In the last few weeks some things have happened that have stunned me – and caused me to think and rethink writing about and discussing what I see as a the devastating crisis in Jesus’s Church.
A priest was introduced to me, ordained fifteen years, who is very active in parish work, not Judas social justice work, but real parish work, bringing the sacraments to the faithful. I mentioned the exhortation Amoris Laetitia and he said he had heard of it, but he had not read it.
In speaking with a close relative, she referred to the saintly man now wearing papal white and how she loves to hear the words he speaks to the faithful. She has only heard the “words” recounted from the pulpit at her local parish and as repeated to her by her fellow parishioners.
Another close relative told me he knows about all the corruption, wickedness, heresy and depravity of the priests, bishops, cardinals, and man wearing papal white, but he ignores it all, and would prefer I not speak of these things to him. He has a master’s degree in theology and teaches extensively in parish programs.
When I told both the priest and the one close relative that Jorge Bergolgio wrote and published the statement that “No one is condemned forever,” at first they did not believe me. I said that those were his actual, printed, proclaimed words. The priest said “that could be understood to lack clarity.”
I then asked the close relative had she heard of the homosexual cocaine orgies in the Vatican with male prostitutes or the pervert addicted to child pornography whisked away from the authorities in Canada, to the diplomatic safety of Vatican City, and now recently arrested in the Vatican. She asked me never again to tell her about such things and to send her no emails with any such information, or with anything derogatory about Jorge Bergoglio.
These are not three folks in outer Mongolia who have never heard the name, “Jesus.” These were cradle Catholics, one ordained who daily acts in persona Christi, all of whom, many times since the age of reason and literacy, have heard that Jesus said there is a hell and there is everlasting fire
So. This has made me think. Do I keep on keepin’ on ? Do I continue to say, when the occasion presents itself, I believe Jorge Bergoglio is a heretic and, while wearing the papal white, he has proclaimed his heresy? Do I go on in telling people the bishops and cardinals, some of whom themselves are perverts, pederasts, pedophiles and the abusers and assaulters of women, girls and boys, that these men have stolen billions of the widows’ mites and the faithful’s dollars, some to live a life of perverted luxury or to pay off those victims and their lawyers who speak out? Insuring that the details of their perfidy and the actions of the wicked are kept secret under the seals of the many, many courts who are dealing with these crimes?
I am thinking about the apostles, arrested by the church hierarchy of the time, and told you may not henceforth speak publicly in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. I am thinking about St. Peter’s response, the response of the Rock Jesus chose for His Church, the first pope, when the hierarchy told him to shut up: we can obey you or we can obey God.
I am praying.
I am also thinking about St. Dismas who, from his own cross, himself tortured and dying, ignored the crowd, ignored the ruling Romans, ignored the (so-called) “high” priests, and gave no heed to the soldiers of power gathered around celebrating Jesus’s suffering and crucifixion. St. Dismas, unlike his brother hanging nearby who was ridiculing Jesus in his agony. St. Dismas, the first and in some ways the most knowledegable evangelist of the passion, death and crucifixion of Jesus, who said, for all the world to hear, that Jesus is “Lord.”
Dr. McClung,
Please continue to be a Jeremiah. You are doing the right thing. I pray however that you can avoid both stockade and cistern.
Our duties to remove the plank from our own eyes first doesn’t erase the obligation to admonish the sinner, it is a prerequisite.
I’ve been reading your comments for over a year Guy McClung and I have a gut feeling that you are a frequent recipient of God’s mercy via the sacrament of reconciliation. Our sins are forgiven yet Justice demands proper recompense for injuries we caused. You know all of this of course, but I mention it because I too have struggled with the state of affairs in Rome. Our response then?
“Immerse them in My Mercy…” Jesus to St. Faustina in her Diary.
Holy Saturday we were asked to pray for ( the souls of priests and religious )
and one week later, the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, (the souls who have become lukewarm.) This is from the Divine Mercy Novena starting on Good Friday. This was a good start for an action that WILL be fruitful for Pope Francis and Holy Catholic Church. Immersion!
The floodgates open wide to saturate the soul. Yours, mine and the Pope’s.
Too some this form of activity with seem to unimportant or superficial but not so. What is superficial is the faith of many. God’s Divine Mercy is anything but lacking in substance and if we truly believed in His power to convert sinners we wouldn’t need another day of PopeWatch. We would have PopePraise instead.
So yes Guy..pray! Pray for your close relative. Pray for that priest. Pray hard for Pope Francis and his conversion. Immersion is what Jesus is asking for us to do via the channel of Saint Faustina. Let’s not disappoint.
Jesus I Trust in You!
Two families are on the brink of becoming Catholic for next year.
With God’s grace and help, despite my incompetence, I will be their sponsor.
This with a wobbly papacy in Rome. In other words we take what is good and leave what isn’t. Isn’t that our duty?
We are all going to have to make recompense for our past transgressions..even his Holiness..so let us quadruple our prayers each other.
Please excuse my typos… rushing about and running behind schedule. Sorry.
I mean, in some ways it’s praiseworthy or at least touching. They love the Church (and the Pope, as Pope) so much, they don’t want to believe any of it. But it’s particularly unfortunate that they sometimes focus on blaming the messenger – you.
