Corapi fires back.

In a let sleeping dogs lie* sort of way ...

Regarding the charge of sexual impropriety—This song of greed has been sung many times before. I have never had any promiscuous or even inappropriate relations with her. Never. - Read more of the 'announcement' here.
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He makes a strong case... for what I'm not sure?
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"Onward!"  I keep thinking Charlie Sheen: 'Winning!'

*it's just an idiom.

Novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel begins today.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, help and model in the dark night of faith, pray for us.
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In October of 1917 at Fatima, during the miracle of the sun, Our Lady showed herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel.  Mt. Carmel is in Israel of course, the site of the great Old Testament miracle which took place through the prayer of the prophet Elijah, defeating the false prophets of Baal.  It is also the place where Elijah observed the prophetic sign of a little cloud rising from the sea, which some Fathers have interpretted to prefigure the coming era of grace - the birth of the Messiah.  (Trivia: Today the Carmelite monastery at Mt. Carmel is called Stella Maris, or Star of the Sea.)  Traditionally, the little cloud, much like the Burning Bush which Moses beheld, images the Blessed 'Virgin who would be with child' foretold in the Isaiah prophecy. 
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At any rate, for a long time now, I have considered Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to be the primary help and model, indeed our refuge in the troubles that afflict the world and the Church, especially as they concern the persecutions of Christians in the Middle East and Muslim countries, as well as the heresy, apostacy and corruption which seems to infect Catholic culture in many places across the globe.

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Prayer

O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, blessed mother of the Son of God, immaculate virgin, assist us in our necessity. O star of the sea, help us and show us the way. Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who turn to you.


Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads, so that we can attain our goal. You who gave us the diving gift to forgive and forget all evil against us, and who are with us in all instances in our lives, thank you for all things, as you confirm once again that we are never to be separated from you in eternal glory. AMEN - Source

Therianthropy - Shapeshifting and Cynocephaly... what if?

Amy Farrah Fowler Factoids.
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Therianthropy refers to the metamorphosis of humans into other animals. Therianthropes are said to change forms via shapeshifting. Therianthropes have long existed in mythology, appearing in ancient cave drawings such as the Sorcerer at Les Trois Frères. - Wiki
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Cynocephaly: The condition of cynocephaly, having the head of a dog — or of a jackal— is a widely attested legendary phenomenon existing in many different forms and contexts. - Wiki
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Editor's note:  I worked with a woman - a fervent convert to the Church now returned to paganism - who was convinced she was a dragon and could feel her tail swing as she walked.  People like her refer to themselves as Therians.  And they claim they have no mental illness.  Some even go through extensive cosmetic surgery or tattoo work to look like the animal spirit they imagine themselves to be.  I suppose the phenomenon is analogous to the transsexual experience; women trapped in male bodies and men trapped in female bodies.  I was thinking about wolves in sheep's clothing and then I thought of ...  Never mind.

St. Christopher

Top photo:  Black Sheep-Poodle

Saint Maria Goretti, virgin martyr

"The value of Christian virtue is so great, so overwhelming, so imperative, that it is worth more than life. Purity is not just a separate part of our being. It belongs to our existence as a whole, it is essential for our life. Purity brings us in harmony of body and soul." - Servant of God, Pope Paul VI

A martyr for purity at the beginning of the 20th century.  St. Maria Goretti is a lamp lighted for generations after her to find hope and help to follow Christ amidst a polluted world of impurity and hedonism.  For details on her life click here.
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Art:  Source.  For me the icon expresses the spiritual maturity, nobility and sobriety of the martyr-saint much better than most holy card images.

Mark Shea has something to say.

And he get's it right.
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Mercy and Forgiveness for Fr. Corapi and His Fans
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So the craziness from last week had died down as the True Believers moved on from assailing my emailbox with denunciations and demands that I stop questioning the veracity of a Living Saint. - Finish reading here.

"For it is time for the judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, how will it end for those who fail to obey the gospel of God?"

