Posts Tagged ‘war on God’

A Cutie we can do without.

Posted: May 29, 2009 by datechguy in catholic
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If you read this blog at all you might guess that I’m not all torn up about losing Fr. Cutie to the Anglican Communion:

A popular U.S. Roman Catholic priest photographed frolicking with a woman on a Florida beach announced on Thursday he had joined the Episcopal Church to pursue the priesthood in a faith that allows married clergy.

The word that comes to my mind is addition by subtraction. We had a situation like this in my Parish, a very nice priest wanted to leave the priesthood to get married, he struggled with this and talked to the diocese and eventually left the priesthood and got married but remains in the church. To me that is still really bad; but he remained in the church worked through the diocese when he left and with confession is forgiven and is a Catholic in good standing and is bringing his family up Catholic.

There is an interesting contrast here as well. The Archbishop of Miami (via the Curt Jester) touches on it during his pastoral letter on the subject:

I must also express my sincere disappointment with how Bishop Leo Frade of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida has handled this situation. Bishop Frade has never spoken to me about his position on this delicate matter or what actions he was contemplating. I have only heard from him through the local media. This truly is a serious setback for ecumenical relations and cooperation between us. The Archdiocese of Miami has never made a public display when for doctrinal reasons Episcopal priests have joined the Catholic Church and sought ordination. In fact, to do so would violate the principles of the Catholic Church governing ecumenical relations. I regret that Bishop Frade has not afforded me or the Catholic community the same courtesy and respect. (emphasis mine)

Without meaning to the Bishop hits on something. Over and over when I read about Anglican priests becoming Catholic we hear about the study of doctrine and the conclusion that the Church is true and right. On the other side we hear the I wants. The church doesn’t allow something that the person whats or objects to a sin that the person does, so they find a different church.

One group looks for truth and goes toward it, the other has sin and wants justification to allow it.

This is why Fr. Cutie is pathetic. He will be celebrated for his failure and will lead people away from truth for his own desires. It’s a sad thing but it’s on him and he has the rest of his life to repent…

…after that he’s on his own.

Ok he spoke now what?

Posted: May 18, 2009 by datechguy in catholic
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Well President Obama gave his speech at ND some thoughts.

The speech itself was frankly forgettable, his speech in Arizona was far superior (no matter what Rush said concerning it).

The Protests were rather large and the media’s total ignoring of any protest outside of eyeshot of the event was lame but predictable.

The few protesters at ND who heckled him did us no favors.

Till the very last moment Catholic Students, Catholic Teachers and Catholic Priests had the chance to do the right thing. They failed. We all fail and Catholics have confession to fall back on. May they take advantage of it quickly.

The damage to the Catholic nature of the school can’t be measured. As almost no Catholic Schools commented their silence condemns them as well. My decision to send my son to a secular school (aided by the scholarship) looks really good.

I know that a Canon suit is being filed against the school. I can’t see how the school can win.

Now that the event is over a forced transfer of Jenkins by the Bishop or by the Vatican would certainly be in order.

This is going to cost ND for decades.

Fr Baron makes the Priestly Celibacy Point.

Posted: May 16, 2009 by datechguy in catholic
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Not the one about vows but the one about priorities:

This distinction between God and the world is the ground for the anti-idolatry principle that is reiterated from the beginning to the end of the Bible: Do not turn something less than God into God.

Isaiah the prophet put it thus: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my thoughts above your thoughts and my ways above your ways, says the Lord.” And it is at the heart of the First Commandment: “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods besides me.” The Bible thus holds off all the attempts of human beings to divinize or render ultimate some worldly reality. The doctrine of creation, in a word, involves both a great “yes” and a great “no” to the universe.

Now there is a behavioral concomitant to the anti-idolatry principle, and it is called detachment. Detachment is the refusal to make anything less than God the organizing principle or center of one’s life.

His argument is a more doctrinal argument than a practical one. It will convince no non catholic and the subtitles will not impress non practicing Catholics.

…this makes it the perfect argument for CNN to present in the pro side on their debate in commentary.

St. Paul talks about being all things to all people, I’m afraid Fr. Baron’s heart is in the right place but his argument serves nothing but to give CNN a fig leaf of balance.

Listening to the ASU speech I see big trouble…

Posted: May 14, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
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…for those of us who think it is a disgrace that he (the President) is invited to Notre Dame to receive a degree and give the commencement speech.

He is likely going to give a very good speech and maybe an uplifting one. We are going to look very foolish when he does…

…however you know what: Let us look foolish!

We don’t dispute that the president can make a good speech or give a good message. Since Fr. Jenkins is not going to retreat I hope that the president does give a good speech and an inspiring one. That is the task that he has been given.

We say and we affirm that we are Catholics. We say and affirm the Nicene Creed every week. We affirm our loyalty to the Holy Roman Catholic Church. We affirm that the foremost Catholic University in the United States has a moral obligation to stand up for those Catholic values that we embrace. We affirm and support the message of the Bishops of the church that we don’t honor those who stand against our deepest beliefs and aid an intrinsic evil.

We take this stand even if it is unpopular, in fact especially if it is unpopular. St. Peter’s greatness didn’t come when he took the popular and safe decision to deny Jesus when he was clearly going down. He built a church by defying the leaders of his own Jewish faith (Don’t forget Jesus and all of the early disciples were Jews.) and the greatest military power in the world. He died defying that power but he died with the keys to heaven in his hands and when those who killed him came to the gates who was standing there with the keys?

I am an American Catholic of Italian/Sicilian stock. My grandparents came to this country over 100 years ago and built a life. I would not trade my worst time in America for the citizenship of any other nation and I thank God and my parents and grandparents that I and my children are Americans, however at best I will live in America for 120 years more likely with my waistline closer to 60-70 years if I’m lucky. Eternity is a whole lot longer. If I have to choose between America and the kingdom of heaven that is no choice at all:

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.”

Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:18-31

We will look foolish in the eyes of many but eternity is a long time and when we get to the gates we know who will be holding the keys.

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