From the Human Life International website (November 30, 2001 release):
Human Life International President Father Shenan J. Boquet sent the following message today to HLI Nigeria, the Seminarians for Life of Pope John Paul Major Seminary Awka, university students and all participants of the upcoming March for Life in Nigeria on December 1, 2011 organized by HLI Nigeria to mark the occasion of World AIDS Day:
“Greetings in the name of Christ to our dear friends and fellow defenders of life in Nigeria! We are honored to stand in solidarity with you as you encourage your leaders to remain strong in their defense of life and family. Toward this end, we offer the following points for reflection as you march for life on the occasion of ‘World AIDS Day.’
“First, we stand in solidarity not only with those who march to defend life and family, but also with those who are suffering so greatly from the ravages of HIV and AIDS, and the families of those who have been lost to this dread disease. Our first obligation as Catholics is to reach out with the love of Christ to those who are suffering – in Charity and Truth. It is in the spirit of Charity that the Church has always reached out to those who suffer and has consoled those who mourn the loss of loved ones. We are offering a Mass for those who have been affected by this terrible scourge, and for those who continue to address the spiritual and temporal needs in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
“Second, in the spirit of Truth, we must affirm the now incontrovertible fact that false solutions offered by wealthy international population control organizations do more harm than good. The promotion of condoms as a solution to the HIV-AIDS crisis is such a false solution, and the fact that these now thoroughly discredited efforts continue, despite a growing body of scientific research that demonstrates their ineffectiveness in stopping HIV and AIDS, is a scandal of immense proportions. We have also seen research lately that shows that the widespread use of oral contraception, not surprisingly, correlates with higher rates of STIs, as people become more accustomed to risky behavior and tend to forget the obvious consequences of this behavior. Only a society-wide change in behavior will stop HIV and AIDS, and such a change is only possible if members of society regain a deep respect for women, for families, and for sexuality as it was intended to be lived. It is sad, but not surprising, to find, again and again, that the more we depart from the law of God and of nature, the more we suffer spiritual and natural consequences.
“Finally, while it is very important that we make our voices heard in the streets and in the halls of our political leaders, our defense of life and family is not limited to protest and arguments based in science and reason. Our main argument is always our lived example of faith, hope and charity! When we live as our Creator has intended, even in the midst of terrible challenges and suffering, we can be hopeful, since we know that by His grace our suffering can turn into joy and flourishing. By living lives of charity we bring Christ to one another, as we see Him in one another. And we do so because of our faith, from Holy Scripture through the lives of the saints and the Magisterial teachings of our beloved Church, whose message is never limited to the necessary condemnation of sin, but is in its fullness a doctrine of true human flourishing – a positive message of faith, hope and love!
“Thank you to our friends with Human Life International Nigeria and Seminarians for Life of Pope John Paul Major Seminary Awka. You are an example to us, and we pray that you are successful not only in protecting pro-life and pro-family laws in Nigeria, but in growing a more robust Culture of Life that we in the West can look to as an example of how to go about in creating authentic, integral human development.”
This charitable message of sanity and common sense based upon solid empirical data is opposed by militant atheists such as Brian Bridson, an intellectually impoverished character who refers hatefully to the Vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI as "pope ben-the-dick" while asserting in his blind rage that the Catholic clergy are "pretentious scum bags" who are "all fuc... up." (See his post entitled "More Catholic Bullshit" here).
Bear in mind that it is mental midgets such as this who accuse the Catholic Church of being unable to engage in "reason and dialogue." Ignoring the hard statistical data which are not supportive of his idiotic agenda, Mr. Bridson insists that the Church prefers that, "..people die in Africa than allow them to use condoms to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS."
Sophocles, in Antigone 1. 1023, says, "Stubborness and stupidity are twins." How so? Dr. Montague Brown explains as he makes the distinction between tenacity and stubborness: "Tenacity is the dedicated adherence to something we know to be worthwhile. As such, tenacity is positive. It involves a clear purpose - to persevere in what is good - and welcomes new evidence and perspectives that clarify or enrich that good...Tenacity is particularly evident when the adherence required is difficult. If my perseverance requires great effort of body or mind, or if it requires me to face a great deal of peer pressure and perhaps even ridicule, then my holding fast to my good purpose shows strength of mind and courage. In such cases, there may be little to gain in terms of social standing, but much in moral standing. Tenaciously holding to what is true and good not only benefits me in terms of virtue; it also works to ensure the stability of these goods in the community....Stubborness is the uncompromising insistence on having our own way. As such, stubborness is negative. It involves a kind of blindness, along with a willful rejection of evidence and the perspectives of others. Stubborness is particularly evident when the compromise required is easy. If the evidence I need to convince me to change my mind is readily available, or if accepting another's perspective would mean giving up little of importance, then my refusal to yield is not reasonable, but is motivated by stubborness. There is little to lose except my desire to be in control. Such rigid clinging to my own will hurts the community, because I refuse to cooperate with others, and it also prevents me from becoming successful and virtuous." (Dr. Montague Brown, Ph.D, The One-Minute Philosopher, pp. 162-163, Sophia Institute Press).
