Nope, this isn’t satire. Brother Christian Matson, a diocesan hermit in Kentucky, formally came out as transgender this week with the permission of his bishop, John Stowe. As the Religious News Service (RNS) reported, Matson, a woman who has been living as a man, will be able to remain a monk despite the fact that she’s very obviously and confidently contradicting the biblical principles on gender and identity. “This Sunday, Pentecost 2024, I’m planning to come out publicly as transgender,” Matson told Religion News Service on May 17. So yes, the church was alright with the announcement and her “identity.” Matson, a biological woman, decided to identify as a man in college, reports indicate. Four years later, Matson converted to Catholicism. After going through a vocational discernment following his masters degree and a Ph.D, Matson felt called to work in a religious setting. She was denied, rightfully so in my opinion, by many bishops and churches across the nation but kept trying to get in. She even co-started a nonprofit called the Catholic Artist Connection. It’s aim was to be a “religious community of and for artists — artists who are living together, (operating) in the church through their art, and ministering to the loneliness and sense of precarity many artists experience.” Matson, having taken private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, sent a letter to Bishop Stowe in 2020 after seeing how vocal Stowe was about Catholics being more pro-LGBTQ and asked to be sponsored by the Kentucky-based bishop. When Stowe accepted, Matson said she felt “an enormous relief,” adding “I was in tears. I felt my hope revive.” For context, Matson was accepted as a diocesan hermit. This role, traditionally, doesn’t have a gender distinction and is more of an external and secluded role that spends most days in quiet prayer. Here’s what Stowe said about Matson’s involvement: My willingness to be open to him is because it’s a sincere person seeking a way to serve the church. Hermits are a rarely used form of religious life … but they can be either male or female. Because there’s no pursuit of priesthood or engagement in sacramental ministry, and because the hermit is a relatively quiet and secluded type of vocation, I didn’t see any harm in letting him live this vocation. While there may be no “harm” in Stowe’s eyes, he’s clearly tip-toeing on what is and isn’t appropriate for someone in an official role in the Catholic Church. Generally speaking, I assume the goal is to have employees or a team of individuals who love the Lord for how he made them and honor His word, even the words the He says about gender and how there’s only two of them. Yet, in “2023, the Vatican doctrine department ruled that transgender people may be baptized and serve as witnesses at Catholic weddings, so long as doing so ‘doesn’t cause scandal among the faithful,’” RNS reported. It’s rather difficult to watch our nation, and religion in our nation, cave to the woke mob. This transgender monk is no exception to that.

On Wednesday's CNN News Central, hosts Boris Sanchez and Jessica Dean, along with chief climate correspondent Bill Weir, applauded NBC Miami meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin’s recent plea that people help fix climate change by voting against Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sanchez teed up a clip of MacLaughlin, “It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor's indifference to climate change. Listen.”     MacLaughlin was then shown telling viewers that the eyes of the entire world are on Florida voters and urging them to respond accordingly, “The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote.” Dean then reported, “That's NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he's furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about change’s impact on Florida in particular." Weir, who has more frequent flier miles than you do, responded by going through all the reasons why he felt DeSantis was dangerous before concluding, “And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don't have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.” How, exactly, are meteorologists supposed to encourage people to vote for certain candidates without getting “into the politics”? Maybe Weir can explain that on his next exotic field trip. Here is a transcript for the May 22 show: CNN News Central 5/22/2024 3:43 PM ET BORIS SANCHEZ: It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor's indifference to climate change. Listen. STEVE MACLAUGHLIN: The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote. JESSICA DEAN: That's NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he's furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about climate change’s impact on Florida in particular. … BILL WEIR: And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don't have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.