"And if the righteous one is barely saved, where will the godless and the sinner appear?" - 1 Peter 4:17 - 18
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The Corapi fall is a big one.  Somehow I doubt it is THE big one however.  It could happen that one of these days there may be breaking news about a very high placed churchman - and maybe not a liberal one either.  If that happened, it will be THE big one.  There are actually some people wishing and hoping for such a drama - and these folks are not the so-called 'professional Catholics' who so many have been accusing of rushing to judgement on the Corapi case.  There exist people who claim to be more Catholic than the pope and the post-counciliar Church who are just waiting for what they call the "Novus Ordo" Church to fall.  For instance, I know of at least one Trad/Sede site which has had a sort of bounty out on a certain Cardinal in Los Angeles for years - 'anyone with incriminating evidence of whatever kind on Cardinal Mahony email us'.  I'm not sure, but I think there was some sort of monetary reward as well.  Every one likes the money.
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Yet this is what happens and has happened in the Church since the beginning - since Judas, since Simon Magus - right up to our own day.  In modern times we have come to know the infamous Rasputin, the Russian monk who deceived the Czar and Czarina.  We have seen Evangelical Protestant preachers and healers fall with great regularity throughout the 20th century, from Aimee Semple McPherson to Jim & Tammy Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, to Ted Haggard and Albert Odulele.  And that's just the Protestants.
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Not too many years ago during the priest scandals, the boy's club of Sebastian's Angels made the headlines - an organization of gay playboy priests.  And while the Bishop's scandal unfolded - the biggest, worst case scenario seemed to be the Fr. Maciel and the Legion of Christ scandal - though at first vehemently assailed as lies by supporters of the Legion and devotees of Maciel.  Indeed, Maciel was a favorite of Bl. John Paul II.  Amazing.  Then came Fr. Cutie - the famous 'Fr. Oprah' priest, as well as the other EWTN priest defectors.  In the past eleven years there have been dozens of cases of priests living double lives - priests in important positions and ordinary parish priests. Gay and straight.  And now of course, there is Fr. Corapi, whose case demonstrates it is not always just about sex either. 
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People we have to wake up however - we have to quit putting men on pedestals.  Respect and reverence their priesthood, and their status in the hierarchy, in so far as they represent Christ and His Church - but just remember they are flesh and blood - men tempted in the same way we are.  Just because someone wears a habit or a cassock, or sports a a tonsure or a biretta, or says Mass like Padre Pio, and preaches like St. Paul, or whatever your criteria is for holiness - don't attach too much importance to the man.  Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.  "Do what they say, not what they do."
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It's amazing how easily we canonize our priests and religious and expect perfection from them.  I've read it on blogs numerous times - 'Cardinal so and so is a saint because he wears all the regalia and celebrates the Extraordinary Form of Mass.'  Or,  'Fr. so and so is a saint because he promotes the reform of the reform, or the TLM, or he wears the cassock to bed'.  Or, 'This monastery is the true monastery - the holiest monastery - because they celebrate the Liturgy in Latin and wear the habit and tonsure'.  Really?  Check the guest cabins.  And don't forget the people who attach the title "great" to everyone they admire.  (Nope - I'm not referring to JPII either.)
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I know a novice who slept with her spiritual director and was amazed when he got up in the night to go keep his hour of adoration.  (Although that is not bad - even if you are steeped in sin - do not stop praying: 'prayer is the trap door out of sin'.)  A friar once told me a story of two other friars engaging in mutual something right in from of the monstrance during their hour of adoration - when they thought the chapel was empty.  There are so many stories of holy people sinning it would make your head swim.  But I digress. 
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There for but the grace of God...  O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.
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"Never take a man for your example in the tasks you have to perform, how ever holy he may be, for the devil will set his imperfection before you.  Imitate Christ, who is supremely perfect and supremely holy, and you will never err." - St. John of the Cross
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"Reflect that many are called and few are chosen and that, if you are not careful, your perdition is more certain than your salvation, especially since the path to eternal life is so narrow." - Ibid
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"Anyone who trusts in himself is worse than the devil" - Ibid

Corapi Update: From: Rev. Gerard Sheehan, SOLT Regional Priest Servant Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Robstown, Texas

