021) *** Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (Oct 2015) De Fide teaching of the Catholic Church (Apr 2013) *** Latest version
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