Sunday Thoughts: Is The Catholic Church Like Humpty Dumpty: Can It Be Put Back Again

If all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty back together again is there anyway the Catholic Church can be put together again?

Al Johnson a top Boston criminal defense lawyer now located in sunny Florida sent me this video. It is the homily of Fr. John Lankeit, rector of Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, delivered on August 26. He tells how Jesus when he set out his hard teachings He lost many of his followers. He was preaching in a synagogue in Capernaum located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”  Those who knew him from the neighborhood  said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” Hearing their complaints he said: “Stop grumbling among yourselves.”

He went on to say:  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”  The Jews present asked: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus tried to explain but it was too much for many of his followers who said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ 

Jesus continued talking about him being the gift of the Father and how “Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life.'” After hearing this many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more.

Father Lankeit talked about how the Devil is working to split the Church using “unscrupulous shepherds and depraved clergy.” He says the common opinion of people inside the Church is that the abuse scandal in which the Church is ensnared in again is because of the homosexuality of the clergy at one end and clericalism at the other. He says because these are thought to be the opposite ends of the spectrum by an influential group in the hierarchy is precisely the problem.

He went on to note that 81% of the abuse was upon boys beyond the age of puberty clearly indicating the problem is one of “a plague of homosexuality within the Catholic clergy.” He then condemned a certain type of clericalism which closes its eyes to the homosexuality but also to the true teachings of the church in order to be popular. He suggests unless that changes there is no hope for the Church.

Henry Barth a former denizen of Boston now located in not so sunny Ireland sent me this article. It is about a 300 page report  which is “the result of findings of an investigation commissioned by the Holy Father into clerical corruption and malfeasance. ” it was commissioned by Pope Benedict XVI who allegedly resigned after reading it. It allegedly contains:  “a list of prelates and laymen who belong to the so-called gay lobby, which through blackmail and secrets could affect, or have conditioned, positions and careers.”  

Francesca Fagnani who revealed the existence of this report wrote:  “If the public were aware of the content of the final report it would be a disaster for the image of the Church, already devastated in the whole world by sexual scandals.” One senior member of the Roman Curia reportedly said in 2017: “the extent of homosexual practice in the Vatican has ‘never been worse,’ despite efforts begun by Benedict XVI to root out sexual deviancy from the curia ... .”  We know Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano’s testimony revealing an entrenched “homosexual current” in the Church in the highest ranks, reaching even up to Pope Francis himself.

A professor of theology at Villanova Massimo Faggioli stated: “The American church is in big trouble, because we don’t know how it will survive when many of the bishops are hated by many Catholics. We don’t know what kind of church this will be.” 

it is obvious why the bishops are hated. They continue to refuse to address the core root of the scandal. Until they do, if they are not handcuffed by others, it will continue.

Looking at the Church from my position as a stranger to Vatican intrigue it appears what is happening in the Church is there are three groups vying for power: the homosexual group; the strict doctrinal group (those who liked the unbending attitude of the Church prior to Pope John XXXIII who tried to bring it into the culture of the day); and straight priests and clergy who believe Vatican II (1962 – 1965) set the way to move into the future.

It suggest we can trace today’s problems back to Vatican II where the Church threw off the old shackles such as Latin, an altar facing the crucifix, a dark confessional, and a missal; and brought in handshakes, guitars, a new dress code (head coverings out, jeans, shorts), Saturday service and the cafeteria-style of pick and choose what you want to believe.

Father Lankeit would probably agree with this although he’s too young to have appreciated how different the Church was prior to Vatican II. At one time the Church taught, like some private schools, that these are our rules and beliefs. If you want to be a member of our church (or school) you have to accept them and follow them. Otherwise don’t join or stay.

It seems that is what Jesus preached at Capernaum. He understood it was a hard teaching which not everyone could buy into it. He didn’t try to please the crowd. Perhaps if the Church would follow His example there is a chance it can be put together again. Maybe it needs a Vatican III. It has to accept that doing this many more might walk away but it can’t be all things to all Catholics. For we’ve seen what that has done.

