"A bizarre faith-healing ritual has prompted the Catholic Church to warn that an influx of foreign priests had created "difficulties" because they tended to have a more spiritual outlook than Westerners.
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A horrified congregation watched a foreign-trained Catholic priest lay a mentally and physically disabled girl on an altar during mass at the weekend and order her to walk.
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The priest was later escorted to a mental health clinic by police. The congregation is being counselled over the event, which left children and adults in tears.
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While the Church did not condone the bizarre service, Church spokesman, Monsignor O'Loughlin said it was standing by the priest in his time of need, though he would not be allowed to give mass until he was better." - Story
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Save the liturgy, save the world...
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Photo: Unrelated photo of woman 'slayed in the spirit' at a prayer meeting.
Why is Australia the garden for all that is Wacky and Wild in the World of Catholicism?
ReplyDeleteHi Joe - it is a mystery isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNot appropriate to be included in the Mass--horror! But, the priest has great faith in the power of Jesus--I've heard of people saying when they were Protestant--they were "slain in the spirit" and described what it felt like--I wonder if it is just a highly suggestive psychological moment? Or are they truly "slain in the spirit?" But I kinda like to think they are--the power of God is awesome.
ReplyDelete... not only in Catholicism ... but wild life too ...
ReplyDeleteAs a former Pentecostal... I shudder. I left this sh*t behind for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised it didn't happen in Steubenville.
Oh wait.
Tara, like you I have wondered about this "slaying in the spirit" stuff, wondering if it was merely the result of psychological suggestion or some such thing. But, a priest whom I have regard for (he was an associate at a parish I used to attend, and then later became Vocations Director for the Archdiocese for a while) described that happening to him. He was uneasy and somewhat skeptical himself prior to this, wondering if this was some sort of psychological trick, yet at the same worrying about falling backwards if he were "slain", which did happen.
ReplyDeleteMore recently, a friend of mine, one who was quite skeptical of the whole thing, thinking it smacked of Pentecostalism, went to a "healing Mass; just because her friend wanted to attend. She decided, at the last minute, to get in line, and had the experience. She was so surprised that she hasn't told of her experience to many others, as she's afraid people will think she's gone batty.
So -- I don't know what to make of it! It's not something I would likely participate in or seek out. And what is its purpose? It's almost like a public parlor trick, which seems beneath God's dignity to engage in, so clearly I am not understanding it at all properly.
I had an experience similar to what Austringer describes of her friends. I'm not much into charismatic spirituality, but some people close to me are; and I have been to occasional healing Masses with them. People sometimes go to those Masses to pray for others, rather than their own intentions. I should note that at the healing Masses I have been to, the praying for intentions and laying on of hands took place after Mass was actually over, not during Mass. Sometimes the experience we are talking about is called "resting in the spirit" rather than "slain in the spirit" and I think that is more accurate. It has only happened to me once, and it is hard to describe, but I did feel that God wanted me to rest in Him. It was a peaceful experience and didn't feel like a parlor trick. I know that in the wrong hands or circumstances these things can get crazy; so it is important not to take part in something that doesn't have the blessing of one's bishop.
ReplyDeleteA side note to this is that a lot of Latino people come to these Masses; and it seems to be a way for the Church to reach out to them.
All I know is the famed healing priest Fr. McDonough of Boston, now dead, tried to push me over when he prayed over me - people told me I was bad because I was resisting the Spirit.
ReplyDeleteWhatever.
Hah! Perhaps some of Father McDonough's fans confused the good Padre with the Holy Spirit. Now that's taking fanship too far...
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the photo is of Cathy just after talking to Fr. Z.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Angela.
ReplyDeleteLarry - Angela has a virus and she's been biting people.
ReplyDeleteThom is soooo right.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember Marjoe Gortner?
He was a famous child preacher and a fraud.
Austringer: That was a good question: "And what is it's purpose?"
ReplyDeleteBelinda - I've seen him or another child preacher before - it's like Star Search or American Idol - so weird.
ReplyDeleteI attended a healing Mass many years ago with a man who was dying of cancer.
ReplyDeleteI went forward to receive a blessing by the priest (can't remember his name).
A force actually came out of his hands when he prayed over me.
Being a typical "control freak" I absolutely refused to fall down like all the others around me...nasty was I even then:<)!
I just didn't want to submit to the spectacles going on around me.
But that touch and power was real...very real.
I don't what it was (I was very cautious to begin with)...it was like lightening.
And the man dying of cancer was not healed; he died a saintly death.
That's is much more credible to me.
A holy death.
I believe you Father - in my case Fr. pushed me though - and at the time I was desperate for healing, so I think I would have gone down.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in healing however, and I'm not against everything charismatic - I've just seen a lot of misguidance.
I agree with Terry, I would never deny the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit and I'm in no position to tell him how to move or how to run his show. (Terry either)
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with the lack of discipline from the people he breathes on. :)
Because I have no guidance I think it best to keep "the gifts" to myself. Although I think that's probably a sin. I kind of wonder if it isn't like giving weapons to a soldier and then telling them not to use them against the enemy. But there again - no guidance. We need some authority!
I'm sitting on the fence and waiting to see which side the wind blows me to. I hope it's not one of those gale force winds that blows me onto my face. You know like - another lesson. hahaha