Posted on 08/01/2007 8:47:44 PM PDT by Augustine22
Catholic Apologetics International and its Teachings on the Jews
...The issue of how CAI has been communicating its concerns about the Jews was recently brought to our attention by the bishop of the diocese in which CAI is located, the Very Reverend, Kevin C. Rhoades of Harrisburg, PA. In a personal letter he wrote to me, and in a follow up meeting I recently had with his vicar general, the Very Reverend William J. King, JCD, along with the executive director for ecumenical and inter-religious affairs of the USCCB, the Reverend James Massa, the shepherds God has placed as overseers of my life and work have asked me to reconsider the tone and content with which I write about the Jewish people for CAI. They provided me examples in which I have crossed the line into inappropriate language and accusations, and I communicated to them my agreement with their overall assessment...
Accordingly, CAI is in the process of removing all the content on its website concerning the Jews in order to make the initial adjustments in complying with my bishop’s directive. If and when CAI edits the material to make it conform to our bishop’s guidelines, we will repost it, but since my time is very limited and I have many other projects that need my attention, I do not see a reposting of the material happening very quickly, if at all. If in the future we write any new material on the Jews, it will always be with the required due diligence, as if the bishop were present with us. Since he acts in God’s stead, we will do our utmost to please him so as to preserve the peace and tranquility he so desires to maintain in the body of Christ...
Robert A. Sungenis, Ph.D.
July 31, 2007
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicintl.com ...
I have no idea about it, vladimir. I have no idea what Sungenis will do with the imprimatur now that things might be working out.
Personally, I think it would be great if everything comes out in the wash. I like his early work a lot. But he’s made promises like this before, hasn’t he? Just pray he sticks by it this time.
I have his book Not By Bread Alone and he explained why he didn’t have an imprimatur. Do you have it? It has nothing to do with all of this Jewish stuff.
How is it such a great and humble thing that Robert Sungenis finally relented after being forced to by his bishop?
He could have saved EVERYONE a lot of embarrassment and heartache if he did this a LONG time ago.
Good for him, I guess.
You wrote:
“I have his book Not By Bread Alone and he explained why he didn’t have an imprimatur. Do you have it? It has nothing to do with all of this Jewish stuff.”
Yes, I have the book. It’s good. I hope Sungenis can get the imprimaturs. He doesn’t need them, but they can’t hurt and it will help rehabilitate his image.
You wrote:
“How is it such a great and humble thing that Robert Sungenis finally relented after being forced to by his bishop?”
I didn’t say anything about Sungenis’ actions being humble or great so I have no idea of what you’re talking about. Can you show me where I said what you are alleging?
“He could have saved EVERYONE a lot of embarrassment and heartache if he did this a LONG time ago.”
Maybe, but why are you addressing this to me when I didn’t say what you just said I did?
“Good for him, I guess.”
Yes, in the long run it will be.
Now, can you show me where I said what you allege?
Ooops! That wasn’t to you! I’m new at this. I think that was supposed to be to Unam. I think I see how you do this now.
Sorry.
Vladimir998, I was doing some googling and came up with this. Is this you? You look like a Sugenis-camp guy if this is you at Catholic Answers Forums:
vladimir998
October 19, 2006
Regular Member
Originally Posted by bigdawg
Why don’t you guys just drop it?
(Vladimir998): I’m with you bigdawg. It seems that some of the most prominent apologists in the Church in America have a real axe to grind against Sungenis. Why? I’m not sure. I just see no point to this.
I like Sungenis’ books. I am eagerly awaiting his Bible study on Revelation. If anything I’ll buy it just to stick my finger in the collective eye of these people who seem determined to destroy Sungenis. (end)
I hope your out of that now, Vladimir. Sugenis was under interdict from his bishop and his bishop told him he had to take his anti-semitic stuff down or he would denounce Sungenis. It’s in Culture Wars magazine.
Sungenis changed the name of his organization to take the name Catholic out of it. There’s still serious problems there. If people can’t get that the guy is a problem, then there not thinking.
He’s bad news and I wouldn’t go near him with a 10 foot pole.
Sungenis is really far out of the mainstream. For example, he thinks that women are required to cover their heads in church, which is not true.
Moral of this story: don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Just because some guy has a blog, it doesn’t mean that he knows what he’s saying or that he is truthful.
