The comment below is from an anonymous commenter on another thread but apropos to all that we have seen and heard in the last week:
NEVER in my life have I witnessed a Catholic priest be rude, mean or insulting to a divorced person, a single mother, a gay person, a gay couple, a woman who had an abortion. But I have seen Catholic priests be rude to Traditional Catholics who want to kneel for communion, who chapel veils, who want to pray the Stations of the Cross etc. the truth is the Catholic Church has always shown mercy to sinners but not to sin. Let's get it straight. I hardly call a bishop who, during the Mass, constantly calls people he disagrees with nasty names merciful. And it's not a traditional bishop who is doing this, but a very liberal one.
12 comments:
RIGHT ON!!!
I was divorced for many years before applying for a decree of nullity (now happily married to wonderful Catholic woman). I attended and sang at a very "high" parish -- Oratorians. I was also active in the EF and helped out here and then at the SSPX chapel. NOT ONCE!, NOT ONCE!!! Did any priest or parishioner mock me or criticise me. I was always welcomed!!!
I have a friend who was a radical "gay" activist and he writes a blog. I mean radical. He converted at that same orthodox parish. I was a lector at his wedding, to a woman! He sings Gregorian chant now and loves the EF liturgy as well as Mass, period! Prays the rosary daily...he's a better Catholic than I.
NOT ONCE! NOT EVER!!! Did I see or hear of anyone at the parish, even the most "traddy" EVER, mock him or ostracise him.
They lie that there is no mercy, that people are not "welcomed".
There must be more stories like this Father, it could be a whole series of posts.
Ditto, Surely most Catholics have at least occasionally witnessed un-Christian treatment of orthodox Catholics by "progressive" priests.
All true. I would add that priests who teach the Catechism of the Catholic Church, follow the rubrics of the Roman Missal, and observe the Code of Canon Law, are routinely told by higher authorities to stop doing so. But those who ignore these books, each of which was reformed in accordance with directives of the Second Vatican Council, will be praised by the same authorities.
38 years ago our Best Man, a non-celibate gay, was welcomed to our catholic wedding by our celebrant (who knew his orientation); this in a time not so politically correct as today! He was nervous and arrived late, but was treated very respectfully. He later died of AIDS and our pastor was a good support.
7 years ago, our son-in law's Best Man, a well-known non-celibate gay, received a very warm reception by all involved with the wedding, and invited back to a very orthodox Catholic Church.
One of our good friends is a research oncologist of some national reknown in his field, a celibate gay, and a truly gifted and fine Catholic man who pours his heart into his work and providing a warm home for an aging mother. His sexual orientation is never discussed nor even thought about--we consider him a man of heroic virtue. He is respected and loved by all who know him in the parish.
I ask you, do these churches sound unwelcoming to you?
In my parish, the pastor wrote an article in the bulletin that kind of slammed traditonal Catholics. Ironic in that he constantly says "all are welcome" in this parish. But yet the line seems to be drawn to Trads.
I was a divorced Baptist who later married a Catholic outside of the Church when I first started attending Mass. I was always welcomed and was always treated with much respect. I have since received a declaration of annulment, become Catholic, and had my Marriage blessed by the Church.
The worst I was ever treated happened a couple of years ago. I received communion on my knees, then the Bishop quickly grabbed another host and gave the next person communion OVER MY HEAD! I was forced to do an awkward duck and jump up off to the side in order to get back to the pew. Such mean-spirited behavior from a shepherd still saddens me to this day.
I have probably been a Catholic longer than anybody here, Henry. I have NEVER seen what you described. Not EVER.
I have fortunately not been a victim of some of the mistreatment experienced by others. No matter. Come what may I will always be a Catholic, a follower of the True Church, an ever-striving faithful disciple of Christ, ad vitam aeternum. This Faith that is an unmerited gift from God is one which I shall never relinquish and that no one can ever take from me.
My wife was refused communion and openly denigrated by a deacon when she attempted to receive on the tongue standing.
Anonymous, your having been Carholic for "longer than anybody here" is meaningless to this conversation.
I was scolded by two priests in the Chicago and Joliet dioceses for kneeling to receive Communion. That was about 1987 in the dark ages of Bernardine and Imesch. Now I am mostly free to kneel in the Rockford diocese. If the reign of Francis lasts more than 10 years I fully expect to see the dark ages again. But I will not be a good boy. In that case I will be an orthodox person who will not treat the opposition with charity. I will not sit silent in a pew when dancers, clowns or pro sodomite priests give heretical sermons. Those events will be disrupted to the best of my ability and should be done so by all who recognize blasphemous liturgy.
Mike
Mike at 8:49 pm: I smiled a little at your adamant resolve to disrupt heterodox behavior at Mass, if you should witness it.
The little devil on my left shoulder tempted me the other day with the thought that, since the local priest thinks it's okay to ad lib and make up his own words and greetings during Mass, I should maybe follow suit: When he says, "The Gospel of the Lord" maybe I should yell from the pew, "I hear ya brother, and I follow your train of thought!" and when he says, "This is my body." I should shout out from the pew "Oh, Lord, you are now the host. It's not bread anymore. It's You God." Because I don't see why we in the pews shouldn't be able to wing the Mass the way the priests feel free to, and respond what we want when we want.
Of course, I banished the little tempter on my shoulder before I would take any such action, but it was fun to consider! :-)
Bee- Indeed!
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