Including the reading of the Gospel, this video's homily for Corpus Christi lasts mercifully for only 5 minutes. You can view the video by pressing HERE and it is necessary for my comments to see it first!
The pastor of this parish has an ax to grind against Saint Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict. Thus he uses the Critical/Historical method of deconstructing rank and file Catholic faith in the real presence of Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist to make his point.
His point is that all Catholics that were taught as children, like him, were duped. You don't have to be good to receive Holy Communion. The Eucharist is simply food for the journey. I don't recall listening to his homily any mention for the necessity of faith in the person of the Glorious Risen Lord Jesus Christ and the personal relationship that Jesus has once and for all established with us in His Blood in the New Covenant. Based upon the historical/critical analysis of the three synoptic Gospels that mention the Last Supper and His point that John's Gospel says nothing about the Last Supper or what Jesus said at the Last Supper over the bread and wine, he concludes that traditional Catholic teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist is wrong.
He also goes into why the Catholic Faith has declined so much in Europe and other places. It is because of traditional bishops over the last 50 years appointed by Popes John Paul II and Benedict that this has happened! I would say, though, that it is the type of deconstruction of the Catholic Faith in homilies like this that has undermined the Church, Her Sacraments and Faith in God and the Most Holy Eucharist. Why go to Church if this is all the Eucharist is!
What junk this congregation was subjected to experience on a glorious Corpus Christi. I found the homily ideological, sterile and meaningless. It did not bringer me closer to God, to His most beloved Son Jesus or increase my love for Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist. Like normal food, though, the Eucharist is food for the journey, no matter if you are good, bad or indifferent. But there is no reference to Jesus who is this Food and the price he paid to give us Himself as Food. There is no mention of mortal sin, the Passion of our Lord, His death and resurrection and what classical Catholic dogma says about the Eucharist and the need to be in a state of grace to receive our Lord worthily!
Being forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance doesn't make us good, it makes us forgiven! There is a difference. This sacrament doesn't make us good, it makes us sinners worthy to receive Holy Communion. It is like another baptism, which by the way is necessary for Holy Communion. One cannot receive any other sacraments without first being Baptized. Why? Because we are forgiven in baptism and given the Holy Spirit. We are not made good, we are made holy!
So this aging priest longing for the good old 1970's in 2014 teaches his congregation that what they were taught about the Holy Eucharist is wrong and the Historical/Critical method of interpreting the Bible trumps Church teachings that are dogmas. He simply tells us that the Eucharist is food for the journey and all are invited to this meal no matter what. I think if this is all the Most Holy Eucharist is, I'll stay home too on Sunday and have a real meal!
Yes folks, this is why there has been a decline in the Catholic Church over the past 50 years! It is the loss of Catholic Faith shoved down the laity's throat as food for destruction of who we are a God's adopted people.
41 comments:
Father, I'm telling you this is ubiquitous in our parishes. I have heard this and worse. The part that is puzzling is his attempt to lay the decimation of the laity at the feet of Popes JPII and Benedict. The majority of Cathoics quit attending Mass under Paul VI and, to my knowledge, have stayed away. The resurgence has been in youth and converts under the Popes he accuses of appointing untra-traditionalist bishops ( like Mahoney)?
In all seriousness, I wonder if his bishop knows about this poor fellow and what appears to be serious mental problem.
Thank you for this post. Have just posted a few corrections to the video posting on youtube and exhorted him to preach the truth.
Check out his other videos. This is not an isolated incident in his preaching.
I have checked him out. My kind of preaching, my kind of preacher.
(Typical lib modernist.)
I would like to know his view on the necessity for Confession, at the very least for those who are in a state of serious sin. What is his views on sin itself? Does he accept the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Magisterial teaching? If not, why not? As far as his laying the blame for the decline of the Church on the appointment of conservative bishops( a claim that can certainly be challenged), how does he explain the greater Church attendance prior to Vatican II when for the most part the apostolic leadership was much more conservative? His (at least from my impression) problem with the words of consecration is really problematic.
Isn't modern technology wonderful? Now because of the power of YouTube and the internet, we actually have evidence of the kind of garbage that has been spoken from the pulpit of many Catholic churches for umpteen years. To me, it's not surprising so many people have fallen away, it amazing ANYONE is left in the pews to hear this tripe. Boy, I wish I had recordings of some of the doozies I have heard.
