Abbey-Roads2

Radical gay activists claim Newman was gay.

So like this is news?  I can’t tell you how many people have suggested the same thing to me - even a priest or two.  Sadly, gay men often do not understand same-sex friendship and fraternal love.   Although today such close friendship can even be confusing for normal men, tainted as many are by our sexualized culture, along with the prevalence of gay propaganda. 

One must remember that homosexuality was considered an imprisonable offense in Cardinal Newman’s day, and so debased it was referred to as a vice one dare not even name.  To suggest the Cardinal was homosexual in his relationship with Fr. Ambrose is ridiculous.  Radical homosexuals like to suggest Jonathan and King David were gay too, and even Christ and St. John the Beloved.  They make this stuff up.  Below is the Timesonline reaction:

A spokesperson for Catholic Action UK dismissed Mr Tatchell’s claims, saying it was a well-known “trick of homosexual activists” to claim that any close friendship of a person in the past is evidence of homosexuality. “Now Cardinal Newman’s great friendship with Ambrose St John is being slyly suggested as evidence of his being subject to a disordered sexuality. The utter absurdity of this idea speaks for itself.”  - Source 

Looking for the devil in the details.

There is a group in the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis who seem to travel from church to church looking for heretics and homosexuals.  They seem to have set themselves up as inquisitors for their own Holy Office.  Disagree with them or criticise their tactics and you are labeled a liberal, a progresive, a gay, or an outright heretic.

The latest brouhaha is over the upcoming Republican National Convention - and the gay activist boycott or protest that is rumored to take place there.  Whatever - how does this concern the Inquisition?  Well, I already got one crazy email suggesting a respectable Catholic man, and a group of religious would be supporting whoever is planning to protest.  That is outright defamation and calumny.  Yet this person claims she is working for the Church.

Idle hands…

This morning I received another email - which is why I am posting when I said I wouldn’t - claiming our local dissident parish, St. Joan’s hosted an event with Buddhist monks.  The title of the email was, “Buddhist monks concelebrate Eucharist at St. Joan of Arc.”  That is an out and out lie - again, it is defamation and calumny.  This is what really happened - a month ago!  (And yet the email arrives today as if the event is taking place this weekend - that is dissimulation at best.):

“St. Joan of Arc Church is hosting an interfaith prayer for the people of Tibet that will include blessings from nearly every faith practice from Catholic and Lutheran to Hindu and Zen.

Highlighting the event will be reflections by the former abbot of Kumbum Monastery in Tibet, Arjia Rinpoche, and sacred chants by the Gyuto Tantric Choir. Twin Cities vocalist Robert Robertson also will perform.” - Mpls Star/Tribune Dated July 25, 2008

Witch hunt.

From what I understand it was simply an interfaith service - not a Eucharist - and it was held in the gym, where Sunday liturgies take place, even though it is not a consecrated church - St. Joan’s has a separate church.  After checking with the parish, I realized the event was held a month ago - nothing is scheduled for this Sunday as was implied in the email alert.  Several years ago, progressive staff at St. Paul Seminary hosted a Buddhist prayer service in the seminary chapel, wherein a monk sat upon the altar.  Those days are over in our Archdiocese however - and it is quite obvious these self-appointed inquisitors do not know what to do with themelves in the meantime.  (Why would they send out old news items a month later?)

We have Archbishop Nienstedt now!  So pray and don’t worry.  (Although these people seem intent upon finding devils even in Archbishop Nienstedt’s actions.  False emails defaming a woman recently named as chancellor of canonical affairs for the archdiocese have been circulating ever since the announcement was made.  I think it is fairly obvious where the devil is in these details.) 

And ordinary ministers of the sacraments.

When I was little, I read my Lives of the Saints every day, and I always assumed the title “Confessor” meant that particular saint heard confessions, until I came to understand the term referred to the category of saint - and it meant he was a “confessor of the faith”.  Some saints were martyrs, others - layman or religious, were designated confessors if nothing else would determine their heroic virtue.  At least I think that is the case.  Anyway…

I went to confession yesterday afternoon.  I think some churches in the Archdiocese should be designated “Confessor Churches”.  Seriously.  The parish church I went to is located in an area close to two colleges, one seminary, and one motherhouse of religious sisters.  For decades it has been an extremely active parish for more people other than immediate neighbors living in its boundaries.  They have consistently had two daily Masses and offered confessions before each.  People attended Mass and received the Sacrament of Penance because it was offered.  Nuns used to frequent the parish to make confessions outside of their community appointed confessors.  So did semminarians and numerous college students.  And yes - I go there for confession sometimes, as do many other people who are not members of the parish.

Parish church, all neat and tidy.

This same parish, not unlike most in urban areas of the U.S., has a full business staff, as well as other personnel to attend to various “ministries”  - ostensibly to free the priest for sacramental duties and spiritual ministry.  I was friends with one of the priests who had been assigned to this same church.  One day he complained to me about all the penitents in line for the sacrament of penance, “Sheesh!  Why can’t they go to confession at their own parish?”  I didn’t say anything, but I wondered why this was such a problem, other than the fact he had a dinner engagement that evening.  Confession has always been available at this church one half hour before Mass, and the parish always has had at least 3 priests, and if not, they conveniently  schedule visitor priests from nearby facilities.  Is it such a burden?

As I said, I went to confession last evening at this parish.  After absolution, the confessor asked me, “Are you from this parish?”  I answered no.  “Then why do you come here?”  he asked.  “Because you offer confessions… is that wrong?”  “No!  No, not at all, I’m just asking - I’m doing a sort of poll.  So many people come here, I wonder why their parishes do not have confessions.”

The priest makes a good point - why isn’t confession offered in more parishes - I know it is - but why not daily?  At least 15 minutes before Mass.  Maybe he wasn’t thinking on the same lines however.  Maybe he is thinking of cutting back the schedule?  Other churches have done that - despite the fact we are living in a time when the Church is urging priests to make the sacrament more available.  I hope the parish remains a designated “confessor church” and maintains this ministry, after all, Our Lord defined his mission when he stated, “I came to call sinners”.

Gratefully, Father was there lasst night and kindly heard my confession.  God bless him.