180 Degree Turn
"Springtime of The Church", my ass
Obviously, a harsh language alert is in effect. (I'm in a particularly bad mood)
Below pictured is Blessed Miguel Pro. He was a Catholic priest who was executed during the Cristeros Uprising in Mexico during the late 1920's. The anti-Catholic, Communist inspired dictator, El Presidente Plutarco Calles, was butchering Catholics by the bushel load
Bl. Pro was sentenced to death for the high crime of being a Catholic priest. As he was led before the firing squad, he held a Crucifix in one hand and a Rosary in the other. Seconds before they opened fire, Blessed Pro shouted out "iViva Christo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!) at the top of his lungs.
What are we treated to today? Breaking news concerning Catholic leaders in Poland who collaborated with the Communists. Articles concerning the likes of the Archbishops of both Washington, DC and San Francisco who steadfastly apologize for and/or defend baby-killer bar none, Nancy Pelosi.
And one that especially bothers me concerning the Knights of Columbus out in California....
In spite of its lip service to defending life, at least three prominent California politicians who support “abortion rights” continue to be Knights in good standing. They include: State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, state Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez, D-Norwalk, and retired congressman and former Al Gore confidant Tony Coelho
The late Congressman Edward Roybal died a “Lifetime Honorary Member” of the Knights, even though he had a 100 percent rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League. The Knights of Columbus national web site features a listing of “Pro-Life Programs and Initiatives,” which seems to contradict the voting records and public policies supported by Correa, Bermudez, Coelho and Roybal.
But in all fairness to the California K of C, I saw the same thing when I was active with The Knights when I was stationed in Maryland.
But anyhow, when are we going to have some clerics who have the guts to stand up and say that enough is enough? You know, today I had to have a quick word with my parish priest after Mass. I congratulated him for having the 'nads to preach a sermon where he actually DEFENDED the One, True, Catholic Church.
Then it hit me as I was driving home... I was all excited because a Catholic priest defended the Catholic Church. Things are pretty shitty when a priest like him are in the minority.
Now here's something for us all to think about... if there were a modern day Presidente Calles in charge and Catholic priests were being rounded up for execution, where would your parish priest be? Standing before the firing squad screaming out iVIVA CHRISTO REY! at the top of his lungs... or issuing weak-kneed statements defending the butcher? Here's an even better question... where would you be?
I know where my parish priest would be. And if that day were to ever come, I hope that God would grant me the courage to be standing next my priest.
"Springtime of The Church", my ass
Obviously, a harsh language alert is in effect. (I'm in a particularly bad mood)
Below pictured is Blessed Miguel Pro. He was a Catholic priest who was executed during the Cristeros Uprising in Mexico during the late 1920's. The anti-Catholic, Communist inspired dictator, El Presidente Plutarco Calles, was butchering Catholics by the bushel load
Bl. Pro was sentenced to death for the high crime of being a Catholic priest. As he was led before the firing squad, he held a Crucifix in one hand and a Rosary in the other. Seconds before they opened fire, Blessed Pro shouted out "iViva Christo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!) at the top of his lungs.
What are we treated to today? Breaking news concerning Catholic leaders in Poland who collaborated with the Communists. Articles concerning the likes of the Archbishops of both Washington, DC and San Francisco who steadfastly apologize for and/or defend baby-killer bar none, Nancy Pelosi.
And one that especially bothers me concerning the Knights of Columbus out in California....
In spite of its lip service to defending life, at least three prominent California politicians who support “abortion rights” continue to be Knights in good standing. They include: State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, state Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez, D-Norwalk, and retired congressman and former Al Gore confidant Tony Coelho
The late Congressman Edward Roybal died a “Lifetime Honorary Member” of the Knights, even though he had a 100 percent rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League. The Knights of Columbus national web site features a listing of “Pro-Life Programs and Initiatives,” which seems to contradict the voting records and public policies supported by Correa, Bermudez, Coelho and Roybal.
But in all fairness to the California K of C, I saw the same thing when I was active with The Knights when I was stationed in Maryland.
But anyhow, when are we going to have some clerics who have the guts to stand up and say that enough is enough? You know, today I had to have a quick word with my parish priest after Mass. I congratulated him for having the 'nads to preach a sermon where he actually DEFENDED the One, True, Catholic Church.
