Martino, 63, announced Monday that he would leave his post because of "crippling" insomnia and fatigue caused by stress over the lack of "a clear consensus" among members of his diocese on his initiatives.Posted on 09/05/2009 5:59:31 AM PDT by NYer
FRONT ROYAL, Virginia, September 4, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Human Life International president Rev. Tom Euteneuer has fired back at Politics Daily writer David Gibson for his column disparaging the pro-life leadership of Scranton's former bishop, Joseph Martino, following his retirement earlier this week. Euteneuer said that Martino's insistence upon fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, and his subsequent early retirement, symbolized if anything that "the battle for orthodoxy is literally ferocious in today's Church, and it will be the dividing point between the sheep and the goats."
Martino, 63, announced Monday that he would leave his post because of "crippling" insomnia and fatigue caused by stress over the lack of "a clear consensus" among members of his diocese on his initiatives.
Gibson noted, as other Catholic commentators have pointed out, that the greatest opposition Martino faced had to do with his closing and consolidating Catholic schools in the diocese. But the column, noting that Martino "alienated many with his abrasive style," suggested the bishop "was pushed before he jumped" by the Vatican and other U.S. bishops for taking an aggressive stance against homosexuality, abortion, pro-abortion politicians and their reception of communion.
"Whatever the ins and outs of the internal church maneuvering, the upshot is that a leading voice in the anti-Obama wing of the church hierarchy has been silenced while both Obama and Biden continue to take center stage," wrote Gibson.
Fr. Euteneuer blasted the "anti-Catholic" article, lamenting that "the Catholic Left in America is allowing this administration to divide the Catholic Church in America."
"Anti-Catholics like Gibson, because of their ill-will and disdain for the Church, see the departure of one of America's great shepherds as a victory," said Euteneuer in a statement. The HLI president called Martino "one of those courageous shepherds who simply got attacked for doing everything a bishop is supposed to do."
"That the wonderful Bishop Martino was 'silenced' is the musing of sick media minds like Gibson's that look for scandal everywhere," wrote Euteneuer. "Scandal indeed is the media's business while the care of souls is the business of the Church."
'If [Martino's] stepping down symbolizes anything, it indicates the warfare that a good bishop must go through, even from within the Church, to set things aright," he said. "The battle for orthodoxy is literally ferocious in today's Church, and it will be the dividing point between the sheep and the goats.
"When did 'go along to get along' become the dominant view of so many American bishops and Catholics? Where exactly in the Gospel is this written? How can we justify shrinking from the defense of human life and other unpopular Catholic teaching under the most anti-Catholic administration in modern history?"
Euteneuer implored bishops to defend Bishop Martino and the Church teaching he so vigorously guarded, saying of Martino's detractors that "we cannot let such Catholics claim the mantle of Catholicism."
See the full text of Fr. Euteneuer's statement here.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Pro-Life Champion Bishop Martino Retires
The oldest trick in history is to divide and conquer. Obama has placed "Catholics" in key positions .. and we wondered why. He recognized the strength of the Catholic vote and the only way to win would be to divide the Catholic Church in America.
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Wow! May God bless Fr. Euteneuer!
God often references seperating things; the sheep from the goats, wheat from the chaff, weeds and wheat. He also discourses on good fruit and the pruning necessary to achieve it, being connected to the vine in order to produce that fruit, and taking up our cross and following Him.
This bishop is a holy man. He fought the good fight. There are many things that are happening both in the appointments of cino’s and the division in the Church that are telling me that Christs words are getting ready to be fufilled. The faithful remnant must pray for the following, daily.
1. For clarity of mind and faithfulness and courage no matter what is asked of us
2. For protection from evil
3. For the confusion and disarray among our enemies
4. For protection of our marriages,children, and country from the enemies attacks
5. For the intentions of the Holy Father, and the strength and fidelity of our Bishops, priests and religous to him.
Without prayer, we have already surrendered, with prayer we have already triumphed!
The pro-life movement is very blessed to have such an outspoken priest who does not cave under the pressure of political correctness.
It certainly is! When I read that quote I got goosebumps.
God bless Fr. Eiteneuer and best wishes to Bishop Martino.
If this gave you goosebumps, check out the new thread: The Passing of a Real Hero. Fr Euteneuer scores again!
I will. Thanks!
There is no battle for orthodoxy in the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church by its very nature is orthodox. The battle is in every heart to adhere to its orthodox Doctrines.
Lest someone believe somehow the Church will someday no longer be the "pillar and ground of truth".
Wow. Well, the wedge between 'American' Catholics and those loyal to Rome has been building for some time. Now the political left has positioned themselves to exploit that? You're right, we wondered why, especially since the Catholics chosen were the most left leaning, those calling themselves Catholic not necessarily following Church teachings. (With those who criticized these prominent Dem Catholics openly chastised as divisive and hateful.) He keeps saying it's for common ground, to unite not divide, but the reality is quite different.
I agree with Father Enteneur on this.
We cannot let such Catholics claim the mantle of Catholicism. We implore our shepherds to defend their brother Bishop Martino, and again unequivocally restate the importance of defending Church teaching even when it is most politically inconvenient. We must not give dishonest hacks like David Gibson even the appearance of endorsement for the view that all normal and faithful Catholics are those who endorse everything this anti-life administration does.Yes. That certainly has been the strategy of the left, to attach the Catholic label on every gangster at the helm of government.
True enough, but all the "old tricks" are just conterfieted acts of God. Jesus came to divide, too, and I think Obama will find himself "out-divided."
Too, note that the Catholic church got into bed with Saul Alinsky a generation ago. It’s no coincedence, I trust, that the legacy of the man who dedicated his opus to “Satan, the original radical,” having leavened the church, is destroying our country today.
Go Father Euteneuer !!
Tell it like it is !!
He was supposed to have a book come out last fall. I still have not seen it. Does anyone have any recent word on when it will be published??
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