This is a picture of Fr. Roy Bourgeois, the suspended Maryknoll priest, "concelebrating" with some female "priests". I believe it was supposed to be an "ordination Mass". In this report we are told that 157 priests have declared their support for him. This, together with the 300 or so Austrian priests who have banded together in disobedience shows that there are more serious problems in the priesthood than just sexual abuse (although not on the same scale). Being involved in the deliverance ministry and obviously reading and discussing with others around the activity of evil spirits I have to say that I am smelling a big rat. From a slightly different point of view we could say that as the Church passes through what seems to be a kind of purification that lines are going to be drawn and, perhaps, some of the darnel amongst the wheat is being revealed. What will emerge will be a purified and spiritually stronger Church, so we should not be too discouraged by what we see and hear. I'm sure there is even more to come. Some good priests will fall (and I believe Corapi was good to begin with), some apparently weaker priests - perhaps being humbler - will survive, and some who are not praying too much and have become too materialstic are heading for disaster. I remember reading Fr Bourgeois' comments when he was threatened with suspension and thinking that he seems to be emotionally unstable in some way. Sentimentalism and theology do not mix well, and so much of our western spirituality has been heavily influenced by psycho-therapy and "selfism". Perhaps it is time for house-cleaning as they say in the states. If anyone doubts the scale of the problem, take a look at The Progressive Catholic Voice blog!
Thursday 28 July 2011
Are the battle lines becoming clearer? Dissident priests etc
This is a picture of Fr. Roy Bourgeois, the suspended Maryknoll priest, "concelebrating" with some female "priests". I believe it was supposed to be an "ordination Mass". In this report we are told that 157 priests have declared their support for him. This, together with the 300 or so Austrian priests who have banded together in disobedience shows that there are more serious problems in the priesthood than just sexual abuse (although not on the same scale). Being involved in the deliverance ministry and obviously reading and discussing with others around the activity of evil spirits I have to say that I am smelling a big rat. From a slightly different point of view we could say that as the Church passes through what seems to be a kind of purification that lines are going to be drawn and, perhaps, some of the darnel amongst the wheat is being revealed. What will emerge will be a purified and spiritually stronger Church, so we should not be too discouraged by what we see and hear. I'm sure there is even more to come. Some good priests will fall (and I believe Corapi was good to begin with), some apparently weaker priests - perhaps being humbler - will survive, and some who are not praying too much and have become too materialstic are heading for disaster. I remember reading Fr Bourgeois' comments when he was threatened with suspension and thinking that he seems to be emotionally unstable in some way. Sentimentalism and theology do not mix well, and so much of our western spirituality has been heavily influenced by psycho-therapy and "selfism". Perhaps it is time for house-cleaning as they say in the states. If anyone doubts the scale of the problem, take a look at The Progressive Catholic Voice blog!
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The question of the ordination of women is very low on the Church's list of "problems".
ReplyDeleteYour link to a site that quotes this sociolical study indicates this:
"The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life has put hard numbers on the anecdotal evidence: One out of every 10 Americans is an ex-Catholic. If they were a separate denomination, they would be the third-largest denomination in the United States, after Catholics and Baptists. One of three people who were raised Catholic no longer identifies as Catholic.
Any other institution that lost one-third of its members would want to know why. But the U.S. bishops have never devoted any time at their national meetings to discussing the exodus."
The data outlines causes given by those leaving. Particularly interesting are the ones becoming Protestant, a small but telling number.
With love and respect, as a priest who appears to have become a spiritual director (a worthy one) to a women's blog, it might be an idea for you to steer clear of this subject. (I have read your longer article)
Whatever the arguments it always feels like a form of exclusion to many, in spite of the symbolism.
Best Wishes.
Thanks Terry, but I was really talking about the problem of dissent or disobedience. The above case is just one example. It is not just a question of the ordination of women - there is much more to it than that, and in that sense - (disobedience towards Church teaching and the Magisterium) - it is a vast problem with many aspects.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stay off a subject because it might offend some people. However, I have probably said enough on the subject of the ordination of women for now anyway.
Father, I agree with you, there is something 'other' going on. Not that I am in any way able to discern authoritatively on these subjects.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I know lies and flattery can boost low esteem ( something women do suffer from, it appears, quite a lot, in the Church). Why wouldn't the devil use these tactics to deceive hurt women? I would, if I were a devil( I hope I'm not!).
Thankfully, I have never felt excluded or rejected due to the Church's teaching on female ordination. Some of her members have been rather cruel and rotten to female clerics outside of the church and also to women who are inclined in this area, within the Catholic church.
I think mocking people and their desires is wrong. I may, at the beginning have said some unkind comments myself, on one blog, but now I try and see what hearts are saying.
I do question women's relationship with Our Lady, especially if they are showing an interest in self-empowerment within their roles in the Church.
Mary empowers women. Self worth is confirmed. Self esteem then naturally builds. Ofcourse, any sort of empowerment will raise self esteem, but self worth is something else. Only truth can validate one's self worth. She is the role model for the women of today, every day, as her wisdom is ageless and also, available. Her wisdom is to be obedient. That does not mean passive. Far from it. More like dignified courage (I'm still working on the dignified bit, she's a patient mother).
Regarding self esteem and self worth, people get those two mixed up. One is changeable and conditional (esteem)and the other is an eternal fact. Going slightly off-topic, this means that when I mess up in life now, which I sometimes do, I know my worth in God's eyes hasn't changed. It gives me the strength to start again.
Mary shows me, as a woman, my value and also my role, which is unfolding, one day at a time, contingent on my spiritual well being. She possibly does this for men as well, but I can't answer that, because I am a woman!!
I know that I was 'meant to be' a part of God's plan. He didn't just 'fit me in' at the last minute, I was designed from the outset! My earthly position on earth, in man's eyes, or the Church's point of view has no bearing on how God values me. I am the number one ME! And you are the number one YOU, whoever you are.
Ask God to show you, you.
Sorry Father, I have gone off on a tangent here.....it's my age, I'm still subject to the old grey cell decay!
The reason
I think your methapor is correct, battleline, because we are since long at war with these evil forces within the Church - but I think many of us have been waiting for them to come out of their lairs, until now they have been gathering, hiding... but when their army is complete they will raise their banner and storm His sanctuary... and when the war has begun, we are already closer to our victory! But as they say in war the hardest part is: waiting...
ReplyDelete