Online snipers.
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"I have plenty of enemies, but at age 76, I don’t care, because I’m checking out of here anyway." - Fr. Benedict Groeschel
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A couple of bloggers are writing about the errors of Fr. Benedict Groeschel - he had a 'bad' guest on his EWTN Sunday Night live show, who evidently recommended a bad book or author - Benedict knew nothing about either of them. Apparently Father also made a mistake in responding to a question - I understand he corrected himself the next week. EWTN is also suspect of being a bad network, because of this and that and the other thing. Don't waste your time trying to figure it out - read the Remnant - the Wanderer's cousin - to get the dirt.
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Just like their political counterparts, Catholic conservatives work their search fingers to the bone looking for dirt on people they disagree with, and before thinking - and sometimes after thinking - they post about it. Now everyone knows I do not like Sarah Palin as a politician - I'm sure she is a nice lady, being pro-life and all. (I'll bet she uses lots of politically incorrect terms too - except for retarded and bastard, of course.) If I wanted to, I could raise all sorts of questions about her character in order to justify my dislike of her - former Catholic, smokin' dope, feminist when convenient, etc.. I could do the same with other people, and sadly I have. I'm ashamed. Discredit your opponent with name-calling, by digging up dirt, raising suspicions - works all of the time. I've done it - I know.
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Fr. Benedict Groeschel is one of the best Catholic priests ever ordained for the Catholic Church in the United States. If people have a problem with him or what he said, he can be reached at EWTN or contacted personally - he is one of the most accessible people in the world. He is so humble he would correct publicly any mis-perception taken by his viewers and readers. Catholics must get over this guerrilla warfare mentality and all the snipping. Fr. Benedict is a good man, a holy priest.
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"I have to tell you that the more traditional people did not win the battle; it was a standoff, but things nonetheless started to change. You find in this country that the mainstream Protestant churches are dying off; nobody goes to them. It’s the evangelical Protestant churches that are doing well. Also, many young Jews who had no actual religious training are becoming orthodox Jews. And even among young Catholics who are not particularly observant, there is at least an interest in the faith. God himself, through the Holy Spirit, is calling to souls, and I’m absolutely delighted with the changes that are taking place. The pendulum has swung." - National Catholic Register Interview
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Photo: Fr. Benedict on the day of his ordination 51 years ago.
Terry -
ReplyDeleteI agree with all you said. You are right - sometimes we are our own worst enemy, and the first to take a shot at our fellow Catholics. We should be better than this.
Fr. Groeschel is a fine, holy and highly intelligent priest. He strikes me as someone who is quick to comfort and help anyone in trouble, spiritual or otherwise. I believe him if he says he would not promote anything or anyone that is against our Church. Apparently someone dropped the ball when they engaged the guest on his show who was the problem, but Fr. Groeschel is apparently appalled by the lapse and has apologized to his audience. I take this fine, ethical man at his word.
I'm glad you defended him, Terry. I think you must be a fine, ethical man as well.
Susan from Akron
"EWTN is also suspect of being a bad network, because of this and that and the other thing."
ReplyDeleteEWTN was founded by Mother Angelica who happens to believe in - wait for it - Medjugorje!
Booo!!!
Hisssss!!!
Good post. I too believe Fr. Groeschel to be one of the best & holiest priests ever. I would love to have the opportunity to meet him.
ReplyDeleteWas this the Saul Alinsky episode from about 2 weeks ago? I saw that - the guest was a priest who was a personal friend of Fr. Groeschel. He blindsided Fr. Groeschel with a lot of rah-rah-Obama discussion. I think he was promoting a book written by Saul Alinsky. One viewer called and disputed with the guest. Fr. Groeschel had never heard of Saul Alinsky, but I could tell that he was trying hard to moderate his friend's pro-Obama comments in a tactful way. If anyone was to blame for this show, it was the friend, who I think sabotaged Fr. Groeschel. I doubt that EWTN was to blame, either - Fr. Groeschel probably (unsuspectingly) invited the guy on his show himself, since they were friends.
ReplyDeleteWell ,if Fr. Benedict Groeschel is now suspect, I cannot even imagine what circle of hell is reserved for me. Saving my own soul occupies an inordinate use of my time.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember that this poor man was hit by a car and suffered a stroke? And still strugggles with speech, and, yet, is still serving God???
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo!
ReplyDelete"Fr. Benedict Groeschel is one of the best Catholic priests ever ordained for the Catholic Church in the United States."
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. He is a holy man and (of course) a very honest man.
I LOVE Fr. Groeschel and met him in New York last March at a Divine Mercy conference. He is everything he is on TV and more. He couldn't lie to save his life.
ReplyDeleteTerry, thanks for the photo!
And so you are a funny fella too, aren't you Paul. Truth be told though - I know many holy people who believe in Medj.
ReplyDeleteBut that is still funny Paul. Thanks.
I would like to stand up for Fr. Groeschel too. I find that not only does he comes across as incredibly humble and loving, but as also incredibly intelligent; he has the ability to nuance the faith and yet remain faithful--a rare gift.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Terry. Father Groeschel is the best!
ReplyDeleteFather G is great!