Don't expect intellectually cramped characters such as Brian Bridson to consider evidence which contradicts their world-view or to even consider the perspectives of others. Nothing will ever produce the slightest crack in their wall of conviction. Such people suffer from an adolescent crisis.
Showing posts with label Human Life International. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Human Life International. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
More on Father Thomas Euteneuer from the parents of the young woman identified in his public "apology"
"The Church can attest to the fact that there is a considerable body of documentation and evidence, both from third-party sources and the victims themselves, that contradicts significant elements of the public statement by Euteneuer regarding both the nature and extent of the sexual and psychological abuse Father perpetrated on his victims. Both Human Life International and the Diocese of Palm Beach have investigated the claims of our daughter (and the diocese also has investigated the claims of at least one additional victim) versus the statement of Euteneuer, and have found the victims' statements to be true, especially in contrast to Euteneuer's claim that he prayed (and preyed) alone with the victims only on "rare" occasions. Not only were these "alone" times (for at least part of the session) numerous, but his times alone with them often occurred at the end of an exorcism session when the victims were in an altered cognitive and physiological state and at the most vulnerable, both spiritually and emotionally.
To date, the statements released by HLI and the Diocese of Palm Beach also do not reveal anywhere near the full extent of Euteneuer's abuse, both psychological and sexual, toward his known victims, which includes our daughter. While we would be naive to not admit that part of their restraint is merely due to following the advice of their legal counsel, as both devout Catholics and concerned parents, we hope that some of their caution is out of a genuine concern to prevent further harm to currently known victims and/or to potential new victims. We trust that Church authorities are working diligently to insure that Euteneuer has no further access to his current victims (as he apparently did after being recalled to the Palm Beach Diocese) and pray that he is appropriately and perpetually prohibited from any kind of Church-approved position in which he could abuse his authority as exorcist, spiritual advisor, or priest.
May Our Lord's divine love and the tender love of the Blessed Virgin Mary infuse and envelope the victims, including our daughter, on their lengthy journey to spiritual, psychological, and emotional recovery. May God's grace, combined with the extraordinary strength and courage of our daughter (and other victims), our countless prayers and the tireless work of their doctors and therapists, eventually heal the victims from the abusive behavior perpetuated by Euteneuer. Lastly, believing that the resurrected Christ can bring good even out of great evil, we ask Our Lord that His Church not suffer undue harm from Euteneuer's abusive behaviors and the subsequent public outcry, but that uncovering the Truth in this case actually strengthens the Church's pro-life mission and helps us to better understand the Rite of Exorcism.
May God have mercy on Euteneuer's soul." (Full text here).
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, in his book entitled Dignity and Duties of the Priest, says that, "Every sin of a priest is a sin of malice; it is like the sin of the angels that sinned in view of the light, says St. Bernard, speaking of a priest; hence he adds, 'He has become an angel of the Lord, and sinning as a priest he sins in heaven.' He sins in the midst of light, and therefore his sin, as has been said, is a sin of malice: he cannot allege ignorance, for he knows the great evil of mortal sin: he cannot plead weakness, because he knows the means by which, if he wishes, he can acquire strength; if he is unwilling to adopt the means, the fault is entirely his own...Our Saviour prayed on the cross for his persecutors, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But for bad priests this prayer was a source rather of condemnation than of salvation: for they know what they do.." (Dignity and Duties of the Priest, pp. 71-72).
Isn't it refreshing to hear the truth from this Doctor of the Church? There have been many scandals throughout the Church and just as many cheap attempts to offer poor excuses for misconduct, sexual and otherwise. But Our Lord Himself has said that, "Much more will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." (Luke 12: 48).
Our age is infected with much pride. And it has reached a level even within certain corners of the Church which can only be described as satanic. We must remind ourselves of how unworthy we are, how sinful. We must humble ourselves before the Lord Jesus. For when we do so, there is no room for the Devil to operate. Humility drives the Evil One out faster than you can imagine. Which is why all of Hell trembles every time the words "Hail Mary" are spoken. For Our Lady is the model of humility.
