This is David Warren at his best. He suffered serious health issues a while back and I am grateful to see that his writing is as eloquent and incisive as before. Thanks for referring to his article.
I’m betting they have a plan for all of it and for their intended outcome. I believe that the table they have set for this is a sham. The preconceived outcomes have already been determined as was the whole false process. I attended a local church synod meeting to see if this might be the case. I believe my suspicions were correct by the method they are using.
You are probably aware, but his 'Essays in Idleness' continue. For a while, after his stroke, his essays seemed less focussed than before, but his quintessential sharpness and incisiveness (to deploy your perfect term) have lately returned, God bless him.
First, it’s set up to look like they actually care about what you think and they invite you to offer suggestions on how to get more people back to church, what they need to do or change to engage people, etc. The narrative from my experience is. Things aren’t working, what do you think we could do better. The priest reads a scripture and invites you to comment on its meaning…totally subjective. I didn’t see the relevance as the “ synod” moved on. It was just a affirming exercise that made everyone feel that their opinion actually mattered…nothing out of sorts. So, everyone gives their opinion as to what they think the church should do to reinvigorate attendance and their thoughts are catalogued by a hand picked layperson. That person writes down everyone’s suggestion and then a summary of the three meetings is submitted as our parishes “wishes / suggestions “ for the change the “ people “ think we need…really? First, if any group desires change, it cannot regulate dogma or vote church law out…. but thats not even discussed. Second, sure, the church is not wrong for engaging their parishioners, but even if they have expressed desires, how do we know that they will not use these groups, many of whom may have attended deliberately to push a liberal agenda, citing it was the “will of the people”? My parish is very conservative, but many are not. Third, I didn’t personally know the individual that summarized the sentiments of our meetings. She might have written up our opinions exactly as we cited them, but I’ve lost faith in the integrity of the clergy, not in my faith in God. So excuse me if I don’t necessarily trust the “ system “. I didn’t see the point in the synods either….at least from a laypersons perspective. No change would occur at a local level by this means…it’s not the intended purpose. It’s purpose is intended for the broader global church…that’s what scares me. Most everyone at our parish meetings expressed a desire for the church to get back to traditional practices …on every level. The priest did not aggressively argue against their opinions, but he did not embrace them. He was extremely diplomatic. Until he discussed his opinion/ definition of hell, and his admiration for liberal theologians, it would have been difficult to discern his liberal biases. He was that good diplomatically. Generally, he’s a nice guy…not argumentative. By the end of the third meeting, I knew where this priest was coming from and how they might be using this tactic to forward liberal changes and justifying these changes as having come from that of the “ people “ to avoid accepting responsibility for the changes that they might try to push through. I’m telling you, I attended these meetings and it was a waste of our time as far as our wishes were concerned. At least that’s how a number of us came away feeling. There was not one person out of the twenty or so there that didn’t want a return to tradition….and practically every comment was politely dismissed….very politely. The only thing I felt good about was my shock to see so many others wanting traditional practices and teaching…that I loved. Gave me some hope…. I sincerely hope I’m wrong for my mistrust in this “synod system” they set up. I’ll be happy to admit it if I am..it will be a relief.
Beth, don't let it get you down. They can't eliminate Mass and the Sacraments and as long as we have access to them we can navigate our way around everything else. It's God's Church. He will rein in any excesses when He considers the time is right.
I agree, He won’t abandon us ever. If we are in the chastisement, this is likely part of it, but the gates of hell will not prevail. This is the source of my hope. The poor Chinese Catholics have suffered and have been forced underground, who are we to think that it wouldn’t happen to us…?
I have to say if you find a , 'Catholic', at the present stating that the Pope is an anti Pope or Heretic I would advise you to flee from them as you would from the Devil. They are going down a very,very bad road and you must beware unless they drag you down that Road with them. There is no kind or nice way to put this. It is what it is. Pope Francis , as a Pope, is abominable. There's no other way of putting it. But he's still the Pope...and he has not yet, thank God, gone into formal Heresy. Please God he never does.
Thank you for telling us to flee from those who do not believe Francis is the Pope, or that he is an antipope or heretic. There are many so-called Catholic writers who believe that way. And so many Catholics fall into that way of thinking.
I believe that the doctrinal autonomy of local churches was the way chosen to demolish the dogmas and immutable truths of the faith, after all, unlike the Universal Church and papal authority (ex-cathedra), local churches (individually) are not immune to error.
We need to keep our focus on Jesus, or like Saint Peter we risk sinking as we cross the stormy waters all around us. Viva Christo Rey.
Our Lady withstood all the tumult and trauma of the Passion Week by doing only that: looking at Jesus.
You are right! Padraig posted on another thread Matt Fradd's interview with Ralph Martin. He addresses so many things we have discussed and anguished over. Bottom line: keep our eyes on Christ and stay close to Him through the sacraments and the scriptures/prayer. Best thing I have listened to in a long tjme.
It is hard not to have a certain amount of sympathy towards those who fall into such errors. These are terrible, terrible times. But we have to put clear water between them and ourselves in case we too get dragged down. Once you start to go off the rails in serious matters like this I think you end up going faster and faster downhill in the wrong direction and then it is hard to put the brakes on. Once humpty dumpty falls it is hard to put him together again. It is better just to say a great big, 'No', right at the very start of it and leave it at that.
I have sympathy for them because I think it possible that they are talking privately to priests, and maybe some Bishops, who may be giving them the wrong impression. I also think it a pity that some Bishop hasn't taken Patrick Coffin aside and explained to him how he is mistaken. I think he deserves that after the service he has given to the Church. Of course, some Bishop may have done so privately. I do think that both Marshall and Coffin are sincere but might be letting political allegiances cloud their judgment. While I believe that Archbishop Vigano has been very imprudent and stress may be leading him down some strange path, I do think there needs to be an investigation into the events surrounding the Benedict resignation and the ensuing conclave but I think that would be best left to a future Pope.
