Most Catholics wish to respect and follow their bishops, and then a complete nutter like Bishop Martin amply demonstrates the limits of obedience.
What a Head Case
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Hey. Mike!
USCCB TIMES
pg.13
Classifieds
Help Wanted
Bitter Creek Wyoming
We are looking to fill a vacancy in the Bitter Creek diocese for the position of Bishop.
Only those with a hatred for TLM apply.
😎….gotta dream big.
This isn’t simply totalitarian, it does seem like:
“Paranoia imposes its own vision on the external world; it differs from other kinds of visionary experience in that the paranoid wants others to share his view—even insists on it. “
This too shall pass.
He’s not a head case. He’s malevolent.
Priests take a vow of obedience to the local bishop; I don’t. Fortunately, where I live there isn’t this malevolence. As my father used to say, at some point, you just have to protect yourself.
My daughter’s parish in that diocese was the only one whose priests had Mass ad orientum and were told months ago that they were to stop. Makes sense that an order prohibiting it permanently would be forthcoming. The guy is a clown and is rushing to implement changes before the new Pope can change his predecessor’s policies.
Disobey his “directive”. He is on a power trip.
Never mind the party hat. I mean, does he not notice that a school girl with a short skirt is standing on the altar where the priest consecrates the Eucharist. What’s reverent about that picture…
I guess this poor excuse for a shepherd thinks he’s going to live forever. Judging by his apparently serious weight problem, I’d be betting he won’t be around much longer. Sorry, not sorry. Just observing. Pray for him, he really needs it.
The more that liberal clergy do these things, the more they push faithful people away into the arms of SSPX or the Eastern Orthodox. These bishops will be left with stingy liberal progressives who really don’t believe in anything authentically Catholic, and won’t give to support their local parishes. I say good! Starve them all of money. That’s the only thing they understand. Very sad.
If there are any Eastern rite (to clarify, NOT orthodox, but Byzantine, Maronite, or other Eastern Catholic) parishes about there, they should expect a huge boom in attendance. I’d likely do that myself under that hostile of a situation.
“The more that liberal clergy do these things, the more they push faithful people away into the arms of SSPX or the Eastern Orthodox”
Which I’m beginning to suspect is their ultimate goal
Absent from most priests is consideration whether an instruction is a proper instruction from a proper authority.
Obviously a bishop is the proper authority, but his instructions are not, by default, proper.
A father is a father, and should be obeyed by virtue of that authority, as specified in the Fourth Commandment. When the father is virtuous, the obedience is swift because the father’s track record does not demand that the son carefully weigh whether each command is proper or improper. The situation with an abusive father is far different. A simple instruction like “come here” becomes fearful. “Hand me that bat” becomes a command that demands much scrutiny before it is obeyed.
Sadly, the relationship with the bishops has been abusive for some time. We laity no longer give beer money to the drunks and scrutinize most commands carefully. The priests however are tied up in obedience. They may realize the abuse is happening, but a misunderstanding of proper obedience encourages them to decline to scrutinize the commands. For many, whatever Dad says, goes. I don’t know if this will change, but I hope it will. It is tragic that it has to.
[…] Michael Martin’s Infamous Deeds:What a Head Case – Donald R. McClarey, J.D., at The American CatholicCharlotte Priests Urge Bishop to […]
For the sake of souls, I suggest a different approach. Seeking an SSPX chapel or a different rite will only further polarize the conflict. I’d say that was Lefebvre’s original main error. I suggest that concerned people in the diocese collaborate, meet with His Excellency. Remind him how Vatican II taught that Latin has pride of place, remind him how the Mass was to grow and change organically, remind him how Benedict gave us Summorum Pontificum to allow for greater undertanding–and practice of–the traditional Mass. Further, demonstrate willingness to work with His Excellency to emphasize the continuity of tradition. …Give His Excellency cause to view traditional Catholics in a positive light. Such mentality as what most of these comments present…gives mostly an impression of cranky, mad people who care nothing of “pastoral” concern. That won’t solve any problem.
That won’t solve any problem.
==
The problem is generated by the bishop Only he can solve it. Solving it is not the laity’s job. Working around it is.
The Catholic Church belongs to Jesus Christ.
The priest facing the people has his back to Christ in the Real Presence in the tabernacle if the tabernacle has not been moved to the sacristy as in some parishes. I go to church to visit Christ.
The altar rail defines the sanctuary where only the ordained may enter; the men called to Holy Orders. Women have no place in the sanctuary.
It is time for bishops pay attention to Jesus Christ, our leader and Redeemer and God. God.
This bishop will be facing the judgement of Jesus Christ as in the Apostles’ Creed soon enough; the part that says “He will come to judge the living and the dead.” and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
So, Bishop Martin needs to pray and we shall pray with him and for him.
But no money until bishop Martin respects Jesus Christ in Christ’s holy church.
“Only he can solve it. Solving it is not the laity’s job. Working around it is.”
He can solve the problem by relenting, sure. ..In his shoes, I would not. At issue, if he relents now, the diocese will have precedent whereby he bowed to traditionalist demands. I understand, he’s being an ass by leveling such requirements. For his view though, the traditionalist community is responding in kind.
Ultimately, he’s the bishop, his actions are on his soul. As laity, …we still have responsibility for our own faith, yet we have responsibility to his direction as much as to our own opinions.
“Obviously a bishop is the proper authority, but his instructions are not, by default, proper.”
If that’s true, …someone with appropriate authority would need to decide what is and what is not a “proper instruction”. Only thing that comes to mind is canon law.
If nothing else, Bishop Martin needs to see the intent by the traditional community to help spread Catholic faith in the diocese. Right now, …I expect he’s mostly hearing comments from an angry mob who’ll throw a tantrum. There may be a need to offer prayers for his relenting, prayers for his willingness to negotiate. ..Yet we still have need to recognize that, until Pope Leo sees fit to change it, ..Traditionis Custodes is still the binding “law of the land”.
I wish to see Catholic faith flourish, especially by the traditional Mass. I don’t think that’ll happen if his spiritual sons …constantly threaten rebellion.
Keep celebrating the TLM. The priest will cop much of the blame, not the laity. You need priests who are willing to take the reprimand for defying this Bishops orders.
But the laity can object in numbers. Don’t dismiss John’s approach entirely- he is merely saying to call a meeting with the Bishop and look him in the eye as a collective. You need a:
1. A brave priest/s
2. Highly articulate laity representative/s
3. Lots of lay members of the diocese to turn out for the meeting
4. Prayers – lots of them