A friend of mine forwarded a Blog post link from last June and written by a woman named Mary Alexander who authors a Blog entitled "Against all Heresies." In this bizarre post, Ms. Alexander writes (in part): "Hi Anonymous and Brett (aka Paul Anthony Melanson)..Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake...Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that calumniate you...Keep the comments coming. I'm just building up treasure in heaven. Cheers, Mary." (Full Blog post with comment here).
Now, I am not "Brett." But I suspect there is a motive for Ms. Alexander's false accusation. You see, Ms. Alexander has defended the late Father Leonard Feeney. And I am, of course, on record as opposing Father Feeney's interpretation of the dogma "Outside the Church there is no salvation." This wouldn't be the first time Ms. Alexander has demonstrated some sort of problem with me or an animosity. In the comments section of a previous post here at La Salette Journey, Ms. Alexander left a comment implying that the Church's 1980 Instruction on Euthanasia was somehow "out-of-date." She was immediately corrected by others who reminded her that the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites this document as authoritative (see here).
And this wouldn't be the first time that Ms. Alexander has engaged in uncharitable rhetoric. In her Blog post defending Father Leonard Feeney, whose interpretation of the dogma "Outside the Church there is no salvation" was condemned by Pope Pius XII, she had some rather unkind words for the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a very-well respected priest who was loyal to the Church and her teaching. Ms. Alexander referred to this heroic priest and solid-Catholic thinker as being simple-minded and naive (see here).
I submit that Ms. Alexander would benefit from visiting this link to read up on calumny. This excellent entry says (in part): "..the calumniator is bound to adequate reparation for the injury perpetrated by the blackening of another's good name. He is obliged to retract his false statements."
Ms. Alexander is right about one thing though. We all need to pray for those who calumniate us. I will get right on that.
Related reading here.
5 comments:
She comes across as an angry and bitter Catholic. But then, many radical traditionalists are. Eugene DeLalla of the Feeneyite cult in Richmond NH is suggesting that Senator Kennedy's brain cancer was a pesonal chastisement from God - a punishment.
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Those who know me (or of me) know full well that I always post using my Blogger ID with photo. They also know that I am not lacking in Fortitude and - unlike so many others - do not need to hide behind anonymous comments.
I am 6'5, 245 pounds, and have worked as a Tae Kwon Do instructor. To put it simply: no one (except God) intimidates me. Certainly not the likes of Ms. Alexander.
It really is a shame Elizabeth when those who profess to be Catholic engage in such nonsense. Peace [authentic peace] is the fruit of prayer.
Elizabeth, I read his letter to the editor of The Keene Sentinel. Mr. DeLalla and Mrs. Alexander are both defenders of Fr. Leonard Feeney, who was thrown out of the Jesuit order and excommunicated for disobedience. His followers like to brag that he never recanted his erroneous view of EENS. But that is nothing to boast about. It placed him at odds with Church teaching. These so-called traditionalist Catholics are an angry and bitter bunch of people. There are traditional Catholics who do not follow Fr. Feeney and who aren't angry and bitter. But those people aren't rebelling against the Church's teaching or her authority.
Mary Alexander says "I'm just building up treasure in heaven." I sure hope so. The Constitution on the Church, 14, states: "He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a 'bodily' manner and not 'in his heart.' All the Church's children should remember that their exalted status is to be attributed not to their own merits but to the special grace of Christ. If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word and deed, not only shall they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged."
St. Paul said that he worked out his salvation in "fear and trembling." And he was a saint. Mary Alexander seems assured of her salvation already, even though she engages in falsehood in an attempt to smear another Catholic's good name.
I'm not sure referring to a Roman Catholic priest (Fr. Neuhaus) who was faithful to the Church and a great defender of the Mystical Body of Christ as simple minded and naive will garnish Mary "treasure in heaven" either.
That's not charity. That's not family. I don't recall seeing Mary on EWTN. But I do remember Fr. Neuhaus there.
The Catechism on calumny...(2479)..
Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity.
Mary Alexander should ponder that paragraph very carefully. And make things right.
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