Recently I was shown a ranting mad letter from a Bishop to one of his priests, which basically said, "I cannot be bothered to read what you have written or to listen to what you have to say or to investigate what you are accused of but whatever it was it was wrong and hate filled", it actually wasn't, it was a gentle argument trying to explain the faith.
I rather welcome the recent judgement that the relationship of priests to their bishops is like that of employer to employee, simply because it might bring some justice into a situation which is often quiet unjust and sometimes, as an American friend suggested, more akin to master and helot.
Those with power in the Church are often a law unto themselves, especially when they turn their back on the Church's Canon Law and basic Christian principles. In Germany a scandal broke revealing the Bishops own a publishing house which sold pornography, lay people had been questioning it for years and getting no satisfaction.
In Ireland physical and sexual abuse of minors and the vulnerable were bad enough but the Church being seen as bullying, lying and self serving has really damaged its credibility in society and amongst its members. The same vices were seen in the fiasco over the Cardinal Vaughan school in which again the Church was seen as bullying, cruel and not exactly truthful: it took the intervention of Secretary of State for Education to end the farce in favour of the Vaughan parents.
Fr Tim comments on a another school situation, in which the Church, in this case under the guise of the Head Teacher and Governors seem to be again using bullying tactics against a group of parents who are criticising the Religious Education of their children. The parents seem to be taking seriously their role as the "first and best of teachers" of their children in the ways of faith. The parents handed out leaflets some distance from the school, the Head Teacher had the police harass them, someone at the school apparently making an allegation of assault, which the police later decided not to pursue. The parents put up a website, the Head Teacher wrote to parents saying logging on to it would infect their computers.
As Fr Tim says, it isn't just this school, "I have heard many similar stories from other Catholic schools and colleges though usually those who complain do not wish to be in the public eye". I would suggest it is broader than educational establishments. It touches religious houses, pastoral organisations, dioceses. A careful reading of the Carlile Report on the Ealing Abbey scandals would seem to suggest that the Abbey placed itself beyond scrutiny and criticism living in its own self created bubble.
Fr Tim quotes some one commenting or pro-euthanasia and pornography shown to children by the Bonus Pastor school, who says, "I am a Catholic and teacher in a secular school within a 5 mile radius of Bonus Pastor. We would not countenance showing this material in school - no school with Muslim pupils would allow it, without at least warning the parents and allowing them to opt out. Ironic, isn't it?" Injustices or simply bad behaviour tolerated in the Church and its institutions are not tolerated in wider society, the closed shop mentality, the obfuscation, the lack of scrutiny of the Church can tend to damage it seriously, placing the institutions members above the sacred message, to the point where institution appears to exist disjointed from Christ and his Gospel.
It is very easy for the Church to exist solely to cling to power, to become yet another corporation or institution, perhaps particularly in age of relativism and particularly now when we are forced to employ so many "professionals" there is an even greater danger.
48 comments:
Father, very moving, very honest and very brave. Would that we could all live up to those standards.
Thank you Father for this. It is interesting to see that the clergy have similar experiences: as a layman working for supposedly Catholic institutions I have found your description entirely correct. I don't understand why so many lay Catholics have put up with it for so long. I think one explanation is that it is hard to grasp just how readily and constantly people will lie in defence of their behaviour. I am interested to see what reasons are given for this pervasive problem; I have some ideas but would like to see what others think.
