Partners in charity or partners in sin?
"If any one comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked work." (2 John 10, 11).
The Navarre Bible (which I highly recommend) provides some excellent commentary on this scriptural passage: "In the Middle East, hospitality and greetings were not mere marks of courtesy or good manners: they involved a real sense of solidarity and close affinity. Hence the warning that reception of these people could imply complicity in their evil deeds and the risk of giving scandal to other members of the Church."
If reception of such people can imply complicity in their evil deeds, how much more so actually providing them with financial and other material assistance? Such assistance regularly occurs within the Worcester, Massachusetts Diocese. For example, although Fr. Andre Gariepy has promoted Situation Ethics, which was condemned by Pope Pius XII in 1952, the retired priest still receives assistance from the diocese's "Partners in Charity" fund (See "Retired pastors but not retired priests," The Catholic Free Press, March 8, 2013 edition, pp. 1, 7).
Situation Ethics, a moral system which rejects moral norms and considers only the circumstances (or situation) and the agent's intention when determining the morality of a human act, is a very destructive belief. This because it leads to distrust of God. Pope John Paul II warned in his Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor that, "..man is no longer convinced that only in the truth can he find salvation. The saving power of the truth is contested, and freedom alone, uprooted from any objectivity, is left to decide by itself what is good and what is evil. This relativism becomes, in the field of theology, a lack of trust in the wisdom of God, who guides man with the moral law. Concrete situations are unfavorably contrasted with the precepts of the moral law, nor is it any longer maintained that, when all is said and done, the law of God is always the one true good of men." (No. 84).
And so, the Diocese of Worcester directs some of the monies from its "Partners in Charity" fund to assist a heretic - a priest who has publically rejected immutable moral norms and who has set himself against the teaching of the Church. It apparently does not bother Bishop McManus, or anyone in a leadership position in the Worcester Diocese, that this priest has perpetrated spiritual violence against the lay faithful entrusted to his care (the people who have a right to Catholic doctrine in its purity and integrity - see Veritatis Splendor, 113), by asserting that moral norms such as, "You shall not kill" (Exodus 20: 13) or "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20: 14) are only general "guidelines" and not exceptionless moral truths.
Fr. Gariepy has also promoted Marxist "Liberation Theology," which was condemned in no uncertain terms, in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's "Instruction on Certain Aspects of the 'Theology of Liberation.'"
Fr. Gariepy has never publically recanted his views which are in opposition to the Magisterial teaching of the Church.
Another priest who receives assistance from monies collected for the "Partners in Charity" fund is Fr. Robert E. Kelley, a serial child abuser who, by his own admission, probably sexually assaulted some 200 girls. See here for some background on this priest who served time in prison for his crimes.
Should faithful Catholics contribute to "Partners in Charity"? Or should they ensure that their financial support to the Church is not squandered on priests who abuse the people entrusted to their care either spiritually or physically?
4 comments:
The core of Catholic moral teaching, as found in the Decalogue, is infallibly proposed by the Magisterium.
In discussing the precepts of the Decalogue, as understood within the Catholic tradition and as proclaimed by the Magisterium in exercising its responsibility to safeguard the Deposit of Faith and to expound it faithfully, (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 2033-2035), the Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies varioud kinds of intrinsically evil acts, proscribed by ABSOLUTE NORMS; e.g., the intentional killing of the innocent (2273), as in infanticide (2268), abortion (2273), mercy killing or euthanasia (2277); masturbation (2352); fornication (2353); rape (2356); homosexual acts (2357); adultery (n2380-2381); contraception (2370).
The infallible teaching of the Church is that there are explicit kinds of human acts, specified by the object of moral choice, that are always morally wrong, precisely because a willingness to choose an object of this kind displays a disordered will (i.e., moral evil, CCC, 1755).
Father Andre Gariepy has rejected this infallible teaching of the Church, asserting instead that there are no absolutes and that the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) are merely "guidelines."
And Fr. Gariepy still celebrates Mass within the Diocese and has never recanted his view.
Paul,
I am going to withold PiC contributions this year and until I see real and substantial progress in cleaning out the filth. I cannot support a diocese that turns a blind eye to, and even supports heresy. I will take those funds and help people directly in my own parish instead.
Listen to how Saint Paul tells the Corinthians how they should treat wicked, impenitent people in the Church: Paul is very clear he is not talking about outsiders:
1 Corinthians 4:9-12 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy, or the robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the Church whom you are to judge? Drive out the wicked person from among you.
Saint Paul said to drive out the wicked person, the unrepentant sinner, from among you.
I saw the CFP article which featured Fr. Robert Kelley receiving care from a religious sister, care which is paid for with "Partners in Charity" funds. A child rapist is having his spiritual and physical needs met in the diocese. Meanwhile, you are an orthodox Catholic faithful to the Magisterium and you cannot even have a Mass said for your father at your own parish. Robert Spencer is also faithful to truth and so his invitation to speak in Worcester is rescinded.
Bottom line: if you rape children or oppose Church teaching, there is welcome for you in Worcester. But if you are faithful to the Church and her teaching, you are unwelcome!
Michael, I think that is wise. I stopped some years ago. There are plenty of opportunities within the Church to practice good stewardship without funding individuals or groups which are not in conformity with Church teaching. I also refuse to donate to CCHD because many dissent groups receive funding from CCHD, groups promoting abortion, homosexuality, contraception and other evils.
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