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Attorney General William P. Barr on Wednesday railed against “militant secularists” who he said are eroding the nation’s moral standards and disrupting the founders’ vision of government, liberty and power.

In an address to the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, he called religion the “foundation of a free society” but said it has been “under siege by secularists” who have undermined religion and tried to replace it with a morality hostile to faith.

“The consequences of this hollowing-out of religion have been predictably dire,” Mr. Barr said at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. “Over the past 50 years, we have seen striking increases in urban violence, drug abuse and broken families. Problems like these have fed the rise of an ever-more powerful central government.” . . .

He received the prayer breakfast’s Christifideles Laici Award for “fidelity to the church, exemplary selfless and steadfast service in the Lord’s vineyard” and other work.

“We consider Mr. Barr’s recent decisions in actions to be abhorrent in the context of the Catholic faith,” the Association of Catholic Priests said in a statement. “We consider especially scandalous his decision to begin again federal executions after 17 years of a moratorium.”

Other Catholic groups complained that Mr. Barr was a poor choice after he oversaw the clearing of anti-Trump protesters from near the White House in June, in an incident that is under investigation by multiple inspectors general.

But Leonard Leo, president of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast’s board and co-chairman of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group, said Mr. Barr is “a Catholic public servant” and “a man of courage.”

“His faith informs the attributes of his public service: integrity, honesty, humility, and sincere and wise counsel,” Mr. Leo said.

Mr. Barr has given a series of high-profile speeches over the past year. At an event hosted by Hillsdale College this month, he said the power of the attorney general is to decide which cases get prosecuted and how. . . .

Last year, he raised his concerns about anti-religious sentiment in a speech at the University of Notre Dame, exploring the historical role of religion in the American political experiment.

That speech fueled a feverish debate that Mr. Barr rejoined Wednesday.

He argued that the kind of self-governance at the heart of the American republican system requires self-restraint, “and there is no greater teacher of self-restraint than religion.”

It builds community and reinforces the common good as a goal, he said. That link, he said, is often forgotten or ignored.

He admonished those who invoke the “separation of church and state” — a line from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, which does not appear in the founding documents — as a precept of governance. He said the meaning is misunderstood.

Mr. Barr said he is witnessing “small but significant steps” toward the restoration of religion to its proper role in America and pointed to a trio of Supreme Court cases.

In one, the justices allowed employers to receive religious and moral exemptions to a federal mandate that they provide health insurance that includes free contraception.

In the second case, the high court protected religious schools from employment discrimination lawsuits.

Justices in a third case struck down a provision in the Montana Constitution that exempted religious schools from a scholarship program for underprivileged students.

“In a sense, it is dispiriting that the disputes in these cases ever arose,” he said. “In each case, the religious litigants were not asking for anything more than their basic freedom to exercise their faith. . . .

Mr. Barr delivered his speech as President Trump,and Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden, also a Catholic, sparred for Catholic voters.

Catholics have been a key voting bloc in presidential elections but have supported both Republicans and Democrats. However, they have backed the winner in nearly every recent election.

(Excerpt from The Washington Times. Article by Jeff Mordock. Photo Credit: Getty Images.)

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Joan Diane Bartruff
September 29, 2020

Father, in Jesus’Name strengthen all leadership that stands for the truth of Your Word. The Word does give the state the authority to exercise the death penalty. Those Catholics who disagree are not being true to God’s Word in regard to Capital punishment.

Thank You for those who support Mr. Barr. Thank You for his tireless effort to bring truth to the public square. Provide untold voices to do the same, Lord. Dispel the deception, that as Christians, we should stay out of public affairs which shows itself, in part, so many Christians do not go to the polls to vote. Thank You that Mr. Barr encourages involvement of Christians in our democratic process.

Bless, strengthen renew Mr. Barr and his family members as He “fights the good fight of faith”. Amen

Gail M Alexander
September 28, 2020

REMBER PEOPLE WE ARE THE CHUCH OUTSIDE OF THOSE WALL BESIDE BEING INSIDE THE CHURCH. ANYTIME THE POPE SAY HE IS ABOVE GOD AND CAME SAVE PEOPLE FROM SIN IS A LIAR STRAIGHT FROM HELL. BEING A CHILD OF GOD WHO IS JESUS CAN ONLY SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SIN AND NOT THE POPE. BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT A RELIGION. IT’S HAVING A PERSONL RELATION WITH GOD WHO IS JESUS. JESUS SAID TO GO AND PREACH THE GOSPEL OUT INTO THE WORLD LIKE HE DID.

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Joanne
September 28, 2020

I am so grateful for Attorney General Barr! I pray for him and his family.
Put a hedge of protection around him and his loved ones, Lord Jesus. In Your name I pray. Amen

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Ana
September 28, 2020

Something new was brought to my attention in the last few weeks. It needs to be brought to the attention of all IFA Intercessors.