Related reading here.
To date, the statements released by HLI and the Diocese of Palm Beach also do not reveal anywhere near the full extent of Euteneuer's abuse, both psychological and sexual, toward his known victims, which includes our daughter. While we would be naive to not admit that part of their restraint is merely due to following the advice of their legal counsel, as both devout Catholics and concerned parents, we hope that some of their caution is out of a genuine concern to prevent further harm to currently known victims and/or to potential new victims. We trust that Church authorities are working diligently to insure that Euteneuer has no further access to his current victims (as he apparently did after being recalled to the Palm Beach Diocese) and pray that he is appropriately and perpetually prohibited from any kind of Church-approved position in which he could abuse his authority as exorcist, spiritual advisor, or priest.
May Our Lord's divine love and the tender love of the Blessed Virgin Mary infuse and envelope the victims, including our daughter, on their lengthy journey to spiritual, psychological, and emotional recovery. May God's grace, combined with the extraordinary strength and courage of our daughter (and other victims), our countless prayers and the tireless work of their doctors and therapists, eventually heal the victims from the abusive behavior perpetuated by Euteneuer. Lastly, believing that the resurrected Christ can bring good even out of great evil, we ask Our Lord that His Church not suffer undue harm from Euteneuer's abusive behaviors and the subsequent public outcry, but that uncovering the Truth in this case actually strengthens the Church's pro-life mission and helps us to better understand the Rite of Exorcism.
May God have mercy on Euteneuer's soul." (Full text here).
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, in his book entitled Dignity and Duties of the Priest, says that, "Every sin of a priest is a sin of malice; it is like the sin of the angels that sinned in view of the light, says St. Bernard, speaking of a priest; hence he adds, 'He has become an angel of the Lord, and sinning as a priest he sins in heaven.' He sins in the midst of light, and therefore his sin, as has been said, is a sin of malice: he cannot allege ignorance, for he knows the great evil of mortal sin: he cannot plead weakness, because he knows the means by which, if he wishes, he can acquire strength; if he is unwilling to adopt the means, the fault is entirely his own...Our Saviour prayed on the cross for his persecutors, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But for bad priests this prayer was a source rather of condemnation than of salvation: for they know what they do.." (Dignity and Duties of the Priest, pp. 71-72).
Isn't it refreshing to hear the truth from this Doctor of the Church? There have been many scandals throughout the Church and just as many cheap attempts to offer poor excuses for misconduct, sexual and otherwise. But Our Lord Himself has said that, "Much more will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." (Luke 12: 48).
Our age is infected with much pride. And it has reached a level even within certain corners of the Church which can only be described as satanic. We must remind ourselves of how unworthy we are, how sinful. We must humble ourselves before the Lord Jesus. For when we do so, there is no room for the Devil to operate. Humility drives the Evil One out faster than you can imagine. Which is why all of Hell trembles every time the words "Hail Mary" are spoken. For Our Lady is the model of humility.
Related reading here.
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.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Juda Myers: Living in the Truth?
After previously threatening me with a lawsuit because of my accurate Blog posts detailing her hateful comments about the Catholic Church, Juda Myers wrote me a new message on Facebook stating that, "..after direction from the Lord based on the bible, I am not going to pursue legal actions."
Translation: I spoke with an attorney who told me I have no case.
The legal definition of libel:
libel
libel
1) n. "To publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio, television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt of others. Libel is the written or broadcast form of defamation, distinguished from slander, which is oral defamation. It is a tort (civil wrong) making the person or entity (like a newspaper, magazine or political organization) open to a lawsuit for damages by the person who can prove the statement about him/her was a lie."
The statement has to be a lie. The problem for Ms. Myers is that I have copies of our exchanges.
Now Ms. Myers is attempting to demonize me on Facebook. She has accused me of being "angry" and is asserting that I need "someone to attack." The hypocrisy is so thick it's almost unbelievable. This from the woman who wrote, "I am sorry that you have been deceived to think that the CATHOLIC church killing, stealing, overpowering, ostentatious, and filled with the greed for supremacy has any resemblance of Jesus our humble Savior who DIED for His followers. He NEVER sat on a throne on earth and NEVER even suggested for anyone to sit on a throne and be kissed and bowed to...There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end leads to destruction. Their mouths honor me but their hearts are far from me (Jesus' words) Many will say in that day, 'Lord Lord didn't I do this in your name.' and He will say 'Depart from me. I never knew you!' You'd better be absolutely sure the god you serve will save you. Pope of any kind will answer to God almighty. I will go straight to the throne for my headship..." Yes, clearly I'm the one with the anger management problem who's looking for a fight.
