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| The two Mary's weep at the foot of the cross. |
In one sense, this revelation is just. Michael dishes it out and those who hate him, his "tone", and his targeting of higher-ups in the Church are probably chortling. They obviously want to discredit him as a liar and hypocrite. But this doesn't do it. I myself have many sins of my youth. Like Michael, I repented and perhaps those sins made me "love much" more than I would have if I'd never strayed from God's laws.
To be honest, I think this Magdalen moment, this humiliation, is a blessing and a grace for Michael Voris. It is a stripping, like Christ being stripped of His garments on Calvary. Michael's "hidden" sin is no longer hidden. He is exposed like the woman, held in contempt by Simon the Pharisee, crying as she anointed the feet of Christ. "Doesn't He know what kind of woman is touching Him?"
Of course He did! He knew and loved the repentant sinner kneeling at His feet. Those of us who acknowledge our sinfulness experience a particular rejoicing at the Easter Vigil when the cantor sings of Adam's "happy fault." We know the price Our Savior paid to redeem us, His tremendous love for a pathetic little lamb.
Please pray for Michael Voris that what his enemies meant for evil will be a source of great grace for him and for the apostolate of Church Militant TV.
Lord have mercy on all of us sinners and bring us to everlasting life.
I was floored when I listened to this latest edition of "The Vortex," and I mean "floored" in a good way. Except for the homosexuality and the part about an archdiocese wishing to discredit me, I could have written the same words myself about my past life before my own reversion back to the Catholic faith. What he said was beautiful, courageous, and an outstanding testament to the forgiveness, redemption, and salvation that God offers through the Church established by the Son. And as for those who had planned to seek Michael's humiliation and discredit, he beat them to the punch!
ReplyDeleteFrom California,
ReplyDeleteMost everyone has serious sins of the past of various kinds which bring us shame when we think about them, but if we are truly sorry, have confessed them, made amends, then turned our lives around with the help of God, we are blessed.
One of my favorite "older" pop songs was "The House of the Rising Son" by Eric Burton. In it he tells his son, "Don't do what I have done." I think that is what Michael Voris has been saying all along. At least I hope so.
I would venture to say there are a lot of us 'reverts' who lived in sin, in one way or another before coming back to the true faith. I didn't have such a spotless life before coming back either, to say the least; but being encouraged to begin praying the Rosary again by a friend, saved my life, literally. I have tremendous respect for his 'confession to the world', as it took monumental courage, not to speak of humility. It reminded me of St. Damian who 'yelled' his confession to a passing by ship with a Bishop on board, because he didn't have another Priest on the island to confess to. It takes great love for Jesus in His Church to do such a thing, putting aside the reproach of others, and total disregard for self. I haven't always agreed with his approach in regards to 'never criticizing a sitting Pope', but You have to know that he is a man who truly loves the Lord and His Church. He will be in my prayers. And he is smart to beat the NY Archdiocese at their own game, and take the wind out of their sails. BIG THUMBS UP and HATS OFF for Michael Voris!!!
ReplyDeleteMichael is one more example of the living Gospel message that gives us hope that we can be saved. It also loudly shouts out the REQUIREMENT that we REPENT and seek redemption so that we can divert from our legitimate suffering in hell for eternity.
ReplyDeleteMichael's disclosure of his past homosexuality and other immorality is a testament to his intimate personal experience with the extreme selfishness, shame, loneliness, illegitimacy, and corruption of his choices. He desperately wants to help others find their freedom through Jesus.
This recent news does nothing but prove that (1) homosexuality is a choice not an outcome of bad DNA, and (2)his efforts are are ultimately noble - his motive at Church Militant is to save others from the despair he knew and the damnation he deserved.
Insightful comment, Jon. Thank you. I don't think people need to confess in public, but like St. Augustine's confessions, doing so can offer hope of redemption to others.
ReplyDeleteThe Holy Spirit and irregularity! No coincidence that MV comes forward right now to reveal his irregular lifestyle. From what I've read, Amoris Laetitia Chapter 8 could use a first person account like his of the catastrophe of an irregular lifestyle. How many men listening to Voris are hearing for the first time that it IS possible to change. God comes to our rescue. All things are possible with God. I think Michael has opened up a whole new direction for his apostolate.
ReplyDeleteFrom California,
ReplyDeleteIn my post today, April 22, at 12:48pm, I meant to write, "The House of the Rising Sun".
I was not as "floored" as others seem to be. In fact, I was not surprised at all just very sad that he was apparently cornered into using this moment to self reveal. I too wished he had done this at the beginning of his opus dei Apostolate for several reasons.
ReplyDeleteOne that comes to mind is that as an end result every Catholic who attends a Mass run by an obviously hx cleric or one they later find out to be such, will find his defense in stating, "Fr obviously repented"
So "Who am I to judge" can be hammered home to even obscure right reasoning on the part of parents.
