The Nabi Sayeth: It’s Time for Purging NOT Splurging!

Don’t miss the earlier posts by the Nabi posted earlier this week!


The Nabi sayeth…

One does not become an abuser of power without “inside” support. Have you ever wondered how the FORMER Bishop Bransfield managed to grab so much power, so quickly, especially since he came to West Virginia from the land of the Liberty Bell???
Nabi has seen such unfortunate power grabs, at the Vatican, in many dioceses, but especially in the diocese of,Wheeling-Charleston. One clergyman in particular helped make the FORMER bishop’s power grab possible. Who might this clergy person be??? HMMMMM

Riddle me this:
1. He was born and raised in West Virginia

2. He was related to a bishop of happy memory

3. He attended a seminary which was reputed to have a majority homosexual population including priestswho taught there

4. He never quite seemed to fit in amongst the people in the pew

5. At his first assignment as pastor he refused to pay the parish assessment towards the Catholic high school in his area. (But then he was never really a fan of Catholic schools to begin with, even though he had attended them in his youth.) 

6. That parish received a bequest of 350,000 dollars from the estate of a very prominent and  devoted Catholic parishioner shortly after his death. The money was quickly placed in an interest bearing CD at Security National Bank against the policy of the diocese to which the clergyman claimed allegiance.

7. Once said investment was discovered by the Chancellor of happy memory and reported to the bishop of happy memory orders were issued to the clergyman to turn the CD over to the diocese. He vehemently protested.  An ecclesiastical tussle ensued, the clergyman lost and the bishop of happy memory transferred the clergyman to a far away place where a mobile home was being used as the rectory. The bishop of happy memory relented and in time allowed the clergyman to build a brand spanking  new, luxurious rectory in a Lavender theme and one that would rival anything seen in GQ. 

8. The clergyman would then be moved in time to a significant assignment in a significant city in West Virginia where he set up his personal “art studio”, not in the spacious, luxurious rectory....but in a rented room at a building known as The Pritchard. The Jewish manager of the building once asked, “Why would a Catholic clergyman want a rented room in a hotel where prostitutes operate for his art studio? HMMMMMM

9. Finally, the clergyman, truly a restless spirit, lusted to have a position in the chancery because working amongst the people was a bit too much beneath him. And what did he do? He wrote a letter to a bishop of happy memory demanding a position in the chancery......and the bishop reluctantly and passive-aggressively submitted to the demand....and the rest is history....The clergyman was given eventually, the highest ranking of positions after convincing the FORMER Bishop to get rid of the good clergyman who occupied the position at the time...

10. Once in that highest ranking of positions at the tower of power the restless spirit of the clergyman kept gushing forth with scheme after scheme....

A. The renovation (aka destruction) of numerous places of worship throughout the diocese and against the will of and at great expense to the people in the pews

B. Replacing the traditional altars with new wooden altars designed by himself (and at no expense to the parish I would presume???) in many churches in the diocese, including the Cathedral. 

C. The closing of many places of worship throughout the diocese in a manner that would cause the board members of IBM to blush

So what does all the aforementioned behavior have to do with the troubled times in which you live as Catholics?ALL clergymen whether they be lowly priests or magnificent Monsignors (the word comes from the French language meaning “My Lord”) or epoiscapoi (Greek for bishop):Had better read and heed a most important scripture from Our Lord found in Luke 17: 1-2....

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Many devout Catholics are “stumbling” in the faith because of the narcissistic abuse of power by clergymen. Many are leaving our beloved Mother Church. Many have had their faith dashed as they watch their beloved places of worship “renovated” (destroyed) against their will and at great expense to their struggling parishes. Many astute parishioners observe the “reindeer games” being played by their parish clergymen and My Lords, including driving expensive cars, dining at expensive restaurants, taking lavish vacations, etc., etc.

Now many clergymen and My Lords will protest, “Hey, I do my work; I give up a lot. I should be able to drive a nice car, eat where I want, take vacations.”

Nabi sayeth: During these troubled times in the Catholic Church’s ,history, it is not a time for “entitlement” thinking by the clergy and My Lords. This is a time of repentance and penance. It is time for the clergy to lay their lives bare before Our Lord and beg for His light. Clergymen and My Lords must become humble, sacrificial and live lives of holy poverty. 

Nabi spoketh sometime ago with a frustrated senior pastor from another diocese who piqued Nabi’s interest because of the angry look on his face as we ate lunch.  Nabi asked, “Are you ok?” To which the good pastor responded that he had torecently“enlighten”(rebuke) a quite lazy and arrogant newly ordained associate pastor assigned to him. According to the pastor the associate did just the minimum expected of him. After some time and in frustration, the pastor asked his associate at one point: “So, why did you become a priest?” To which he  responded, “Three reasons: Great, food, good housing and instantaneous respect.” The pastor responded to the associate’s arrogance, “Son, those day are over.” All clergymen, My Lords and bishop’s must humble themselves immediately. This is a time of purging not splurging. It is a time to learn one most important point: RESPECT IS EARNED.

The laity must learn: WE WORSHIP JESUS ALONE!

More to come….