Saturday, February 26, 2005
SR. LUCY'S CELL SEALED
according to an article at Fatima Network linked at Novus Ordo Watch.
So the questions will continue to be raised since this just adds more mystery to the Third Secret. Was it that there was a fear something would be stolen, or that there was a fear something would be found?
THE MAN WHO TRIED TO KILL THE POPE
has asked that the Third Secret of Fatima be revealed in total according to an article at Catholic News Service:
ROME (CNS) -- The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981, jailed Turkish terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca, has called on the Vatican to reveal what he claims are undisclosed elements of the secret of Fatima.
Agca made the request in an "Open Letter to the Vatican" following the death of Carmelite Sister Lucia dos Santos, the last visionary from Fatima, Portugal. Agca's letter was sent to the Rome newspaper La Repubblica, which published it Feb. 20.
For years, Agca has maintained that his shooting of the pope was tied to the secrets of Fatima and to the end of the world. At his last Italian trial for the shooting in 1986, Agca interrupted proceedings repeatedly with unintelligible ramblings about Fatima and at one point proclaimed himself to be Jesus Christ.
In his latest letter, written from an Istanbul prison where he is serving time for his role in a previous shooting, Agca expressed his sadness at Sister Lucia's death and said, "The secret of Fatima is connected with the end of the world."
The article goes on to indicate that there is no basis for his request.
FOLLOW-UP TO AN ARTICLE ON APPARITIONS AT CHRISTIAN ORDER
offers answers to some comments readers made. Among them:
“Fr Joseph’s article failed to deal with Medjugorje, or the revelations of Fr Gobbi.”
My purpose was to give an exposé of the principles for judging all revelations; not to treat of any particular revelation in detail. The principles in my article make it clear that one cannot propagate the messages of Medjugorje. As to why, Bishop Peric’s talk in the same issue of Christian Order deals with that very fully.
On other occasions, I have told people (generally to no avail) to stop following it or promoting it. My reasons are basically: 1. The Bishop has said it is false. 2. No verified miracles. 3. Repetitive, banal messages, unworthy of the Mother of God. There are plenty of other reasons.
As to Fr Gobbi, I am not aware of any official judgement, positive or negative, but I think his messages are repetitive, prolix, and sometimes contradictory. The Antichrist did not appear in 1998, as prophesied; nor did the Second Coming occur, which the messages of the 1990’s were predicting for the end of the decade.
LUBAVITCHER JEWS AND NEOCATECHUMENALS
finding common ground at the Domus Galilaeae according to this article at Chisea. The article describes the Lubavitchers this way:
The Lubavitchers take their name from the Byelorussian city of Lubavitch, their place of origin. They were born in the second half of the 17th century, from a splinter of Hasidic Judaism. In terms of this vast current of religious revival, they distinguish themselves by a more marked attention to the study of the Talmudic and Cabalistic texts, both public and secret, and by their strong missionary efforts among their brothers in faith.
PORTIONS OF AN INTERVIEW WITH FR. LUIGI GIUSSANI
at Chiesa, which was published August 9, 1988. A couple of the passages:
Q: Here they [the words of Pope Paul VI] are: "There is a great disturbance at this moment in the world and in the Church, and what is in question is the faith. It happens now that I find myself repeating the obscure saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Saint Luke: 'When the Son of an returns, will he find faith on the earth?' It happens that books are published in which important points of the faith are undermined, that the bishops are silent, that these books are not found to be strange. [...] What strikes me, when I consider the Catholic world, is that a non-Catholic type of thought seems to predominate sometimes within Catholicism, and this non-Catholic thought might become the stronger one within Catholicism in the future. But it will never represent the thought of the Church. A small flock must remain, however small it may be."
A: "These words are the synthesis of the pope's reflection on the situation and destiny of the Church. This is where his openness to CL comes in." [...]
Q: Is there some strong doctrinal point that you feel to be central to the magisterium of Paul VI?
A: "The affirmation, completely against the tide, of the Church as an 'ethnic identity sui generis'. On July 23, 1975, it was the heart of his preaching on the identity of the Church at the Wednesday general audiences. We were almost the only ones to take up this idea. Paul VI sensed the destruction of the Catholic presence in society. This presence was hiding itself. Or rather, instead of a Catholic presence, there was an increasingly tired and abstract closing in upon oneself in the offices of the associations, while the concrete lives of the young people themselves lined up to follow the current ideas. Or, instead of the Catholic presence, there was intellectual interpretation in the manner of the Democratic League, of the university students of the FUCI, of the Catholic Alumni. These theorized a conception of the faith that was absolutely elitist, and suicidal for mission. In the third place, the position of the Church came to be identified with political and diplomatic cunning. In any case, I believe that the news about the situation of the Catholic universities, institutes, and schools of theology was decisive in showing clearly to Paul VI the abyss toward which the Church's leadership was dragging everybody else."
Friday, February 25, 2005
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE
I'm sure I've mentioned before how much I enjoy the birds at the feeder in the backyard. Along with birds invariably come squirrels with theft in mind. We have squirrelproofed the feeders, but there is always feed on the ground, and we have quite a healthy squirrel population in the neighborhood. One day I counted 14 under the feeder at once. Naturally they were not getting along.