 

 

16 Comments

  1. *leagued ( I Hate Auto-Correct )

  2. *leauged

  3. Bill:

    ” Predatory prelates to the pyre.”

    Oh, inspired incendiary !!!

    No more SEX AND THE CITY pink hammock sling cocktails and catcalling young seminary novitiates who walk unsuspectingly into one of Bishop McCarrick’s SEX AND THE SEMINARIANS parties. As always well attended by the lecherous galoots leauged with McCarrick in his very sordid grooming and manipulation of young men within a strictly hierarchical organization.

    Who’d ya’ blow for that Bishopric ?!? — is not a question we want to feel we might honestly ask of the Church’s officials.

    No more pink hammock sling cocktails for McCarrick and his depraved lot.

    Try POLYGRAPHS all around, boys !!!

    Dare we say, BOTTOMS UP !!!

  4. John, I’m with you. . .storm the walls, ram the ramparts, pedal to the metal, mixing metaphors, full speed ahead, post haste. . .predatory prelates to the pyre . . . .Light My Fire! and as our forbear torchbearers of the Inquisition said, “burn baby burn” . . .but this time, it’s not the heretics outside the church that need be purified by fire, it’s the hypocritical predators inside the Church who must be fired . . .if you are a prelate who has had sex with someone under 18, or a male Catholic priest who while a priest has had sex with another male, you are FIRED . . .END OF THE STORY . . . NO EXCEPTIONS . . . . . If you are a priest and will not preach what the Catholic Church teaches, please RESIGN . . . .

    The Catholic Church discriminates when it comes to sex: It recognizes marriage as only between one man and one woman; it affirms that homosexual orientation and homosexual sex is “intrinsically disordered” and shall never be approved, as Matt has rightly quoted from the Catechism. The Church runs high school dances, and approves teenagers courting, within bounds, rather strict bounds, which few vigorously whole-heartedly adhere to . . . .the Catholic Church and Catholic Catechism recognize the primacy of the informed individual conscience, in all matters.

    Make an act of contrition . . .

  5. There is a field of mathematics, called statistics, and medicine-psychiatry called Epidemiology . . .the study of the incidence and prevalence of disease, including mental disease, including pedophilia and pederasty. From what I’ve read of the SCIENCE the incidence, prevalence of degenerate men abusing the young (under 18, let’s say) is no greater among clergy, married or single, than among teachers, coaches, boy scout leaders and now we learn Tibetan monks from the Dali Lama himself.

    You see, yes, the Church must purge itself of the bad actors and those who undermine the teachings . . .and if it’s true that a sizeable corps of homosexual prelates are preying on boys and/or undermining church teaching: EXPEL them and help the Prosecutors Prosecute them.

    Today.

    For all Institutions, in America and Worldwide: Stop Evil Men Preying on High School or Grammar School children.

    2. The 1 billion or so Catholics worldwide and 90% of Priests never even accused of anything, and the millions of Nuns and Deacons, will work together to fulfill the Scriptural Promise: The Gates of Hell will not prevail against thee. But STAT, rid thee of thy rotten core, the rotten corps of defilers. That’s STAT, as in beginning immediately and continuing full force forwardly.

    • Bill:

      Adjust your chinstrap and stop waving that damn halberd around. We are off to be with Jesus Christ in Jerusalem !!!!!!!

      I could run through a goddamn rectory wall right now !!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Catholics are not alone:

    “The Dalai Lama said Saturday that he has known about sexual abuse by Buddhist teachers since the 1990s and that such allegations are “nothing new”.

