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Clergy abuse leads to fall-off in visible acts of faith
I'm all for cutting off the money that enables the lavish lifestyles of bishops while they close parishes and schools. But what a tragedy for so many people in the pews to let the scandal damage their faith to the degree that they are abandoning the Lord Jesus in the tabernacle. Missing Mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. Of course, many people hardly believe in sin any more except for condemning the monsters of history like Hitler (oh... and global warming deniers). But what tragedies the sin of scandal leads to!
I'm sure we all know Catholics who have abandoned the practice of the faith because of the scandals. Whenever I hear of another Catholic leaving (I received an email this week from a Wheeling woman who no longer attends Mass or goes to Confession) I grieve for my Divine Lord. He saw her from the cross and cried out for her personally among all the others, "Father, forgive them! They know not what they do."
St. Francis de Sales, a doctor of the Church, once said that those who scandalize commit spiritual murder; but those who let scandal destroy their faith commit spiritual suicide. Our faith is not in men, but in Our Lord. No matter how many men in pointy hats and Roman collars choose the path of Judas, we can cling to the faith of our fathers and the martyrs. I stand with Peter who responded to Our Lord's question, "Will you leave too?" saying, "Where can we go, Lord, You have the words of eternal life." Where will you be if you jump off the barque of Peter? In the shark-infested waters of the culture of death without a life preserver.
There is no life in anyone but Christ. As a friend said to author Ann Roche Muggeridge when she was tempted to leave the faith in the face of scandals in the Canadian church -- "DON'T LET THE BASTARDS DRIVE YOU OUT!"
Amen. Our God reigns and we are His children. Don't let the bastards drive you out! Embrace the cross of suffering with evil men in the Church, examine your own sins, and increase your prayer and sacrifice. As Mary said at Fatima -- "Penance, Penance, Penance." Let us help to make up for what's missing in the suffering of Christ -- the union of our own suffering with His. He won't force us, but what a consolation if we imitate darling St. Francisco embracing the tabernacle and crying out, "Love is not loved." His mission? To console the heart of Jesus. Shall we make it ours as well?
REMINDER: I'm still on retreat and this is posting automatically. If you leave a comment I will read an post it tomorrow when I return.
I'm sure we all know Catholics who have abandoned the practice of the faith because of the scandals. Whenever I hear of another Catholic leaving (I received an email this week from a Wheeling woman who no longer attends Mass or goes to Confession) I grieve for my Divine Lord. He saw her from the cross and cried out for her personally among all the others, "Father, forgive them! They know not what they do."
St. Francis de Sales, a doctor of the Church, once said that those who scandalize commit spiritual murder; but those who let scandal destroy their faith commit spiritual suicide. Our faith is not in men, but in Our Lord. No matter how many men in pointy hats and Roman collars choose the path of Judas, we can cling to the faith of our fathers and the martyrs. I stand with Peter who responded to Our Lord's question, "Will you leave too?" saying, "Where can we go, Lord, You have the words of eternal life." Where will you be if you jump off the barque of Peter? In the shark-infested waters of the culture of death without a life preserver.
There is no life in anyone but Christ. As a friend said to author Ann Roche Muggeridge when she was tempted to leave the faith in the face of scandals in the Canadian church -- "DON'T LET THE BASTARDS DRIVE YOU OUT!"
Amen. Our God reigns and we are His children. Don't let the bastards drive you out! Embrace the cross of suffering with evil men in the Church, examine your own sins, and increase your prayer and sacrifice. As Mary said at Fatima -- "Penance, Penance, Penance." Let us help to make up for what's missing in the suffering of Christ -- the union of our own suffering with His. He won't force us, but what a consolation if we imitate darling St. Francisco embracing the tabernacle and crying out, "Love is not loved." His mission? To console the heart of Jesus. Shall we make it ours as well?
REMINDER: I'm still on retreat and this is posting automatically. If you leave a comment I will read an post it tomorrow when I return.