I presume you are not speaking literally when you say at para 3 infra. that you would wish that the nature of the bishop-priest be altered. Of course that relationship cannot be changed by civil authorities or the Church itself. Certainly, there is always scope for improvement of procedures and safeguards against abuses by the Bishop. However, the true nature of the relationship exists outside of the actualities of any bishop as a person and a priest as a person. The true nature of the God-endowed relationship must not be lost, while at the same time trying to ensure insofar as is possible that there is human justice applied to the human relationship. The relationships of Pope to other Bishops, Bishops to priests, priests to the lay faithful cannot be reduced to purely human ones. Attempts to do so leads to Protestantism and sadly, at a human level, we have seen the terrible effects of those reductionist, materialist ideologies on the Church, most notably since the 1960s. In fact, it is when a Bishop fails to be faithful to the true relationship with his priest, that he becomes open to abusing the priest, by allowing his ego to determine how he treats that priest. We are all aware of serious culpable mistreatment of priests by certain Bishops - it is almost axiomatic that Bishops who do not accept the authority of the Magisterium (in effect, have denied the Faith) will treat their priests badly (including by lack of teaching, guidance) as they rely only on their own reason, which can be very distorted or even subject to their personal vices. But the true nature of Bishop-pries relationship abides in the Church; and we pray that the number of Bishops and priests fulfilling that in how they behave will increase rapidly, that we have come through the worst and can begin to vigorously tackle the enemies without the Church.
The question to ask in relation to the state claiming superior jurisdiction to the church is:
Quis custodiet custodes?
As a solicitor, I can tell you the state machinery is just as corrupt and scandalous, and for the same reasons - 400+ years of protestantism, compounded by several hundred years of the so-called "enlightenment". That is, the triumph of the spirit of liberalism or subjectivism.
The solution is not state supervision of the church, but both church and state getting their respective acts together.
That will probably not happen until the pope consecrates Russia.
+ Wolsey
The Bride of Christ is without stain.
The Church tolerates no evil, not even from the Pope.
She perpetrates no evil.
Many people in the Hierarchy of Holy Mother Church do things against God's will that impact everyone.
"Get up, and go to your Mother"
was the command of Jesus to the son of the widow of Naim.
The Mother He spoke of was Holy Mother Church.
When we are dead in sin, we are to go to our mother that our souls be resurrected.
These Church Officials are already at Church, so less travel time.
We must encourage them to 'Go to their Mother' and leave their sinful ways.
God bless His Holy Priests; may He raise them from His vineyard that they become Princes of Holy Mother Church that She may be restored to Her glory.
(this includes you, Padre).
*
I humorously put the following to a former Archbishop and, at different times, to two auxiliaries:
If a plane with ALL the bishops of England & Wales crashed on way to Rome for ad limina visit, how long would it be before actual effects were felt in parishes? But If ONE parish priest died in a crash how long would it be the people experienced the effects?
Understandably, I never got an answer from them, though I dare to assume I gave them food for thought! (I also fed them lunch).
There are many unjust employers in society and
I would not agree that we would receive better justice if we wee employees. We should not hesitate to use protection of Canon Law. Bishops may not like it but usually respect that...if you quote the relevant CANON!!!!
As a priest in retirement I must say I am treated most justly and generously by my diocese.
This is terrible, awful. I feel quite sick reading it.
Why stay in the church when its Bishops are so corrupt and not living up to the most basic ideals of Christian love?
I must be very easily taken in. Silly me.
This has a bearing on the recent court ruling about bishops have an employer relationship to their priests.
In the event of damages being awarded to someone, for instance for sexual abuse, who should be responsible for paying?
Parishioners contribute to the church's funds, and it appears that these are held by trustees under rules set by the Charity Commissioners. Is compensation for actions due to a bishop's negligence a proper use of these funds?
There would be a good case to argue that they are not. Most people would not give money to the church if they thought it was going to be used for such a purpose. In effect, it would be to underwrite the actions of the bishop, over whose appointment and actions they had no control.
In a hierarchical body such as the church, the chain of accountability is upwards, so that responsibility for the actions of a bishops must surely lie with whoever appointed him. Or could the liability be personal?
