Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

Via Hot Air Time makes fun of indulgences:

Indulgences are a handy marketing tool for the Church, a way of encouraging people to amp up their spiritual life. But figuring out exactly what they are and how they work can be confusing. “It brings people who aren’t Catholic up short,” said David Steinmetz, a professor of the history of Christianity at Duke Divinity School.

It’s not a “marketing tool” or a very tough concept but the tougher or odder you make it seem the less likely that one will do a devotion. Good works and faithful acts are like anything in life, repetition breeds habit, habit leads one closer to God and that is why it must be made trivial.

Indirect proof time.

Two stories that I was going to split into two posts but since Fr. Z is the source of em both lets make them one and give him the credit.

Item: Argentina expels Williamson:

Argentina has ordered an ultra-traditionalist British bishop who denies the Holocaust to leave the country or face expulsion.

The interior ministry said Richard Williamson had been given 10 days to leave Argentina.

Fr. Z notes they manage to get some facts wrong.

My take: This is an indirect proof of the existence of God. Who but the holy spirit could cause Argentina to expel someone with Nazi like opinions? And remember this was only possible because the Pope acted as he did.

Item: Australian priest sacked:

In a decision that is likely to reverberate throughout the Catholic community, the Archbishop of Brisbane yesterday fired Father Peter Kennedy for unorthodox practices.

Fr. Z’s take, preached pure heresy, Bye!

My take: Gee denying the virgin birth, blessing Gay Marriage, he would fit right in at the Episcopal See in New Hampshire. I’ve said it many times, if people don’t want to be Catholics that’s their business, there are many Protestant Churches out there that you can become a part of. What I object to is their insistence that the church change to suit them. To wit from the article:

He said his liturgies were still valid. “We celebrate in a way that is relevant to Australian Catholics, rather than toeing the line in Rome.”

In other words we do what we want and its valid because we say so.

Father Kennedy will not go quietly. He plans to say Mass at 9am on Sunday and expects 1000 people to turn up. But he has backed away from threats that he would form a breakaway church. “I don’t wish to do that. We argue but we are very much within the Catholic tradition.”

…except that we don’t follow it.

I see this as the flip side of the Legionaries of Christ business. We again have a cult of personality substituting itself for the teaching of Christ, except this time it comes from the left. The legionaries can recover by admitting their errors while sticking to the doctrines and practices of the church. These guys have the worst of both worlds, the personality cult and rejection of the church.

This will ensure that Fr. Kennedy if he stays defiant will be feted and celebrated and make out fine with a large group of followers. He can be on the gravy train for the rest of his life.

After that he and they are on their own.