“MISERABLE SERPENT” BISHOPS JOIN WITH THOSE WHO CONDEMN MEL GIBSON’S “Passion”

Roman Catholic Faithful ^ | December 6, 2004 | James Bendell

[Land of the Irish]

 Home  |  About  |  Campaigns  |  Contact  |  Friends  |  Press  |  Search 

Before you explore any other pages on our site–

RCF's Newsletter,
A.M.D.G.

Guest Book / Feedback

Read our philosophy statement

How to become a member

Make a donation

Past news items

Search our site

Contact us

 

Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.

P.O. Box 109 Petersburg, IL  62675 Phone 217-632-5920 Fax 217-632-7054 Web www.rcf.org

Press Release

Contact: Stephen G. Brady Phone: (217) 632-5920

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 PM EDT, December 6, 2004

“MISERABLE SERPENT” BISHOPS JOIN WITH THOSE WHO CONDEMN MEL GIBSON’S “COURAGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL EFFORT”

TO: Cardinal William H. Keeler
    Bishop Arthur J. Seratelli (Paterson NJ)
    Bishop John J. Nevins (Venice FL)
    Bishop Gerald Walsh (New York)
    Bishop John Nienstedt (New Ulm)
    All bishops of the USCCB

FROM: The Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.

Recently, at the conclusion of one of your endless series of committee meetings (The Challenge of Mixed Marriage in American Life is Major Topic of U.S. Catholic-Jewish Consultation Committee), you issued the following statement:

The Consultation also discussed the state of Jewish-Catholic relations in the wake of the film, "The Passion of the Christ," which caused such deep and understandable concern within Jewish community world-wide. The film, it was noted, was in reality a modern version of the notorious medieval Passion Plays which so often over the centuries have triggered riots against the Jews of Europe. Happily, however, the film precipitated no such anti-Jewish violence. Rather, in many places it sparked discussions in which Catholics learned why Jews feared such dramatic depictions of the death of Jesus, and Jews learned that many Catholics today have taken to heart the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that the Jews collectively cannot be held responsible "then or now" for Jesus' death. It was noted as well that continuing work needs to be done among those who have not yet absorbed these official teachings of the Church.

Generally, we in the laity read your prodigious output of wordy, useless position statements and constant “pastoral” bloviating with a mixture of boredom and mild irritation. Occasionally, however, the U.S. Bishops come out with something that is so outrageous, so offensive, so truly malignant, that the laity cannot remain mute. And so it is with this, your latest piece of ecclesiastical drivel.

When we consider your words, we must reflect upon all that you have given the laity during the past several decades; to wit:

• You have destroyed our precious liturgy and replaced it with a quasi-heretical and saccharine floor show.
• You have corrupted our children with poisonous sex ed programs.
• You have allowed our children to be raped by perverted monsters in the clergy and have done everything in your power to cover up these crimes.
• You have destroyed our beautiful churches and Cathedrals and replaced them with ugly “churches” that resemble aircraft hangars or cement factories.
• You have squandered billions of dollars on useless or harmful “ministries” that are little more than glorified havens for left wing activists.
• You have persecuted holy and orthodox priests and nuns.
• You have denied priests their right to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, a right which no bishop or pastor of the Church can ever take away.
• You have destroyed the faith of millions by promoting false catechesis.
• You have turned away worthy candidates for the priesthood because they accepted the perennial teachings of the Church or because they opposed homosexuality.

The collective evil committed by the American Bishops dwarfs any harm committed in the Enron scandal, yet none of you have been sent to jail.

And now, when a man like Mel Gibson comes along and tries to glorify Our Lord with a movie, when he risks his personal fortune and reputation because Our Lord is despised by the World, you miserable serpents not only do not support him, but join with those who condemn his courageous and beautiful effort. Well, to you bishops, and to all the bishops of the USCCB, the Roman Catholic Faithful responds:

The movie The Passion of the Christ has done more to uplift the human heart, to bring souls to Christ, to increase holiness, and to glorify Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, than all the USCCB committees, subcommittees, documents, pastorals, letters, faxes and speeches put together.

James Bendell
Roman Catholic Faithful

-End-

 

	Copyright© 1996-2004 Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc. All rights reserved Website design and maintenance by Catholic Web Services
Last update: 12/05/2004

[Palladin]

Bravo! What a wonderful letter. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Fortunately, Mel Gibson's "Passion" is in no way dependent upon the Bishops or their hangers-on for its fantastic success.

This beautiful movie will continue to catechize countless millions of people about Christ's passion and death on the Cross. It will uplift, inspire, humble, convert and revive souls for years to come.

...While the Bishops and their evil agendas wither away.

[chatham]

Thanks for the ping.