I think your have hit on something extremely profound with your last sentence Father and it goes to the heart of the crisis of authority in the Church. IMHO the crisis of authority is not so much that people are not prepared to listen anymore post the 1960's, but rather that the Church's "authority" to teach has been so undermined not only by hypocrisy but by a refusal of the Church's bishops and pastors to present the Church's teachings as God's teachings. Instead they have preferred a cult of man in which their own particular political and social prejudices determine their agenda and they misuse their teaching and overseeing office to foist this agenda while protecting their own powerbase in the process. In that sense there is a parallel with some of the abuse cases, a svengali-like cultic man in authority misusing that position to pursue a personal agenda and a power based abuse of the vulnerable based on his private predilections whilst in the process fundamentally abasing the very teachings he is meant to be protecting. The current purging of the Church which the secular media are pursuing might yet be the best thing for the Church in the long run if it forces the Church once again to focus on 1) adherence to its teachings through a rigourous and reasoned proclamation of received teachings 2) a reawakening of interest in the pursuit of learning and culture and in particular the harmony between Theology, Philosophy and the Natural Sciences and the application of equal academic rigour in all three and 3) total and complete transparency about what the Church believes and teaches, how it conducts itself and how it is governed. In other words the Church needs not so much to open the windows to let the Holy Spirit in as to clean the dirty windows to let the Holy Spirit be seen once again.
What of the attitude of the Bishops' Conferences and Diocesan Curia, not to mention various exalted clerics, attitude to BXVI and Rome. Which UK Cardinal opined "our man" had not ben eleceted to the Papacy? Which UK Cardinal, prior to the 'red hat' was required to disown views he had previously espoused?
"Obedience" can be a 'Catch 22' problem, as Msgr. Lefebvre discovered.
These are matters which concern me.
Very well said, Father. This is an issue almost impossible to discuss constructively. I'm afraid most laymen reading your post will view it only abstractly and miss its practical implications.
Canons protecting the rights of priests are effective only when the local bishop chooses to enforce them. No one makes the bishops do so. Recourse to Rome is difficult because bishops have indirect ways of abusing priests' rights, which makes appeal very difficult. If priests discuss these matters publicly, things can go badly for us, and the laity either won't understand or will only see in us a spirit of rebellion rather than a desire for justice.
Bravo Father!
In America standards and definitions are a wee bit different. Institutional definitions are spelled out not only in Church Laaw but in the various Religioous Corporation Acts in the various states. It does not stop the attitude but it defines what is happening when things get put out into the open. Insurers also create perameters. The Diocese has to carry insurance and this creates some strictures.
If something gets to a saecular court, these strictures help.
Naturally, none og these fully prevent corruption and dysfunction. At the root of it all is good old sin, original, actual and compounded. The only Christian cure is repenting and a large dose of humility. Very hard to findin these times, but available toanyone whois willing to seek grace and do the kneeling work necessary.
The Rev. Michael P. Forbes
Rochester, Minnesota
p.s. This is not simply a Roman Catholic problem. Some years ago I waas delegated to investigated how a feature Porn Flck was made on the campus of an Episcopal School. Unfortunately I had to watch the thing( Vampires, lessbian sex, and the desecration of a crucifix to boot) It was a dirty movie and a badly made movie. In discussions with the assistant bishop we came to the conclusion that little could be done. The headmaster, the drama teacher and others were gone. The movie was for rent, with the logo on the box. A new rule went intoeffect that the Trustees had to give permission for campus use. We decided not to sue about the logo because of the cost of litigation. We prayed that the lack of quality would get the flick off the market. And we all took a bath in the mud because of sinful vanity in all sorts of places.
EF Pastor,
Isn't that just the problem: you are treated well, so let's ignore everyone else's problem?
The Church should be THE place for charity: Bishops and Priests have duty to make it so.
Well and eloquently put, Father. My worry is that we will need a cataclysmic event before the powers that be recognise that it is their power that is a significant part of the problem.
Father,
what an excellent, excellent blogger you are.
Mundabor
@Jean
Why stay in the Church? Because it is the Church founded by Christ, despite the sins of its members.
Too many bishops expect not only their rings, but their butts to be kissed too. Therein lies the problem. You can try and 'demand' respect -- the reality is that everyone has to EARN it. And that goes for bishops too.