This is most unfortunate. For, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us, "The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His 'faithfulness endures to all generations.' Since God is 'true,' the members of his people are called to live in the truth." (CCC, 2465). And again, "Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words, and in guarding against duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy." (CCC, 2468).
This obligation is very serious. In 1 John 1:6, we are told that, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth."
I call upon Juda Myers to apologize for her hateful characterization of the Catholic Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. To accuse the Church of evil is to accuse Christ of evil. To attack the Church is to attack Christ Jesus Himself. When the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul, who had been persecuting the Church, He asked him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4).
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Juda Myers: A Hatred for the Catholic Church
Rev. James J. LeBar, an authority on cults, sects and the New Age Movement, describes fundamentalism for us: "Fundamentalism is not a religion of itself. It is a philosophy of a religious way of life that has been assumed by preachers of many denominations...Fundamentalists have developed the notion that they, and they alone, have the only way to eternal salvation.." (Cults, Sects, and the New Age, pp. 51, 54).
Many if not most fundamentalists engage in anti-Catholicism on some level. For example, the fundamentalist group "Mission to Catholics International" has stated that its purpose is "to expose the deceptive teaching and practice of Roman Catholicism in the light of Scripture, to discourage conversions to Roman Catholicism, and to bring Catholics into Biblical Christianity." One of their brochures entitled "The Church of Rome in Perspective," begins with these words, "Pope Paul VI, archpriest of Satan, a deceiver, and an antichrist, has, like Judas, gone to his own place." On July 29, 1984, fundamentalist Jimmy Swaggart suggested that Mother Teresa would go to hell if she were not born again.
A couple of days ago Juda Myers, a pro-life activist whose website may be found here, and who has been promoted by New Hampshire Right To Life while contributing comments to Human Life International's Facebook page, wrote the following to me within a Facebook message:
"Time is running out. We as humans only have a short period to seek and know God here on earth. (Again Catholics talk about a false pergatory (the word is actually Purgatory) - the bible says 1. there death and the judgement 2. to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord) I do not hate you for believing differently as you seem to have issues with those that disagree with you....Jesus said you will know those who love Him by their love for others. That's a great place to start. He loved us all the way to the cross and we owe it to Him to love others. He even commanded we love our enemies. Not too much of that going on in any of the churches."
I did not solicit this comment and had no desire to engage in an exchange with Ms. Myers. She initiated the discussion thread. In a previous comment, Ms. Myers demonstrated her version of "Christian love" by writing, "I am sorry that you have been deceived to think that the CATHOLIC church killing, stealing, overpowering, ostentatious, and filled with the greed for supremacy has any resemblance of Jesus our humble Savior who DIED for His followers. He NEVER sat on a throne on earth and NEVER even suggested for anyone to sit on a throne and be kissed and bowed to...There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end leads to destruction. Their mouths honor me but their hearts are far from me (Jesus' words) Many will say in that day, 'Lord Lord didn't I do this in your name.' and He will say 'Depart from me. I never knew you!' You'd better be absolutely sure the god you serve will save you. Pope of any kind will answer to God almighty. I will go straight to the throne for my headship..." Feel the love. Ms. Myers is actually implying that Catholics are damned and that we serve a false "god." This is why she writes, "You'd better be absolutely sure the god you serve will save you." For Ms. Myers, Catholics are following "deceiving spirits."
Ms. Myers actually wrote me several comments. The last assured me that my "hatred" would destroy me. This after referring to the Church founded by Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body on earth, as an institution which "kills, steals and overpowers" and which is filled with greed and ostentation. Yes, it's obvious that love plays an important role in Ms. Myers brand of Christianity. This charitable soul assured me that even my Rosary devotion is suspect since "the rosary hails Mary more than Jesus."
I suggest that sincere Catholics have nothing to do with Juda Myers.
Many if not most fundamentalists engage in anti-Catholicism on some level. For example, the fundamentalist group "Mission to Catholics International" has stated that its purpose is "to expose the deceptive teaching and practice of Roman Catholicism in the light of Scripture, to discourage conversions to Roman Catholicism, and to bring Catholics into Biblical Christianity." One of their brochures entitled "The Church of Rome in Perspective," begins with these words, "Pope Paul VI, archpriest of Satan, a deceiver, and an antichrist, has, like Judas, gone to his own place." On July 29, 1984, fundamentalist Jimmy Swaggart suggested that Mother Teresa would go to hell if she were not born again.
