Heaven smiles on Fr. Longenecker ...
“Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent
on hearing their words when they speak about My unfathomable mercy,
about the compassion I have for them in My Heart.
To priests who proclaim and extol My mercy,
I will give wondrous power;
I will anoint their words and touch the hearts
of those to whom they will speak.” (Diary, 1521)
The Divine Mercy miracle.
The Divine Mercy 'miracle' took place on a clear day in Greenville, South Carolina.
On Divine Mercy Sunday our parish organized a walking pilgrimage across town to our local Holy Door. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny afternoon as the cars began arriving. Groups from all the local parishes were there with a range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. Nearly 500 people turned up, and this was in Greenville, South Carolina — the heart of America’s Bible Belt.
After the pilgrimage walk we gathered for prayer and then went into church where the Divine Mercy chaplet was chanted, and we heard an inspiring talk on St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy. It was a great afternoon of fellowship, prayer and public witness to our Catholic faith.
That afternoon a couple of our parishioners began circulating the photos they had taken of the event. Only then did we notice something remarkable. In one set of pictures taken outside the Holy Door there is a ray of light beaming down from the sky right onto the heart of Jesus. Then on Monday morning another photograph came in with a strong beam of light radiating out of the totally blue sky onto the Divine Mercy image as it was being carried in procession. - Aletetia
This took place within the same time frame of Fr. Longenecker's "Remnant" controversy. Fr. L was certainly suffering as a result of being misquoted and then threatened with a lawsuit. He continues to take heat for his support of the Pope and now, his defense of Amoris Laetitia. Perhaps this 'sign' from Our Lord is a sign of favor, meant to edify and encourage - not only the parishioners, but Fr. Longenecker as well?
God works in mysterious ways.
I might be feeling guilty because I had included Fr. L's run-in with The Remnant in a sort of belated April Fools post. I soon felt sorry for him considering the vindictive reaction from the Remnant crowd. I regretted my post and before too long, I removed the post which could only have resulted in more scorn for Fr. L.
For me, the Divine Mercy image is a powerful sign in itself - and now, this mystery of light seen in the Divine Mercy procession is another indication of the efficacy of the message and meaning of the devotion.
My prayers for Fr. Longenecker, and my sincere apologies for being disrespectful.
Worth reading: Fr. L's post, Cardinal Burke Knocks the critics of the Holy Father and the exhortation.
"Worth reading: Fr. L's post, Cardinal Burke Knocks the critics of the Holy Father and the exhortation."
ReplyDeleteI read it today and thanked Jesus for such clarity from one on his little sons, faithful to His bride. God bless Fr. L too!
Cardinal's Burke's defense is that Amoris is not even an act of the Magisterium...and he avoids problems brought out by Canon lawyer, Ed Peters, at his website " In Light of the Law". Ed Peters is no far right Remnant figure but a canon lawyer who has done laborious posts for years on Church law. But Peters sees some good and some problems. Likewise Robert Royal at " The Catholic Thing" website saw much good but some problems. My point is that it is not simply the far right criticizing Amoris....some who like much of it nevertheless see problems which are brought out at those two web sites.
ReplyDeleteI don't see a problem with sober discussion regarding the text, much less pointing out the fact that the exhortation is not essentially Magisterial. I just think the panic mode most bloggers and commentators have stooped to is way out of line - and the condemnations are absolutely scandalous. Catholics are reacting and projecting all sorts of problems onto the text. Today I was going over notes from much of what Benedict and JPII have written - specifically on mercy, and discovered there isn't any departure in Francis that stands out to me. He doe not contradict Catholic teaching. I'm not taking the time to cite what I've been reading - among the texts is the Encyclical on Mercy and the Holy Spirit from JPII, as well as some of Benedict's personal stuff - his books on the life of Jesus and so on. Personally I see - I understand and even experience to a certain extent - a continuity - especially so since John XXIII - remembering when John dismissed the prophets of doom. He has been staunchly criticized for that, as has JPII regarding the new springtime - yet this has always been the lot of the saints in light - the Church: Suffering. The Cross. Christians carrying one another's burdens - oftentimes burdens too hard for them to carry on their own.
DeleteI somehow think that a secularist, academic mindset - perhaps the 'smoke of satan' has obscured the mystical dimension of the Church in our times, the Mystical Body of Christ is somehow limited to a sacramental dimension. This despite the flurry of prophets, apparitions, private revelations, and locutions. The mystical is somehow 'out there' rather than lived and experienced. Maybe I'm just completely retarded, but I see light where everyone else seems to see darkness. I want to put love where there is no love.
I fail daily.
It doesn't matter what I think of course. But neither am I looking for problems and errors and faults. I'm looking for Jesus in every action of the Church, in every pronouncement. I'm never disappointed.
We differ. I think Jesus sees thousands of poor people being murdered unnecessarily in northern Latin America ( read the UN stats...it is the worst murder rate of all world regions) precisely because there is no death penalty from Brazil to Mexico. Jesus who authored Romans 13:4 through Paul sees nothing correct about these last three Popes on murderer treatment.
DeleteEnd of speech.
But I want you painting. At some point, God will point you to a niche topic or composition trend, a gallery will like it...the plane will take off. You have the talent. You need a niche that helps you see God even if the topic is non religious. That topic matters not. Do you sense God in each configuration of colors etc. Then the plane will lift off.
Thanks Bill - I've been painting my retablos but I'm anxious to do more serious painting. I appreciate your encouragement. I also never mind a difference of opinion or perception. Thank you.
DeleteVisited Flushing Meadows Park on Sunday for the first time. Remnants of 1964 World's Fair are there. In the shadow of the Unisphere at the site of the Vatican Pavillion were two opposing groups of people praying the rosary in competition with the other. The larger group had maybe a dozen people under a St Michael banner. The smaller had three people. These are Leukenites. Followers of Veronica Leuken who claimed vision of Our Lady for thirty years. Her visions were deemed not authentic by the local Bishop. Still her loyal followers come even if divided among themselves. People take pictures as Veronica requested which purportedly show miraculous light. It was a bit intense, I see no harm being done. I think it is interesting how groups form and a cult develops. Meanwhile the nearby skateboarders did their thing and people enjoyed the Park oblivious to the Leukenites and their message.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Boston I got to know so many Bayside followers - very good people, very devout, if not intense. Actually, the atmosphere then is pretty similar to how things are today. I didn't know Bayside still attracted people.
DeleteSome of the stuff never fails to make me laugh though. I loved the 'miraculous' photos. I don't consider the photos for this post in the same category.
I also loved the blue berets. Things like that delight me. It's so juvenile.
I had a good friend who followed Bayside and Neceedah and she'd be telling me stuff and catch the expression on my face and just crack up. She was fascinated but she was also well grounded enough not to get fanatical over the stuff. She knew I didn't accept the phenomena.
Anyway.
There is a beauty in brokenness. It attracts the Lord, always.
ReplyDeleteAmen! If the Lord has patience with the insufferable Fr. L than who are we to fear for his mercy?
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