"In that sense there is a parallel with some of the abuse cases, a svengali-like cultic man in authority misusing that position to pursue a personal agenda and a power based abuse of the vulnerable based on his private predilections"
Sounds just like the attitude of the average CEO and "higher ups" in a typical corporation towards the employees, only the abuse isn't sexual, it's something even more insidious and unversal - oppression of the poor and depriving labourers of their (just) wages ...
Funny how no-one says anything about this.
Ever heard of Rerum Novarum?
+ Wolsey
"... the reality is that everyone has to EARN it. And that goes for bishops too..."
No it does not.
God's Priests do not need a lowly woman qualifying their authority.
It not only is Pride, but Heresy speaking in those terms.
*
'Saint' but I guess a 'lowly man' would be able to. I'm just giving REALITY. I will give bishops any benefit of the doubt until they prove OTHER than honorable. But if I see a wolf in sheep's clothing, I'm calling him on it If you don't like it, 'tough.' It's you oh-so-superior MEN who let creeps like some of these pedo-supporting bishops get away with it for so long, no wonder the church is in the mess it's in. I don't for instance, respect a bishop who won't call a priest into line for letting a pastor get away with telling an EM (me, in this case) to NOT stop people walking away with communion. A bishop who is afraid to discipline a priest when he knows said priest is wrong, should hang his head and resign if he is not up to calling the old-boy network to task when needed. SOrry, that bishop has LOST my respect and will NEVER get it back, I don't care what you say. If you can't support belief in the Eucharist enough to tell a priest he was WRONG for trying to tell an EM to just let people waltz away with the Host DOESN'T belong in charge of ANYONE. But go on and prattle what a 'lowly' woman I am. Men like you make me SICK. Isn't there a rather famous blog you'd be more comfortable on trashing women?
“… letting a pastor get away with telling an EM (me, in this case)…
Madam, His words were “Noli Me Tangere”
“… that bishop has LOST my respect and will NEVER get it back,…”
You have no respect for Christ, and He will never get your respect.
Priests act in persona Christi.
A woman should keep her head covered, and her mouth shut, except while praying.
They should not manhandle the Blessed Sacrament with their un-consecrated hands.
Follow the example of the Holy Mother.
Ask her to cure you of your Pride and Liberalism.
Both are heresies.
Telling a woman what her place is demonstrates Charity to that woman; out of ignorance they may be acting in a manner inappropriate of a woman.
Trashing a woman is to allow her to ape men.
*
Fr Ray,
An excellent post! Maybe this is still an apt warning to some of our modern day Prelates-Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to St. Bridget:
"Tell him that if he wishes to be called a bishop in the justice of the divine judgment, he must not imitate the manners and customs of many who are now rulers of the Church. ...
"Truly, the words that I said and the deeds that I did in the world are now almost completely forgotten and neglected. For this, no one is as much a cause as the prelates of the Churches.
"They are full of pride, greed, and the rottenness of bodily pleasure. All of these things are contrary to my commandments and Holy Church's honourable statutes, which my friends [the Apostles] established out of great devotion after my ascension and after I had accomplished my will in the world.
"For those wicked prelates of the Churches, who are filled with the malignity of an evil spirit, have left to mankind examples that are exceedingly harmful to souls; and therefore it is necessary for me to exact full justice from them by doing judgment on them, abolishing them from the book of life in heaven and placing them beside my enemy Lucifer in hell, in hellish sees that shall be the seat of their perpetual excruciation.
"Nevertheless, you ought to know that if anyone is willing to amend himself before death by loving me with all his heart and if he abstains from sins, then I will be prompt in showing my mercy."Birgitta of Sweden (Paulist, 1990/Christian Order)
God Bless.
Michael.
'Saint Michael' [what arrogance] The discussion with you is over. You support that creepy 'Bishop' who is a holocaust denier. IT's easy to see why you feel as you do. You'll follow anything with a mitre on his head, as you have so amply demonstrated. Anyone who'd dedicate a hagiographic blog to that man, 'bishop' or no, as you have, is deranged. Stay in your own little 'Catholic cult' -- you aren't in union with Rome. You're a joke, right? You don't support the See of Peter, but you'll follow that holocaust denier. I pity you.