A couple of days ago Juda Myers, a pro-life activist whose website may be found here, and who has been promoted by New Hampshire Right To Life while contributing comments to Human Life International's Facebook page, wrote the following to me within a Facebook message:
"Time is running out. We as humans only have a short period to seek and know God here on earth. (Again Catholics talk about a false pergatory (the word is actually Purgatory) - the bible says 1. there death and the judgement 2. to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord) I do not hate you for believing differently as you seem to have issues with those that disagree with you....Jesus said you will know those who love Him by their love for others. That's a great place to start. He loved us all the way to the cross and we owe it to Him to love others. He even commanded we love our enemies. Not too much of that going on in any of the churches."
I did not solicit this comment and had no desire to engage in an exchange with Ms. Myers. She initiated the discussion thread. In a previous comment, Ms. Myers demonstrated her version of "Christian love" by writing, "I am sorry that you have been deceived to think that the CATHOLIC church killing, stealing, overpowering, ostentatious, and filled with the greed for supremacy has any resemblance of Jesus our humble Savior who DIED for His followers. He NEVER sat on a throne on earth and NEVER even suggested for anyone to sit on a throne and be kissed and bowed to...There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end leads to destruction. Their mouths honor me but their hearts are far from me (Jesus' words) Many will say in that day, 'Lord Lord didn't I do this in your name.' and He will say 'Depart from me. I never knew you!' You'd better be absolutely sure the god you serve will save you. Pope of any kind will answer to God almighty. I will go straight to the throne for my headship..." Feel the love. Ms. Myers is actually implying that Catholics are damned and that we serve a false "god." This is why she writes, "You'd better be absolutely sure the god you serve will save you." For Ms. Myers, Catholics are following "deceiving spirits."
Ms. Myers actually wrote me several comments. The last assured me that my "hatred" would destroy me. This after referring to the Church founded by Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body on earth, as an institution which "kills, steals and overpowers" and which is filled with greed and ostentation. Yes, it's obvious that love plays an important role in Ms. Myers brand of Christianity. This charitable soul assured me that even my Rosary devotion is suspect since "the rosary hails Mary more than Jesus."
I suggest that sincere Catholics have nothing to do with Juda Myers.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Fr. Thomas Euteneuer: A courageous example for all
My friends, this is my idea of a courageous Roman Catholic priest. An alter Christus. And there are others like him. A man in every sense of the word. Please pray every day for Fr. Euteneuer and to the Lord Jesus Christ, that our Church may be blessed with many more like him.
Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, in his Spirit & Life e-letter, responds to Fr. Rosica:
No Deal, Fr. Rosica
Fr. Thomas Rosica, director of the Salt and Light Catholic Television Network in Canada, recently wrote a shameless condemnation of pro-life people who objected to the August 28th Canonization in Boston, more commonly known as the funeral of Senator Edward Kennedy. Fr. Rosica had a problem with good Catholics being scandalized by the public funeral of a man who lived his life utterly rejecting the Church's core principles. There was absolutely no recognition of the heroism of the thousands of faithful Catholics who have stood on the front lines of this battle for many decades or of the marvelous contribution that we have made to saving babies and witnessing to the Truth of Christ. Unfortunately, Father's criticism simply feeds the flames of anti-life sentiment against pro-lifers and ultimately against the sanctity of human life.
Now, the first of his many ironies was that, in condemning pro-lifers, Father was attempting to convince his readers not to condemn anyone. He reads the Scripture passage, "judge not lest ye be judged" with a bit of jaundice. He called pro-lifers all kinds of names that could have come right out of Planned Parenthood's verbiage for us, and he even insinuated in a subsequent interview that, of all people, EWTN's Raymond Arroyo was somehow part of this "uncharitable" problem in the Church because Raymond spoke out forcefully against the Kennedy scandal. Then he attacked the best pro-life news organization in the business, LifeSiteNews, saying that they were doing "the work of the devil" in shining the spotlight on this travesty. If this is the Gospel model of non-judgmentalism, I am reading the Good Book wrong.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Luther pastor who was killed in the Nazi Holocaust, called this kind of sell-out "cheap grace" because it costs the pious churchman absolutely nothing to say it. In fact it must apparently feel real good because so many of them indulge in it. Let these churchmen try disciplining "Catholic" dissenters who scandalize Christ's faithful, and they would see the value of their grace increase in proportion to their suffering at the hands of these renegades.
