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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

An Open Letter from a Catholic in the Archdiocese of Washington

Dear practicing Catholic families,

Here is a thought for those who support Father Marcel. Years ago, a wonderful pro-life priest returned about 5,000 dollars to Chris Dodd (a very pro-abortion politician), who had donated to his parish, because it was blood money-raised on the back of aborted babies. Across the country, word got out to pro-lifers that this pastor was removed by his Bishop because of this action. Many pro-life folks sent small amounts of money to this priest. Anyway, he received over 15,000 dollars of donations. http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/5187-thanks-but-no-thanks

Since I am aware of other faithful priests, who have operated in good conscience and had their priestly faculties removed--how about, instead of giving to the Cardinal's Appeal, that we donate money directly to Father Marcel. What about a monthly stipend of $25 a month per family? Just a thought.

Money gives people power. Why give money to those who appear to use their power in questionable ways? Since I do not know all the facts....for those who want to continue giving to the Cardinal's appeal---more power to you...but how about,also, supporting Father Marcel. These men who have offered up their very lives to serve are persecuted beyond measure when trying to live out the Truth of the teachings of the Church.

I believe St. Louis de Montfort was kicked out by his Bishop as well, and lived in poverty for years. St. John of the Cross was imprisoned by the Calced Carmelites for trying to reform them.

Does anyone out there have Father Marcel's address. I know he is at St. John Neumann parish. BTW, Father Fran Peffley, who I think is most holy, has also recently been disciplined by Bishop Paul Loverde. Father Haley is living in poverty in Virginia- for years ago bringing to Bishop Loverde's attention the pornography that homosexual priests were viewing at Father Haley's assigned parishes as well as the affair that one of the pastors was having with a parishioner who the pastor later married..
"When there is an imminent danger for the Faith, Prelates must be questioned, even publicly, by their subjects." ~ St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II, II, q. 33, a. 4

"It is better that scandals arise than the truth be suppressed." ~ Pope St. Gregory the Great



"When circumstances make it necessary, it is not prelates alone who have to watch over the integrity of the faith." ~ Pope Leo XIII

"The road to hell is paved with the skulls of erring priests, with bishops as their signposts." ~ St. John Chrysostom (347-407), Doctor of the Church, generally considered the most prominent doctor of the Greek Church and the greatest preacher ever heard in a Christian pulpit.

"The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." ~ St. Athanasius

"The road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." ~ Saint John Eudes

Prayers,


Carol Shute




7 comments:

  1. Awesome letter Carol ... I especially liked the wide ranging use of bishop's skulls. Who knew they were such a versatile building material?

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  2. and let me say we need to support all these priests because they will live in poverty because of their faithfulness. I do not know if Fr. Marcel is still at his parish, but my guess is he is not since usually when a priest is suspended he is asked to find other arrangements. I live in the archdiocese of Anchorage, and we had a priest who was put on suspension with faculties taken. He had to find a place to live and was living on a couch in an apartment for about six month until a canonical appeal restored his faculties. However, the bishop here never assigned him to a parish after that. He lived on donations from people who knew of his situation. His situation was equally as horrific and he was another persecuted priest. So yes, instead of giving to the Cardinal, take care of the priest. If he has to hire a canon lawyer for help, they are not cheap and I do not know many priests who can afford them out of pocket. Pray for the Cardinal as well, but give comfort to the priest for being faithful and standing up to this intimidation.

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  3. I found a website that has a petition that you can sign in support of Father Marcel. It is posted at www.aupportfathermarcel.com Is this legit? If so, I want to sign it.

    -Dawn

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  4. There are several problems with the site as I see it. Anonymous "staff" and no body to the petition. What are people signing? A petition usually has a text that people affirm, but that's lacking here. I wrote to the email address of the site asking some questions. I would not sign it myself without knowing what I'm signing and who is collecting emails.

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  5. Praise be to Jesus Christ, king of eternal glory!

    Thank you for this eloquent letter.

    I would like to donate if possible. my email is chrismcavoy@inbox.com I would be pleased to have any address or contact info to assist financially if possible, I can form a coaltion with others.

    Fr. Marcel was a rare exception amongst a catholic wasteland in my view. Sad to say. Most of the suburbs of DC, both in north VA and south MD, are a pristine example of "liberal pseudo-protestant, iconoclastic factory building" catholic parishes, which typically could be confused with ECLA lutheran churches. Almost all it's churches were built or rebuilt in the 60s and 70's. I know this because I've visite them my whole life, I'm from Vienna, VA. Only the local eastern catholic and one or two traditional latin mass parishes in the area offer a respite of something that is historically connected in a deep meaningful way to what most saints of the church would recognize as their religious tradition and teaching.

    This priest also is what allowed the traditional latin mass at st John neuman parish in Gaithersburg, they had glorious music and homilies. it was doing very well, though it was new. I am concerned that it may be ended now that he is gone, the state of maryland only has 2 other regular sunday latin masses and they are in locations that not many can reach very easily, except for st alphonsus in baltimore.

    I've sadly seen more evidence to suggest heterodoxy of the cardinal donald wuerl (a great deal for him, from his time in Pittsburg) than I have in Fr. Marcel.

    It's a tough time to live through as a catholic. Yet our hope never dies.

    Xristoforos McAvoy

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  6. Does anyone know why Father Peffley was disciplined? He used to be my brother's pastor, so i am curious. Thanks!

    -Dawn

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