But Father!  But Father!  Misleading the public?
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So anyway - I just got back from doing many, many very important errands and I'm all sweaty and over heated.  While pouring a glass of delicious tap water, I was just going to put on the recording of Penny singing "Soft Kitty" and for some reason I thought, "Maybe I should check my email."  And so I did...
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Breaking News:  From: Rev. Gerard Sheehan, SOLT Regional Priest Servant Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Robstown, Texas.
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Fr. John A. Corapi submitted his resignation from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity ("SOLT") early in June. SOLT is a Society of Apostolic Life of Diocesan Right with its regional office in Robstown, Texas.
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While SOLT does not typically comment publicly on personnel matters, it recognizes that Fr. John Corapi, through his ministry, has inspired thousands of faithful Catholics, many of whom continue to express their support of him. SOLT also recognizes that Fr. Corapi is now misleading these individuals through his false statements and characterizations. It is for these Catholics that SOLT, by means of this announcement, seeks to set the record straight.
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A woman, well known to Fr. John Corapi, mailed SOLT a signed letter detailing allegations of Fr. Corapi's sexual activity with adult women, abuse of alcohol and drugs, improper sacramental practices, violation of his promise of poverty, and other wrongdoing.
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After receiving the allegation, SOLT formed a three person fact-finding team to ensure that it handled this matter in accordance with canonical norms. The team included a priest-canonist, a psychiatrist, and a lawyer. Two were members of religious orders, and one was a lay Catholic. Two were men, and one was a woman. All three have national reputations and substantial experience in ecclesiastical processes related to priest disciplinary issues.
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As the Society was engaging this team, Fr. Corapi filed a civil lawsuit against his principal accuser. He contended that she had defamed him and breached her contract. The contract, according to Corapi's lawsuit, contained a provision binding the woman to silence about him. He offered the woman $100,000 to enter this agreement.
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SOLT's fact-finding team subsequently learned that Fr. Corapi may have negotiated contracts with other key witnesses that precluded them from speaking with SOLT's fact-finding team. Many of these witnesses likely had key information about the accusations being investigated and declined to answer questions and provide documents. - Read the rest of the sordid mess here.
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SOLT's prior direction to Fr. John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues. Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Fr. John Corapi as fit for ministry. - Fr. Sheehan 

H/T Jimmy Akin for the SOLT link.  And DB Cooper for the tip.

Links:
National Catholic Register
Spirit Daily

The little Cristero: Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio

A good example for boys and men.

Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Río (March 28, 1913 – February 10, 1928) was a young Mexican Cristero who was put to death by government officials because he refused to renounce his Catholic faith. He has been declared a martyr and was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on November 20, 2005. - More.
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I love this kid, because like St. Peter Martyr who wrote "Credo" ("I believe") in his own blood as he was martyred, young Bl. Jose Luis took his finger, dipped in his own blood, to make the sign of the cross as he lay dying.
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An account of his martyrdom.
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"To break his resolve, he was made to watch the hanging of another Cristero that they had in custody, but instead José encouraged the man, saying that they would soon meet again in Heaven. In prison, José prayed the rosary daily and wrote an emotional letter to his mother, saying that he was ready to fulfill the will of God. His father attempted to raise a ransom to save him, but was not able to appease the government in time.
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Consequently they cut the bottom of his feet and obliged him to walk around the town toward the cemetery. They also at times cut him with a machete until he was bleeding from several wounds. He cried and moaned with pain, but he did not give in. At times they stopped him and said, ‘If you shout ‘Death to Christ the King’ we will spare your life.’ José would only shout, "I will never give in. Viva Cristo Rey!" When they reached the place of execution, they stabbed him numerous times with bayonets. He only shouted louder, "Viva Cristo Rey!" The commander was so furious that he pulled out his pistol and shot Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio in the head. After being shot in the head, he drew in the ground a cross with his blood and kissed it as his time expired." - Sanchez del Rio died on the vigil of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 10, 1928

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Prayer

O Blessed José, littlest soldier of Christ, whose last bloody steps brought you to the arms of our Lady and our Lord, keep healthy and strong the steps of our Lord's soldiers who remain here on earth, such that they may have your strength to endure and persevere to the end. Amen

Viva Cristo Rey!

Blessed Jose Luis, watch over, defend and protect all of the children whose innocence is threatened from all sides by evil, direct their hearts to all that is good and holy, and instill in their hearts a living faith and confidence in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ our King and Lord.  Amen.

Conversation with God.

Kat has a wonderful anecdote on the 'prayer of quiet' - well kind of...  I think it's a treasure.
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Art:  "Christ and the Canaanite Woman" - after Annibale Carracci

Frame Fillers: A little art show...

St. Peter Martyr - T. Nelson 2011

Acrylic/tempera technique on panel for antique frame.

Click on image to enlarge.  See more at my art blog, Up Your Street.

"Alcoholics and addicts are liars."

A priest once told me that a few years ago, adding, "I should know, I'm a recovering alcoholic - I lied my way through a good part of my priesthood."  Today the priest is retired, an old Franciscan who was once vocation director for an American province when I was in 5th grade.  It's amazing how people resurface in one's life - often just to help you understand something you couldn't figure out on your own. 
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That's all.