We live in a state that is considered a swing state. When school began this year, many problems rose to the surface. MANY new families had moved into the rural areas and brought their liberal ideologies. They were forcing their ideologies on the school systems. I couldn’t understand this phenomenon until I spoke with several real estate agents and even a U-Haul company here. Over the summer hundreds of people moved into the smaller communities from CA and NY. One real estate agent I spoke with and a moving company I spoke with said this same dynamic is happening in swing states all across the US and it is happening in some of the red states with the intent to turn red states pink (and swing states blue).

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    Joanne
    September 28, 2020

    I pray that the plans of the enemy would FAIL in the Mighty Name of Jesus! Your will be done, Lord God Almighty. Amen.

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    Debra
    September 28, 2020

    The Enemy is like a snake slithering along in the tall grass, silent and unseen. But we are looking Lord. We thank you for exposing this and ask that you would turn all people toward you, your ways, and your purposes. We ask that moderate Democrats would stand up and take back their party from the far left extremists. Make them strong and influential in their party. Give them the wisdom to make reasoned arguments that are persuasive to their fellow Democrats that are lurching left. In Jesus Name. Amen.

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Dr. Alma
September 28, 2020

Dear God, today we put our trust in You and cover ourselves, our families, and our nation’s righteous leaders’ especially President Trump and Mr. Barr with Your holy armor for protection against attack. I fasten on us Your belt of truth to protect us against the lies and deception of an ungodly cancel culture that seeks to erase Your existence. Grant us Your continual grace to submit ourselves to You wholeheartedly, to speak the truth in love, and humbly wear the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from temptations and to strengthen our hearts to overcome all challenges. I cover our feet with the gospel of peace so that we’re ready to share Your grace to whoever You send us to this day. I pray that we choose to walk in the peace and freedom of Your Spirit and not be overcome with fear and anxious thoughts but instead that we each take up your shield of faith to extinguish all the fiery darts and threats hurled our way by the enemy. I believe in Your power to protect us as we trust in You. Enlarge our faith in Your faithfulness. Cover our minds with the helmet of salvation, remind us to be thankful of the price You paid to forgive us and to set us free by the grace of Christ Jesus. Teach us how to wield the sword of the Spirit, Your Word, which is alive, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword, has the power to demolish strongholds, speaking forth Your Word forth with confidence and conviction, declaring triumph over evil, and for Your will to be fulfilled in our lives, our families, and our nation. Help us, each one of us to everyday intentionally put on Your full armor. Forgive us for the times we’ve been too busy to care, or trying to fight in our own strength. Thank You that we never fight alone, for You are constantly at work on our behalf, shielding, protecting, strengthening, exposing the deeds of darkness, bringing to light what needs to be known, protecting us from the cruel attacks, even when we’re unaware, You are there, ever faithful watching over us. We thank You, give You the praise and glory, for Your mercy, and offer this prayer in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

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    Sherli Allen
    September 28, 2020

    Thank you Dr. Alma, for that beautiful powerful and effective prayer! I prayed it out loud!

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    Marian
    September 28, 2020

    Amen and. God bless you!

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    Joan Diane Bartruff
    September 29, 2020

    Dr. Alma, What a great prayer!! Thank You.

    1
K Lummis
September 28, 2020

Praying that all Catholics and all other believers would honor the Lord Jesus and seek to be obedient to the Word and not a denomination-we are one in HIM 🙏🏻

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Victoria C
September 28, 2020

Father, I close my Monday prayer time with a prayer for Brother Barr, Brother Donald, and Brother Mike. These men are in positions to lead our nation back to You. Give them courage, strength, determination and focus. Give them grace, protection, and great wisdom that only comes from You. Let them see Your hand and see Your answers to their prayers and the prayers of this nation for repentance, cleansing, holiness and righteousness that only comes from You. In Christ’s Name I pray, and join my brothers and sisters everywhere in prayer. Amen.

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Luanne
September 28, 2020

Lord, these are perilous times. You are our only hope. You are the one who is the Amen – the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s new creation. Lord you know all things that we do and that many of us in your church are neither hot nor cold. You wish we were one or the other! But since we are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, you will spit us out of your mouth. We think we are rich and that we have everything we want. We think we don’t need a thing. We don’t realize that we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Lord may we buy gold from you — gold that has been purified by fire (perhaps the fire of this persecution). Then we will be rich. May we buy white garments from you so we will not be shamed by our nakedness, ointment for our eyes so we will be able to see. Lord, you correct and discipline everyone you love. Let us, your people who are called by your name, be diligent and turn from our indifference. You are standing at the door and knock. I want to hear your voice and open the door, we want you to come in, and share a meal together as friends with you. We want to be victorious and sit with you on your throne, just as you were victorious and sit on your father’s throne. Lord, give us ears to hear to listen to the Spirit and understand what you are saying us. We humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways. Heal our land. We bow down and worship you and ask for mercy for us and for our beloved America. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

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