ReplyDeleteFYI, the article to which Terry is referring is not available on line. Maybe only a "remnant" subscribes to the print edition of The Remnant. te-he
ReplyDeleteI heard Father Groeschel mention recently that he has known 3 people who are likely to be canonized -- Venerable Solanus Casey, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and H.E. Terence Cardinal Cooke. Surely, this holy priest has known at least 4 -- Mother Angelica will be an even greater spiritual powerhouse in heaven than she was in this life.
ReplyDeleteOmigoodness...
ReplyDeleteFr. Groeschel is the best. Thanks for the write-up, Terry.
"online snipers"
ReplyDeleteYour choice of words make it sound as though it were a real spiritual battle ;)
I feel sorry for our priests - all of 'em. I don't know how they can tolerate all of the "in fighting".
It's demoralizing. That's why I'm sitting here and not at church cleaning something. Church ladies can crush and injure the world with their tongues and their back biting. Why you'd hardly even know they were Christians at all except for their extraordinarily pious demeanor.
"Church ladies can crush and injure the world with their tongues and their back biting. Why you'd hardly even know they were Christians at all except for their extraordinarily pious demeanor."
ReplyDeleteWhen I experienced difficulty with my priest and was finally forced to go to the diocese, his mother decided to make her disapproval of me public. One of her favorite moves is to get up and leave if I happen to sit in the pew in front of or behind her. Such a good, saintly woman...
Fr. Groeschel has been a light in the midst of all the darkness of the past forty some years. His contribution to the faith of many Catholics cannot be estimated.
ReplyDeleteOkay, something like this happens; some people are ready to go for the jugular when you leave out a comma; it's just too bad it has to be so contentious between Catholics.
They don't know how spoiled we are in the US with freedom of religion and Mass available on multiple occasions daily in populated areas.
ReplyDeleteAustringer - I know exactly who you are talking about - believe it or not she is quite tame compared to what she used to be - I have known her for years. Her son does a very good job keeping her in line. When I first became aquainted with her she wore veils and sacramentals on the outside of her clothing.
ReplyDeleteShe can be nice.
Sarah Palin- don't like her either. I did at first, loved her Repub Convention speech, then she turned out to be an inarticulate pair of you-know-whats, then she quit her job as Governor, now she is just a political opportunist AFAIAC. Out here in redneck land she appeals to too many gun rights people, people who if they had the same convictions about saving preborn infants as they did their firearms there would be no abortion in this country. The political right is just as tired and old as the political left. Palin, Limbaugh, Hannity all need to go away. Them and all those lefties need to go be together on "Lost".
ReplyDeleteTerry, Yes, she can be. I was a good, wonderful, faithful servant of the parish, right up until I objected to her son's bad behavior, so I have experienced her better nature. (why, her son even advised me to regard her as a "mother", given my own lack in that regard.) We were, I thought, friends.
ReplyDeleteI was told by a mutual friend of her son's, at the beginning of my friendship with her, to "watch out"; that she would turn on me like a dime.
So it has come to pass...but, hey, she's his mother, so what would one expect? I have to admire the loyalty, if not the charity.
Sometime soon we will have to get together to talk of many things...art...and whether pigs have wings.
Sorryy, Terry, that first line should have read that I know she can be nice..
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteTerry and Austringer:
Do you know the short story A Priest in the Family by Leo Kennedy? The main character is an unlikeable middle-aged woman who gets into a catfight in church. (Not during Mass, of course.)
This is a great passage:
. . . the priest fixed Mrs. Halloran with a calculating eye. "If I didn't know you and your man so well, I'd be sending you off to the jail now! You're a blot on the roll of the parish, Mrs. Halloran. It's a lot of trouble you're making here, and a power of hellfire you're fixing for the hereafter. And with a priest in the family!"
The woman began to weep with sentimental religious fear.
It probably has nothing to do with the church ladies everyone has been discussing, but it popped into my head.
Leo! Whew! That is a relief - I'm glad I'm not alone! Thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDeleteAustringer - I would love to know what went on... what could Fr. have done? And, "think of her as your mother" too? So strange - and I thought they were 'healthy'.
Enbrethiliel - great story.
Enbrethiliel,
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't read that -- sounds interesting. What a great passage!
When I get a bit discouraged at the cat-fights in the Church (and I am as guilty as anyone...), I will go to an Objectivist forum. They're the disciples of Ayn Rand, the atheist author of "Atlas Shrugged" and other will-worshipping novels. The savagery with which they rip each other apart reminds me that no, it's not just Christians who are hostile to their own kind. Sometimes it's easy to forget that. We certainly have less excuse, though...and we do have the obligation (as well as the guidelines) for settling our grievances before bringing our gifts to the altar. We are more culpable, that's for sure.
Terry -- "healthy"? No, not up close. (And you say she was worse in the past? Yikes!)But, we are talking about a priest who is fantastic in many, many ways. No "Catholic-lite", watered-down homilies.
Palin is opportunistic. I think she uses her baby for photo ops therefore her baby serves a purpose.. even though I'm sure she loves him. When these kids come into our lives we have to give them ourselves and nothing less will do.
ReplyDeleteIf you live in my house I know what your doing 24/7 and if your my kid and looking for trouble I will be your shadow and quicker than you can say "mom wipe my nose"
I don't think Sara is "on it" in the parental sorta way.