The Lesson at Mass today was 2 Corinth 11 in which Saint Paul spoke about the various physical punishments he suffered for the Gospel.
ReplyDeleteName one - ONE - Bisho or Cardinal wiling to undergo anything remotely like that to stand up for the Faith once delivered and to oppose Francis.
There is not one, not one
Mary Ann, I have read your various postings and your recent published newsletter about Fr. Escalante and James Blankenship of St. Francis de Sales parish. Please note that I have personally observed--many times--Fr Escalante hugging many people when they came out of the church. I believe him to be a good priest. But he should leave his Filipino "culture" aside when he stands in the vestibule--Fr. Escalante, till wearing his Mass vestments, --or other times his cassock--as he represents the priesthood, and the dignity thereof. His behavior "doesn't fit." His Filipino culture which he probably acquired as a child, must be left aside. His priesthood and priestly garments are what he should consider now. And he is many years removed from his "inculturation."
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I hope that you and Michael Hichborn will retreat from your adverse treatment of James Blankenship. That James "blew up" when confronted by the pastor is understandable. He was falsely accused and it was a natural and admirable response. I have known Blankenship for many years. I know that he would not accept a single penny of money that was not duly his. Also, both you and Hichborn should look carefully into the person who is "stirring the pot" at St. Francis de Salez parish: Nicole??? She is not even a Catholic. Her daughter, in Hichborn's video, says the same.
Additionally, be advised that an attorney has advised Blankenship that he has a very good case for a lawsuit. It appears to be that you and Hichborn have been involved in scandal and libel in the matter of Blankenship.
Actually, if you know james so well why don’t you discuss the video with him? He knows Nicole is a Catholic, and he knows that the Protestant teen in the video is NOT Nicole’s daughter but a *friend* of Nicole’s daughter. James knows who Nicole’s daughter is; after all, he wanted her to make an accusation against Fr E.
DeleteAlso, are you implying that priests born and raised in other countries/cultures need to abandon their culture? Wow.
Also, if you’re so confident about everything you wrote, why not use your name - at least your first name?
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ReplyDeleteWell....with the 'working document' of the Pan Amazon 'Sin Od' where actual paganism and earth worship inside the Church's teaching and liturgy is being proposed, I see a schism coming sooner than later. I guess it all depends on the final outcome, but if you take a gander at the document (found on Rorate) and especially some of parts 2 and all of part 3, it will definitely curl your toenails. It's a horrific document. Are these proposals that they intend to incorporate in the Amazon JUST for the Amazon? You and I both know that when one 'initiative' is introduced it spreads like wildfire throughout the entire Church....just look at 'Communion in the hand'...just a for instance. Now there are quite a few priests who refuse to distribute Communion on the tongue, for goodness sake!! At what point do we refuse to worship baal?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI talked to lots of people at St. Francis de Sales, not just one whom you say is "stirring the pot." It seems to me that the pot stirring was done by James and the mom who had her daughter lie. I have talked to Nicole but, I've also talked to other moms who were approached by James with a request to accuse Father. Your comment doesn't pass the smell test. And what's the difference if Nicole isn't a Catholic? How is that relevant? And who are you, anyway, hiding behind anonymity?
I'm baffled by your claim that James was "falsely accused" since he was in the process of putting together packets to mail out about the Isidore Project when Father confronted him. He was on parish time as DRE and was using the parish copy machine and supplies without Father's knowledge or consent. Was he using parish postage as well? There was a witness present. Can you explain exactly why you think his response was "admirable?"
I remember examinations of conscience led by priests during retreats who spoke about the sinfulness of pilfering supplies from your employer (and from the people in the pew as well.) At what point does it become a mortal sin? Hundreds of dollars? Thousands of dollars?
As for James Blankenship seeing a lawyer...good! I will look forward to the discovery process as I'm sure Michael Hichborn will. I've been threatened with lawsuits before -- once by an official at the March of Dimes. I stand by my article.