Worst of all is that people with this strange ethic of non-judgmentalism apply a standard of mercy to public Catholic reprobates that is never applied to the aborted children who will not get a funeral or graveside service offered by prelates reading pious sentiments from a very strange gospel book. What Fr. Rosica's denunciations have thus highlighted for us is the extent to which the "judge not lest ye be judged" ethic reigns in ecclesiastical circles, and for that reason our Church is in trouble. Those who come out of a non-judgmentalism Gospel ethic, lay and cleric alike, will have nothing to offer our suffering souls in the darkness that is even now hovering over our Church like a black shroud*. The pagan world is already coming after all that we hold dear and sacred, and if the murder of pro-lifer James Pouillon last week is any indication, they will soon be doing so with a vehemence that we have not experienced in our land since the days of the North American Martyrs.
To the ethic of hypocritical diatribes that defame pro-lifers, I can only say, "No deal, Father Rosica." Anyone who will use "non-judgmentalism" against faithful Catholics needs to wake up and smell the gunpowder on Jim Pouillon's pro-life t-shirt. The Church stands with all men and women of good will against the increasingly pagan and violent culture that militates against us and our values. Those who use this ethic to keep the Church totally unprepared for battle need more than a re-reading of Scripture. They need a good kick in the back end and a refresher course on Catholic bravery which St. Paul tells us makes us "strong, loving and wise." (2 Tim 1:7-8)
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer
President
Human Life International
4 Family Life Lane -- Front Royal, VA 22630 U.S.A.
Phone: (540) 635-7884 Fax: (540) 622-6247
E-mail: hli@hli.org Website: http://www.hli.org/
* See my post on judging here.
Related reading here and here.
Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, in his Spirit & Life e-letter, responds to Fr. Rosica:
No Deal, Fr. Rosica
Fr. Thomas Rosica, director of the Salt and Light Catholic Television Network in Canada, recently wrote a shameless condemnation of pro-life people who objected to the August 28th Canonization in Boston, more commonly known as the funeral of Senator Edward Kennedy. Fr. Rosica had a problem with good Catholics being scandalized by the public funeral of a man who lived his life utterly rejecting the Church's core principles. There was absolutely no recognition of the heroism of the thousands of faithful Catholics who have stood on the front lines of this battle for many decades or of the marvelous contribution that we have made to saving babies and witnessing to the Truth of Christ. Unfortunately, Father's criticism simply feeds the flames of anti-life sentiment against pro-lifers and ultimately against the sanctity of human life.
Now, the first of his many ironies was that, in condemning pro-lifers, Father was attempting to convince his readers not to condemn anyone. He reads the Scripture passage, "judge not lest ye be judged" with a bit of jaundice. He called pro-lifers all kinds of names that could have come right out of Planned Parenthood's verbiage for us, and he even insinuated in a subsequent interview that, of all people, EWTN's Raymond Arroyo was somehow part of this "uncharitable" problem in the Church because Raymond spoke out forcefully against the Kennedy scandal. Then he attacked the best pro-life news organization in the business, LifeSiteNews, saying that they were doing "the work of the devil" in shining the spotlight on this travesty. If this is the Gospel model of non-judgmentalism, I am reading the Good Book wrong.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Luther pastor who was killed in the Nazi Holocaust, called this kind of sell-out "cheap grace" because it costs the pious churchman absolutely nothing to say it. In fact it must apparently feel real good because so many of them indulge in it. Let these churchmen try disciplining "Catholic" dissenters who scandalize Christ's faithful, and they would see the value of their grace increase in proportion to their suffering at the hands of these renegades.
Worst of all is that people with this strange ethic of non-judgmentalism apply a standard of mercy to public Catholic reprobates that is never applied to the aborted children who will not get a funeral or graveside service offered by prelates reading pious sentiments from a very strange gospel book. What Fr. Rosica's denunciations have thus highlighted for us is the extent to which the "judge not lest ye be judged" ethic reigns in ecclesiastical circles, and for that reason our Church is in trouble. Those who come out of a non-judgmentalism Gospel ethic, lay and cleric alike, will have nothing to offer our suffering souls in the darkness that is even now hovering over our Church like a black shroud*. The pagan world is already coming after all that we hold dear and sacred, and if the murder of pro-lifer James Pouillon last week is any indication, they will soon be doing so with a vehemence that we have not experienced in our land since the days of the North American Martyrs.
