Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Update on the Juda Myers fiasco on Facebook



"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed!
Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ." (Galatians 1: 8-10).

Over at Human Life International's Facebook page, a Catholic named Cynthia Labutka, who is apparently a good friend or at least an acquaintance of Juda Myers, wrote the following comment:

"We belong to Mother Church, Paul. We must always be welcoming and forgiving concerning positions others might hold about us due to a lack of knowledge of our positions and expect differences, answering them in truth and charity. As a convert, I can assure you that there will be no such denominational differences among the Elect in Heaven. Did you show charity to my sister Juda?

My response:

"Forgiving yes. But we must also defend the Mystical Body of Christ if we really love the Church. Which is exactly what the Catholic League does every day.

Charity? Charity is a supernatural virtue which induces us to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. See 1822 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

As Fr. Felix Salvany, a noted Catholic priest and philosopher has explained, "Charity is primarily the love of God, secondarily the love of our neighbor for God's sake. To sacrifice the first is to abandon the latter. Therefore to offend our neighbor for the love of God is a true act of charity. Not to offend our neighbor for the love of God is a sin.

Modern Liberalism reverses this order. It imposes a false notion of charity; our neighbor first, and, if at all, God afterwards. By its reiterated and trite accusations of intolerance, it has succeeded in disconcerting even some staunch Catholics. But our rule is too plain and to concrete to admit of misconception. It is: Sovereign Catholic inflexibility is sovereign Catholic charity. This charity is practiced in relation to our neighbor when in his own interest, he is crossed, humiliated and chastised. it is practiced in relation to a third party, when he is defended from the unjust aggression of another, as when he is protected from the contagion of error by unmasking its authors and abettors and showing them in their true light as iniquitous and pervert, by holding them up to the contempt, horror and execration of all. It is practiced in relation to God when, for His glory and in His service, it becomes necessary to silence all human considerations, to trample under foot all human respect, to sacrifice all human interests, and even life itself to attain this highest of all ends. All this is Catholic inflexibility and inflexible Catholicity in the practice of that pure love which constitutes sovereign charity. The saints are the types of this unswerving and sovereign fidelity to God, the heroes of charity and religion. Because in our times there are so few true inflexibles in the love of God, so also are there few uncompromisers in the order of charity. Liberal charity is condescending, affectionate, even tender in appearance, but at bottom it is an essential contempt for the true good of men, of the supreme interests of truth and of God. It is human self love usurping the throne of the Most High and demanding that worship which belongs to God alone."

Now my question to you: Did Juda practice charity toward God by attacking His Mystical Body? Read and meditate on Acts 9:4. Jesus asked Saul (who was persecuting the Church), "Why are you persecuting Me?"

Did Juda Practice charity toward me by attacking the Church I love without provocation? Was she welcoming?

But most importantly: Why are you so concerned with the feelings of men and so little concerned over attacks against Our Lord's Mystical Body? Are you suggesting that the good folks at the Catholic League, who defend the Church against such attacks every day, are also wrong?

Welcoming? Yes. Understanding theological differences of opinion? Yes. Tolerating attacks against the Mystical Body of Christ? Never.

You should be more concerned over the fact that Juda accused the Catholic Church of killing and greed. That you are not speaks volumes about you."

And then the following exchange took place:


Cynthia Labutka: I am critical of the MANNER in which you are defending the Church. You are looking for a fight. That is not Christian."

Myself: My manner has been appropriate Cynthia. It would seem that, based upon your friendship for Juda, you care nothing for the demands of truth.

Cynthia Labutka: Many of the radical Catholic apologist types are just too hostile. It is a turn off for many and does not advance our cause - which hopefully is the same cause for Life and Christ. Keep your eyes on the prize not on the fight.

Myself: I'm not radical Cynthia. Like the good folks at the Catholic League I love my Church. You should agree that Juda's accusing the Catholic Church of killing and greed is "radical" and "hostile." What a shame that you care more for her than Christ's Mystical Body which is the Church. Goodbye."

This is what passes for "Catholicism" for some. The Church, the Mystical Body of Christ on earth, is simply "another denomination." And anyone who defends the Church, even if they do so in a calm manner, is guilty of being "radical" and "hostile."

God preserve us from such nonsense.

7 comments:

Derek said...

Paul,hatred for the Catholic Church is definitely increasing everywhere. Some "Catholics" are really betraying the Church by giving aid and comfort to Catholic bashers. It seems that Cynthia Labutka is one such "Catholic."

Derek said...

So Labutka considers the Catholic Church just another denomination? One can understand why Pope John Paul II called for a New Evangelization. Catholics ignorant of their faith. A disgrace.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

I just received a message from Mr. Stephen Phelan on Facebook. Mr. Phelan wrote:

"Hello, Paul.

While we agree with your defense of the Blessed Mother and the Church, we respectfully ask that you keep the flame wars off of our FB page. There is a place for this, and the place isn't our page.

Thanks.

Steve Phelan
Communications Manager, HLI."