For this priest to lay the "blame" for the empty pews and the destruction of the faith on the last two Popes, and not on priests like himself with their modernist liberal preaching and the "modern" celebration of the Eucharist, well, what a big laugh.
For him to say we were taught the Eucharist was a "reward" for being good: wow, what a banal and twisted interpretation of what was taught. How about that union with Christ via the Eucharist is only worthily approached by those who are sinless? Isn't that the true doctrine?
To tell the truth, if I heard this homily at my local parish, I'd be trying another parish next week. And if I found the same thing there, I'd continue to visit surrounding parishes until I found someone who preached sound doctrine. As it is, I now travel about 20 minutes by car to attend Mass each Sunday, even though there is a parish 5 minutes WALKING distance from me. And that is because of the unorthodox preaching and celebration of Eucharist at the local parish.
This priest? clearly knows nothing of the teachings of St Paul; unless he discounts Paul as being too conservative.
Shouldn't this be forwarded to the papal nuncio?
Wow, it's absolutely appalling that a Priest would say those things.
Hey, folks, this Priest has the sanction of his Bishop…just like Ignotus is always telling us about himself…LOL! LOL! LOL!
…and if you think Bishops are going to do anything of significance about Priests like this or anything else that's wrong in the Church, forget it. The Bishops are probably 90% of the problem. USCCB anyone? LOL!
Pin/Gene - Different priest, different bishop! "LOL"
I meet a lot of fallen-away Catholics. I've never met one who believes the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation. This means, essentially, that they don't believe in the Catholic Church. I think this lack of faith, rather than who the local bishop happens to be at a given time, is why they leave.
As for worthy reception of Holy Communion, as Carol H. suggests, this poor priest just needs to read the Pauline epistles.
If I were a parishioner there, i would simply bring earplugs. Problem solved.
The crux of the Catholic crisis today is the abandonment of the Faith of the Church for subjective feel good sentimentality, a spiritual religion without the cross. Bottom line is that so many have chosen relationships and material well being and the pursuit of these to get ahead and stay ahead. They don't believe in hell or the afterlife but certainly hope there is a heaven if they are wrong.
The post Vatican II confusion along with substituting a hermeneutic of Scripture study that demythologizes the Bible and the doctrines and dogmas of the Church coupled with a sterile pedantic style of liturgy constantly be recreated in creative ways and completely banal and simplistic also has eroded the true Faith.
I have heard it preached that the loving God will eventually forgive even those in Hell, so we all get to heaven. That actually comes from a Catholic theologian in the 1950's whose name escapes me. Ecumenism is being used to allow that all religions are equally valid and salvic. So why not leave the Church for Buddhism, if that is easier for you? We all get to heaven in the end.
Good Father - I think you have it backwards. The feel good mentality (consumerism, materialism, rugged individualism) preceded and precedes the abandonment of the Faith. It's an important distinction in my view.
Long before the post-Vatican Two days of the 60's and 70's the die had been cast.
JBS..."the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation". I have heard discussions of this idea. There are often one or more caveats attached that let others in.
Do you believe that Muslims, Jews, Unitarians, Baptists, Presbyterians, everybody but Roman Catholics (and perhaps some ancillary relatives) will go to hell?
A simple yes or no would be refreshing, and appreciated.
It is ironic that this priest is preaching on verses in John about walking away from Jesus and his "hard" teaching on the Eucharist. Only a blind Pharisee could not see what is described in those very verses: "After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him". This is exactly what he has done and is hoping to get others to do.
Vianney1100
Anonymous,
I believe what the Church teaches about this, and what the Church teaches is described in chapter two of Lumen Gentium (especially section 14). Christ saves souls through, and only through, the Catholic Church, but He judges souls individually, rather than corporately.
Father McDonald,
I certainly appreciate your insights into this situation, but I do wonder if the troubles could go deeper than mere interpretive methods. If this poor priest once believed that he had to save himself by being good, rather than joyfully being good because Christ was saving him, then no wonder he is so confused. If what he believed as a child was a painful heresy, then perhaps he now uses an interpretive crutch to hobble back towards truth. May God bless him.