Memorial of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

How can the young man remain sinless?
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A coworker once asked me - with a slight hint of disdain in his voice, "Well what did this Frassati guy do to deserve to get beatified?"  The man was somewhat critical of all the men and women beatified and canonized during the busy reign of Blessed Pope John Paul II.  He also happened to be a guy who thought the Church was infiltrated with all sorts of demon-controlled beings and that the chastisement was going to happen on such and such a Thursday, but only between March and May of whatever year we happened to be in at the time.
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Plain and simple, Pier Giorgio lived the Beatitudes with heroic charity.  Ordinary is good.
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Pier Giorgio died on 4 July 1925.    

First fireworks for the 4th tonite...

Lectors and readers at Mass.

Someone had to say something.
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Adoro has a very good post on the subject:  The Word can speak for Himself - stop being so dramatic.
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Photo credit.

Mass chat: More nuts?

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Read Fr. Corapi's most recent post and the comments attached, evidently it's his 4th of July post entitled, Thoughts on Sheepdogs, Sheep and Independence. 
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Every once in a while I've surfed the web to read some of the comments left on the blogs that are willing to point out what's off with the entire Corapi makeover-reinvention campaign launch.  Surprisingly, there are some very sane posts and comments amongst the crazy ones.  I'll post just a few below.
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In response to Fr. Corapi's most recent post, a man identifying as a priest writes:

• From Father Edmund | July 1,
• Colonel Grossman’s commentary is deeply offensive and unAmerican. And Corapi further shows his lack of common sense and good taste by promoting it. So, I am a gooey egg yolk who needs the Hard Blue Shell in order to develop into something? I’m a sheepish sheep? I need to evolve into being a sheepdog? Garbage. Grossman’s rant is fascist to the core, and Corapi’s endorsement of it the same.
• Who cares if Grossman is a full-bird with a PhD (not PHD, Corapi)? His current musings are arrogant, elitist, and again: FASCIST. There is NOTHING in that article that a 1930′s-era Nazi would disagree with.
• These guys aren’t sheepdogs, they’re wolves. This is just like the schoolyard bully saying he’s a “born leader.” Both of them should have their posteriors kicked around the block.
• I’ll repeat what I’ve said here before. Corapi had two things going for him: unswerving loyalty to the Church and a trick voice. Now he stands revealed as a shallow, tasteless man. Take away the priest, and all you have left is a basket case. He still has his trick voice. That, alone, will not propel him to secular stardom. 

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From Caelum et terra a comment by a priest:

• Fr.GregACCA
• But seriously, y’all: very, very, very seriously. Pray, pray, pray, and pray some more. Over the last few years, his behavior has taken on a depressingly familiar pattern, and this may well turn out to be a situation that somebody like Fr. Amorth will need to handle, if Corapi ever comes to his senses enough to realize this.

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A response from Elizabeth:

• Elizabeth
• Thank you Father, for your insight. In “Exorcism and the Church Militant,” Fr. Euteneuer took lightly at times the expelling of demons, and it was of concern to read his nonchalance in this regard. Of course, during the time period of penning the book, he was sexually abusing women in graveyards and/or locked rooms, etc., as he sought to release their demons through exorcisms.
• Then we find out that Corapi was Euteneuer’s spiritual director, and Euteneuer even told the “gravely harmed” woman (in the FTE case) that it was Corapi that told him to burn her diary (which held an enormous amount of damning info against Euteneuer) because it would cause Church scandal. Whether or not Euteneuer was telling the truth or not, who knows? But, I agree, Fr. Amorth should be brought in, and possibly sooner rather than later. Weak (but otherwise intelligent) Catholics are falling for this “dog’s” BS left and right.

Tom O'Toole has a good post on the court case:  Corapi Corrupted: part II

"Why do these words sound so nasty?"

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Fr. Gobbi: Mixed messages and locutions.

The Marian Movement of Priests:  Is It Safe for Faithful Catholics?

