Thanks Mario. Forewarned is forearmed. I’m trying to give folks a heads up on what I think is coming, but I claim no divine assistance in doing so. I can just see where they’re going to go with this next and it ain’t pretty. We’re at a flash point where the outrage and anger could ignite into open persecution over night. Be ready to lay down your life, figuratively and literally, for the Truths of the Faith, and against the heterodox agendas being promoted by the current regime in the Church.
Some folks here have tried to intimidate forum members by bullying and smearing, and manipulate forum discussions away from topics they’d rather not think about or admit are a grave crisis. That might have worked 2-3 years ago here, but it won’t work now. We know too much and see the crisis for ourselves, and insulting those who helped open our eyes will not make this crisis go away. They’re more than welcome to join others who refuse to wake up and grasp the peril in which our Church finds Herself - and have left the MOG forum. Ultimately their problem is with @padraig, but they don’t have the courage to attack him as they do others.
there is a winnowing fan in God’s hand. Wheat and chaff now. Terrifying. Some people can’t face it. Some people approach it like analysts full of historic perspective ( the Church has always been corrupt yadda yadda) some try to twist and turn what is happening into something it is not to hold on to their faith. Some want to shoot the messenger because they can’t bear the message (thinking of you Brian) and some are like the smouldering wick and the bruised reed. They simply cannot endure to hear such harsh truth. It is these I am careful of. They cannot stand against the high wind of truth because of their wounded souls I guess. They close their ears lest they fall to pieces. I don’t know the answer but for myself truth is bracing. Truth is like good surgery—swift and sharp to cut out the infection. Truth is what we need. Clear unadulterated truth. It is cleansing. We so desperately need it. There is a survivor of child sex abuse who is working to fight the elites who are trafficking children and her hash tag is “Say brave things.” The truth is brave.
I heard a great talk from Fr Bill Casey on relevant radio this morning. He said the same thing. We are all adding our sins to the weight of the world. I keep having to remind myself when I get on my moral high horse—-the beam in my own eye had not been removed. God have mercy!
After all I’ve suffered the last few years, I have certainly taken my own moral inventory, wondering what I’ve done that may have precipitated certain parts of it. But yes, we all do need to take our own moral inventories, every day. I can certainly be overbearing in my opinions. Many years ago a friend laughed that “debating you is like debating someone while they hold a knife to your throat.” We must all beg for self knowledge and admit our faults.
This homily on McCarrick from last week posted by Robert Royal is going all over the internet, I think everyone should check it out. I post here an excerpt: http://straymonds.org/eighteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-time-4/ "Now, Please don’t let this lead you to distrust all priests and bishops. Many make great sacrifices for their people, and some are truly saintly. They strive to be good shepherds, even if they fail from time to time. Rejoice in their goodness, and have mercy on their failures. And love them, respect them, and support them. But there are a few that are not even trying to be shepherds, but are more like wolves in sheep’s clothing, preying on their flock. Do not be afraid to hold those to account, always with charity and mercy, but also always with true justice. And do not be discouraged by them. Our hope is in Christ, not in them. And Christ is our hope, not our despair. Discouragement comes from our own weaknesses, or from the devil himself. The devil is loving the current scandal: he wants you to be discouraged; he wants you to give up. But do NOT give up. Remember simply two words: Jesus Christ! And fix your hearts and minds on Him. And do not be discouraged by the failures of men, but accept the grace to believe, hope and love in Christ and His Church."
I’m strangely at peace in the midst of this. None of this current crap is getting under my skin right now. It’s almost worrying me that I’m NOT worried. 5-10 years ago I would have been apoplectic. Now I’m just waiting and it will be over soon enough, with the Triumph of the Church and the era of Peace on the horizon. We need to keep our gaze fixed on that. It’s going to be glorious.
We need to stay in a state of grace, frequent the Sacraments while we have them, pray the Rosary every day, and TRUST, as Brian said, that it will be over soon enough and then we shall have the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. Simple formula, boil it down.
I’ve just finished my night prayers and I confess to a great lowness of spirit. The revelations coming out are so satanic that I cannot think of words to express my utter horror. I knew the fact of the corruption but the details of what was done to children has utterly undone me. I am offering it up because I don’t know what else to do. No one who is not of the remnant will understand why we remain Catholics. We have some very rough sledding ahead.
I agree. It breaks my heart to read about what those poor, innocent children have gone through. And then to top it off, it seems like time and again the parents refused to believe their child, or even punished them, when he or she was brave enough to speak up. It's just gut wrenching.
I understand. Please don’t think I’m being cavalier. The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown PA’s grand jury report came out before this report, and I was on the list of those recommended to testify before it because of previous extensive involvement here in trying to get rid of pederast priests. (I didn’t because of health troubles.) I know victims, and I’ve known priests who were guilty and priests who were falsely accused. I acted as a victims advocate, meeting with the victim and his mother in an inpatient mental health facility after he attempted suicide. His eyes were dark and empty, and he’s now gay and atheistic, and it haunts me to this day. I went with his mother to a meeting with the local bishop and an abbot, and they lied through their teeth to us. Once when my oldest son broke his wrist, a seemingly kind priest came to visit him in the ER late at night, and brought him a Coke and snacks. Later I met up with an old friend, and found out he had been abused by this same priest. He showed me the letter hand signed from the previous bishop promising him he would never have access to or be alone with young men in the future. There’s more I can’t discuss. I’ve been angry, and this stuff almost defeated my faith 15 years ago. I’ve lived through all this and if there’s a reason I come off as angry that’s probably why. And the same priests and prior bishop who tried to undermine and prevent our efforts to have the Traditional Latin Mass were personally compromised or gay themselves or guilty of covering up the mess in this diocese. But now I’m just trusting The Lord that this is all going to be exposed and resolved, soon, and I’m just praying and offering up my sacrifices for that day. There’s not much else I can do, except try to wake up folks to the magnitude of what we’re up against.
I'm sorry, Brian. Sexual abuse is horrible. It is a soul-destroying, evil cloud of fog and anger you never really drive out of. Something that has helped me hang on is the thought "Christ is worth it". He is worth it. And the End is going to be awesome. In a good way.
I was one time in Kracow in Poland . In the morning I was walking to the Shrine of Divine Mercy there when I met St Faustina and St John Paul walking towards me. St John Paul was dreesed in gold mass vestments and slightly behind him walked St Faustina dressed as a simple nun. They both had wide smiles, almost grins on their faces and as they walked they almost danced. They seemed to skip along. I have no doubt they are both saints. As to doubting the Church's Declaration affirming saints the words of Jesus come to me:
And forgiveness is possible. Always tough, but possible. I think in the end, each of us will have to just "Follow Christ" and do the best we can where we've been put, to do that. Few of us are intellectuals, famous, rich, influential , or respected. But we can pray. And support those who speak out, too.