To the ethic of hypocritical diatribes that defame pro-lifers, I can only say, "No deal, Father Rosica." Anyone who will use "non-judgmentalism" against faithful Catholics needs to wake up and smell the gunpowder on Jim Pouillon's pro-life t-shirt. The Church stands with all men and women of good will against the increasingly pagan and violent culture that militates against us and our values. Those who use this ethic to keep the Church totally unprepared for battle need more than a re-reading of Scripture. They need a good kick in the back end and a refresher course on Catholic bravery which St. Paul tells us makes us "strong, loving and wise." (2 Tim 1:7-8)
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer
President
Human Life International
4 Family Life Lane -- Front Royal, VA 22630 U.S.A.
Phone: (540) 635-7884 Fax: (540) 622-6247
E-mail: hli@hli.org Website: http://www.hli.org/
* See my post on judging here.
Related reading here and here.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Kennedy Funeral: It's Capitulation
In an editorial for LifeSiteNews.com entitled "The Kennedy Funeral - A Golden Opportunity or Capitulation for the Catholic Church," John-Henry Westen wrote: "Saturday's grandiose Catholic funeral for Senator Ted Kennedy has the potential to be a scandal that will make Notre Dame's Obama Day a walk in the park. With all four living former Presidents in attendance and an address from President Barack Obama, the funeral is set to be a royal crowning, right inside a Catholic Church, of a man who betrayed the most fundamental moral teachings of the faith.
What example will this give to Catholics and the rest of the world looking in? It will surely belie the Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life and sexuality. 'Surely,' they will say, 'if one of the most vociferous proponents of abortion and homosexuality in politics is so feted in the Church, the Church cannot possibly regard abortion as murder.' Would anyone so honor one who so advocated what the church officially considers an 'unspeakable crime'?"
Earlier this week, Father Thomas J. Euteneuer, the President of Human Life International, issued the following Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy:
"We must, as a matter of precept, pray for the salvation of heretical Catholics like Senator Edward Kennedy, but we do not have to praise him let alone extol him with the full honors of a public Catholic funeral and all the adulation that attends such an event. There was very little about Ted Kennedy's life that deserves admiration from a spiritual or moral point of view. He was probably the worst example of a Catholic statesman that one can think of. When all is said and done, he has distorted the concept of what it means to be a Catholic in public life more than anyone else in leadership today.
Obviously we don't know the state of Senator Edward Kennedy's soul upon death. We don't pretend to. We are told by the family that he had the opportunity to confess his sins before a priest, and his priest has said publicly he was "at peace" when he died. For that we are grateful. But it is one thing to confess one's sins and for these matters to be kept, rightfully, private. It is another thing entirely for one who so consistently and publicly advocated for the destruction of unborn human beings to depart the stage without a public repudiation of these views, a public confession, as it were.
It is up to God to judge Senator Kennedy's soul. We, as rational persons, must judge his actions, and his actions were not at all in line with one who values and carefully applies Church teaching on weighty matters. Ted Kennedy's positions on a variety of issues have been a grave scandal for decades, and to honor this "catholic" champion of the culture of death with a Catholic funeral is unjust to those who have actually paid the price of fidelity. We now find out that President Obama will eulogize the Senator at his funeral, an indignity which, following on the heels of the Notre Dame fiasco, leaves faithful Catholics feeling sullied, desecrated and dehumanized by men who seem to look for opportunities to slap the Church in the face and do so with impunity simply because they have positions of power.
It is not enough for Kennedy to have been a "great guy behind the scenes" as we have seen him referred to even by his political opponents. It is also not praiseworthy to put a Catholic rhetorical veneer on his leftist politics that did nothing to advance true justice as the Church sees it or to advance the peace of Christ in this world. Every indication of Senator Kennedy's career, every public appearance, every sound bite showed an acerbic, divisive and partisan political hack for whom party politics were much more infallible than Church doctrines. Whatever one's political affiliation, if one is only "Catholic" to the extent that his faith rhymes with his party line, then his Catholicism is a fraud.
As the Scriptures remind us, there is a time for everything under the sun. This, now, is the time for honesty about our Faith and about those who are called to express it in the public forum. If we do not remind ourselves of the necessity of public confession for public sins such as Senator Kennedy was guilty of, then we are negligent in our embrace of the Faith and we are part of the problem. As Pope Benedict has reminded us recently, charity without truth can easily become mere sentimentality, and we must not fall into that error. A Catholic show of charity for the family must not eclipse the truth that is required of all with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Senator Kennedy needs to be sent to the afterlife with a private, family-only funeral and the prayers of the Church for the salvation of his immortal soul. He will not be missed by the unborn who he betrayed time and time again, nor by the rest of us who are laboring to undo the scandalous example of Catholicism that he gave to three generations of Americans."