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Note: That is the title of an article from Catholic Online by Mary Beth Kremski.  It is a good question to ask these days when false mystics rise up around us.  Kremski's article is very good, based upon documentation from the MMP relaying the request by the CDF that the claim of locutions/messages be changed to Fr. Gobbi's private/personal meditations, while within the semi-private communication circle of the MMP, the supernatural character of the messages continued to be affirmed.  Nevertheless, the CDF never interfered with the apostolate.  To see why there was concern in the first place, please read Kremski's article.
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Silence of the tomb.
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With the death of Fr. Stefano Gobbi comes the assessment of his locutions and messages from the Blessed Virgin Mary to her priests in the Marian Movement of Priests and the faithful who support them in cenacles of prayer.  Many good priests and bishops have found spiritual support and encouragement through Fr. Gobbi's apostolate, I suspect most believe in the authenticity of the messages.  While it is true the CDF recommended that Gobbi no longer make the claim that the messages were from Our Lady, but rather his personal meditation, none of his writings were ever banned or condemned.  Fr. Gobbi cooperated willingly with the requests made of him by Church officials.  He strikes me as a very humble and holy man, deeply devoted to Our Lady and the priesthood. 
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Deluded or mistaken?
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Personally, I was immediately attracted to the spirituality of the Marian Movement since it emphasised devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as revealed at Fatima, but I never could 'get into' the Gobbi messages, nor did I carry any sort of veneration for Fr. Gobbi beyond his being a priest.  I actually lost all interest in him after the instruction from the CDF to refer to the locutions as personal meditations.  Likewise, his endorsement of Medjugorje helped me detach myself from trying to follow along with the messages, a few of which concerning the future were eventually proved wrong - at least in the literal sense.  Deluded?  Perhaps, but suffering from delusion doesn't always make someone a bad person - just mistaken.  Well intentioned, but deluded.  Sincere, but mistaken. 
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Locutions are apparently very popular these days amongst nouveau-mystics, yet they can be confusing phenomenon even for the saints.  For example, the Lord's words to St. Francis, 'rebuild my Church' is a very good example.  Francis thought he meant the run down church of San Damiano, but Pope Innocent III in his dream about the Saint understood that Francis and his order were called to help rebuild the whole Church - the people of God.  Hence the Pope himself approved and defined the mission of St. Francis, while subsequent popes have continued to do likewise for the Franciscans throughout the centuries.
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God's ways are not man's ways.
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St. John of the Cross explains why locutions are not always dependable, and how the recipient of the messages may misinterpret them.  I'm frequently reminded of Sr. Lucia of Fatima who wrote several things that seemed to hint at the contents of the third secret, yet when the secret was revealed and interpreted by the Church, some people felt there were contradictions and or omissions, although Sr. Lucia herself affirmed the secret had been revealed in its entirety, just as she affirmed that the consecration Our Lady requested was accepted by Heaven as being fulfilled.  Sr. Lucia, referring to the secret said that the details and meaning were "up to the Church to interpret".  In this she was absolutely correct.  She demonstrated great humility and obedience subjecting every thing to the better judgement of the Church, mistrusting even her own interpretation of events - since as John of the Cross states, "the soul is easily mistaken" - and in some cases even the person's spiritual director can be misled.
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Visions and locutions, even though from God, can mislead us. 
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St. John of the Cross in Chapter 19 of the Ascent lays out proof from Scripture on how this can be, for the sake of brevity, I will only high light a few passages to help explain the dangers and misunderstandings locutions can and do generate.
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"We mentioned the two reason why, although God's visions and locutions are true and certain in themselves, they are not always so for us.  The first reason is because of our defective manner of understanding them, and the second because their basic causes are sometimes variable.
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Clearly in regard to the first, not all revelations turn out according to the literal meaning.  The cause is that, since God is immense and profound, he usually embodies in his prophecies, locutions, and revelations other ways, concepts, and ideas remarkably different from the meaning we generally find in them.  And the surer and more truthful they are, the less they seem so to us.
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We behold this frequently in Scripture.  With a number of the ancients, many of God's prophecies and locutions did not turn out as they had expected, because they interpreted them with their own different and extremely literal method."
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The letter kills, the spirit gives life.
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John goes on to cite several passages from Scripture, explaining why and how the recipients got it wrong and events turned out not as human nature expected.  John then explains:
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"[...] Souls are misled by imparting to God's locutions and revelations a literal interpretation, and interpretation according to the outer rind.  As has been explained, God's chief objective in conferring these revelations is to express and impart the elusive, spiritual meaning contained in the words.  This spiritual meaning is richer and more plentiful than the literal meaning and transcends those limits."
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[...] "Anyone bound to the letter, locution, form, or apprehensible figure cannot avoid serious error and will later become confused for having been led by the literal sense and not having allowed for the spiritual meaning which is divested of the literal sense.  ('The letter kills, the spirit gives life' - 2 Cor. 3:6)"

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"It is impossible for someone unspiritual to judge and understand the things of God correctly; and one is not spiritual if one judges them literally." - All quotes from St. John taken from The Ascent, Bk II, Chapter 19
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Prayers for Fr. Gobbi.  Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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 H/T Spirit Daily

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This year the Solemnity falls on the First Friday of July, which also coincides with the memorial of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.

