In one of his last homilies, Archbishop Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador, said: "A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!" this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along with the powers of darkness and sin."
This morning I attended the 9 AM Mass at St. Joseph's Parish in Fitchburg. The "homily," which was given by Father John Hughes, M.S., a La Salette Priest, was a profound disappointment. Rather than addressing the moral crisis which has erupted in Fitchburg with the news that Planned Parenthood would be opening an office in the city with federal stimulus monies, Fr. Hughes chose to talk about the Boy Scouts and the weather. We all have our priorities.
Fr. Hughes told parishioners that Fitchburg is truly "blessed" because the city did not receive the snow which has inundated our neighbors to the south. There was no mention of Planned Parenthood's pro-abortion, anti-life, anti-family, anti-Christian agenda. Many prayer intentions were offered during the liturgy, but not one intention requesting the Lord's assistance during this moral crisis. Small wonder that the Moloch State has come to Fitchburg. Our Lady told Fr. Stefano Gobbi of the Marian Movement of Priests that, "The cause of such a vast diffusion of errors and of this great apostasy rests with unfaithful pastors. They remain silent when they should speak with courage to condemn error and to defend the truth. They do not intervene when they should be unmasking the rapacious wolves who, hidden beneath the clothing of lambs, have insinuated themselves into the flock of Christ. They are mute dogs who allow their flocks to be torn to pieces...."
The Culture of Death has come to Fitchburg. But Fr. Hughes would rather talk about the weather. God preserve us from such nonsense.
Related reading: a lukewarm priest who was sentenced to Hell.
Meditation: Luke 12:48
Planned Parenthood wants children as young as 10 to be given extensive sex education. See here.
13 comments:
Pray for Father Hughes.
Ellen, please pray for the entire parish. It has really gone down hill over the last 10-15 years. This morning Father Hughes said that Saint Joseph probably would have been a Boy Scout. But I wonder if he would have been a parishioner of Saint Joseph's? There is very little reverence at times. Deacon Jim walks around talking to various people while some of us are trying to pepare for Mass. This morning he laughed - for no apparent reason - while at the altar and made a sneering sound. Which really seemed just weird. The numbers of those who attend Sunday morning Mass have dwindled and our "leadership" doesn't seem to have a clue. No, I don't think Good Saint Joseph would approve.
What a crying shame. One gets the impression that this cleric is hard-of-heart. Doesn't he care that innocent babies are being killed through abortions? Why couldn't he say SOMETHING about this? I guess he is not outraged by these killings. Even the Sentinel & Enterprise has an editorial against Planned Parenthood coming to Fitchburg. Shame on Rev. Hughes! It's weak clerics like him who give the enemy aid and comfort.
I live in the area and drive 5 miles to the parish of my children's school rather than endure the apostasy that occurs at a parish 500 feet from my house.
One has to pick one's spots if you value your soul in this Diocese.
Exactly Thomas. Find a parish which still teaches the Faith. Saint Joseph's has been involved in the wreckovation of people's faith for quite some time now. But then the La Salette Missionaries haven't exactly been models of fidelity to the Magisterium either.
I drive roughly 45 minutes to Still River rather than expose my family to the lukewarm and watered down "Gospel" preached at St. Joseph's. The priests there could not be less inspiring.
If Fr. Hughes felt any outrage over Planned Parenthood opening an office in Fitchburg he would have spoken out by now. But he hasn't. More is the pity.
I encourage faithful Catholics who have tired on Catholicism-Lite to leave St. Joseph's and find a more fit spiritual home. One where the priests, Deacons etc actually have a love for the Faith of our Fathers.
Yesterday's Sentinel & Enterprise editorial was titled "Standing up to Planned Parenthood." The paper said that Mayor Wong "..had a responsibility to tell residents how she felt about the issue." True. But how much more responsibility does a Catholic priest have to stand up for truth and to stand up to those who are actively promoting evil - especially the evil of killing innocent children. Which is the "business" Planned Parenthood is in.
Saint Joseph's has collected monies for Haiti. And this is a very noble thing. But we must also be concerned about the state of affairs here at home in the United States. It was Henry James who said, "I think patriotism is like charity, it begins at home."
Concern for the poor people of Haiti is commendable. But let's not forget the poor innocent babies in this country who are systematically being put to death. And let's not forget to attend to the needs of our poor and marginalized.
