The Pope Has Let Us Down

There he was on Sunday, the old lion, John Paul II, preaching to a crowd of two million faithful in his native Poland. His words thundered a condemnation of modern man, who embraces "freedom without truth or responsibility." Said the pope: "He claims for himself the Creator's right to interfere in the mystery of human life. Rejecting divine law and moral principles, he openly attacks the family."

Cardinal Bernard Law claims to have offered his resignation, only to have it refused.

I was very depressed today to read in Zenit that Archbishop Milongo, he of the Moonie wedding and the fraudulent "healing services," has been welcomed back to the fold and is out working his same old magic again. He was "punished" for all of what, 3 months?

What does this say to all the good and faithful bishops and clergy?

I honestly don't understand what's going on.

fraudulent "healing services,"

What do you know about the above?

I was disturbed to read some time ago that Milingo performed exorcisms in an unorthodox manner. Catholic clergy are not permitted to perform exorcisms unless they get prior approval from the local bishop and then must follow the ritual.

It is conceivable to me that he can do as much or more damage to souls, potentially, by his unorthodox approach to healing - as are many others these days - than from the scandal caused by his marriage, annulment or whatever, and subsequent discipline.

By now there has been such a breakdown in traditional disciplines and safeguards that I really don't know what to think any more. I have nothing whatsoever against laity or anyone praying for people for healing, but indiscriminately and unlawfully laying on hands and doing all the other mumbo jumbo is probably very risky business imo.

We have a sacrament for healing and if only the faithful would avail themselves of that instead of chasing after these alternatives. Maybe the priests don't want to do that any more because it takes more time, is one-on-one, doesn't put one in the limelight, and is not as exciting as healing masses and services. But what do I know?

By now there has been such a breakdown in traditional disciplines and safeguards that I really don't know what to think any more.

Actually, you know a lot. This has bothered me very much, too. Milingo has set up a sort of para-church in his area, and it distresses me enormously that the "official" Church, after all of Milingo's blatant unorthodoxy, is just saying, "oh, okay, it's cool with us."

I don't think Jesus intended to establish Peter as his rubber stamp for the Zeitgeist, but that seems to be what's happening. I'm very, very upset by this.

Yes, I've been very upset for a long time over this. I've gone over it backwards and forwards in my mind. Obviously we cannot put God in a box and tie his hands, but when the church makes liturgical and canonical rules, as is their authority to do so, and imposes them under penalty of sin, when they are not followed, I would suppose there would be heavenly penalties, not so much for the ignorant (they possibly are deprived of graces, etc.), but for those who willfully disobey.

I wouldn't care about any of this, within certain obvious concerns about going overboard, if there weren't rules. But there are rules and the church is thumbing her nose at her own rules until it comes to other matters such as women priests, power to the laity, etc.

The bottom line is that you can't turn your family loose in the church to partake of all that is offered (questionable retreats, extra-liturgical services, etc., etc.) without being eternally vigilant. For myself, I can will to stick just to the sacraments and do fairly well, but for my friends and loved ones, they are at severe spiritual and possibly physical (from wacky healing practices.

There is heavy peer pressure to participate in some of these questionable activities. Pressure is also being exerted by priests who want to shine and are willing to compromise to do so . . .

I am not talking about blind obedience here, but I am concerned about blindly following the disobedient factions. What is most tragic to me is that I have seen otherwise very orthodox catholics being taken in through their blind trust in the pastors and their woeful ignorance about rules governing clerical practices.

And all this on top of the horrendous sexual abuse scandals.

Where are the watchmen on the wall? They are slumbering.

FR "restored" a censored remark # 39 but it seems that the victims of the whacky new regime of censorship here have to put their own stuff back up, so here it is (why anybody would have censored this is a mystery only the new FR elves can answer, but here it is (it was #39) Posted by Admin Moderator to leilani
On News/Activism 11/16/2002 4:30 PM CST #80 of 88

Sorry I pulled your remarks. My mistake.
Restored:

To: duckln

Duckln, Conservative til I die: Dreher is a hard-core, deep-in-his-heart Roman Catholic. If I'm not mistaken, unlike some of us, he was a convert - which requires some real heavy-duty philosohical & emotional lifting on the part of the person switching sides.In other words, the guy has huevos. Dreher has been dead on the money about EVERYTHING when it comes to sexual predators hiding behind the roman collar.He wants these freaks OUT of his church & so do I. As an "orthodox" Roman Catholic, I thank GOD he is on our side.
39 posted on 08/24/2002 4:19 PM PDT by leilani

So, I didn't post anything horrible, obscene or objectionable. Nobody here has quite figured out why this post got pulled by the new FR Czars in the first place, but it should make everybody nervous.There's absolutely no excuse for this.

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