Father, was it just to disclose this private correspondence to you in the first place? Are you just in spreading it's contents even further?
Gem, surely respecting legitimate authority is not conditional on them being respectable. Certainly it should be that they are but frequently they are not. It is about you not them. This is your test not theirs. Honour your Father and mother only if they are honourable? Love thy neighbour only if they are lovable? It's not so easy as that at all and I think you well know it. The issue of true obedience and servility now that is worthy of serious consideration.
Father, thank you for posting this very interesting blog, which demonstrates your usual candour and insight!
"With my blood and with my soul, I will defend the cross"
Our Cristero creed.
I invite anyone to bring forth any heresy or error contained within my blogs...
I defend all Priests in the manner I would defend the cross.
The only Holocaust that has happened is the crucifixion of Christ lead by "Let His blood be upon us and upon our children"
My blogs and website are there for examination of Truth, the edification of souls..
Modernism is the cancer of souls.
It can be cured through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which forms Catholics, and a good traditional Priest spiritual adviser, or better name yet, Physician of your soul.
To live justly is to abandon yourself to the will of God, directed by His Bride, Holy Mother Church.
The Holy Father cannot laicize Bishop Williamson on the mere fact not one heresy or error can be attributed to him.
On all counts his defense is Faithfulness to the Supreme Law of Holy Mother Church: the Salvation of souls.
*
Well put, Father! It seems we have come a long way from the Early Church when it was said of the faithful: “See how those Christians love one another”.
Whether it be episcopal arrogance, bureaucratic bullying, clerical callousness or lay liberalism, it must appear to many within and without the Church that we have lost the plot. Our Lord inveighed against scandal-givers and we sometimes smugly point to the more egregious instances of scandal and, like the Pharisee, silently intone: “thank God I am not like other men…” (or women – to be politically correct!).
But like the third servant in Sunday’s parable, many of us have buried the talent we have received at our Baptism. We have hidden our light under a bushel of materialism, worldliness and worse. We are called to better things and have been given the grace to be a light to the world. We need to shape up – at all levels – or that terrible darkness will await us.
GemOfTheOcean,I am afraid that it is you who is to be pitied. "Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up, Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things".
Good afternoon Fr Ray: May I please tell you that you have brightened up my lunch time and kept me from over eating. A Priest friend of my brother's told me about your Blog. It's very good. Can we focus back on the more needed clarification of the Ordinary's duties and the status of the professional relationship between the two. I am not really keen on reading battering comments between a man and a woman. Shame on you Sir.
It appears that there are Priests who feel that they have been mal -treated by their Bishops. Even
to the point that they refrain from speaking out and seeking help because of the possible retribution of the Bishop. Perhaps we should hear of cases, on this Blog,that could let the Priest vent out his fustration and anger. The submissions must be anonnymous and not give information that could lead to the identity of the Priest. It would be a way to vent the anger and disappointment building up. In turn the reader could offer a prayer for the individual. Call it Fr Blog's Therapy Page.
However, the legal point is that if the Ordinary and diocesan priest have employer and employee status then the Ordinary will find that he cannot be vindictive etc to the said Priest. The said Priest could then rely on certain measures which would protect him from such repercussions. If the Bishop tried to be vindictive etc, the Priest would feel in a more secure position to speak his mind and rely on some legal support.
Why are we, the Catholics of this country in such a state? Times are changing. We should look forward and hope for a stromger Catholic Unity, putting God back into our families and homes. We have had years of nonscence. Poor Catholic teaching in supposidly Catholic Schools. The truth is that the P&C conrtibutors of the country, have pushed away and in some cases shelved our true Catholic teachings. School graduates don't know why we don't eat meat on Fridays. Why you have to go to Holy Mass on a Sunday. Why bother going to a Catholic School if you don't have to go to Mass on a day of Obligation? The student's option, I have been told. I have a reply to that--------!!!