Anonymous, in case yours was a serious inquiry, the following bare extracts from Lumen Gentium should cover it for you. You can see that they say the mediation of Christ present uniquely in the Church is available for the salvation not only of Catholics but also that of Protestants, Jews, and Muslims, as well “righteous unbelievers”. But perhaps it can be said that while Catholics have greater access (through the sacraments) to the graces necessary for salvation, the bar is higher for them because of their preferred status as members of the Church.
14. . . . the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation.
15. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter.
16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God. In the first place we must recall the [Jews]. . . . . But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims . . . Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God . . . Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.
So Henry...If I understand your 3:57 PM post, your answer to the question I asked JBS is no. Is that so?
Father, I agree with Pater 10:39; the roots were already there before VII, in our country at least. But VII, WRONGLY interpreted by so many clerics in ensuing years, unleashed powerful forces that cooperated with societal underpinnings to produce the chaotic decades we have suffered through in the Church. Someday I hope to see Pater honestly and humbly address this.
PI....There are probably quite a few folks here who would like to see some humble... (from you, not from themselves). Couldn't you just grovel a wee bit....maybe something like "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." It would make them SO happy.
While I've long believed sarcasm to be the highest form of humor (puns being the lowest), I think its effect is dampened by anonymous posters, who lack the mark of personality that a familiar name provides. This problem it only made worse by the ease with which sarcasm moves from the realm of humor into the domain of hatred.
JBS...no offense, but what possible difference does a fake name make? You're "JBS". I'm Anonymous. If I became FDR, what would change?
You brought up "hatred". Not I.
Good Sabbath.
Anonymous,
I assume you can read. True or false?
Henry...I don't understand what you said, but my answer is "true". I can read.
Good Sabbath.
Anonymous
I attend St Josephs's the church which is named for Joseph,the husband of the Blessed Virgin. From scripture we know that Joseph was not at Christ's Crucifixion and Death. Jesus would not have given his Mother over to John if Joseph was still living. Had Joseph still been alive, Pilate would have handed Jesus body over to him instead of Joseph of Arimathea. According to Church teaching, if a person is a saint, they are in Heaven, so Joseph is there participating in the Beatific Vision. I bring this up because St. Joseph had passed from this life prior to Christ's redemptive suffering and death and prior to the existence of the Catholic Church. He was born a Jew and died a Jew. Even so, by the Power of God, the merits of Christ's redeeming suffering and death were applied to him.He received enough grace to not only be saved but to become a saint. Let it never be said of us faithful Catholics that we don't believe in the Power and Mercy of God to bring about in when and how He chooses to do so, whatever is just, right and proper. The Catholic church is God's instrument on earth , established by Christ for the salvation of mankind. Just as Joseph and others of his time and before, who were "outside" of and lived prior to the Redemption brought about by Christ were yet saved, then there are those today who are "outside" the Catholic church proper but are saved through her and only through her. Again, through the Power and Mercy of God.
From St Therese of Lisieux:
“In this world ,it is rare to find souls that do not measure God’s omnipotence by their own
narrow thoughts. The world is always ready to admit exceptions. Only God is denied that
liberty.”
PI,
So the die was cast for the abandonment of Faith by people like protestants Henry Ford and former President Herbert Hoover (mass production of low priced useful products, as to the Freemason Mr. Ford and Mr. Hoover, the man who, I believe, coined the phrase "rugged individualism"). This might suggest that maybe all God's children shouldn't have air conditioning (after all, it wouldn't be widely available without that evil Eli Whitney and Henry Ford inspired mass production).
I'm sorry, just as you like your air conditioning (which I like too though I've had my share of life experiences without it) I think life is a lot more safe, bearable and convenient because of the products of mass production (a product of capitalism). I would agree with you that excessive consumerism and materialism is bad. I also agree with the late Henry Ford that the practice auto companies changing models too frequently to promote sales (without appreciable mechanical improvements) "is a fraud on the American public." This is part of the reason I still drive a nineteen year old Ford pickup with crank windows even though I could afford a new one (yes, it does have air conditioning--one of the few extras I specified when I ordered it years ago).
