They're grieving in Tyler. The portrait of Bishop Strickland from a member of his flock varies significantly from some of his critics. The latest negative article for me came from Fr. Raymond de Souza at National Catholic Register. It was a serious hit piece. His portrait of the bishop totally conflicts with this article at Crisis Magazine from a member of Bishop Strickland's flock:
When the Cathedral bells swung five minutes before Mass last weekend, they seemed to know. The Ave sung with the Rosary was so mournful, you’d think someone had died. A light went out in Tyler on Saturday.
The seat of the bishop is empty; the coat of arms will be replaced. We have all been dealt a blow that fails in justice, compassion, and charity. The loss of a bishop always hammers the people, but the loss is usually to death, which can still be celebrated. This loss is unmitigated.
Our Protestant friends in Tyler have been following the disturbing events since the Apostolic Visitation in June, and we all received calls and texts from them on Saturday. Bishop Strickland is honored in this mostly-Baptist town as a true follower of Jesus Christ.
One Protestant friend asked me what church I would be going to now; but we don’t roll that way. We can’t leave our Church; where else would we find the Bread of Life? Still, we are fed up and overflowing. We have no recourse for injustices committed at the highest level. Does anyone in the hierarchy actually care that we are serially battered and grieving and yet we still show up for Mass, choir, religious education, serving the destitute, and all the other things that keep a parish running? [Read the rest....]
I read a story by someone who had sold their home in another state and had moved their family to Tyler because of their desire to be in Bishop Strickland's diocese. I'm sure there were many others who did the same thing. I have a friend who moved to Gainsville because that parish had TLM, which has now been taken away. I don't think the Catholics in Gainsville ever saw that coming when they built homes there..
ReplyDeleteMy point is this. The firing of a good bishop affected every faithful Catholic in that diocese, not just the bishop. Which tells me whereas Bergoglio has deprived +Strickland of a job, he has struck with a hammer every Latin mass loving Catholic in that area, since you can bet the new liberal Francis man is going to squash Latin like a bug.
It is easy to say, well, I'll just move, but that is very expensive to do and it may end up only a short term solution. A bishop can't change what you believe but he can change how you will or won't pray.
My gut tells me by the end of the sin nod next year we are going to see ad orientum and Communion rails forbidden. These two things which have crept back into conservative parishes have the smell of pre-Vatican II and however much we like them won't matter. With Fernandez in charge I doubt they will be tolerated much longer.