    “The Tibetan spiritual leader, revered by millions of Buddhists around the world, made the admission during a four-day visit to the Netherlands, where he met on Friday with victims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by Buddhist teachers.”

    https://sg.news.yahoo.com/dalai-lama-knew-sex-abuse-buddhist-teachers-since-234712460.html

  7. Matt

    Better than a Patriots playoff game
    watch it on Netflix or for free

    http://watchdocumentaries.com/religulous/

  8. Sometimes the question you ask is
    more important than the answer.

    It determines the answer you get about
    the meaning of life, eh?

    in other unanswered questions…..

    https://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/blog/33/voting-for-the-lesser-of-evils

    Voting for the lesse of two evils
    Submitted by robert shetterly on 21 August 2018 – 12:00am

    Since I’ve been old enough to vote — 50 years now — I’ve felt, except maybe once or twice, that I was voting for the lesser of evils.

    That problem was acute in the run up to the 2016 election, and already I’m hearing people say about the 2018 midterm: no matter who it is, if it’s Democrat, you’ve got to vote for it. We’ve got to cancel congressional support for Trump.

    That seems not an unworthy goal.

    But let’s think about a democracy constantly providing choices which great numbers of people are uncomfortable with, disappointed in, insulted by, angry about.

    Do I really have a vote if I can’t vote for the world I want, a world based in sanity rather than suicidal exploitation and U.S. empire? What does it mean if I can’t vote to grapple with the issues I think most urgent?

    Someone might answer, well, write in the candidate then who fits your bill. Really? That’s throwing away your vote as sure as not voting.

    It seems to me that when you vote for the lesser of evils knowing full well that one of the candidates is more reprehensible than the other but that neither will solve the serious problems, you have then voted against democracy. You’ve disenfranchised yourself. Haven’t you then turned the fundamental tool of democracy into a wrecking bar to tear it down rather than build it up? To protect yourself against a big blue monster, you’ve tied your fate to a smaller green monster. Or, to save yourself from cancer, you’ve chosen heart disease.

    Someone will surely remind me that politics is about compromise. Voting for the lesser of evils is a compromise; that’s what we do in politics. Politicians must often compromise. Sometimes that’s a courageous virtue — the art of the possible. Sometimes it’s a betrayal. But is it the role of citizens to compromise their values and their intelligence? I think my obligation as a citizen may be not to compromise but to adhere to my values, to insist on what I consider moral and sane. If I compromise, I give my elected official permission to compromise even further. These sorts of compromises have brought us to the brink of disaster — actually beyond the brink for so many people already besieged by climate change or the member of a species made extinct by habitat loss.

    We all know now (and if you don’t, you’re living in propaganda land) that we live in an oligarchy. A plutocracy. A military/industrial corporatocracy which determines that we have two corporate parties, with two amenable-to-capitalism candidates, and no viable third party. Voting for the lesser of evils inside that system is a vote for the status quo.

    If we show signs of opposing this system by refusing to vote, our friends are outraged: “But what if that blue monster wins?” I say the monster has already won. The monster is the system that is despoiling the earth with dollars and weapons and entitlement.

    When I vote, I want to be able to vote not for the lesser of evils but the better of goods. I want candidates who recognize the urgency of the crises bearing down on us. And my choice then is: who has the best plan? I want to simply vote for sanity in defiance of this corrupt system. The essential evil in the system is that we can’t vote to fix it. I can’t vote to get the money out of the system. I can’t vote to indict a government of war criminals. I can’t vote to end an economy based on death.

    When we are encouraged to vote for the lesser of evils, we are encouraged to vote our fear not our hope, vote for the status quo not for justice. Or to vote for a person more inclined to do the will of the Pentagon rather than Big Pharma or more inclined to sell out to Citigroup rather than kowtow to Exxon-Mobil.

    Someone might say, yes, all that’s true, but we can’t look at that big picture. We’ve got to deal with this election right now. We’ll fix that big stuff later. No, not true. There is no later.

    The choice of human survival and the survival of other species is upon us — the survival of all the plants and animals on the planet who can’t vote. The big issues are the most present. They are the greater evil. Voting for the lesser evil is voting for the greater evil.

