Never thought I'd hear a priest say that.
Fr. Z said it counselling a reader who expressed concern over reading reports on what the Holy Father says, or commentary on what has been said. Reading his response in context makes sense - pulling the 'ignore him' quote makes it sound anti-Francis ...
If what you are reading causes serious anxiety and spiritual suffering, you might consider spending less time reading about current Church news. If what the Holy Father is doing is causing you great anger or anxiety… ignore him. Stick to your regular routine of daily prayers. Perform concrete works of mercy. Go to Mass. GO TO CONFESSION! Ignore the Pope and bishops, except for to pray for them… from afar. - Ask FatherI read elsewhere that the Holy Father spoke about the rapid decline in vocations, or the hemorrhaging of priests and religious leaving priesthood and religious life - a sort of second-wave exit I suppose. I have to admit I wasn't aware of that problem. I thought that in the United States there has been an increase?
These things make me sad.
I agree with Fr. Z. We should not lose our peace over the disunity and confusion the Holy Father is bringing to the Church. If it brings us a lack of peace, the best thing to do is turn off the t.v. and the internet and pray. If Pope Francis says something infallible, then we should certainly pay attention, but everything else can be, in good conscience, ignored. Regarding the "hemmorage" of priests and nuns, I don't see it either. I see higher numbers of priests and nuns particularly in traditional dioceses and communities. My guess is he is speaking to other countries - maybe in Europe and South America where traditional dioceses and communities are few and far between. I wouldn't blame it on society as much as on the fact that modernism and liberalism has taken hold of the Church in these places. For all intents and purposes in some of these places the Church has become so protestantized it barely resembles Catholicism. No good priest or religious wants to be part of a sinking ship. The solution is for the Holy Father to stop his war on tradition and start encouraging and lifting up traditional minded bishops, priests, and religious communities. He will then see a flourishing of vocations. But he has proven over and over again he is not interested in that. May God grant the Pope wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying. I wonder if the hemorrhage isn't more in Europe and South America as well - locally we have very healthy, solid priests and religious. Anyway - it's sad if true.
DeleteI suppose I need to be more concerned about the US since Trump is signing a bunch of orders which are frightening a lot of people - so much for a period of peace granted to the world. ;)
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ReplyDelete"I read elsewhere that the Holy Father spoke about the rapid decline in vocations, or the hemorrhaging of priests and religious leaving priesthood and religious life"
DeleteI am not surprised Terry but I am not gonna lose hope either. In reality, imo anyway, it is quality and not quantity that truly matters.
Did not Papa Benny say that eventually the Catholic Church will become smaller? Poorer? Yet she is the Bride of Christ! She is rich in mercy! She has Jesus with her until the end of time as He resides in the Blessed Sacrament!
While it is true we are bickering, squabbling, gossiping, smearing, defending, we are also, the many of us, praying, hoping, imploring, crying, helping our neighbor ...
I knew two wonderful priests who left the priesthood. Made me sad but I never lost hope. When they come to mind I pray for them wherever they may be.
Glorious St. Joseph! You are the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, pray for her to stand firm, to finish the race, to hold fast to Christ!
Pray for us to imitate her virtues, her mercy, her faithfulness, her love. Amen!
***No typo is gonna stop me from ignoring Papa Francisco! ;)
I will not ignore the Pope either.
DeleteTerry, this really surprises you about Father Z? He has aligned himself with the most militant of the right wing traditionalists. He banned me from even viewing his blog because I corrected him when he wrote the the Of and EF are not two different forms of the same rite, as taught by the Church, but two different rites, which goes completely against Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI and the teaching of the Magesterium.
ReplyDeleteI say, ignore Father Z.
It's crazy and unnerving - especially with headlines today that refugees and even people with green cards can't get back into the country. The news is surreal. I agree, I will ignore Z.
DeleteI feel like I'm in a bad movie. Unfortunately, I can't seem to wake up.
DeleteThe problem is, refugees and green card holders were processed without a view of their affiliations and may be from questionable backgrounds. ME countries don't have the background check infrastructure we have so it may be impossible to determine if they're jihadists.
DeleteNote also that they found fraud in the Somali community, that resulted in a DNA test requirement because people would claim to be a family of refugees but not all were related.
It won't take very long for everyone to be fighting everyone else. Do not expect this tension and level of hostility to abate any time soon. The Church, the Nation, the family are all splitting. Trump spent the day on the phone with world leaders. On the evening news he said the ban he started is going "just great, no problems." The next story tells a very different story of personal upheaval. Let's see who is right? How long before the list grows to other "undesirables." His supporters are thrilled. Are we safer? Not one country on the list has produced a terrorist in US. Not one country has Trump business interests like those not on the list who have produced terrorists. Only one week to confirm our worst fears. What will one month, one year bring. It is hard to imagine.