Nothing will improve until the Faithful Catholics refuse to give any money to the institutional Church. They can give directly to charities they know will help the people in need.

These Feckless bishops spent more time criticizing Gibson's "Passion" than they have spent on the Victims of sexual abuse by the the criminal homosexual Clergy under their control.
They have also seen to it that Father Thomas Doyle has been punished because he stood for the victims who were abused.

Probably 2/3 of the Bishops should be put out of their jobs.

Let them first, take care of the Catholics raped by their colleagues, and when they get the Church back into proper shape, thay can look into the needs of the Jews.

[AskStPhilomena]

"When we consider your words, we must reflect upon all that you have given the laity during the past several decades; to wit:

You have destroyed our precious liturgy and replaced it with a quasi-heretical and saccharine floor show.
You have corrupted our children with poisonous sex ed programs.
You have allowed our children to be raped by perverted monsters in the clergy and have done everything in your power to cover up these crimes.
You have destroyed our beautiful churches and Cathedrals and replaced them with ugly “churches” that resemble aircraft hangars or cement factories.
You have squandered billions of dollars on useless or harmful “ministries” that are little more than glorified havens for left wing activists.
You have persecuted holy and orthodox priests and nuns.
You have denied priests their right to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, a right which no bishop or pastor of the Church can ever take away.
You have destroyed the faith of millions by promoting false catechesis.
You have turned away worthy candidates for the priesthood because they accepted the perennial teachings of the Church or because they opposed homosexuality."

An excellent summary of our bishops' "achievements".
Mr Bendell and his colleagues at the Roman Catholic Faithful are once again to be congratulated for their yeoman efforts to keep alive the light of Faith in these dark days.

[Maximilian]

This guy was at the meeting on behalf of the bishops:
Why convert the saved? Eugene Fisher

This guy is incredible. Here's an earlier attack on Mel Gibson by the same guy:

Anti-Defamation League "biblical scholar" Eugene Fisher: Brazenly dishonest or scripturally challenged? You make the call!

"The only role the Bible says the Pharisees have in the passion of Jesus is, in one case they try to warn him that there's a plot against his life."

Remember "Reflections on Covenant," the document from the same USCCB Committee that said that the Old Covenant was salvific for Jews? That would have been Fisher's work too. Fits in perfect with the article you found "Why convert the saved?"

And by the way, this guy has total carte blanche going all the way to the top. Check out this press release:

Dr. Eugene Fisher Named by Pope as Consultor to Holy See's Commission For Religious Relations with the Jews

WASHINGTON (April 11, 2003) -- Dr. Eugene J. Fisher, Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has received from Pope John Paul II his fifth quinquennial appointment as Consultor to the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.

Dr. Fisher is one of ten such Consultors world-wide and the only American.

In a cover letter to the appointment, Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Commission, wrote: "The renewal of your mandate imparts particular joy as it enables the Commission to continue to involve you and to benefit from your valuable collaboration in its aim of promoting and nurturing relations between Catholics and Jews."

On hearing of the appointment, the USCCB General Secretary, Msgr. William Fay, said, "I join with Cardinal Kasper in expressing my delight and gratitude to Dr. Fisher for his many years of productive and faithful service to the Church."

Father Arthur Kennedy, Executive Director of the USCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, said: "Dr. Fisher's work has contributed to deepening bonds between Jews and Catholics not only in the United States, but also in many other countries and contexts as a result of his dedicated activity as Consultor to the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews."

Dr. Fisher, who has served the bishops' conference for 25 years in this capacity, has been the recipient of numerous awards from both Jewish and Catholic organizations.

[Maximilian]

I see now that this Fisher was already exposed back in 2003 when he began attacking Mel Gibson based on the illegally-obtained shooting script of the movie. Tantumergo had some information, and this nuanced judgment:

"You mean defending the divinely revealed truth of Christian faith from the subversive attacks of pinko, PC, selfloathing maggots of compromisers like Fisher?"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/926501/posts

[iconoclast]

What a God-awful mess our church is in.

[AlbionGirl]

BUMP, Thanks, and now let's just get to packin' the silver bullets.

[Tantumergo]

Oh dear! There goes my foul mouth again!

Fisher was also one of the original "Gang of four" "Catholic" scholars who tried to do a hatchet-job on the Passion before its release.

One of the others was Paula Friedriksen, but I can't remember the other two. However, they are all as thick as thieves with Kasper and quite apostate.

Their pseudo-theology of the "salvific" Jewish covenant is based on the premise that the book of Hebrews is wrong!!!