So going back to Fr Ray's initial point, I do sincerely hope that the Bishops or their secretaries who read this Blog are getting the message. Like I said before on a previous comment 'its 2011'- times are changing!
Kinga Grzeczynska
ma, you don't seem to understand that when a bishop is exercising his office credibly (and I give them the benefit of doubt until they show otherwise) I DO give them the respect they deserve. However, I think a few of you are a) not able to understand the conditional b) do not understand the import of what Fr. Mowbray was saying to Rex re: 'If the pope said it was bound to rain, and it didn't, then what.' Rex's stupid answer about 'raining spiritually' totally missed the boat. We are not obligated to follow someone off a cliff if they have fallen into doctrinal error. There have been times throughout history where bishops HAVE preached contrary to the gospel -- one is not obligated to respect their beliefs in that instance. Funny how I knew this in first grade. Our teacher said we were bound to obey our parents -- UNLESS they told us to break a commandment -- ie if your parent tells you to steal you should disobey them. Oddly enough, I think it safe to say that if a bishop supports a priest who thinks it's okay for people to just walk away with the Host without stopping them, I think it's safe to wonder what ELSE a bishop is too chicken to enforce if he won't even stand up for the Eucharist. Sorry -- a bishop who does that loses my respect, and I don't care WHAT nattering nabbobs of blind fealty bow down to it. IF you know something is flat out wrong, you do the right thing, no matter WHO tells you to do that wrong thing - perhaps especially if it's a bishop, because he should know better. Blind fealty in all cases is simply people too lazy to use their God given reason and duty. One has a duty to DISOBEY if told to do something or support something morally wrong.
credidi/Michael -- do you REALLY think you are fooling someone with a new persona you just created to look like your viewpoint is more supported? Defend Williamson all you like, I just don't see how I can take you seriously.
Nice to see that Karen is still alive & kicking.
It doesn't take a lot to get her going,I just wish I could understand how a Republican could also be a Catholic.
Enough of this squabbling!
Padre Blake,
Homosexuality, Liberalism, and Modernism is killing souls.
Killing even more souls is the running amok of Roman Protestants in Holy Mother Church operating another Church within the Church.
Indifferentism has been the result and even the Holy Father is being disobeyed by the World's Bishops with their army of Feminists, Liberals, Homosexuals, and Modernists lined up against him
It is the great Apostacy.
Thank you for allowing some of these to be exposed on your courageous blog.
Even here at Tepeyac Hill, within the confines of the Basillica where the sacred image of Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de Guadalupe is housed, the enemies of God and His Christ meet against him wearing Clerical Offices and positions of authority within Holy Mother Church.
The Smoke of Satan surrounds us.
Muchos gracias for allowing much needed debate.
We are all alone in the fight here; you offer us the friendship Christ spoke of when He called the Apostles His friends.
Viva Cristo Rey!
*
Having followed the exchange of comments, I will be disappointed if nobody comes up with the allegation that bishops are really lizards.
In expectation...
OH! Some bishops are warm blooded.
Some bishops are pigs.
Some bishops are greedy.
Some bishops are stupid.
Some bishops are humble.
Some bishops are arrogant.
Some bishops are bullies.
Some bishops suffer with Christ for the sake of his brid.
All bishops are, well, bishops and carry a terrible load.
All bishops are human and sinners and
All bishops need our prayers to do well what God has called them to do.
The Rev. Michael P. Forbes
Rochester, Minnesota
Nickbris says:-
"I just wish I could understand how a Republican could also be a Catholic."
Given the kind of "Catholics" in the Democrat Party and the anti-Catholicism of the incumbent President, I cannot see why all Catholics are not avid supporters of the Republican Party.
US politics is starting to intrude. Sounds even worse than UK politics. Is it something they put it in the water?
Yuk!
"A woman should keep her head covered, and her mouth shut, except while praying."
If she did that, how could she give orders to the household servants?
