Church in Crisis

The Lantern Vol 42

Like anyone else I tire of the battles against Satan and his minions. My wife recently gave me a letter that reminded me that tiredness does not cut it. I get riled up every time I talk about the sexual abuse in our Church, especially of our children. Sadly, I don't get riled up enough just for the honor and glory of God. It is the human outrage that gets me going yet the spiritual offenses against God are what are truly horrible.

Recently, Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, the general secretary of the USCCB resigned from his position for alleged homosexual activity. Monsignor Burrill was responsible for helping coordinate the churches response to sexual abuse, while he himself was apparently involved in sexual escapades.

I have written on many occasions that the church abuse crisis is far from over because its roots stem from sexual immorality of the priesthood. An immorality that is prevalent in the Church hierarchy of today. Just a few years ago Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, was removed for sexual abuse of a minor. His sexual escapades were decades in the making. He was replaced by Donald William Wuerl who retired after the McCarrick scandal. It was reported to me that Wuerl himself was a sexually active prelate. I believe his retirement was a matter of timing to hide further scandal.

People are not facing the logical conclusion that decades of sexual perversion and child abuse coverup did not take place in a vacuum. Thousands of children were abused and in the process thousands of priests and bishops were groomed. In this latest revelation similar inappropriate sexual activities are being connected to many other parishes.

This recent article from crisis magazine is just another insight to the Church's dark problems which are brewing. https://www.crisismagazine.com/2021/is-msgr-burrill-the-tip-of-the-iceberg.

Here we see another link to the Altoona-Johnstown diocese and a much broader link to the continued cover up of sexual abuse. Abuse that will link dozens in the church hierarchy.

Why would we find it so surprising that these same prelates which support homosexuality or look the other ways are themselves sexually active? Why do you think Catholics shiver as the Pope supports priests like Fr. James Martin? Homosexuality in the priesthood makes strange bedfellows and according to all the abuse cases it has run rampant in the Vatican. Homosexual activity or it’s coverup appears to be a rite of passage for many, many Bishops and Cardinals. We have to stop acting like there is some holy or righteous reason for cover ups and recognize these are being done as a means of self preservation, personnel satisfaction or initiation.

Myself and so many others sounded the alarm for decades about abuse but it seems, it will take another court case to reveal the dirty activities of so many in the church leadership. We got sued and spend billions hiding and paying for child abuse now we can spend the same on sexual assaults.

I see an eerie resemblance between Pope Francis and Bishop Joseph Adamec. Like Adamec, Pope Francis has surrounded himself with a cadre of perverted priests.

His recent "Traditionis Custodes" ("Guardians of the Tradition") document is just another example of his confusing teachings. It is a reversal of Pope Benedict’s letter approving the spread of the Latin Mass. Somehow in order to guard tradition, we are to throw it out.

Now, please understand, I am not a Latin Mass cheerleader. I have attended the Latin mass many times and personally think it is a more reverent form of sacrifice to God. Yet, I primarily attend the Novus Ordo mass. I think the Novus Ordo would not have any resistance if the documents Pope Francis alleges to support were followed in any way. No matter where I went to Latin Mass I found it reverent and always the same. On the other had I would estimate most of the Masses I have attended in the Novus Ordo have had some violation of church teaching and some were outright offensive. The previous traditions of the liturgy and the teachings of Vatican II were jettisoned in the implementation of the new mass.

Much of the damage was done by the same sexual abusers that damage the church today. Aberrations were pushed to give the impression of a changing Church, a different changing God. To allow sexual abuse to run unchecked in the priesthood.

I believe the purpose of this latest document is just that. A distraction to attack faithful church goers. A confusing document to keep the faithful so confused they don't look under the sheets.

Cardinal McCarrick is being called back to face charges and the scandal of the Vatican College will need a smokescreen.

Allow me to focus on just one aspect of the document. Pope Francis does not say in any way that the Latin Mass is no longer legitimate, in fact you can continue it with permission from the local ordinary. Yet, here is the problem. It is not supposed to be celebrated in the local church or have a special place built for it’s celebration. Just ponder this for a second. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass must be said in some place less fitting than a church!

I remember one of Bishop Adamec’s first actions was how he limited the number of masses that could be said. When he began his annual Chrism Mass the other priests would not celebrate their local Mass and of course most Holy Days of Obligation were satisfied by Sunday Mass. What kind of evil reduces the number of Masses, and what kind of evil promotes it to be said in some place less scared?

I see this new letter by Pope Francis in a similar light. This is not surprising from the Pope who in a time of great crisis last year cancelled most masses. Are we being distracted by papers and viruses and not seeing the greatest threat, the offense to God?

Our Church is in crisis and will remain that way until the laity put a stop to these perverted Bishops and their continual support for sexually active priests. Good priests are still being silenced when they speak the gospel. When a priest is removed or leaves for speaking out against the evils of today we should look to those Bishops and bounce them out of their office. We set up protests and rallies to fight injustices. Let's form barricades at diocesan homes until these bishops leave. Why should they feel comfortable in the homes we pay for while we do not feel comfortable with their abuse. The crisis is not just the continual rape and perversion of our faith and faithful, but the lack of action by us the laity. The Church is in crisis and we need to take action.