You wrote:
“I hope your out of that now, Vladimir.”
Out of what?
“Sugenis was under interdict from his bishop and his bishop told him he had to take his anti-semitic stuff down or he would denounce Sungenis.”
Quite frankly I don’t care about Sungenis past foibles. His books are excellent.
“It’s in Culture Wars magazine.”
I don’t subscribe.
“Sungenis changed the name of his organization to take the name Catholic out of it.”
He probably was told to remove the word ‘Catholic’. Quite frankly I don’t care if the word ‘Catholic’ is in the name of the organization.
“There’s still serious problems there. If people can’t get that the guy is a problem, then there not thinking.”
I always think. I just know whatever trouble he or his organization might have had in the past or even now it doesn’t have anything to do with me and it isn’t a blot on the Church or the Catholic faith.
“He’s bad news and I wouldn’t go near him with a 10 foot pole.”
I don’t think he’s bad news at all, and I would be more than happy to keep buying his books! I look forward to his commentary on James and Romans!
You wrote:
“Sungenis is really far out of the mainstream. For example, he thinks that women are required to cover their heads in church, which is not true.”
Actually, if I am not mistaken, Sungenis says that it was in the 1917 Code and that it was a custom for which no canon law was ever put forward overturning it. Yes, the Code of 1983 superceded the 1917 Code, but it seems to me that it was still a long standing custom (over 1900 years!) and that there was no reason to overturn it. I attend the old Latin Mass and women wearing veils is a common sight.
“Moral of this story: don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Just because some guy has a blog, it doesn’t mean that he knows what he’s saying or that he is truthful.”
True enough, but Sungenis does have a worthwhile argument in favor of women wearing veils and it was certainly a venerable custom that should not have ended.
Good point steadfast. People listen to too many kooks just because they act like they’re authorities or something.
And on the veils I read both sides. Women can wear them or not. It’s not a requirment. Sugenis writes like he thinks he a bishop or a prophet or something. He’s dangerous like a cult imo. And the way some people stick with him no matter what makes it even more like a cult to me. Its a cult way of looking at things, not Catholic.
When a bishop puts his foot down like he did with Sugenis (and the bishop’s got a real good conservative rep from what I read) there’s a very very big problem.
Sugenis lied about a lot of things and he can’t even get an imprimatur anymore. He’s just not honest, imo.
But some people are really into personalities. Not me! I’ll stay right in the bosom of the Church. Personalities are for cults, Jim Jones and guys like Sugenis and his followers. No thanks.
So that was you there at Catholic Answers Forums? That explains a lot. No point in arguing any more! If you’re into cults, go for it.
Not me.
You wrote:
“If you’re into cults, go for it.”
I’m Catholic and I’m not interested in cults.
“Not me.”
What you’re not interested in is intelligence. Apparently all you want to do is attack Robert Sungenis. Have at it. It only shows us your character - or lack thereof.
Not to worry. If someone calls all the things documented that Sungenis has written attacking Jews mere “foibles”, then that tells everyone more than enough about such a person.
The way that poor Shoeman convert was treated was so wrong.
http://www.pugiofidei.com/fraud.htm
Point well taken, Steadfast (on bloggers, websites). Thanks!
Thanks.
People need to remember that a lot of blogs are just opinion and nothing more. Just because someone has a PhD after his name or styles himself to be a traditional Catholic, it does not mean that he writes or speaks with any authority on what the Church teaches. If he did, his diocesan bishop would not have ordered him to remove his supposedly “Catholic” comments about Jews from his website.
While there is no connection between creationism and geocentrism (on the one hand) and anti-Semitism (on the other hand), the fact that all these doctrines are part of Catholic tradition makes it almost inevitable that any Catholic who takes the traditional position on creation/geocentrism will almost inevitably take it on the Jews as well.
You wrote:
“If someone calls all the things documented that Sungenis has written attacking Jews mere “foibles”, then that tells everyone more than enough about such a person.”
You have no idea of what you’re talking about. His actions were examples of his foibles. I said nothing about the ideas he held.
Also, please note, Dmetrius’ account has been banned or suspended. I’m not sure why he was banned but you might want to think about it.
There’s only one problem with your post:
“...the fact that all these doctrines are part of Catholic tradition...”
Anti-semitism is not a Catholic doctrine.
Also, geocentrism is not a Catholic doctrine.
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