In his acclaimed book on the life of Richard Cardinal Cushing entitled "Cushing of Boston: A Candid Portrait," noted author Joseph Dever - who was both a well known novelist and feature writer for the Boston Sunday Herald as well as a former editor of the Bruce Publishing Company, devotes a chapter to the Leonard Feeney affair.
He writes, "Many Boston Catholics - this writer included - were friends of Feeney and his brother, the whimsical, lovable fellow Jesuit, Thomas Butler Feeney, during World War II and through the late Forties. The relationship was laudable and normal in those days. Eventually, Father Feeney began saying and doing strange things; perhaps he was under exceptional mental strain. His rigid, fanatical emphasis on 'No salvation outside the Church' was bad enough at first...But Father Feeney's rigid fanaticism deteriorated steadily into bitter invective. He reduced the doctrine to the absurd.." (p. 144).
He continues: "Anyone who has ever been to St. Benedict Center during the first days of deterioration, or to the Sunday 'seances' at the Boston Common during the final days, can recall some of Father Feeney's sick, horrifying rhetoric. Even in the early days, no difference of opinion, no matter how gentle or reasonable, would be tolerated." (pp. 145-146).
Of course not. When spiritual pride sets in, it is easy for a person's Catholicism to become perverted. And even angry and possibly violent.
God love you,
Paul
1 comment:
You are engaging in dishonesty Andre. Your rejection of the Church's clear and unambiguous teaching on salvation outside the Church has been refuted.
I pray that you return to the bosom of the Church and renounce your dissent from Magisterial teaching.
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