ReplyDeleteI am but a speck of dust compared to what St. Joseph can do. Therefore despite all the naysayers and hand wringers, St. Joseph through his powerful intercession will see to it that God's people are looked after but he needs our help.
DeleteLike I said already, we need to stop with the hand wringing and negative speculation as it only adds fuel to the fire. Prayer and hope and faith lived out in these times is of the utmost importance.
We are to stay alert and be not afraid! Otherwise, what's the point?
Good point Joel. Thanks.
DeleteWH, untrue. But for Somali refugees, MN wouldn't have bunches of young Somalis going to their homeland and fighting with AL shabaab. I believe the mall in St cloud jihadist was Somali and I can't remember if the be who sawed off a colleague's head was Somali.
DeleteSyria is not the point of origin for many refugees who claim to be Syrian, Yemen, Libya, Iran and Iraq all usedto be very limited in access to US. Sudan still has slavery. I don't have an issue with taking a time out. Somalis should've been returned to Somalia when they attempted to impose Sharia on everyone by refusing to scan pork at Target and cab drivers raping women traveling alone because the Koran says it's their right. They refused transport to gay couples, dogs and people carrying alcohol.
@ Joel ... amen! I appreciate what President Trump has done for the pro-life movement so far. I always have found it hypocritical of the left/pro-abortion crowd to proclaim how they are pro-choice but when it comes to using my hard earned money/taxes to pay for their abortions without so much as a choice for me to say no to using my taxes to pay for PP, I appreciate that we finally have someone who has stripped them of that money.
DeleteI look forward to President Trump's next move ... that of lifting the obama placed burden/bullying tactics of trying to get the Little Sisters of the Poor to go against their God-given right to oppose paying/providing for contraceptives, providing sterilizations/abortions in their healthcare package.
I may not agree with everything President Trump stands for/does but I remain hopeful he will continue to go forth plowing against the distorted reporting/misinformed MSM who seeks to discredit him at every turn.
I can only hope the immigration problem will be taken care of but at a slower pace. It needs to be fine tuned since the system is broken and neglected without having enforced the immigration laws for so long.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us ... each and every one! Amen!
@ Nan ... true, true and true.
DeleteI recall reading a couple years back an article that mentioned how a large percentage of "John Paul II" priests and religious have been leaving their vocations in larger than usual numbers WITHIN 5-7 yrs after entering. The article supposed their entrance was more zeal/fervor from WYDs than a genuine vocation. The article also stated that for some reason this does not make the catholic press the way those seeking admission into the orders do, i.e. Initial vocation upsurge. I do not recall where these stats came from but I do know in my own sphere this is very true. I can think of quite a few priests and sisters who entered after world youth day in various years but have since left their vocation.
ReplyDeleteI support YaYa's idea of commending Trump to St Joseph's influence. I cannot agree that speaking against misguided words and actions is "handwringing." Silence allows evil to grow and flourish. The point of mt previous post is that the divide is deep and deepening in all our social institutions. Trump remains a dangerous man even with all our prayers for his conversion. Now is not a time for silence.
ReplyDeleteWho said anything about remaining silent? Not I. I believe in being well informed but refuse to wring my hands or worry myself to distraction so much so that I neglect my daily duty over all the negative news in the world and especially in the Church. I'm not falling for every word that comes from the MSM either since we already know just how biased they are.
DeleteIf anything, all this negativey motivates me to pray even more. I will not allow the negative news media to poison my joy nor allow it to rob me of hope. Same goes for negative folks in real life and online.
President Trump may not be all things to all people and that's fine but I'm gonna follow Papa Francis example and give President Trump the benefit of doubt and see what he does or doesn't do.
In the meantime, I am praying.
A pleasant Sunday to all!
*negativity.
DeleteTypos are well ...
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ReplyDeleteI was out with a Catholic friend for coffee yesterday and we were discussing the recent marches and Trump's stance on abortion. We concluded Trump didn't really understand what ProLife actually means. I suggested he likes to be contrary and if that means defunding Planned Parenthood then that's how he's going to do it. I think the best thing that could happen to America right now is that Trump becomes incapacitated and Pence takes over
ReplyDeleteAngela, I think you think too little of the God's Power to bring conversion. I get the sense that what we are seeing is a genuine conversion of Donald Trump.
DeleteAloysius- he might be pro-birth but he does not respect ALL life.
DeleteGive him time. Also give him credit for marrying the mothers of his children and being part of those children's lives. Mrs Trump was at the innauguration, as were both his current and previous ex-wives and their collective children. That says a lot.
DeleteHis two older children have a total of 8 children. His in-laws are here and involved with their grandson. His older children summered in the Czech republic. Family is clearly important to him.
I agree, Nan.
DeleteIgnore the Pope???
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what Protestants do?
Isn't that what the Opponent wants?