Years ago I was able to tame a squirrel. He even had a name--Jackson. (Don't ask me why. I didn't have a reason.) Jackson would watch for me to come out and come running when I did because I always had peanuts for him. If I remained standing, he would crawl up my pantleg to take the peanut out of my hand. If I sat down on the ground he would prop himself up on my knee to get the peanut. I was never able to pet him, but he was still fun.
I've decided to try to tame another one since my favorite neighborhood cat moved away, so have been tossing peanuts out to the squirrels regularly. Today as we were eating dinner, we watched one squirrel pick up a peanut from under the feeders, bring it up onto the deck, and bury it in the snow. He repeated this numerous times. The snow is melting as I write this. I wonder if he had planned those peanuts for an evening snack? In any case, they are going to be some squirrel's evening snack when the snow is gone.
HEALING SERVICE IN CLEVELAND
Amy has a blog up at Open Book about the healing service in Cleveland. A reader sent me a link to another news report on it.
Trapper Jack is a rather well-known radio personality. I did not know that he is blind. Ted Henry is Cleveland's version of Dan Rather (before his fall from grace). I don't know the priest, the nun, or the couple.
Healing services at my mother-in-law's parish have been going on for years, though this may be something entirely different from what happens there. She used to attend regularly, but has become somewhat skeptical. Apparently there are some odd activities that include speaking in tongues and being slain in the spirit. She doesn't like to talk about it.
I'm not sure what to think about this new report. There was a program on one of the TV news magazines recently about a faith healer who performed psychic surgery. John of God. Apparently sometimes he is successful, though not always. He was not invoking the Trinitarian God, but claimed that he was just an instrument. Instrument of what?
CCC 2116 indicates that "All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others--even if this were for the sake of restoring their health--are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion."
Does that also include recource to God? This team of four people seem to be seeking the action of the Trinitarian God to accomplish these healings, but the passage in the CCC indicates that other sources can effect a healing as well. I would like to believe that the God we know and love is active in this healing team, but I've read enough to be skeptical. Does God need a channel or medium to work a miracle? This could easily open the door to other aspects of the occult world.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC ECUMENISTS
A reader sent in this essay at a Serbian Orthodox Church website announcing a conference on ecumenism:
Ecumenism is a child of the 20th century. It was born at its outset, experienced a metamorphosis in the World Council of Churches around the middle of the century and by its end, it was on its last breath being fiercely rejected. Unfortunately, it survived this crisis, and continues to trouble the Church of God in the 21st century.
This theological conference on ecumenism, in our humble opinion, is long overdue but not hopelessly so. Therefore, we thank God, as well as all those who worked to make this eminent gathering possible, in order that the issue of ecumenism may be considered from various perspectives, which should be of great help to all local Orthodox Churches, as well as the Church as a whole and every faithful person. It will help the Church to take the proper position toward this, not only the latest, but also the most dangerous ecclesiological heresy, which our well-known theologian, Fr. Justin Popovich, consequently called pan-heresy because it encompasses all heresies previously known in the history of the Church.
You can't get much more blunt than that! The conference took place September 20-24, 2004.
FROM THE MAILBOX
I've just now been able to look at my email, and found this. Wish I could have gotten it up earlier.
================================
Dear Carrie,
I will be interviewed regarding the fight for Terri and euthanasia on the Steve Kane Show on WNN, 1470 AM, South Florida, at 7:30 am ET tomorrow. The nationwide toll-free call-in number is 877-275-2326. I would love to hear from you or your readers, who may also listen to the broadcast online.
Please pray that the Holy Ghost may guide my poor words in defense of life.
With best regards,
Earl
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
I'M STILL AROUND
Last time my computer crashed and I had it restored the sound failed to come through for some reason. I've been putting off having that fixed, but decided to do it this week. It went to the technician on Monday for what I thought would be a quick fix that would get me back online by Monday evening. Alas....
So here I am at the library trying to touch base. One good thing about having the computer down is that I have nothing else to do but work on a report that seems to get postponed otherwise, so time was not wasted until I hit the point of needing info online.
Which is why I'm here at the library.
Anyway, I should be back to non-stop cyberspace soon.
Monday, February 21, 2005
ANOTHER PROBLEM BROUGHT ON BY ECUMENISM
Back in the days prior to Vatican II, Catholics were forbidden to step foot inside a Protestant church. Then came the Council and suddenly we were separated brethren who took part in each other's services.
Back before the Council, the issue of invalid marriage ceremonies did not come up, because the prohibition spelled out above took care of it. That is no longer the case, and no one is talking about the rules--except my pastor, who wrote in yesterday's bulletin:
Sad and Unfortunate
Something got lost here--even with good, practicing Catholics. Catholics are not to participate at the marriage of Catholics which are NOT VALID--meaning not approved by the Church. One's presence at an invalid marriage ceremony is giving their tacit approval of the INVALID situation. This of course is a source of scandal. I know many are doing this. I know it is difficult emotionally. BUT, WHERE DO WE TAKE A STAND? Is there anyone out there?? It is a result of many years of tragic confusion and loss of sense and understanding. As a priest, I have to take the brunt of this reminder. What fun?