It is their "epistle of straw" just as James was to Luther. Encouraging to know that the Vatican has appointed this joke as an expert when he doesn't even believe in the Catholic bible! (sarcasm off)

[rogator]

I unhappily agree with RCF. Too many of our bishops are a total disgrace. The message is in no way too strong.
Gibson and/or RCF have ten thousand times the credibility of our bishops. Perhaps God allowed this kind of garbage to occur to show that His Church will last till the end of time despite the worst imaginable leadership.

[kstewskis]

RIGHT ON ping!

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

The first time this article was posted it had a list of the the guys who signed it, I saw their names on the list, so I mentioned them. That is at least from the statement I read two or three days ago on here (maybe just one, I don't remember).

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

I stand corrected, thank you. The thing I read also has Sklba's name on it. I'll try to dig it up, but I'll probably fail :(

[Northern Yankee]

Amazing...

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

To: Jacob Kell; american colleen; sinkspur; Salvation; CouncilofTrent; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; ...

First of all, this article is NOT news: the actual event took place several months ago and was duly reported at the time. However, WND (for all its virtues) has a nasty habit of whacking Catholics now and then.

Secondly, here's the list of Bishops and staffers on the "Ecumenical" committee: shouldn't take anyone too long to figure out what's going on:

Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire
Bishop of Stockton

His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler
Archbishop of Baltimore

Most Reverend Alexander J. Brunett
Archbishop of Seattle

Most Reverend William J. Levada
Archbishop of San Francisco

Most Reverend Donald E. Pelotte, SSS
Bishop of Gallup

Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ
Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee

Most Reverend Nicholas J. Samra
Bishop of Newton

Most Reverend Carlos A. Sevilla, SJ
Bishop of Yakima

Most Reverend Oscar H. Lipscomb
Archbishop of Mobile

Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk
Archbishop of Cincinnati

Most Reverend Gerald R. Barnes
Bishop of San Bernardino

Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell
Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minnesota

Most Reverend Patrick R. Cooney
Bishop of Gaylord

Most Reverend Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop of Albany

Most Reverend Richard J. Sklba
Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee

Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino
Bishop of Scranton

The Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Reverend Arthur Kennedy, Ph.D., Executive Director
Dr. Eugene Fisher, Associate Director
Bro. Jeffrey Gros, FSC, Associate Director
Reverend Dr. Ronald G. Roberson, CSP, Associate Director
Reverend Francis V. Tiso, Ph.D., Associate Director
Mr. Samuel Wagner, Acting Assistant to the Executive Director
Mr. James Despres, Administrative Secretary
Ms. Hadijah Hutson, Administrative Secretary



159 posted on 12/03/2004 8:57:35 AM PST by ninenot (Minister of Membership, TomasTorquemadaGentlemen'sClub)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

[saradippity]

Ninenot was referring to the USCCB's Ecumenical Committee. Mr. Bendell's letter is referencing a different committee. I think it's a sub=committee called something like Committee on Jewish/Catholic Communications,with the member in common being Keeler.

The members of that committee (Communications) were Seratelli,Nienstadt,Nevins and Walsh.I think Bendell's letter reflects my thoughts about the USCCB quite well;however,the event from which he chose to launch his missive back at,was not anywhere near as egregious as many of the statements and actions of most the USCCB pronouncements and other activities.

The blah-blah about getting Catholics to 'absorb' the teaching of Vatican II on the Jewish question was crapola,but other than that.it was jusst a typical report,expressing what the Jewish contingent probably did repeat about the "Passion".

That letter would have been better directed to the B/bishops who attended the last Conference with an "if the shoe fits,wear it" intro. We waste too much ammunition on trivia at this point in the battle. A battle where we must alsays be like Ceasar's wife,above reproach,in other words.

[Maximilian]

First of all, this article is NOT news: the actual event took place several months ago and was duly reported at the time.

I'm afraid you're mistaken about that. This statement from the bishops has a dateline of November 29, 2004 -- this past week. Here is the link to the document at the USCCB website:

http://www.nccbuscc.org/comm/archives/2004/04-237.htm

If you scroll down to the bottom of that page you will see the list of participants in this particular incident. The list of bishops you provide in your post is just those who are assigned to the ecumenical committee.

[Ann Archy]

You can NOT be serious!! A gay glag on Bishop Pilla's website...come on.

[Diago]

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/images/rnbwtile.gif

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/contact_us/index.htm

This page has the Rainbow Gay Pride banner and pink triangles as well as what appear to be Rainbow Gay Pride disco balls spiining:

http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/other_support/index.htm

[St.Chuck]

I'm sure Bendall feels better for venting but this uncivil offering will achieve little.

It's the kind of rhetoric that actually harms the traditionalist movement. It's no wonder that most bishops are compelled to keep traditionalists at arms length. The style alone reveals a malice that cannot be attributed to even a shadow of authentic Catholicism.

[Ann Archy]

OMG! As a cradle Catholic, I am APALLED!