Good evening.
Re Rev M. Forbes' list of what makes up a Bishop. I find it offensive that you as a Reverend could call a Bishop 'a pig' That is not acceptable and I think you should send your apologies to the readers.
lawyeratwork.com
Father, the two people who are squabbling and are so rude to each other - are they secretly married?
Saintmichael and gemoftheocean I am refering to.
Fr.BT
Padre BT,
My apology for having seemed rude in my comments regarding statements made by some of the Faithful on this blog.
If you look closely at my comments, I did not make personal attacks on commentors until a Bishop was attacked.
We cannot love Christ only when He is preaching to us, feeding us and curing our ills.
A Priests that is in error or fallen from the Faith is ill, we must nurture and love him back to health asking our Mother to cure him.
I ask your prayers for all those Bishops 'in communion with Rome' that steadfastly refuse to be obedient to our Holy Father.
With the assurance of my Holy Rosary prayers for all your good work in the vineyard of the Divine Master, I remain yours truly in Jesus and Mary Immaculate.
Que Dios nos agarre confesados.
(May God take us after having repented from and confessed our sins). An old Mexican ejaculation.
*
SMCTOD - can't you see when it is time to stop digging? Or do they put something in the water in the USA?
Women and children were wandering the streets in Arizona, living in card board huts and pushing grocery store shopping carts with all their worldly belongings in them. A Catholic man begged our Divine Master to have mercy upon them.
He set out to engage Powers and Municipalities and left no stone unturned, no doubt in anyone's minds that these were children of God and would be protected and defended.
Evil was challenged in every corner that it tried to hide. Children and their mommies are now leading drug and alcohol free lives, away from the hedonism that surrounded them.
All because a man would not give up the fight.
Now that evil hides behind the skirts of Feminists women who run roughshod over our Bishop here in the Phoenix, Arizona Diocese that make him back down from any Bishop proclamation that does not meet their approval.
They usurp the Holy Ministry of Priests and suffocate their Vocations.
For your consideration:
Bishop Olmstead Caves
November 14, 2011
Communion under both kinds will be the norm in Phoenix, and the plethora of EMHCs will continue unabated:
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix has backed away from his ban on using consecrated wine for Communion at most Masses, a decision that was originally met with widespread outcry.
In an explanation of his decision in a letter to the priests of the diocese, Olmsted apologized for his own misunderstanding of church documents, including new guidelines and translations for the Catholic Mass, and for any confusion arising from his previous statement made at a priests’ meeting in September.
Bishop Olmstead, or any bishop, for that matter, has a right to promulgate norms for the reception of Communion in his diocese. So the claim that the GIRM did not support his planned changes, and thus the changes could not go through, is false. What actually happened is that there was a huge backlash from those who feel that Communion under both kinds is a solemn right, many of whom also feel that one doesn’t “actively participate” without having some job to do at Mass. I suppose you could call it the triumph of the Hussites.
****************************************************************************************************************************
It was not the Devil that made the Bishop back down on this and many other things, it was the macho Feminists Modernist Catholic women that brow beat the Bishop into submission.
Poor Bishop Olmstead.
He must have been saddened by his appointment to the Diocese of Phoenix when he saw all the neutered men, and butched out women.
It does no good to call them sissies. They just do a curtsie like you British and say “Thank you.” Then they do another curtsie.
Mexicans are buried with their arms strapped to their coffin, because even in death, they fight, shouting to the end
“Viva Cristo Rey!”
*
I do offer my apologies for saying that some bishops are pigs. I had meant to say that some bishops act like pigs. That is they are rude and lacking in manners from all external appearances.
It is an inept use of American English, especially the English used in the less than lovely neighborhoods in Brooklyn where I grew up, to impute ontology for actions.
Pigs are actually quite intelligent and are very good parents. The attribution was in fact, incorrect.
