Something Foul Is Afoot In Red Springs!Or as The Bard would say - "something's rotten in Robeson County"
WARNING! Harsh Language Alert.
Alas, poor Father Ospina I knew him well. No... really. I know Father Ospina. I've had a couple of "disagreements" shall we say, with him in the past, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Well, there are a few (OK, a lot) that I would wish this on, but not good ol' Father Ospina.
Here's some of the article from The Fayetteville (NC) Observer; (Emphasis and comments mine.)
RED SPRINGS - A large group of parishioners of the Iglesia Catolica San Andres padlocked their pastor out of the church Sunday morning to protest his continued assignment to the Spanish-speaking Catholic community of Robeson County. (Any specifics as to why they were muy PO'd at Father? Read on.)
Father Walter Ospina, who is 33, tried to enter San Andres, or St. Andrew Catholic Church, by a side entrance before morning Mass.
In addition to the lock that had been bolted outside the side door, a sign on the glass read, "Iglesia Cerrada hasta que tengamos nuevo parroco. Justicia!!" That loosely translates to "Church closed until we have a new priest. Justice!" (Now I'm just a college edjumacated retired Gyreen, but this has all the signs of a direct challenge to the Bishop of Raleigh. Just my opinion.)
The protesters, who numbered about 150, then swarmed around the priest, many of them holding signs. "We don't want a priest that mistreat(s) a community!" one poster said. (150 people "swarming" one man? Isn't that called "assault"? I'd still like to know what kind of mistreatment he's foisted upon this community of Ecclesiastical Zapatistas.)
Ospina has served as priest of the Red Springs church for about a year, and he also delivered the Spanish Mass at St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Lumberton and the missionary station of St. Andrew in St. Pauls. (Sounds to me like an obedient and hard working priest.)
Many of the Hispanics who attend San Andres feel betrayed by this man of the cloth. (Yet again --- How?)They say he fails to embrace his Mexican parishioners, a flock of lower-income people who, in many cases, have made their way into this country illegally. They say he is aloof and sarcastic to them. (Damn it! Whose ass do I have to kick to get some friggin' specifics, here!? Oh, and they came here illegally? Charming. And by the way... as the article so eruditely points out, MANY OF THEM ARE HERE ILLEGALLY! I do believe the official teaching of The Catholic Church says something about that. Enough of the pew based pandering. These 150 thugs can go pound sand. This isn't Chiapas... this isn't Oaxaca. This is America. To hell with calling in the police department, call in a half dozen INS agents armed with a sack fulla flex-cuffs and a surly attitude.)
They say he is not a man of the people. (IE: a vocal proponent of illegal immigration/social worker, just with better livery. Oh, and that "Jesus" stuff is kinda-sorta importante, tambien.)
An allegation also has been made that the priest has acted inappropriately. St. Paul's Police Chief Tommy Hagens said Sunday the Robeson County District Attorney's Office is looking into an allegation. (*Sigh* So what exactly was so damn "inappropriate'? Possibly his acting aloof and sarcastic? Hang him high! After all... no self-loathing, wrist-wringing, limousine liberal is complete without murmuring the mantra that's become the 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Kiss Illegal Alien Ass.)
No charges have been filed against Ospina, who, on Sunday, denied doing anything wrong. (How nice to see the Napoleonic Code hasn't been implemented... yet. By the way, "charges"? In this day and age, even a whiff of sexual misconduct involving a Catholic priest, and said priest is indicted posthaste. That hasn't happened. In other words, Father Ospina hasn't done shit wrong.)
The Raleigh Diocese "has no reason to remove Ospina, who will remain pastor of St. Andrew in Red Springs," said spokesman Frank Morock. (Well I should hope to hell not. Now we come to that point in time called "where the rubber meets the road". For years now I've had to listen to all this bullshit emanating from the halls of the USCCB about "comprehensive immigration reform". I reiterate - bullshit. The only thing that needs reforming is the civil will to enforce the laws of this country, and the hierarchical will to enforce the CCC. Specifically 2241. You know, that whole "Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens." thing. Oh, and those that don't are in a state of sin. Says who? The Catechism, that's who.)
On Sunday, Ospina clutched a Bible to his heart and toted a travel suit bag after coming down the steps of the locked side door. He conferred briefly with the church secretary and a church official.
"What's the problem?" he asked the parishioners standing before him.
"It's a protest," said 25-year-old Maria Perez, who said she has been attending the church for about 14 years. ("Protest" my ass. This is thuggery in the first degree.)
Red Springs police officer Darron Sutton arrived at the church, responding to a call that somebody was blocking the parking lot. He approached Ospina as the confrontation started to get heated.
Alfonso Arroyo, 52, angrily defended the priest.
