#CatholicLaityRising! Let's Roll!

There's an uprising in the Church and its not being led by the pope and the bishops, but by faithful laity. We love the Church and we respect the authority given to God to the pope and the bishops and our pastors. In many cases, however, we cannot respect the so-called shepherds who hold those offices who are wolves in sheep's clothing. And it's way past time to call them to account!

What is a faithful Catholic to do in a crisis that rivals the Arian heresy when heretics overwhelmingly controlled dioceses? First, remain faithful. Leaving the Church is tantamount to spiritual suicide. Will we let the wolves drive us to it? I hope not.

So how should the laity respond? I've read several articles lately that offer practical advice. I'll quote from a few:


When Bishops Lose Their Authority

Monsters like Cardinal McCarrick—as well as those who have enabled and promoted him over the years—must be exposed and removed from office. Although painful, the laity must continue to push to expose all the deep pink secrets the bishops have been hiding for so long. Only through shining the light of truth into these nasty crevices can the bishops hope to regain any semblance of credibility. 

Ultimately, our goal is to replace the men, not the office...the scandal of their reigns must be opposed and brought to an end as quickly as possible, before countless souls are lost. 

One practical way to do this is via the pocketbook. One of the primary concerns of a bishop is keeping the lights on in his diocese. He doesn’t want to be the bishop that had to declare bankruptcy....Why do you think most bishops will assign liberal pastors to “liberal” parishes (and conservative pastors to conservative parishes)? Because to do otherwise would lighten the collection plate. This is not to accuse bishops of personal greed. It’s simply to state the obvious: ...they need a steady flow of donations. 

So perhaps it’s time to dry up those donations. If bishops begin losing money, perhaps they will hear the cries of the laity to clean up their act. This doesn’t mean Catholics stop being charitable, of course. It means redirecting our contributions to non-diocesan apostolates. And it means we increase those donations to make those non-diocesan apostolates even stronger. So if you currently put $20 in the collection basket, consider giving $30 to the local pro-life pregnancy center or a solid religious order. Doing this has a two-fold impact: it lessons the power of the bishops to protect themselves from their misdeeds, and helps with the renewal of the Church going forward....

Needless to say, we must pray and fast. It might at times appear that the hierarchy has all the power and the laity has none. Yet if we are on the side of justice, then we have God on our side, and therefore all the power. Wayward bishops deserve divine retribution for their gross sins. We should pray and fast that this retribution comes swiftly and ends swiftly. Prayer and fasting will also help us grow in holiness....

Amen! Stop giving to the corrupt and silent bishops. If you know of one homosexual or dissenting priest in your diocese who is allowed to scandalize the faithful, stop donating. If your bishop spends more time defending the invasion of our country by illegals than he does the murder of the innocent, cut him off!

Is it time to picket the chanceries?

And here's more advice from Phil Lawler:

Coping with Scandal: What Everyone Can Do

[Rome] Require Heads on Platters. No man should be made a bishop, and no bishop should be promoted, unless he embraces authentic Catholic doctrine about sexual morality and leads a morally upright life.

[Bishops] Do Ask, Do Tell. The policy should be made explicit that homosexuals are not admitted into the seminaries. Inter alia, this will result in an increase in vocations, and those of the right kind. Ordained priests found to be homosexual should be given the option of seeking reparative therapy by which they may be freed from their disorder, or else obliged to cease ministry. The time for gentler solutions is past.

[Laidty] Use your Checkbook as a Carrot and Stick. Remember that when your pastoral associate flies to Rio during Mardi Gras you’re footing the bill. Don’t be silent partners in corruption. When a scandal involving a priest hits the papers, first, cut out the pertinent news article; second, write a check for $100 to the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s nuns); third, when you receive a request for donations from the outfit in which the scandal occurred, enclose the article in the return envelope along with a photocopy of your check to the MCs and a note to this effect: “My previous contributions were intended for the support of my pastors and the propagation of the faith. From now on you can pay for your own K-Y jelly and your own AZT. I will resume my donations when you have cleaned the stables.” They’ll get the message. Just as important, when a bishop or religious superior shows some spine by a gutsy dismissal or intervention, send him a note telling him what you think, and include a check as well.

We have our marching orders, Let's roll!

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!