This is sad, very sad...and I would remind Mr Voris and other Catholics of the penitential nature of those Saints who were public sinners. St Mary of Egypt spent the rest of her life in the desert, St Mary Magdalen is said to have retreated to living her life out a life of penance in a cave. Both Mr Voris and Robert Sirico
( pictured with Voris' arms around shoulders on Vox Cantoris with imho, the creepy caption "Friends, I stand behind Michael Voris, he stood behind and up for me. I stand beside him as a brother." ,chose to create business careers instead.
http://voxcantor.blogspot.com/
Sorry but this reminds me way too much from the 70's of former drug addicts being given jobs by and for the state running drug rehabs for teens. As a nurse, I saw first hand how their life stories gave them carte blanche to preach and teach to youth who interpreted their messages as one who if he continues to do drugs and then get paid as a career to be an authority for newly sentenced drug users. It is also somewhat curious to me why Cardinal Burke aka "gay ray" according to his former fellow seminarians ( you can find it all over in comments they made on the net) pictured and praised prominently on churchmilitanttv. Worse yet, is how Cardinal Burke treated the victims of sodomite clerical abuse in his own Diocese as a Bishop in Wisconsin, or how the woman who first informed him and later was forced to write to the Papal Nuncio concerning the Bishop's approval for a transgender to start his /her own Order of nuns, was treated for bringing it to Burke's attention.. HIS kindness to those concerned Catholics can be said to have been a very different interpretation of what they or we, as Catholics, are expected to offer them. But then ,"Who am I to judge?" I repeat that I was not the least "floored" or surprised, given the fact that one of Voris' first "Vortex" told us how we can know if we are REAL Catholics.Answer?"join Opus Dei".
I was "floored" by that having known REAL Catholics who, for very good reasons ,got out of Opus Dei. It is all very sad. I can only pray for Mr Voris and our Pope that both of them have true repentance and conversions not only of hearts and souls but of minds too.
I fully expect my statements to be attacked. To that I would urge you to do your own research and READ instead of just watching videos.
I would remind everyone that according to Church teachings, not all sins are equal.
ReplyDeleteThere are those that we were taught "Cry out to Heaven for Vengeance."
Those sins have wide spreading consequences for the Mystical Body of Christ.
The past fifty years have been a living Passion for all members of the Body.
Our Lady of Fatima ,Pray for US !
Anonymous, Vox Cantor is a married man from Canada. He and Fr. Sirico look somewhat alike but are not the same man. Vox is grateful and loyal to Michael Voris for helping him and I dont see anything creepy about the photo.
ReplyDeleteDympna , Thankyou I see that now nevertheless, CMtv and M Voris spent two weeks with
ReplyDeleteRobert Sirico at his acton think tank and covered it in their production while praising Sirico. I have no doubt Mr Voris had access to Sirico's biographical data before choosing to air the videos.
In retrospect regarding Michael's online confession, his own Prudantial thoughts and purpose do raise some questions.
Firstly, since the site purports to educate and enlighten poorly formed Catholics one could ask why Mr Voris did not reveal how it came to be that he wound up"'sexually confused"? That indeed would be of help to many Catholic parents who are interested in protecting their children from this vice.
Secondly, he has to know that just stating "credible sources" leaves him open to a rebuttal from the ArchDiocese. Although I would add that we know that Bevilaqua hired detectives in Philly to go though the trashcans of every family who complained to the Diocese about clerical abuse so it certainly is not out of the realm of possibility.
However, to spend two weeks with Sirico and air support for his so called think tank was imho, very imprudent.Perhaps his own confessed sins tainted his thoughts believing that Sirico is now a changed persona? sirico should have NEVER been Ordained , penitent or not, according to the Vatican's statements on active sodomite's with deeply rooted homosexual behaviors. God Help Us this man auctioned off sodomite sex slaves and performed the first HX wedding as a protestant minister!
There is much more Mr Voris and company have to learn about the recent history in the Church. They recommend Parochial schools with no real knowledge about what they have become and what the majority now teach. They do not seem to realize the evil within the sex education taught there or dare to criticize this Pope for promoting it.They also have to realize that condemning the laity who attend irregular Traditional Masses that do have children are not necessarily "practical schismatics" but parents who want to preserve the Faith for their children as are many who attend the Orthodox Divine Liturgies ( allowed by canon law if not Catholic Mass is available ). I can assure you that there are many people who have no access to a reverent Mass, Novus Ordo or otherwise. Voris recommends FSSP. They are not widely available.We used to travel almost two hours for mass one way. Now we are older and for financial and physical reasons we simply cannot do it.
Yes , CMtv employees have much to learn about the Opus Dei business sect also. Parents have been fighting the errors in the various parishes and diocese' for years now. Many of us are older and now have friends who cannot even access a good priest for what was once called the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. I personally had to fight to get a priest to come out to say one Mass a month for the elderly in Assisted Livings and LTC facilities ! Trust me , these men were NOT busy as I also knew plenty of rectory employees also. The seminaries have attracted way too many men looking for an easy life or access to other men while being adored by the laity as "holy". Sadly, many of these priests know a traditional image garners them more protection and support from the laity also. So, it all goes back to the Pope's desk and what policies he puts in place, but Voris will not say that as Opus Dei vows never to criticize the sitting Pope.