"I'm the priest in charge," Ospina told Sutton. "I have a right to get in my church. They have the right to not go in."
He then turned and faced the members of his church, telling them to calm down.
Ospina replaced Father Carlos Arce, who was beloved by the members of Iglesia Catolica San Andres. Arce openly operated as an advocate for the Hispanic community. (Ahhh... the picture gets much clearer now.)
As for Ospina, Julio Sanchez said, "He doesn't make time for us. All we want is a father who is for us. We never had problem(s) until he comes to us." (You mean when you came here illegally, Julio? Excuse me while I give a rat's ass less about your pissing and moaning. What the hell kind of Catholic are you anyways? Locking a priest out of his own church. In every definition of each word - SHAME on every single one of you and your mob of punks and thugs, Julio. And never mind the fact that Fr. Opsina "doesn't have time" for you. Yeah... he only has three parishes to serve. How thoughtless. WHOA! Wait a sec... possibly Julio's pissed because Fr. Ospina "doesn't have time" to lobby to keep Julio's sorry ass in this country illegally. I'll bet that's it.)
Sanchez, who is 27, has attended the church for nearly 15 years. (Yeah... he's been here long enough to know that most White folks will shake and quiver at the mere threat of being accused of racism.)
About 20 minutes after the 10:30 Mass should have started, Sutton escorted the priest to his car. Ospina wanted to stay and worship with his loyal parishioners, Sutton said, but the police officer asked him to leave out of concern for his safety. (Is it just me, or does this sound like how priests were treated during the French Revolution? I wonder what would have happened to Father Ospina if the police officer never showed up? I wonder if Father Ospina is even residing in his own rectory?)
"They tried this before," Arroyo said through a translator. "They had a small meeting and tried to get him out of the church." (Something along the lines of "Bishop? We don' need no stinkin' bishop!)
At noon, some of the protesters were still milling around, talking to one another. (Bilingually? Prolly not.)
"I hope and I pray to God," Perez said, "we get another priest." (or we'll intimidate him (and the bishop) until we get our way.)
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
10:23 PM
24 Comments:
If this this priest is orthodox...i see where the problems are
1. Pardon me if I'm biased, but I love this blog. Where else would get this news? (Not to mention the right-on commentary!)
2. So let me see if I got this right: a bunch of illegal aliens who broke the law to take advantage of all this country, i.e. the American taxpayer and American business, has to offer, but they collectively chose to commit a mortal sin by not fulfilling their Sunday obligation because they don't like the good priest the bishop sent them?
If I had been the editor of the reporter who turned this in, I would have drop kicked his ass from one end of the newsroom to the next for writing such a crappy, uninformative, vague, and basically worthless story.
All we know, by the end of the story, is that the parishoners are mad and the priest and locked him out, which we learned in the first paragraph. Aside from vague hints that basically he does not kiss their rears on a daily basis, we know nothing. And saying that "no charges have been filed against the priest" who may have "acted inappropriately" is especially eggregious. If he made a pass at someone or fondled someone, then get a quote saying so. If not, then shut your yap about it.
There are no helpful quotes from the priest, none from a diocesan spokesman, no hint at all that the reporter tried to find out if the protestors would be charged or at least investigated for the criminal act of locking a building that does not belong to them.
This is one of the worst newspaper articles I have ever seen. Even at the harcore lib paper I used to write for, a reporter would have gotten his ass kicked for daring to turn something like this in.
And newspapes wonder why circulation is going down the toilet.
Joe and FAB,
Take a seat... take a deep breath! This is going to come as a shock --- hold on to your hats --- here it comes ----
Yes, he celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass.
Close the parish down.
I'm going to add him to my prayer list.
So, basically the 150 protestors trespassed on Church Property and vandalized the church building?
Because when an 80 year old priest and Dr. Keyes went to walk and recite the rosary thru Notra Dame's campus they were arrested.
Also, How supportive are the parishioners? Are they just takers? (No I'm not just refering to money.)
And, by the looks around Central Florida, there are tons of Hispanic Non-Denominational Churches. So, nobody's locking anyone IN the Traditional Catholic Church.
I will pray for this priest. May God give him the comfort and strength he'll need because it's obvious that particular parish needs some house cleaning to get those spoiled brats out of there.
The property is under the "ownership" and control of the diocesan bishop through the pastor he assigns to the parish. So the priest should have the keys. Then again these pseudo parishioners could have installed their own locks and barricades.
Immigration issues aside which are not that relevant anyway, this looks like an act of schism as well as trespass by the people doing this. So this is may be an ecclesiastical crime and a crime under secular law.
The police should have upheld the priest who should be able to show them his control of the property. The police should have arrested the miscreants for breaking and entering at least.
