Wednesday, October 18, 2006
DISSENT ON THE RIGHT - CHEVALIERS DE NOTRE DAME
Imagine you are a bride-to-be planning your wedding. Would this write-up in Manhattan Bride Magazine look appealing? Bishop Douglas L. Trees, Bishop-Preceptor of The Catholic Order of Chevalier de Notre Dame, a 1,000 year-old religious order" will help you discover what makes a marriage last by sorting out the emotional baggage and helping the couple create "a more sophisticated attitude about marriage" and then to "encourage that in the vows you express to each other."
It might help to know that the priest is part of the order that "has married kings and queens, dukes and duchesses". It probably would appeal to Mr. and Mrs. Barry King III. The former Jean Marie Mink and Barry King III were married by The Rev. Trees, "a Roman Catholic priest" who "officiated at St. Andrew's Dune Road Church in Southampton, N.Y." together with United Church of Christ minister The Rev. Robert Benson, according to the write up in The New York Times.
This couple certainly appear to have the education necessary to know what they were doing. So do Jennifer Strum and Jeffrey Nuich, who also were married by The Rev. Douglas L. Trees.
But then again, maybe they visited Rev. Trees website and thought they were getting "Traditional Catholic Priests that Care".
It actually took me quite a while yesterday to determine that this organization is a schism within a schism. The order provides a webpage on the "Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei'"
On their home page you will learn that "The Latin expression lectio divina means a prayerful reading of scripture to nourish prayer and to enter into communion with the mystery presented to us in the biblical text." You can discover the "Meditation - Ladder of the Monks". You can discover their ministry to the James Whitcomb Riley Childrens Hospital.
In another webpage you would learn that "The one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church extends to you and your loved ones a most cordial welcome to our Church and our Religious Order."
You might catch the red flag on the history webpage where the "Order was revitalized under the lawful authorities of His Eminence The Most Reverend Paul Martin Ngo Dinh Thuc, Holy Roman Archbishop of Hue, Republic of Vietnam" if you know something about the schisms on the right, but if not, your attention might focus on "Consultor to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and His Eminence Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, Grand Master of the Ordre in France and the founder of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX)." Chances are any Catholic in the pews who has any love of the Mass knows about the SSPX. It is possible that when you read that Donald W. Trees "received numerous public awards for his devotion to and love of children" and that "His endowment to the Shriner's Children Hospital in Chicago remains to this day" you might remember that the Shriner's Hospital is a Masonic charity. But maybe not. What you would make of the "ecclesiastical authority of Archbishop Andre Barbeau, D.D. (now deceased) Cardinal des Chevaliers du Temple, an exempt Sovereign Military Religious Order" is anybody's guess. I didn't know what to make of it.
If you move on over to the Clerics and Staff webpage, you will be reassured by all those Roman Catholic Church Archbishops and Clerics. Rabbi Marcia Rappaport's appearance in the Interfaith segment of the webpage would be balanced by Sister Elizabeth; Sister Bonnie Lynn, NDS; Friar Neil, BS, NDS; Brother James; and Friar Thomas. Having a couple of Jewish lawyers is just good business.
The Ecclesia Dei Pontifical Commission webchallenge is so confusing that you would probably just skip over it entirely.
If you were that proverbial bride-to-be searching for a Catholic ceremony, you might move on to the Sacraments webpage and discover the "Presence of the Holy Spirit in Your Ceremony." The promise of a "stress-free and beautifully personalized ceremony" provided by "compassionate priests" would especially appeal to an interfaith couple like Mr. and Mrs. Barry King III. Wedding preparations have the potential to become STRESSFUL if you think in terms of Cindarella in Fairy Land and plan a big social occasion. Any promise of reduction of stress is bound to appeal. And if you happen to be located in the Diocese of Rockville Centre where "It's Priest's [are] attempting to SUPPRESS their own words regarding your rights and privileges to receive the Holy Sacrament of Catholic Matrimony" according to this page in their website, you might see these priests as just what you need.
And then there is the endorsements page. So many options are provided there that something has to work.
Just in case you have any doubts about this order, they remind you that "The Catholic sex-abuse scandal is not history!" so obviously you wouldn't want to seek out a priest that might be guilty, would you? You couldn't go wrong with the Chevaliers De Notre Dame. The ceremony page is even written partially in Latin.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