But there was no such honesty at Senator Kennedy's funeral. Instead, the homilist implied that the late Senator lived up to the demands of Matthew 25: 31-46 and that he lived in "a far more complex world" than that in which Jesus lived. What else is this but excuse for apostasy? How often have we heard someone who doesn't want to live up to the Gospel's demands proclaim, "Yes, but life was much simpler in Jesus' day....things are much more complicated today."
But the teaching of the Catholic Church is clear and accepted by those who haven't apostasized: "For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes." (Gaudium et Spes, No. 51).
What could have been, what should have been, a teaching moment for all, has instead become an occasion of scandal. And a dark reminder of just how far the apostasy has spread.
What example will this give to Catholics and the rest of the world looking in? It will surely belie the Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life and sexuality. 'Surely,' they will say, 'if one of the most vociferous proponents of abortion and homosexuality in politics is so feted in the Church, the Church cannot possibly regard abortion as murder.' Would anyone so honor one who so advocated what the church officially considers an 'unspeakable crime'?"
Earlier this week, Father Thomas J. Euteneuer, the President of Human Life International, issued the following Statement on the Passing of Senator Edward Kennedy:
"We must, as a matter of precept, pray for the salvation of heretical Catholics like Senator Edward Kennedy, but we do not have to praise him let alone extol him with the full honors of a public Catholic funeral and all the adulation that attends such an event. There was very little about Ted Kennedy's life that deserves admiration from a spiritual or moral point of view. He was probably the worst example of a Catholic statesman that one can think of. When all is said and done, he has distorted the concept of what it means to be a Catholic in public life more than anyone else in leadership today.
Obviously we don't know the state of Senator Edward Kennedy's soul upon death. We don't pretend to. We are told by the family that he had the opportunity to confess his sins before a priest, and his priest has said publicly he was "at peace" when he died. For that we are grateful. But it is one thing to confess one's sins and for these matters to be kept, rightfully, private. It is another thing entirely for one who so consistently and publicly advocated for the destruction of unborn human beings to depart the stage without a public repudiation of these views, a public confession, as it were.
It is up to God to judge Senator Kennedy's soul. We, as rational persons, must judge his actions, and his actions were not at all in line with one who values and carefully applies Church teaching on weighty matters. Ted Kennedy's positions on a variety of issues have been a grave scandal for decades, and to honor this "catholic" champion of the culture of death with a Catholic funeral is unjust to those who have actually paid the price of fidelity. We now find out that President Obama will eulogize the Senator at his funeral, an indignity which, following on the heels of the Notre Dame fiasco, leaves faithful Catholics feeling sullied, desecrated and dehumanized by men who seem to look for opportunities to slap the Church in the face and do so with impunity simply because they have positions of power.
It is not enough for Kennedy to have been a "great guy behind the scenes" as we have seen him referred to even by his political opponents. It is also not praiseworthy to put a Catholic rhetorical veneer on his leftist politics that did nothing to advance true justice as the Church sees it or to advance the peace of Christ in this world. Every indication of Senator Kennedy's career, every public appearance, every sound bite showed an acerbic, divisive and partisan political hack for whom party politics were much more infallible than Church doctrines. Whatever one's political affiliation, if one is only "Catholic" to the extent that his faith rhymes with his party line, then his Catholicism is a fraud.
As the Scriptures remind us, there is a time for everything under the sun. This, now, is the time for honesty about our Faith and about those who are called to express it in the public forum. If we do not remind ourselves of the necessity of public confession for public sins such as Senator Kennedy was guilty of, then we are negligent in our embrace of the Faith and we are part of the problem. As Pope Benedict has reminded us recently, charity without truth can easily become mere sentimentality, and we must not fall into that error. A Catholic show of charity for the family must not eclipse the truth that is required of all with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Senator Kennedy needs to be sent to the afterlife with a private, family-only funeral and the prayers of the Church for the salvation of his immortal soul. He will not be missed by the unborn who he betrayed time and time again, nor by the rest of us who are laboring to undo the scandalous example of Catholicism that he gave to three generations of Americans."
But there was no such honesty at Senator Kennedy's funeral. Instead, the homilist implied that the late Senator lived up to the demands of Matthew 25: 31-46 and that he lived in "a far more complex world" than that in which Jesus lived. What else is this but excuse for apostasy? How often have we heard someone who doesn't want to live up to the Gospel's demands proclaim, "Yes, but life was much simpler in Jesus' day....things are much more complicated today."
But the teaching of the Catholic Church is clear and accepted by those who haven't apostasized: "For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes." (Gaudium et Spes, No. 51).
What could have been, what should have been, a teaching moment for all, has instead become an occasion of scandal. And a dark reminder of just how far the apostasy has spread.
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