There might even be a case of vandalism of Church property depending up the damage caused by pseudo parishioner locks, barricades, etc., being installed on the Church.
A pox on them!
Every one of those protesters should go to Confession. Their political agenda, their hubris, their ignorance interfered with those willing souls who wanted to go to Mass' ability to participate in the Eucharist. Their worldly arrogance kept Christ away from His people, and the people away from Him.
Did one person there stop and think that they were blocking Christ's way and not just some man they don't like? If we are supposed to believe that our priests stand in persona Christi, that's exactly what they were doing. I wonder if any of those people have any clue what they were REALLY doing. Are they that ignorant of the Faith?
(Probably....I know, I know....)
I guess they believe the man they don't like is obligated to advocate for them politically here on earth first, and care more about their temporal lives more than their eternal lives in Heaven. How sad.
Ah, that's it, they're too afraid, I think the fresh scent of Tradition is scaring them ;)
I willing to personally escort Father into this church, I will break the door down and pay to have it repaired.
Who has the unmitigated gall to pull a stunt like this, people who have been given way to much for nothing thats who...........
Although I totally agree with the sentiments of the person who writes this blog, he does nothing to represent the Catholic Faith with his foul language and derrogatory comments. All of his sentiments could have been expressed without the foul language and derrogatory comments. Always remember that you represent the Catholic Church AND Christ in everything you do. Label the Observer as biased and the writer of this article as incompent; absolutely. Offer your support for this Pastor; without a doubt! But never, never do it in a way that brings shame on our good Church and the Sacred Heart of our Lord, Jesus.
BZ for actually going to the CCC to counter the standard BS responses!
ML,
But if I deleted the cuss words and derrogitory comments, there goes half of my boyish charm.
Can't have that now, can we?
Thank you so much for posting this! I couldn't make any sense out of the FayObserver article but am getting a clearer picture from reading your commentary. Shame, SHAME, on these "Catholics" for forgetting who they serve and how. And shame on the staff of this parish-- where did the locked door come from if not the key of a staff member? I know parishioners aren't walking around with the key these days...
Well, if your boyish charm is more important than how you represent The Church...
Your ascerbic wit, your critical eye, your thoughtful insights are all valuable, and packaged without the explitives, would be a valuable asset to Catholics everywhere. It's easy to turn to foul language, that is the lazy route. Save your boyish charm for your friends (I can cuss with the best of them... my nickname when I get on a roll is Popeye). It is much harder to be precise, ascerbic, and biting without cussing. It will take you longer to write your blogs, but they will be more forceful and valuable to the Church and your readers.
I'm just sayin'...
That said, I am glad I stumbled onto your blog as I appreciate your critical eye. I went looking for the story after getting a prayer request through www.cureprayergroup.org to pray for Fr. Ospina. I read article first in the Observer and was equally insulted by the poor quality and not so veiled "guilty until proven innocent" slant to the piece. I have bookmarked your blog and quite a few others you have listed.
Many blessings.
ps-we probably don't need to break down the door. I have a pair of bolt cutters in my basement, I can bring them along! Let me know when you are going, Simplex Vir. I'll bring my five kids and wear my veil.
"how you represent The Church...
"
But there's the rub, ML. I don't represent The Church. The only thing in this world I represent is myself. I honestly am glad you have decided to frequent this particular blog, but please know that every once in awhile, I run across a particular subject that simply enfuriates me. And maybe it's just the retired Marine in me or maybe simply because I'm justa caveman, or maybe it's just that world famous boyish charm of mine... but I do use very harsh lamguage.
And I shall continue to do so. When I want to make a point and make it stick in someone's mind, I give it hard and fast.
But in all fairness, I did fail to place a "HARSH LANGUAGE ALERT" on that particular post. I shall remidy that forth and fifth with.
Thanks,
Kevin
PS,
I know you're new to The Lair, so if you would, take a gander at this particular posting. You may find it somewhat clarifying ---
http://catholic-caveman.blogspot.com/2009/07/who-reads-this-blog-anyhow.html
If these people don't want this good priest, we'll take him! I hereby call dibs on behalf of my parish and diocese!
"Yes, he celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass."
Ohhhhhh... it all makes perfect sense now.
Satan must be pissed!!!
Personally, even though you didn't ask.....I think you represented righteously Angry Catholics quite well.
'Spescially Former Marine Catholics.
Semper Fi
I just want to say as I sit at the sidelines of all this, the parishoners let thier passions get the best of them and yes it isn't guadalajara... but on the other hand, by mentioning that he said the Latin Mass doesn't make him a traditionalist. As I recall he is a neo-cat which would be the polar opposite of Tradtionalist. so which one is he? Chameleon maybe?
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