by Fr. John A. KileyPosted on 05/15/2003 7:49:59 AM PDT by ThomasMore
by Fr. John A. Kiley
- When I was a curate at SS. John & Paul Parish in Coventry, it was decided to conduct a sex education course for the eighth grade students. A meeting was first scheduled for parents so they could be informed of the course's content. The meeting night arrived and not one parent showed up. Mystified by the lack of parental concern, a teacher later inquired from some parents regarding their absence. Their response was, "If Father Kiley's involved, everything will be OK. So why bother attending the meeting?"
Somewhere along the line I have acquired a reputation for doctrinal orthodoxy. And I know my weekly Visitor columns do little to dispel that notion. It was no doubt my rightist leanings that prompted the South County branch of the reform-minded "Voice of the Faithful" to invite me to participate on a panel discussing what parish priests expect from their lay parishioners. I respectfully declined the offer for the reason noted above. "If Father Kiley's involved it must be OK." My presence on this panel would give the impression that "Voice of the Faithful" is a diversified Catholic group with broad-based support. On the contrary, it is my opinion that "Voice of the Faithful," both locally and nationally, is simply "Call To Action" revisited.- The past 40 years have witnessed liberal Catholic change-agents unite under various flags. Sometimes they rally flagrantly as with "Call to Action" and sometimes quietly as with "FutureChurch." The accidents may change but the substance remains. They all subscribe to the National Catholic Reporter. Their heroes are James Carroll, Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, Gary Wills, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Father Richard McBrien. They have all inhaled deeply of the Spirit of Vatican II. They speak loudly about lay participation, whisper quietly about women priests and maintain a respectful silence about abortion. Their great joy is community building. Their great dread is clericalism. Their great error is their loss of faith in the supernatural character of the church.
A branch of "Voice of the Faithful" met recently in St. Louis with Father Richard McBrien as the guest speaker. Participants were reminded that "you are the church" and they were invited to pray with "all those people around the world who are praying in mosques and cathedrals and bomb shelters." Such ecumenical talk was quite common. Father McBrien, according to participants, indicated that the church contains all religions. The church is a communion between God and us and between us and others. The church universal is a communion of local churches. These local churches constitute the universal church. Hence, the church includes more than Catholics and even more than Christians. It contains all religions and embraces the whole wide world. It is ecumenical in the widest and strictest sense: serving the whole world as God serves it.
Contrast the broad theology above with the focused words of Pope St. Pius X who battled liberalizing trends a century ago: "In our times more than ever before, the chief strength of the (Modernists) lies in the cowardice and weakness of good men. All the strength of Satan's reign is due to the easygoing weakness of Catholics. Oh! If I might ask the Divine Redeemer, as the prophet Zachary did in spirit: 'What are those wounds in the midst of thy hands?', the answer would not be doubtful. - 'With these I was wounded in the house that loved me.' I was wounded by my friends, who did nothing to defend me, and who on every occasion made themselves the accomplices of my adversaries. And this reproach can be leveled at the weak and timid Catholics of all countries."
Father McBrien made it very clear that his audience has to do more evangelizing with the younger generations which did not experience Vatican II and therefore are not going along with the program. This plea is most revealing and encouraging since it sheds light on "Voice of the Faithful" gatherings. They consist mainly of my contemporaries, those who first allowed the church to be hijacked by the Father McBriens of the world. Succeeding generations however are making it clear that they are not interested in the innovations proposed by such people and instead show signs that they favor tradition. Father McBrien must be given credit for observing that the church is called to be a "servant church," not a "servile church." Yes, but the church is a servant of God, not of Modernist ideologues.
Recently, many of us orthodox and conservatives Catholics have been attending VOTF meetings to bring the real teachings of the Church to bear on their ongoing liberal debate.
FYI
How are you received by VOTF? I got a guardedly friendly reception but was quickly frozen out. It seems that "up my way" most priests support VOTF - what's it like in your diocese?
My daughter will be attending a Catholic HS next fall. The freshman religion teacher is a member of VOTF and I am unsure how to handle it. I am on the VOTF mailing list for the local chapter and so is she.
My cousin, 20+ years my junior, is Fr John Sistare and he is Fr. Kiley's associate pastor. Ordained only 3 years, he has taken on, in hot debate, the VOTF. It's too bad it is too far for you. They have a wonderfully orthodox parish with two excellent preachers.