I too am very disappointed with Father Hughes.
One more thought.
Emma Goldman, the social anarchist and pioneer activist of the movement promoting birth control once said, "The most violent element in society is ignorance." And indeed Planned Parenthood's ignorance has led to untold violence against defenseless children within and without the womb. Now this racist anti-life organization wants to bring its violence to Fitchburg, a city already poisoned by much ignorance. I agree with Dr. Mark Rollo, who said (in a letter to the Editor of the Sentinel & Enterprise published today) "The truth is that increasingly available contraception has been associated with increased abortion and sexually transmitted disease. A large percentage of all abortions are done on women who become pregnant while on some form of contraception. A pack of pills given today means the likelihood of abortion down the road. That's where the real money is. What's more, Planned Parenthood has been accused of covering up statutory rape. There have been reports of girls being told by agency personnel not to divulge the age of their sexual partners who are often adults and therefore guilty of statutory rape. I love my city. It would be heartbreaking to see our young people exploited under the guise of 'serving' them."
What a shame that Fr. Hughes and the rest of the "pastoral team" at St. Joseph's Parish in Fitchburg have not been able to muster the moral strength necesary to take a stand against Planned Parenthood and its exploitation of young people as has Dr. Rollo.
Dr. Rollo is to be commended
A new report issued by the International Planned Parenthood Federation is advocating that children as young as 10 be given extensive sex education. The report, which may be found here:
http://www.foxnews.com/projects
/pdf/020210_sexeducation.pdf,
accuses religious groups (specifically Catholics and Muslims) of denying their young access to comprehensive sexual programs and education.
But we have more important things to address in Church right? Like snow storms.
JayG is reporting (at his Defend the Faith Blog) that pro-lifers were not allowed to speak during the Fitchburg City Council meeting to discuss Planned Parenthood's plans for opening an office in the city.
The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law does not give the public a right to participate or comment during open meetings. As a matter of practice, however, governmental bodies often allow members of the public to comment during public meetings. No one may address a public meeting of a governmental body without permission of the presiding officer, and all persons must be silent upon request of the presiding officer. See Mass Gen. Laws. ch. 39, § 23C.
However, if Planned Parenthood officials were permitted to speak while those representing the pro-life side of this issue were not, this might indeed present a legal problem for the City of Fitchburg in my opinion.
In an article titled "Fitchburg councilor slams city solicitor," the Sentinel & Enterprise is reporting that "Councilor-at-large Dean Tran on Monday verbally slammed City Solicitor Michael Ciota, saying that he 'interfered with the duties of the city clerk and the City Council, and used scare tactics to influence the decision of the City Council,' regarding a proposed resolution to urge the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts not to open an office here. Tran said Ciota took on the role of a 'dictator' last week, and criticized city councilors who followed Ciota's advice...'I was extremely disappointed in the bahavior and approach taken by the city solicitor pertaining to the meeting, and more so with the City Council's inability to distinguish between absurdity and reality,' Tran said.."
This whole sordid affair needs to be reported to the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. That is the office which oversees the correct application of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.
Paul, I found this at Spirit Daily..
Western intellectuals embarrassed to talk about faith, renowned European journalist says
Moscow, February 9, Interfax - Many intellectuals in the West are embarrassed to confess their faith, Tatiana Goricheva, an Orthodox philosopher, journalist and missionary said.
“Academic environment in Europe dramatically differs from ours. Even if a person is a deep believer, he will keep silence about it or offer some snobby excuses for his religious feeling. Thus, a question of faith in Western intellectual circles is a taboo,” Goricheva said in her interview published by the the Foma magazine in February.
Sociologist Levi-Stross, a close friend of hers, told, “he secretly meets with like-minded people to talk about their faith.”
Goricheva delivers her lections on Orthodoxy all around the world for Christians of different confessions, politicians, public figures, representatives of scientific and culture elite.
According to the journalist, “people in the West can’t make sense of their lives as if they are torn apart” and try to escape depression with the help of ideology.
Even some pastors “are lying on psychoanalysts’ sofas.”
“Clerics in the West are often very lonely and in state of depression,” Goricheva said.
Many Catholic bloggers are also afraid. Which is why they use pen names or limit their blogs to the items which aren't considered "controversial."
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