I don't recall hearing this before, but it certainly sounds correct. Unfortunately, invalid marriages have become commonplace. I have a family member getting married next month. I assume he is non-practicing since his Catholic parents have converted to the Methodist church. His intended will be entering her third marriage. Fortunately I have a good reason not to attend.
Even before Father put this in the bulletin, I was uncomfortable with the idea of attending the wedding of a Catholic who was entering an invalid marriage, but not really sure if I stood on official ground in refusing to attend. At least this bulletin insert clears that up.
What I'm still wondering, though, is whether attending the reception is acceptable? I'm assuming that it is; but if not, then what about giving a wedding present? If none of this is acceptable, a serious family rift is likely to result. The kind that will be permanent.
Does it matter that the couple involved are non-practicing Catholics? Is refusal to attend still appropriate, or does this only apply to practicing Catholics?
It would certainly help if the Church were teaching this universally, instead of just in my own parish. But I suppose it would fly in the face of ecumenism and so is unlikely to be discussed anytime soon.
THE OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH
There is an interesting history of the Old Catholic Church online, put together by Archbishop Bowman. It begins here.
The series of webpages are based on the writings of an Old Catholic Benedictine brother who lived in an Old Catholic community in Woodstock, New York. The articles were written for publication in the Catskill Mountain Star in 1941.
The history presented the surprising information that the Old Catholic Church is in communion with the Orthodox Church. This had not become apparent in the reading I've done on wandering bishops. For example, in the section titled "Toward Unity: The Restoration Movement" is this passage:
The joint Encyclical the Old Catholic Bishops in America in 1925, in which an outline of a really Christian society was advocated, met with such approval by representatives of the Eastern Orthodox Church that the Metropolitan John of the Holy Synod, of Russia, representing 127 Bishops and Archbishops in Russia, received the Old Catholic Church in America into union with that body in the same year. In 1933, under an agreement jointly entered into, the Orthodox Archbishop of Prague and Czechoslovakia, Savvatios, under the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, placed the Orthodox Czechoslovaks in America under the jurisdiction of the American Old Catholic Archbishop, while at the same time Savvatios wa named Protector of the Old Catholics in Czechoslovakia.
And there is this passage from the section "Beyond 1941":
during and after the Second World War, Mar Georgius I, Patriarch of Glastonbury and Catholicos of the West began unifying the various strands of Old Catholics and independent Catholics. By 1956, through sub conditione consecrations, he had accumulated all sixteen lines of Apostolic succession know to exist: Syrian-Antiochene, Syrian-Malabar, Syrian-Gallican, Syro-Chaldean, Chaldean-Uniat, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian-Uniat, Order of Corporate Reunion, Old Catholic, Mariavite, Nonjuring, Anglican, Russian Orthodox, Russo-Syrian Orthodox, Greek-Melkite, and Liberal Catholic.
Old Catholics ordain women. How do the Orthodox handle that? Old Catholics accept homosexual activity without judgment, as they do divorce. How do the Orthodox handle that? And then there is the matter of some Old Catholic groups that fall into the occult arena. Are the Orthodox accepting of that as well? When this question has arisen in the past, the answer has always been "no", but now it appears as though ecumenism is merging them into a united body in Europe.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't know my way around the intricacies of the Orthodox communion. There are small independent Orthodox Churches, though the two quoted passages above do not appear to be about independents. Rather they look to me to be about mainline Orthodox Patriarchies.
EMAIL FROM DR. BOND
Dear Friends,
Here is the link to the latest article from the Scranton Times on the Society of St. John:
http://www.scrantontimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13952797&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=8
As most of you know, Fr. Eric Ensey filed bankruptcy in an effort to prevent the federal lawsuit from going forward and, more importantly, to prevent the release of his psychosexual evaluations. Now that the bankruptcy court has lifted the stay, the lawsuit can more forward again. We should expect, however, that Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity and/or the Society of St. John will soon step forward to file bankruptcy in an effort to obtain yet another delay. Indeed, we are witnessing a classic case of the perverse manipulation of law in order to prevent a victim of abuse from having his day in court.
Does anyone remember the early days of this scandal when the Society of St. John and its supporters were proclaiming their eagerness to defend themselves in a court of law? How many times did we hear that the SSJ priests could not wait to clear their names? Yet these same priests have done everything possible to delay their day of judgment, for they know on that day they will be buried by the evidence against them.
Pax vobiscum,
Dr. Jeffrey M. Bond
TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR TERRI
Rather than try to keep up with the developments, I'll send you to Open Book where Amy has links to the bloggers who are covering developments.
I will never understand how killing a handicapped woman can be legal.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
RITUAL ABUSE IN TOLEDO
The investigation into the murder of Sr. Margaret Ann Pahl is leading to an alleged ring of priests who ritually abused children. The story was linked at Open Book.