The Rev. Michael P. Forbes
Rochester, Minnesota
FrBT, perish the thought. The man I married earlier this year who recently died of a brain tumor, was a gentleman, a scholar, one who NEVER complained about 'why me' regards the cancer, and died upright in the Lord was secure enough in his own masculinity to know he didn't have to put me 'in my place.' He knew my place was beside him. And 'my place' was beside him in mutual love and support.
He admired me because I had enough strength to immediately walk out of a parish I'd been in for 37 years for refusing to follow the orders of a priest high in the pecking order of the diocese (lets put it this way, he knows where all the bodies are buried, having been a personnel director of sorts to the bishop) St Michael (I see 'credidti' took a hike) is obviously refusing to admit that I was in the right to refuse to blindly follow the direct orders of a priest who told me to ignore someone walking away with the Eucharist and not consuming it. Couldn't even admit that that was the right thing for me to do, but blathered on about wimmin EMs who dared touch the Eucharist.
It would appear my sense of duty to God was definitely better than the lapse of this particular priest. And the cowardly bishop who did not want to deal with that.
My husband was proud to have me as his wife. Whereas 'StMichael' is so insecure in his masculinity as to feel the need to put 'a lowly woman' 'in her place' for refusing to do the wrong thing, just because some man with a collar told her to. Even though that thing would break the worst commandment of all to break, the 1st. Denying the true presence of the Lord. A bishop who supports the denial of the true presence is not one I respect, or even pretend to.
I'm sorry if that 'superior man' 'St.Michael' feels the need to blindly follow anyone with a mitre on his head -- including to the point of giving promotion to a holocaust denier,Williamson (anyone care to check out St.Michael's blogs?)
Such a one is to be pitied -- and certainly not a type I would marry if he were the last man on earth.
If I hadn't mentioned the marriage in public before -- there is a reason for it. You (and by 'you' I mean anyone reading this) may be in the handful of people already in the know about -- if not, it was because I didn't want all and sundry prying for every detail.
Fr. Ray is in that small group of blogging friends who knew/knows, and so, frankly, so were Mac, and Fr. Boyle, Fr. Sean, and Fr. Tim F.
I say this to give an opportunity to anyone who would yell 'liar' at me a chance to check what might be their kneejerk reaction to what I have just revealed to all readers of this blog.
Given the propensity of some of the people in the blogoshpere who are always eager to put 'lowly women in their place' I may NEVER put everything 'out there' in order to keep what I went through this last year from being pawed over and criticized by certain parties. I've been through the wars, shall we say, and I am not about to put up with crap from anyone. Particularly 'St.Michael.'
Fr Ray Blake: Can I ask for peace and good will between the parties? Yes - thank you. I think we should focus on this weekend's great Feast of Christ The King.
My Lord and my God. You are King of all that is seen and unseen. In Your Divine Mercy hear the prayers of the sick and troubled. Send St Joseph to comfort the dying. Ask Your beloved Mother to watch over us and protect us from all harm or evil. Hear the prayers of Your children and keep us faithful in Your service. Ave Maria Gracia plena Dominus Tecum... Amen
FrBT
This is slightly unfair, I must clarify that I am not, and have nothing to do with SMCTOD. Just because I share 1 of his opinions does not mean that I am him.
Credidi propter quod locutus sum, ego autem humiliatus sum nimis!!!!
Fr Ray I must say that I support you on this, Justice is one of the fundamental qualities that seems to be absent in our life. But if reprimands should be made, Charity should be used to conduct them. It is important That we should be able to be justified before God, not man.
"... In Your Divine Mercy hear the prayers of the sick and troubled. Send St Joseph to comfort the dying. Ask Your beloved Mother to watch over us and protect us from all harm or evil. Hear the prayers of Your children and keep us faithful in Your service. Ave Maria Gracia plena Dominus Tecum... Amen..."
The prayers of a Padre like this are a balm on our souls, helping us to rid ourselves of the cancer sores of sin upon our souls, encouraging us to repentance and confession.
They are mucho appreciado.
The Blessings of a Priests.
God bless the Holy Name of Jesus.
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