Guy McClung I surely identify with the difficulty you describe here. I think you printed our answer in this part of your post:
“St. Dismas who, from his own cross, himself tortured and dying, ignored the crowd, ignored the ruling Romans, ignored the (so-called) “high” priests, and gave no heed to the soldiers of power gathered around celebrating ( Jesus.. )
I know loving our God with our whole and our neighbor as ourself means we have to hope for their salvation as much as our own. – so that part of Mark 12 tells me it is a Command to love and thus a command to evangelize
We respond to the confusion in the church with steadfast faith, keep our eyes on Jesus and respond to Him love for love
pointing out the sins and errors within our church- is a heavy sadness
Our emphasis on the faithfulness and love of God is what helps us all- not on the weaknesses of the world but on the power and authority of Jesus Christ Jesus victor!
Keep talkin’ the Truth because “For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.”
This is very depressing. If we don’t have our Church leaders to look up to and to guide us then how can we feel any hope and comfort in our Faith as we struggle through life here on earth?
How can we tell others who are without a religion, to put their Faith and trust in the Church when hypocrites and Godless clergy abound?
These so-called men of the Church have such short-sighted vision that the would risk their souls and the souls of others in the name of instant gratification and debauchery. I shudder to think what will become of them when they meet their Creator..
God increase our Faith in YOU and open our eyes and hearts to your presence around us too in all situations, especially when we feel hopeless and helpless in this life.
Ezabelle; “How can we tell others who are without a religion, to put their Faith and trust in the Church when hypocrites and Godless clergy abound?”
We live out our faith ..day in and day out. They will be drawn to the Holy Catholic Church by your example. Regardless of poor leadership, they will seek out what you have as long as it’s genuine and attractive. By our love..by our love… so we are the solution Ezabelle. The answers are in our hearts.
Tell the average Catholic the truth about what is going on in the Catholic Church today and they look at you like you’re crazy. Catholics are the most unconcerned, uninformed Christians in the entire world. The guys who took over the Vatican must be having a great time running things unto the ground, with virtually no interference from the faithful.
Tell the truth yes, but don’t be a broken record about the bad stuff. Find positive things to say as well. Glimmers exist here and there, such as Bishop Olmsted’s Into the Breach initiative. There is a gentleman at our parish who rarely discusses anything but the latest scandals and conspiracy theories coming out of Rome. It is very tiring and depressing. I avoid him.
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Since I have one child who may “not launch” and may need economic support for years to come, I resent more and more the weekly offering needed to support our parish, especially knowing that a portion (very small, granted) goes to fund drug-fuelled sodomy parties in Rome among people who will always have a roof over their head, food on the table, and healthcare paid for. (As all money is fungible, our tax dollars at work, too.) That money belongs to my child.
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In discussing a local scandal, another gentleman opined that the diocese will not change until everyone stops putting money in the collection plate and the diocese financially collapses, and the remnants are taken over by the leadership of the diocese next door which is somewhat better. I think that is true locally and on a larger scale as well. There is no incentive for leadership to change as long as money comes in.
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Speak truth always…some will hear, others refuse. Human nature and fear. It is so sad that our church and it’s leaders are no better than the Sanhedrin. You have touched my soul…I am just one, hopefully for today that is enough and tomorrow there will be more! Gods continued blessings on you!
Yes, you absolutely should keep on speaking the truth. It’s painful for many to hear, but necessary.
PF tells an atheist buddy that there is no hell, that sinners who die without repenting just cease being. Then after a howl from the faithful he says to beware of the devil. What a hypocrite. What a schizo. What a mess of delusions.
To all who took the time to read and comment, many many thanks; and to Anzlyne 3X the many thanks. Dictator Nero tried to make his fake news the truth-that Catholics were the terrorists who burnt Rome. Canon 212 has now realized that the man wearing papal white is trying to convince the flock that those who even dare to question him are “terror bloggers.” Jesus did, truly, terrorize the demons. Imagine their terror as they said “Yes, Jesus, we know who You are – all these here standing around with their hands in their pockets may not know who You are, but we know God Almighty when He speaks to us.” Yes-I think the demons used upper case for the pronouns referring to God.
Phil N-Yes, I often say “I confess to Almighty God I have greatly sinned. “ and moreson those families have not only courage to do this today, but exceeding faith. Good on y’all.
Oakes S – to paraphrase Monty snake folks: I am not dead yet-maybe mostly, but not all.
Doug L – Yes, evangelical foolishness from an old fool
DJH – Yes, hirelings and wolves follow the money, not the sheep
Suzanne, Wand, Brian-Yes, and thank you.
Kimbold- Ditto
All y’all: have one fullofwonder weekend. Guy McClung, Texas
Thank you for pointing out not only the hideous state of ecclesiastical affairs, but ever more importantly — here in this essay — the pathological state of denial presently engaged by a countless multitude. I have been calling it Catholic Stockholm Syndrome, and while it is most apparent at this particular moment in history, it has been viral since at least 28 October 1958. It is a blistering demonstration that social moral collapse, individual psychological and spiritual decomposition are inextricably bound.
Keep up this good work, sir. God reward you.