My response to Mr. Phelan:

Dear Steve,

I can certainly understand that. I hope you say the same thing to Juda Myers and her supporters though. Ms. Myers has libelled me at your Facebook page and I would request that her post be deleted if this is not too much trouble.

Specifically, Ms. Myers falsely asserted that I was "rejected by the Church" when I sought admission to the priesthood. This constitutes libel. I have never been denied admission to a seminary or a Religious Institute.

I have been in touch with the Catholic League. I shall notify them as to whether or not the libellous post has been deleted.

Thank you Steve and God bless you."

It is odd that Ms. Myers has been permitted to issue libellous attacks against my person at the Human Life International Facebook page but my posts defending the Church (while respected) amount to "flame wars."

Could this be because Ms. Myers has had some association with HLI?

What a pity.

Ellen Wironken said...

Father Euteneuer is an expert on exorcism. If his organization is going to associate with anti-Catholic haters like Juda Myers, perhaps he should consider an exorcism of it.

There is something demonic in a Catholic apostolate associating with people who accuse the Catholic Church of killing, greed and ostentation.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

Yesterday (7/21/10) at 10:58 AM, I wrote a post on Facebook because I found it incredible that while my posts defending the Catholic Church and exposing Juda Myers as anti-Catholic were deleted on the Human Life International Facebook page (and I accepted Mr. Stephen Phelan's justification for removing them), Ms. Myers post against me which was libellous was not being deleted.

This morning (7/22/10), I received a response from Mr. Phelan:

Paul,

You'll notice that we deleted the entire series of posts yesterday. Yet today I find that you posted our private correspondence on your blog, and you go on to add:

"It is odd that Ms. Myers has been permitted to issue libellous attacks against my person at the Human Life International Facebook page but my posts defending the Church (while respected) amount to "flame wars." Could this be because Ms. Myers has had some association with HLI?"

Quickly for the record: you both "flamed" each other, we did not imply that you were particularly at fault, although you did start it. We simply asked you, in private to avoid embarrassment, to avoid these types of posts on our page. I had never heard of Juda Myers until your first post. Her characterization of the Blessed Mother and our Faith - as I read on your page - displays an ignorance that is unfortunately common among Protestants, and must be answered, although we prefer it be done in less personal and vitriolic tones. It appears you and Ms. Myers have a history and could use some healing in this regard. But these personal battles do not belong on a third party's page. You said you understood that in your private email to me, then you make this irresponsible post on your blog, and one of your readers gets the impression that we are "associated with" Ms. Myers.

I'll leave it at that. This is unfortunate, but hardly worth taking further. It should suffice to say that anyone who thinks HLI is soft on defending the Faith will deservedly be ignored. I expect to see this final note on your blog as an attempt to set the record straight.

Thank you.

Stephen Phelan


My response:

I posted my comments yesterday because you were NOT deleting the libellous comments against my person. You finally did so later in the day. Even though you had already deleted my defense of the Church. Therefore your synopsis of events is dishonest.

You assert that I started the exchange with Ms. Myers. This is a falsehood. She actually wrote me first and then began to disparage me on her Facebook page. I assumed that HLI and its followers would want to know about Juda Myers' beliefs regarding the Church. Apparently I was mistaken. One would think Catholics would have a right to such information. Particularly since Ms. Myers works with so many Catholics in the pro-life community.

Mr. Phelan is engaging in further dishonesty when he asserts that my defense of the Church was accomplished in "vitriolic tones." There was actually nothing "bitter" about my defense of the Catholic Church. I merely quoted from Ms. Myers comments to demonstrate to others how truly reprehensible her views regarding the Catholic Church really are.

The fact that my defense of the Church was not vitriolic is that Mr. Phelan himself wrote, "we agree with your defense of the Blessed Mother and the Church, we respectfully ask that you keep the flame wars off of our FB page.."

And again, I respected his request immediately. Even as I remained concerned over Juda Myer's libel not being deleted on the HLI Facebook page.

For the record, I do not have "a history" with Juda Myers. I was merely responding to her hate-filled attacks against the Church sent to me on Facebook. But Mr. Phelan's claim that he had never heard of Juda Myers before is suspect. This because she had been posting comments on HLI's Facebook page for some time and was a Facebook friend of HLI's Facebook page.

Betty said...

Stephen Phelan writes to Paul, "I had never heard of Juda Myers until your first post.." And yet, Juda Myers has posted many items on HLI's Facebook page. Additionally. she is listed on HLI's links page, where she wrote to HLI Facebook administrators (on March 18, 2010): "If you would like to use the other conceived in rape stories to further the life cause please see them on my site."


And Mr. Phelan, the "Communications Director" at HLI, wasn't aware of her posts or that she is included on HLI's links page?

Sure.......sure. HLI should not associate with Myers. Her link is STILL on their links page. I made a copy of that page.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

I noticed Juda Myers link at the HLI Facebook page as well Betty. I too find it difficult to believe that Mr. Phelan had never heard of Ms. Myers before.

How telling that her link remains at the HLI Facebook page.

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