    But, after all that, am I telling you you should not vote for Democrats, any Democrats, to break the chokehold of the Republicans on Congress? No, I’m not saying that. My own truth telling, and I am being as honest as I know how, runs head on into the nastiness of this moment and the reality of so many social, environmental, legal and political protections being stripped away by our current government. If we vote in Democratic majorities, will we be voting to end U.S. militarism and Empire? No. Will we be voting to make a radical shift in green energy production? No, nowhere near radical enough. Will we be voting to get the special interest money — which makes the system anti-democratic — out of the system? No. Will we be voting for national health care? Maybe a little closer.

    What this means is that the election, no matter which way it goes, obligates us to citizen action and civil disobedience — to demand action that will save life and create hope for the future on this ailing planet. Because we can’t vote for the better of goods, inevitably we must vote for greater responsibility for ourselves. The system won’t right this listing ship. Only we can.

    We can’t vote for democracy, but we sure as hell can act for it. That’s the choice that isn’t the lesser of evils. It’s the better of goods. It’s the vote we’ve always got no matter what the system gives us.

    also see

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/15/massachusetts-police-tweet-leftwing-surveillance-boston
    Massachusetts police tweet lets slip scale of leftwing surveillance
    An image of a police computer screen posted during Thursday’s gas emergency showed bookmarks for several activist groups

    also see

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny-metro-border-agent-killed-four-prostitutes-20180915-story.html
    Texas border agent suspected of killing four prostitutes in two-week orgy of violence

    • MS

      Yet not one of them responded to my proposition. Money with them is nothing but trash
      when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them
      are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it.”

  9. No, It can not be put back together. To much has happened. I used to go to the same church that JFK was married in. When I moved to Florida stopped going. Never missed it. My mothers sister was a nun in South Boston for forty years, God bless her.That was her life , not mine. The Catholic Church offers up excuse after after excuse. How about some of them doing some hard time? Never seems to happen. So many smart educated people in Massachusetts. When it comes time to put priests and their supervisors in prison for sex acts against children, where are they?

    • Norwood:

      Some of them did do some hard time up here. But you are right, they were a very tiny minority of offenders. That’s where many more of them should have been but the hierarchy rather than exposing them to the justice system, which I’ve never been able to understand, decided to cover up their crimes and let them continue. As a long time prosecutor I know had we known about them they would have done the hard time you speak about.

  10. Funny … Just an alert observer of –Father Sean — through the years he has been Cardinal here . He exudes the clerical aura with a dash of Old Testament, he is an administrator’s administrator, but there is an intensity you pick up on if you really watch this guy closely. Because he dissembles as well as any prelate, politician, or OT plagued Troop E Statie that I have seen in some time.

    There is a breath of the Saint about him.

    There is a withering look O’Malley has that indicates a guy who is unbelievably … Pissed Off …at the despoliation of Mother Church by Priests who contravened their Vows as Priests and therefore should be collared and tried as the criminals they are.

    The Church gave us the Inquisition for God’s sake. Do you really think they don’t have the constitution for internal policing at the end of the scandal ?

    Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. O’Malley is sitting at the right hand of the Father, so to say, in the Redemption of Old Mary .

    So to say !!!

    • John:

      Good point. Yes, the Church should have within it the ways and means (unlike Troop E) to do the internal policing itself and to clear out the rot. It has known about it now for decades; it has seen the flock running from it as it did from the Boston Public Schools during Garrity’s days. Perhaps O’Malley, who I have never met but may be related to since the family line (grandmother) is part of the O’Malley clan, can act as the Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada.

      If it can, why won’t it must now be the question.

      • Agreed, A Papal Bull Elephant is required. And he has got to stomp some Roman collared bums. This Thing of Ours !!! … Capisci ?!?

  11. The agony of good Catholics .

    Church needs a new broom .

    O’Malley !