"Robert Sirico and the Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance"
http://www.culturewars.com/2007/Sirico.htm
I highly recommend parents especially read all the articles on this page.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.opus-info.org/index.php?title=Opus_Dei_info:About
From California,
ReplyDeleteMary Anne is there any truth to the article in Culture Wars, May 2007, entitled "Robert Sirico and the Sins that Cry to Heaven" by Thomas J. Herron? I had not read that article before, or if I did it was forgotten since I had no idea who the Fr. Serico was. If you were already going to answer Anonymous on April 24 at 12:31p.m, please do not post this.
Thank you.
E. Michael Jones, editor of Culture Wars, is very reliable. Sirico was a flaming homosexual activist who never should have been ordained. He went to the Paulists I believe who are totally liberal and then after bing ordained left. I can never get past the feeling that he is a snake oil salesman. He gets a six figure salary from the Acton Institute.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the article referenced above for anyone interested in reading it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.culturewars.com/2007/Sirico.htm
From California,
ReplyDeleteThank you for answering, Mary Anne. It seems we need to be cautious about the left AND the right. I guess the only thing one can do is to live ones life according to the teachings of the Bible and the official Catechism of the Catholic Church. After all they do tell us not to make an idol of any person or thing. It ain't over til it's over (death) as far as sainthood.
IMHO and according to what the Church stated about Ordaining homosexual priests, Sirico should have NEVER been Ordained. All of this was exposed prior to CMtv's Michael Voris and others chose to go to a two week seminar hosted by Sirico and his Acton U.
ReplyDeleteTwo important flags that flew up at me concerning CMtv were the assurance that one could be a Real Catholic by joining Opus Dei and CMtv's coverage of Sirico's Acton seminar.If Michael Voris was aware of what the Church teaches concerning deep rooted homosexuals admitted to seminaries ( and I am sure he was and is, because "The Sirico Brief" was sent to people at CMtv and Mr voris could have contacted Mrs Engel privately to ascertain the veracity of her reports.)
How then could M Voris and other Faithful Catholics offer any credibility to Sirico at all?
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/06/acton-u-2013-day-1/
I know Mrs Engel, I also know that she, as a genuine Catholic and professional reporter dating back to the Viet Nam War era, DOES have a list of credible sources to make the statements below. She has even made sure to make them known to the Vatican.
http://carrietomko.blogspot.com/2007/05/sickness-is-pervasive-hypocrisy.html
"Herron bases his expose of Father Sirico on the investigative work of Randy Engel, author of THE RITE OF SODOMY, and the material in her "The Sirico Brief", an extensive history of the activities of this priest. It's quite an eye-opener, and quite a lesson on the current state of the Roman Catholic Church, i.e. business as usual. To confirm what Herron wrote, I went to the source. Contained in The Sirico Brief is Engel's Open Letter of February 7, 2007 which requests that Franc Cardinal Rode, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, suppress St. Philip Neri House, Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the laity does not make such a request without overwhelming evidence, and Engel has it."
"The Sirico Brief" makes news again - controversial priest to address Catholic men's conference"
"A Portrait of an Apostate, Marxist, Active Homosexual, "Gay" Rights Activist"
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/engel/120412
Allow me to add one more point to my previously posted comment screeds.
ReplyDeleteMotivation is a very important component to publicly or privately revealing one's sins, either those of your own or those of someone else.
I discussed this at length with a well known well educated priest because I was given some very frightening and credible information which left me in a quandary of conscience.
The solution was for me to weigh increasing the probability of damage to other souls and bodies vs. remaining silent. God loves the Purity of motivated intentions.
I personally know Mrs.Engel operates on this same wavelength and I long loved her for that! Thank you Maryann for allowing me to raise these thoughts and questions for your readers.
Mr Voris does indeed need out prayers as do we all.
Pray the Rosary daily!
I pray for all of you to see that homosexuality is not a sin and not a thing that has to be forgiven. Please accept this man however he chooses to be, but don't judge him. Last I checked that is for someone Else to do.
ReplyDeleteSame-sex attraction is not a sin. It's a temptation. Acting on those temptations IS a sin, just like any act of lust is a sin: fornication, adultery, etc. Of course, we should all "accept" and love one another even in our sinfulness, but that is not the same as "accepting" sin. We should never accept or condone the sins of others no matter how much we love them. When we do that we become complicit in their sin and commit scandal. Instead of accepting their sin we need to pray and sacrifice for their conversion. I've been doing that for abortionists for years. Whenever one repents I praise God and feel like I have played a part in the person seeing the light.
ReplyDelete