I just want Robert Barron to be one of the good guys, he is a great speaker. But Fulton Sheen, what a legend and to be saint of our times.
Itry to think Charitably about Bishop Barron. The best I can say is that he has come down with the coomon FLu of Modernism that effects so many. I ams orry for him, but I don;t want to catch it myself; so I am little careful around him.
I'm on the wary side myself, he has career written all over him. I pray that some of Archbishop Fulton will rub off on him.
He prays in front of the Blessed Scarament every day. That is a wonderfully good sign. There is always, always hope. I am sure his own people in his Diocese rpayfor him , plus his folks in heaven. There is always hope. I wouldn;t say he is the worse of them. There are far worse going about.
I do appreciate he is probably intentionally trying to draw the lukewarm and Protestants who are on the fence. yet, more often I think people need and appreciate that voice crying out in the desert! That voice of truth is what so many are seeking, not someone to soften anything! Sure you'll find some that shun any loud voice that urges them to change. They shun change regardless (Don't tell me what to do or think!) With the mess around us, we need and yearn for that influential voice in the desert! Does anyone else feel inclined to hold a vigil during the coming Synod? What might that look like? I guess we can all do what we can: daily Adoration or Mass, daily rosary, or anything we should and don't do on a regular basis. Immaculate Conception, conceived without sin St John Vianney Venerable Fulton Sheen Mother Angelica Pray for us!!
I think people , especially young people are attracted to the counter cultural to that which is different, to that which stands out. I remember an Abbot one time from Ireland told me he visited a monastery in Japan. He asked the Japanese Abbot why they had all Western Forms, Architecture., dress Liturgy etc. The Japanese Abbot said it was precisely because they are different that they attracted. The present trend in the Church is Accompaniment. To blend into the surrounding Cultural Norms. That is exactly what the Amazon Synod..which is really a German Synod , is all about. Becoming like everything else. But if we become more and more the same as anyone else what is the good of existing as a Church at all? Why not totally join them by disbanding? Also if Western Society has become totally evil by walking alongside them we risk becoming totally evil ourselves. Why would we , 'Accompany', Evil? You challenge Evil and Fight against it to the Death. You do not, 'Accompany it. This is why our Churches are empty. Folks no longer come to our Churches because they do not see any difference between ourselves and the world. We have blanded and bored ourselves out of existence. The worst kind of evil is the , bland boring kind.
Exactly the intention of the Masons, is it not? I am very sorry to hear so many churches in Ireland are empty. Even our more conservative traditional churches in my diocese are full on the weekends. You would cry to see all the people at the TLM I attended 2 weeks ago. There is much reason to have plenty of hope!
Somebody once said that if there only one Catholic in the entire world then the Church would continue to exist. There are still many saints in Ireland, I see them everyday in Church. Some of them are quite astonishing. One of the great gifts of going to mass is getting to eye ball saints. But I suspect the Church here has to fail in order to succeed; to be built all over. I am always positive myself. But the old must die before the new can be reborn.
You know I honestly don;t know. I wish I had all the answers; it was certainly not termed a, 'Time of confusion in the Church', by our Lady at Akita for nothing. Sometimes I feel permanently dizzy, like the roof of my house were falling in. Michael Voris had a recent post on the subject of lukewarm Catholics. I am not quite sure if he was going too far here. He is certainly all fire and brimstone. Anyway; for your discernment.
I suppose when St Joan of Arc was called leave her village to fight the English at Orleans she must have felt like a nut case. I suppose when Mother Teresa was called to go into the Calcutta Ghetto she felt the same grim way. But they were called to do so by God. I suppose all we can do is wait and pray for God to call us to do the same; then if necessary to put on the armour and go to action.
Perhaps similar to my needing to host pilgrimages or be part of starting a new ministry for single older adults throughout the whole diocese. Both feel a little nuts but exhilarating. I'm more concerned about the latter bit growing or attracting as it should.