United States District Judge Aileen Cannon held a hearing on Wednesday in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.Trump is facing 40 felony charges for allegedly taking classified documents and obstructing the federal government's attempts to retrieve those records. According to the superseding indictment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized "102 documents with classification markings" from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022.'A personal and political attack against President Trump.'Wednesday's hearing in Florida's Fort Pierce courthouse marks the first movement in the case since the judge's decision earlier this month to indefinitely postpone the trial, citing numerous unresolved pretrial motions. Cannon's decision followed the prosecution's admission that the case's evidence was not adequately maintained. Some documents were no longer in the same order as the day they were seized. Additionally, the prosecution admitted that the colored cover sheets that indicated various classification levels were not found in Trump's possession but were brought in by the investigators and used as placeholders.Special Counsel Jack Smith's team attempted to explain the out-of-order evidence, noting that some items contained in the boxes were smaller than others and were likely accidentally shifted around when carried. In a footnote, Smith's team stated, "The Government acknowledges that this is inconsistent with what Government counsel previously understood and represented to the Court."Trump's legal team previously filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming that the indictment is "a personal and political attack against President Trump" with a "litany of uncharged grievances both for public and media consumption."During the Wednesday hearing, Cannon was scheduled to hear dismissal arguments from Trump's legal team. Trump was not expected to attend.Cannon will also hear arguments to dismiss the charges against Trump's co-defendant, Waltine Nauta, who served as Trump's valet at the White House and later his personal aide at Mar-a-Lago. Trump and his two co-defendants, including Nauta, pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.The defense's motion filed in February alleged that the raid was "unconstitutional" and that the evidence seized was an "unlawful violation of President Trump's attorney-client privilege by the Special Counsel's Office." Attorney General Merrick Garland authorized the raid on Trump's estate.The prosecution claimed, "The warrant was supported by a detailed affidavit that established probable cause and did not omit any material information. And the warrant provided ample guidance to the FBI agents who conducted the search. Trump identifies no plausible basis to suppress the fruits of that search."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Justice Department is targeting more pro-life activists using a controversial law.On Monday, the DOJ announced a lawsuit against two pro-life organizations, Citizens for a Pro Life Society and Red Rose Rescue, and seven pro-life activists — Laura Gies, Lauren Handy, Clara McDonald, Monica Miller, Christopher Moscinski, Jay Smith, and Audrey Whipple — on allegations they violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act nearly three years ago.'It's ridiculous that Biden's Justice Department is going after pro-life Americans but letting criminals and dangerous illegal aliens roam free on the streets.'The FACE Act is a controversial law that President Joe Biden's DOJ is using to target mostly pro-life activists.The allegationsThe lawsuit claims the defendants engaged in physical obstruction at two Ohio abortion clinics on June 4, 2021, and June 5, 2021. In the first incident, the defendants allegedly entered the clinic's waiting room and encouraged pregnant women not to get abortions. The lawsuit claims the defendants refused to leave when asked. Police eventually arrived and physically removed the pro-life activists from the waiting room. The lawsuit alleges the protest disrupted the clinic's appointment schedule, forcing some women to reschedule their "surgical abortions to different days."In the second incident, the defendants allegedly approached abortion-seeking women in the parking lot of a Planned Parenthood surgery center and urged them not to get abortions. The lawsuit claims the defendants obstructed the clinic and cars in the parking lot and alleges the pro-life activists refused to leave when instructed by police. Because of those alleged actions, the clinic was forced to shut down for the day, interrupting nine scheduled "surgeries," the lawsuit says — likely a reference to abortions.Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit, disputed the government's allegations."We do not use any form of physical obstruction, there is no restriction of freedom of movement for women seeking to kill their unborn children or abortion center staff," Miller told Blaze News. "The DOJ's complaint totally falsifies and mischaracterized what we do!" she explained. "The rescuers simply enter the waiting room, sit down quietly and talk to the moms, offering them material assistance and of course the red roses. We feel confident that we will prevail against this bogus initiative to intimate peaceful pro-lifers trying to help moms and save the unborn from violent acts of destruction."The FACE ActIn a statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke boasted that the DOJ is "committed" to enforcing the FACE Act to protect those seeking "access to reproductive health services.""Obstructing people from accessing reproductive health care and physically obstructing providers from offering it are unlawful," Clarke said. "Congress passed the FACE Act 30 years ago this month in response to acts of violence, threats of violence and physical obstruction at reproductive health clinics in our country."Clarke is the same DOJ official who allegedly lied under oath about her arrest record during her Senate confirmation process.Under Clarke's leadership, the DOJ has increased its enforcement of the FACE Act since the repeal of Roe v. Wade, mainly targeting pro-lifers, the Daily Signal reported. Dozens of pregnancy centers and more than 200 churches have been targeted since the repeal of Roe, yet the DOJ has charged only a handful of people for FACE Act violations in those crimes.Clarke, who is pro-abortion, believes pregnancy centers, which offer women solutions other than abortion, are "harmful," "predatory," and "fake," according to the Washington Free Beacon.Exactly how often the FACE Act is being used remains unknown because the DOJ is not turning over that data. The apparent selective enforcement of the FACE Act is exactly why Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) are fighting back against Biden's DOJ and the FACE Act."It’s time to repeal the FACE Act," Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) told Blaze News."This is yet another example of the Biden administration weaponizing a constitutionally suspect law against pro-life sidewalk counselors while failing to protect pregnancy centers and churches from violent attacks," Lee said of the DOJ's newest lawsuit. "Pro-life activists are being given vastly disproportionate sentences for minor offenses, while arsonists and left-wing rioters go free."Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), moreover, said the DOJ's latest action is yet another example of "Biden's two-tiered justice system.""It's ridiculous that Biden's Justice Department is going after pro-life Americans but letting criminals and dangerous illegal aliens roam free on the streets," Roy told Blaze News. "This is just another case of Biden’s two-tiered justice system that prefers going after former presidents, parents, and anyone who disagrees with their radical progressive Democrat agenda rather than imprisoning real criminals. "House Republicans must repeal the FACE Act immediately and stop Biden’s pro-abortion crusade," he urged.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Left-wing activists on X claimed former President Donald Trump's campaign had posted videos of President Joe Biden's supporters in New York City while saying they were Trump supporters. The eye-glaring problem with those claims was that the video was of Trump supporters who lined the streets of New York City after Trump returned from a day at his ongoing trial. Margo Martin, deputy director of communications for Trump's campaign, first posted the video of the scene on Monday. Some in the crowd can be seen wearing the iconic MAGA hats. The video got over 5,000 likes and has over half a million views. When Eric Trump shared the video, his post was slapped with a Community Note saying the video was of Biden supporters. Democratic activist Harry Sisson gloated over the false Community Note, stating, "Facts, logic, and evidence are the biggest enemies of the Republican Party." Sisson has since deleted the post. 'The only liars here are you and Joe Biden.'Sisson is an avid TikTok user who pushes pro-Democrat messaging to his followers. He had signed with Palette Management. Palette received more than $200,000 from the DNC by mid-2023. Not to be outdone, Mike Sington, a former senior executive for NBC, shared a screenshot of the video and said, "Trump is despicable. He posts crowd video of people watching President Biden’s motorcade go by, claims it’s a crowd waiting for him. But he knows it’s a lie- notice how he put it in quotes. Sadly, his rubes will believe it." "The only liars here are you and Joe Biden. I took this video from President Trump’s motorcade outside of Trump Tower. Here’s the time stamped screenshot from my phone to prove it," Martin said in response to Sington, proving she had taken the video at 5:52 pm. Like Sisson, Sington eventually deleted his post.Trump is scheduled to host a rally in the south Bronx on Thursday in order to highlight the inroads he has made within deep-blue districts. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Hunter insisted he never texted a CEFC executive threatening to use his father’s influence against the company. Documents suggest otherwise.

In the short term, Iran is expected to continue its current policy of using proxies and its goal of achieving a nuclear capability.

Hunter’s attorneys asked for more time to prepare given that his federal gun trial begins next month.  

No One Is Above the Law: Biden Makes Hardworking Americans Pay for Another 160,000 Student Loans

Watch KJP SQUIRM When Reporter Asks Why Biden Won't Take Action on the Border (Except on Trump's EOs)