Then it hit me as I was driving home... I was all excited because a Catholic priest defended the Catholic Church. Things are pretty shitty when a priest like him are in the minority.
Now here's something for us all to think about... if there were a modern day Presidente Calles in charge and Catholic priests were being rounded up for execution, where would your parish priest be? Standing before the firing squad screaming out iVIVA CHRISTO REY! at the top of his lungs... or issuing weak-kneed statements defending the butcher? Here's an even better question... where would you be?
I know where my parish priest would be. And if that day were to ever come, I hope that God would grant me the courage to be standing next my priest.
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
4:55 PM
8 Comments:
Vir,
Great post and excellent point -- why is it rare when a priest gives a downright, straight forward CATHOLIC sermon instead of the usual let's-all-feel-good-about-oursselves pap?
There's an article in the latest NEW OXFORD REVIEW reporting an informal study that shows when priests, especially pastors, preach honest, solid Catholic sermons, church attendance goes up, collections go up, vocations go up. Gee, who woulda thought!!
When was the last time anyone hear a "homily" about"
-sin, of any kind?
-hell and eternal damnation?
-that abortion is a mortal sin and the women and anyone who assists her is automatically excommunicated?
-that there is a duty to attend Sunday Mass under penalty of sin?
-that parents have a moral duty to foster vocations in the home?
-that one must fast before receiving Holy Communion?
and the list goes one...
After a lot of time in the "wilderness" of hearing homiles about social justice, enviormentalism, and gun control, I have been blessed to attend churches led by brave and orthodox priests, men who do indeed preach on things like mortal sin (and the eternal price one can pay for that) and the evils of contraception, abortion, and gay marriage, as well as the importance of the Eucharist, vocations, etc. I know you guys are wary of the "springtime" for the Churh idea, but the best priests I know are either old (70+ yrs) or young, as in, entered seminary during the JP-II era. Furthemore, the young people respect these priests greatly, since they tell it like it is and their love of Christ is contagious!
If I had my way, your parish priest would be transferred up this way. He could do a lot of good in the NC Zoo, aka Chapel Hill.
But that wouldn't be fair to y'all, since in his place you might get a priest like one who, in a homily today, declared: "If I were Pope, I would tell all Catholics to boycott NBC for showing video of Cho."
If I were Pope...
Wow... to some of us this is new that knights are involved in abortion rights. Sorry but this is "Pope as the buck stops here" territory. As long as we excuse the Popes due to subsidiarity...then we enable a weak Church. They are in denial and seeking to get lost in liturgy and in concerts and in more books now. The Bride of Christ is the Church and She is not Mary who was sinless....she is the Bride who will not be perfect until the end of time per Vatican II and Ephesians. We keep thinking the Church is Mary...the sinless one. Would Mary have erred on slavery and usury for 1400 years? NOT. Very good post and I'd say your followers will be few because you are not into denial like the Catholic apologetics field in general. Remember Jeremiah...." but I have sat alone because thou hast filled me with threats." Your goose is cooked....you're real.
You'll end up in a crevice in the earth....Hebrews 11:36
Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.
37
They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword's point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented.
38
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.
Well, I can say that my parish priest (who will be another parish's priest as of July 1, boo hoo) is 100% pro-life and unabashedly Catholic, and I can much more readily see him shouting VIVA CRISTO REY! than skulking away with his life. And I have heard a rumor that he is on the fast track to becoming a bishop, which is encouraging. He also brought 34 of us neophytes into the Church at Easter, formed by RCIA classes that he taught.
So if that's any indicator of what's going on more broadly in the Church, I'd say it is springtime. Early spring, no doubt, with some frost still showing up from time to time (hey, it snowed during the Easter Vigil here in Detroit), but spring nonetheless.
And I love Bl. Miguel Pro. He's one of my favorite martyrs (if that doesn't sound too twisted).
I know which side my local priest would be on... *shudder*
Dr. Eric
I know where my Priest would be, no doubt.
I pray that the day never comes, but if it does, I pray that I have the strength to stand beside him.
We have a 36 yr. old priest from the Phillipines who regularly preaches against abortion and same sex marriage. I hope that during his stay in Canada, he will inspire some of our young men to consider a vocation to the priesthood.
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