Dissenter and Disuniter: Bishop John Yanta’s Letter to Fr. Jenkins of Notre Dame

...This is a teachable moment for Notre Dame and all of us. It’s time to review the basics of Christianity and Catholicism, i.e., the Word of God about faithfulness and obedience of Faith, documents on Catholic Education, incredulity (Catechism #2089), your Profession of faith (Canon 833, Paragraph 7) , your relation to your local Bishop and the United States Conference of Catholic bishops.

You have “drawn a line in the sand.” The easiest solution to your dilemma and most pleasing to the Risen Lord, is the “above” route. Just disinvite President Obama- he understands politics very well and the steadfast rock that Jesus put into the world, the Catholic Church.

Should you choose to remain unmoved and continue to be defiant, thereby setting a scandalous example for your students and the nation, I will support the many efforts of bearing witness to the truth.

For example, Notre Dame football is being scheduled to be in San Antonio, October 31. I will be there, not in the Alamodome, but outside near there, joining a legal, peaceful and prayerful protest. I will be praying the Rosary, the Sorrowful Mysteries, praying for the conversion of Notre dame, D.D.

This is a permanent commitment on my part, similar to the one I made in 1993 against abortion chambers and Planned Parenthood, the biggest promoter and executioner of abortions in the United States and the world.

“You are confused.”

I sincerely doubt that.

“God is good, dispassionate, and immutable. Now someone who thinks it reasonable and true to affirm that God does not change, may well ask how, in that case, it is possible to speak of God as rejoicing over those who are good and showing mercy to those who honor Him, and as turning away from the wicked and being angry with sinners. To this it must be answered that God neither rejoices nor grows angry, for to rejoice and to be offended are passions; nor is He won over by the gifts of those who honor Him, for that would mean He is swayed by pleasure. It is not right that the Divinity feel pleasure or displeasure from human conditions. He is good, and He only bestows blessings and never does harm, remaining always the same. We men, on the other hand, if we remain good through resembling God, are united to Him, but if we become evil through not resembling God, we are separated from Him. By living in holiness we cleave to God; but by becoming wicked we make Him our enemy. It is not that He grows angry with us in an arbitrary way, but it is our own sins that prevent God from shining within us and expose us to demons who torture us. And if through prayer and acts of compassion we gain release from our sins, this does not mean that we have won God over and made Him to change, but that through our actions and our turning to the Divinity, we have cured our wickedness and so once more have enjoyment of God’s goodness. Thus to say that God turns away from the wicked is like saying that the sun hides itself from the blind.”

+Anthony the Great; you’ll find this in the Philokalia.

The bishops who have so far expressed disapproval of Notre Dame's invitation to Obama (in alphabetical order) are:

Current count: 72 bishops

Bishop Joseph V. Adamec - Altoona-Johnstown, PA
Statement: http://www.ajdiocese.org/documents//April_8__2009_-_Notre_Dame_University.pdf
LSN http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050718.html

Bishop James Conley the auxiliary bishop of Denver,

Bishop John Gaydos of the diocese of Jefferson City

Bishop Sam Jacobs of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana

Bishop John Yanta former Bishop of Amarillo

For a list of contact information regarding the Notre Dame scandal, go to: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032706.html

“Are you a Christian?”

An odd question and moreover it does answer any of the questions I posed. Am I to assume that you do not know the answers?

“Try finding something like that in the Gospels”

Are you try to imply in your response that the Old Testament is not valid?

Matt 5:17
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

In response to your request may I suggest to you Jesus’ actions towards the Temple moneychangers, His words to Pharisees in Matt 23 and Paul's words in Heb 4.

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.[a] 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “

We know the nature of God through His Word, His Creation, His Revelation, His Works and most important His Son Jesus. His invitation to a personal relationship (Rev 3:20) leads me to believe that God does in fact want us to know Him, just as Moses and Enoch did.

“It is because fear edifies simpler people.”

Indeed, and it certainly edified St. Anthony:

But he like a man filled with rage and grief turned his thoughts to the threatened fire and the gnawing worm, and setting these in array against his adversary, passed through the temptation unscathed. All this was a source of shame to his foe. For he, deeming himself like God, was now mocked by a young man; and he who boasted himself against flesh and blood was being put to flight by a man in the flesh. For the Lord was working with Antony— the Lord who for our sake took flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, so that all who truly fight can say, 'not I but the grace of God which was with me.'

And as he told his monks:

'So then we ought to fear God only, and despise the demons, and be in no fear of them. But the more they do these things the more let us intensify our discipline against them, for a good life and faith in God is a great weapon. At any rate they fear the fasting, the sleeplessness, the prayers, the meekness, the quietness, the contempt of money and vainglory, the humility, the love of the poor, the alms, the freedom from anger of the ascetics, and, chief of all, their piety towards Christ. Wherefore they do all things that they may not have any that trample on them, knowing the grace given to the faithful against them by the Saviour, when He says, “Behold I have given to you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy.”

By the way, the writings attributed to St. Anthony that are found in the Philokalia are almost certainly spurious... but that quote you provided in post 5 is still quite good! :)

Are you try to imply in your response that the Old Testament is not valid?...Mat 5:17...

The law and the prophets were until John (the Baptist) [Luke 16:16]. The New Covenant makes the Old one obsolete [Heb 8:13]. Christians are not under the law but under grace [Rom 6:14]; they have become dead to the law [Rom 7:4]; if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law [Gal 5:18]; the law of the commandments was abolished [Eph 2:15]; "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." [Gal 3;23-24], etc., etc.

We know the nature of God through His Word, His Creation, His Revelation, His Works and most important His Son Jesus

God's revelation in the economy of our salvation is not his nature. God is ineffable in his essence.

His invitation to a personal relationship (Rev 3:20)

We can relate to God through Christ in his humanity. I wouldn't read that "fellowship" too literally. Jesus' relationship with his disciples can hardly be described as "fellowship."

More “spurious” commentary from +Anthony the Great:

“If a man wishes to attain to love of God, he must have fear of God. Fear gives birth to mourning, and mourning to courage. When all this has ripened in the soul, it begins to bear fruit in all things. And, seeing these beautiful fruits in the soul, God draws it to Himself, like choice incense, takes joy in it with His Angels for all time, fills it with rejoicing, and protects it in all its ways, to let it reach its place of rest without harm. Then, seeing the Most High Guardian encompassing it, the devil no longer attacks it; indeed he fears to come near it owing to this great power. Obtain this power that the demons may fear you, your labors be light and Divine things a sweet joy. This sweetness of Divine love is far sweeter than honey. Many monks and virgins, living in communities, having had no taste of this Divine sweetness nor received Divine power, have thought that they had it already. But, since they had made no effort to gain it, God did not give it to them. He who strives to obtain it will surely gain it through God’s mercy; for God is no respecter of persons. When a man wishes to have in himself the light of God and His power, and so disregards both the abuse and the honors of this world, hates all things of the world and ease of the body, and purifies his heart of all bad thoughts, when he unceasingly brings to God fasting and tears day and night, as well as pure prayers, then God enriches him with that power. Strive to obtain this power - and you will do all your works with calm and ease, will receive a great daring towards God and He will grant all that you ask.”

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