How are you received by VOTF?
They DISLIKE us (orthodox) with a passion. They look at us like we're the plague. We have been accused of being ultramontanists. hehehe
It seems that "up my way" most priests support VOTF - what's it like in your diocese?
Most of our priests are indifferent to the VOTF. There are many who vocally challenge the agenda of VOTF and we try to make our presence known at every meeting. There are not many who outwardly support VOTF in the diocese of Providence.
My daughter will be attending a Catholic HS next fall. The freshman religion teacher is a member of VOTF and I am unsure how to handle it. I am on the VOTF mailing list for the local chapter and so is she.
I am very weary of their agenda. It's not so much their blatant heretical statements. It's how they covertly are attempting to protestantize the Catholic faith that is the real danger.
After one meeting I attended the priest (young, jeans and sandals, no collar) approached me and told me not to believe the bad things I hear about VOTF, the ones making accusations against them are archaic and out of touch.
Our local chapter is fairly large, and as far as I know, I am the only one around who opposes them. It's lonely!!
The problem as I see it, is 1st: bad catechisis. Most of the people (all older than I am and I am 43) either didn't know their catechism or were divorced or have divorced kids or a kid who is a homosexual. So they have an axe to grind. They were trying to find time to schedule a speaker from CORPUS and Call to Action - but I believe they backed down from that since they don't want to be on "that side" at least in print. But they sure are kissing cousins.
2nd: Especially at first, a lot of people were furious at the blatent disregard for the abused children/teenagers of the laity and the kid glove treatment of the abusing priests. So VOTF was the only game in town to join. It still is. This is where the orthodox drop the ball and do not provide an alternative forum for people to carp and feel like they are doing something constructive. Fortunately, apathy and a natural wariness of "groups" have most Catholics staying at home.
I think VOTF is so big here because of the backing of theologians/priests/"intellectuals" at Boston College, the Jesuit Center, Regis College, Holy Cross, etc. Many of the priests here promote and back VOTF. In fact, supposedly VOTF was formed by a couple of priests who were mad at Cardinal Law as he disciplined them on and off through the years over their heterodoxy. They knew that they could not form a group opposing him, but they could recruit a few big guns around to do it for them.
I wish the orthodox (SSPXers Tridentine advocates and us ortho's in the pews) could speak with one voice instead of arguing over Latin/English, kneeling/standing, etc. - we have no cohesive platform like VOTF has.
Persevere in the faith. God is pruning the vine and clearing away all the unhealthy branches. There is new growth, Alleluia!
This past weekend I attended my other cousin's ordination to the priesthood (Fr. John Sistare's younger brother Fr. Juniper Mary Sistare of the CFRs in New York; Fr. Groeschel's order) at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. That evening I diaconated at his first mass up in the Bronx on 155th street at the Franciscan Priory. Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Apostoli, Fr. Bruce Nealy and a host of others, including 40+ priests from the order, many brothers and novices were in attendance. Also, more than 70 sisters of life and sisters of charity were there. All very young and vibrant and ORTHODOX. It was a beautiful sight to see for these 50+ year old eyes.
To be faithful; truly faithful to the Church, in these times, can be a lonely and perilous way of life. But it's rewards far outweigh the perils. Besides, the VOTF and Call to Action and CORPUS, as well as all the other CINO orgs out there are all "graying". I may not see their complete demise but I am certainly witnessing the renewal of Mother Church.
I don't despair over the way things are in most parishes, but I do get incredibly sad that so many do not know the peace and joy that they could have if they surrendered themselves to God's Will and quit putting themselves up as the ultimate authority (in the "spirit" of Vatican II doncha know).
In rereading this, it sounds all pious and smarmy, and that is definitely not the way I am at all, but I don't know how else to express it.
Not at all! It was a truthful elaboration of the dire circumstances you face at the VOTF! Understood as such!
and that is definitely not the way I am at all
I know this from reading many of your posts over the last year or more. You're like many here on FR: good and faithful and concerned Catholics.
but I don't know how else to express it.
There may be no other way to express it sometimes. Those who have walked in your shoes know exactly what you mean.
God Bless you,
TM
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