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| Mean nuns preparing for a day of terrorizing the faithful. |
Her latest diatribe involves why Catholics are falling away from the Church today compared to the vibrant Church of yesterday before Vatican II. Lo and behold, the filled churches of yesteryear were not due to the reverence of the Mass or the piety of the people, or the inspiring preaching and sacred music. No, they were filled to the brim out of...get ready for this....
FEAR!
Priests and nuns were tyrants. The Church was MEAN! People were afraid to go to Confession afraid that Father would berate them in the confessional. And in this atmosphere of terror, the pews were filled to overflowing, churches had multiple priests in addition to their pastors, and four and five Masses were scheduled every Sunday.
Are you scratching your head? I am.
And if she's correct, why in this era of mercy and compassion and pastoral luv, are the churches empty? She quotes extensively from Pope Francis, but never explains that little anomaly.
The scenario she describes in the bad old Church is nothing like my experience during the same decades she describes. I attended three different Catholic elementary schools: St. Ann's in Cleveland Heights, Ohio; St. Anthony's in Falls Church, VA; and Nativity of Our Lord in Doylestown, PA. I then went on to Gwynedd Mercy Academy near Ambler, PA and then off to Catholic college in Washington, D.C. I never saw a nun rap the knuckles of a student with a ruler or in any way "abuse" anyone. I never heard my diminutive 8th grade nun, Sr. Germella, ever raise her voice. I practically worshiped several of the sisters and would stay after school to wash down blackboards, correct papers, and just generally help out in any way I could. I still remember those wonderful women with great fondness and pray for them. As for the priests, I vividly recall one associate pastor cinching up his cassock as he ran across the parking lot toward the firehouse where he was a volunteer fireman. What a slander to attack these wonderful servants of God as this woman did.
In addition to being a Francis worshiper she regularly posts critical blogs about anyone who dares to criticize the clergy. In the same breath she will lay into Cardinal Burke, Bishop Schneider or any other priest with whom she disagrees. She had plenty of criticism for the four cardinals of the dubia who were off the rails in her opinion. So much for not criticizing the clergy. As for Michael Voris, well, he no doubt will have the right side seat in hell next to Lucifer himself. Meanwhile, she gushes over the ear-tickling faux mercy of Francis.
I tried to engage with her a bit to show the double standard she practices, but she is deaf to reason. Every now and then, she pops up in my com box to warn me how worried she is for the state of my soul. I don't post her comments any more. And I never link or comment on her blog. If I thought she would listen, I might, but the only voice she hears is her own.
But back to her point. Why are Catholics falling away now? By her logic, the Church would be filled if we just went back to terrorizing people into the faith. But she says people don't recognize these days that they are sinners. Hmm...doesn't that mean we need a little more preaching on the dangers of traveling the wide comfortable road to hell?
The only conclusion that I can come to here is that logic and reason have fled the scene. No wonder we are in such a mess when older Catholics who actually attend Mass every day can spout such nonsense. The moral of the story is, watch out what you read on the internet and question the silly explanations of those who claim to know the truth.
People are falling away from the faith because they don't know Jesus, they don't love Him and they don't want to serve Him. We don't fix that problem by telling them adultery, fornication, and sodomy are no problemo, so go forth and, by the way, feel free to commit sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament.
One last thought: holy fear is a good thing. If we won't do God's will out of love, the best motivation; fear of hell can at least prevent us from committing the sins that will lead us there. "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10)
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!
Good post. At first I wondered who you were writing about, then I figured it out.
ReplyDeleteI think her post is as divisive as by those she regards as her opponents. I think that's a huge mistake and a distraction, and only widens the chasm and deepens the division. It's an error to consider Cardinal Burke as a foe or an enemy. Personally I love cardinal Burke and the Pope. I believe things will work out - because the Holy Spirit guides the Church.
The pre-Vatican II Church had its problems, as the Church always has. Yet the sudden loss of vocations after the Council in some ways indicate something was ready to burst. Nevertheless, the faith was intact - before, during, and after - like Mary's Virginity, nothing can corrupt it. Although before VII, doctrine was unquestioned, and the means of salvation still quite clear. The reforms of VII and the expected fruition of a new springtime has been disappointing to say the least. Confusion reigns in the Church and the world. As you point out - old people who go to daily Mass know very well the difference between 'then' and 'now'. Nevertheless, the doctrine of faith cannot be lost.
I think the problem has been a global falling away from faith and morals, and our subsequent attachment to wealth and luxury. Most people believe they no longer need religion or faith, and find more opportunities and rewards in secular culture. The common thought is there is no need for the Church. Hence, no need to consecrate ones life in religion - no religious life. In a sense, things have come to what Christ said of the people in his time, trying to make the Church into what we demand, arguing like those children in the public square, calling out 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' Time will tell where wisdom lies.
I like what you have to say however - and totally agree with it:
"People are falling away from the faith because they don't know Jesus, they don't love Him and they don't want to serve Him. We don't fix that problem by telling them adultery, fornication, and sodomy are no problemo, so go forth and, by the way, feel free to commit sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament.
One last thought: holy fear is a good thing. If we won't do God's will out of love, the best motivation; fear of hell can at least prevent us from committing the sins that will lead us there. "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10)
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!"
God bless you and happy Easter.
Terry
I knew exactly to whom you referred. Yes indeed, that post was rather insipid and betrayed a lack of reading comprehension with regards to the Good Thief. One brave fellow tried to talk some sense, but she cut him off saying he was "looking for an argument". In other words, she had no decent answer for his questions.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terry, and Happy Easter to you as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd Janet, let's pray a Hail Mary for her whenever we think of her. I truly think she means well. She just doesn't think very clearly.
The A very good analysis of the roots of the present day loss of faith is "The Church Learned and the Revolt of Scholars," written by Philip Trower and published by the Wanderer Press in 1979.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that there is so little grace in the world today. Sin is neither acknowledged, nor confessed; it has become a way of life. I recall a professor of mine at. Columbia U telling us in a class in Abnormal Psychology that miracles are a form of neurosis. So the faith has been battered, denigrated and denied for many years. Many Catholics were unprepared to stand up to defend Church
teaching because of the poor catechetical training they had received. Error begets error. Sin begets sin.
Our Lady came to warn us at Fatima, but her message is still unknown to countless Catholics.. We take comfort in knowing that when the Devil thinks he has won, Mary will snatch the victory.
Rosemary Therese Reid
To the author of the column that inspired this post --
ReplyDeleteYou are right. I will not post your comment and I will not send anyone to your blog. You do not engage in Socratic argument. You pontificate and dismiss and attack anyone who disagrees with you.
I tried to have rational discussions with you originally and learned it was pointless. In fact, it generally resulted in an ad hominem attacks. I will not make that mistake again.
There is nothing "hateful" in this post; it is simply a refutation of what I considered a slanderous attack on the Church of my youth and the wonderful clergy and religious who formed me in the faith.
Ms. Kreitzer, do you think Michael Voris's Church Militant/St. Michael's Media apostolate is surviving on borrowed time? After all, Mr. Voris "came out of the closet" last year.
ReplyDeleteI have no inside information about Michael Voris or CM-TV. They're hiring so they can't be too badly off. I believe some of their major supporters are connected to Opus Dei which means they probably have access to significant funding. Other than that, you're guess is as good as mine.
ReplyDelete