Maybe I'm dead wrong, but, to me, we don't have to choose between a capitalistic consumer society and the Faith. The consumer society, like so many other things in life, is good as long as it is not allowed to dominate our lives to excess. I try to enjoy its benefits but try to limit how much it influences the life of me and my family.
And yes, as you well know, I prefer the older form of the Latin liturgy or a more "Tridentine" version of the Ordinary Form, even if it is in the vernacular. I feel I need the liturgy this way as a sort of respite from and counterbalance against the modern consumerist world and its excesses.
Joseph Johnson - Like you, I enjoy the fruits of capitalism and am not anti-capitalist. My retirement savings depend on that economic system, so I admit to a certain intentional bias.
No, we don't HAVE to choose between the material world and Faith, but we do. We allow the material world to dominate our lives because it gives us comfort and pleasure, albeit a temporary comfort and pleasure.
The mass, in any form, it meant to be a counterbalance to the materialist impulse, which is a result of The Fall, challenging us to remember that the pearl of great price, the treasure buried in a field, should be the primary goals of our lives.
Hoover's "A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage" is an appeal to our "lower" nature. only when we understand the transitory nature of this world can we begin to enter into the Reign of God, which is at hand.
Pater Ignotus,
Nicely put.
"You're "JBS". I'm Anonymous. If I became FDR, what would change?"
Actually, it would make considerable difference to me if you chose FDR as your handle for all comments. I don't care whether you're actually Franklin Delano Roosevelt (dead or alive) or not. But I'd associate all your anonymous remarks with YOU, and not with some other anonymous commenter.
For this purpose, your handle need not be your real or fictitious initials (like JBS) or your real or fictitious given name (like Henry). Any consistent handle--like Anonymous17 would do just as well.
The point is that there's all the difference between Anonymous17 and Anonymous. The former is a specific identifier--identifying a specific personality (whether real or not)--while the latter is not.
This is why, if I were the moderator, I'd be glad to accept comments by Anonymous17, but I would reject every comment by any Anonymous.
Of course, someone else could occasionally claim to be you, and you could occasionally claim to be someone else. No identifier system is perfect, but most of us in blogs develop a sense for the detection of such deceit.
I wonder how many of you who make such sport of insulting Pater Ignotus have heard his excellent homilies. They are not ear-ticklers, but scripturally based, completely in line with Catholic teaching, and thought-provoking.
We have nothing to fear but fear itself!
Pater Ignotus:
To extend what you said above. The Mass, the Eucharist, regular Confession,fasting, and and frequent prayer get us to, and maintains within us an interior disposition of being "poor in spirit". Now, as you say,"we allow the material world to dominate our lives . It doesn't have to be that way. I read not long agothat St Therese of Lisieux father was worth in today's dollars around $ 50 million. Yet how many religious vocations that family produced. Both her father and mother have been beatified. The hagiographies of the saints are replete with saints and blesseds that came from backgrounds of material wealth. We DON"T have to choose between the material world and Faith.
I would rather hear a poor homily from a Priest whose beliefs I trusted than some obligatorily doctrinally correct masterpiece from a Priest who refused to confess his beliefs in articles of the Creed when asked the simple question. Even the Devil can quote Scripture.
George - I agree we DON'T have to choose between the material world and Faith, but many DO.
Many make the material world their highest priority, relegating their spiritual natures to the back, back, back burner.
There are any number of wealthy folks who, recognizing that they are stewards, not owners, of their material possessions, share generously from what they have received. And there are many who don't.
FDR,
Thanks! Hereafter we'll know who you are, and how to calibrate your comments.
Pater Ignotus:
I definitely agree that many today DO. No doubt. I was just making the point that it is possible to have
material wealth and still be a good Catholic. I would not disagree that it can be more difficult today.
Even in the days of Peter Abelard, aspects of the Historical-Critical Method were employed for understanding the patristic authors.
Understanding the intention of the patristic author is an essential aspect of HC.
"When diverse things are said on the same issue," Abelard continued, "one must also investigate what was intended [by each] . . . so that we may find a solution of the difficulty on the basis of a diversity of intentions,"...
Quoted in The Christian Tradition, Jaroslav Pelikan, vol 3, pg 226.
Well, we know what happened to Abelard…LOL!
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