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Most Precious Blood flowing forth from the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a font of mercy for us, I trust in you.

Bishop Tobin expresses disappointment over Rhode Island civil union law.

Bishop Tobin has been outspoken against legislation which would permit same sex marriage or its equivalent, civil unions.  Rhode Island just did.  From Bishop Tobin:
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“I am deeply disappointed that Rhode Island will establish civil unions in our state. The concept of civil unions is a social experiment that promotes an immoral lifestyle, is a mockery of the institution of marriage as designed by God, undermines the well-being of our families, and poses a threat to religious liberty.
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In this context it is my obligation to remind Catholics of the teachings of the Church on this matter. First, the Church continues to have respect and love for persons with same-sex attraction; they are indeed children of God and our brothers and sisters in the human family. We pray for their well-being and offer them spiritual guidance and pastoral care. We also extend our love and support to families of homosexual persons who sometimes struggle with this difficult emotional issue.
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At the same time, the Church reminds its members that homosexual activity is contrary to the natural law and the will of God and, therefore, is objectively sinful. Persons with same-sex attraction are required to live the Christian virtues of chastity and modesty, as all persons are. The importance of these virtues is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures and in the constant tradition of the Church.
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Because civil unions promote an unacceptable lifestyle, undermine the faith of the Church on holy matrimony, and cause scandal and confusion, Catholics may not participate in civil unions. To do so is a very grave violation of the moral law and, thus, seriously sinful. A civil union can never be accepted as a legitimate alternative to matrimony.
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Can there be any doubt that Almighty God will, in His own time and way, pass judgment upon our state, its leaders and citizens, for abandoning His commands and embracing public immorality? I encourage Catholics to pray for God’s patience, mercy and forgiveness in these distressing times.” - Bishop Tobin.
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May God bless Bishop Tobin for reiterating sound Roman Catholic teaching so forcibly in these days of mass delusion and confusion. 
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In addition to praying for the intentions Bishop Tobin requests, I also think it is rather important to pray for the priests and bishops who remain in communion with the Catholic Church, rather than those who defect or abandon ship. 

BREAKING! Woman who accused him of sexual misconduct caught in lies!

The sexual assault case against him is on the verge of collapse as investigators have uncovered major holes in the credibility of the housekeeper who charged that he attacked her in his Manhattan hotel suite in May, according to two well-placed law enforcement officials.       
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Although forensic tests found unambiguous evidence of a sexual encounter between Mr. Strauss-Kahn, a French politician, and the woman, prosecutors do not believe much of what the accuser has told them about the circumstances or about herself.       
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Since her initial allegation on May 14, the accuser has repeatedly lied, one of the law enforcement officials said. - Finish reading @ NYT

Corapi, John

Buzz on a famous Sacramento priest.
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See how much better he looks when he doesn't dye his beard and get himself so tanned up?  He looks great in civvies too - and he looks much more rested.  I want to read his autobiography when it comes out.  (I smell a movie-script here too.)  I'm hoping he reveals who the starlet was he had with him in the fancy sportscar drive to Vegas.  I keep thinking it could have been Tatum O'Neil - although maybe she was too young at the time - additionally, she could have been too wasted to remember.
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Anyway - the first secular press mention of the lawsuit against his whistle blower that I have encountered has come to light today - making it a 'public' issue now, and not just a 'private' ho-hum mind-your-own-business Catholic priest scandal.  It's 'civil' now, man.  I wish it could get on Judge Judy.
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Here's the deal from The Sacramento Bee:
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A former Sacramento priest and nationally known speaker has filed a lawsuit against the woman who accused him of sexual misconduct.
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The Rev. John Corapi, who served as the director of Catholic Faith Formation in Sacramento in the 1990s, filed a lawsuit in the 11th Judicial District Court of Montana, where he now lives. He alleges that his accuser committed libel and that a letter she wrote to his religious superiors contained "numerous false, malicious and unprivileged statements" about the priest. He is suing for punitive and unspecified compensatory damages.
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In the lawsuit, Corapi said the success of his ministry depends on his reputation and his position of a priest in good standing.  Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/30/3737877/former-sacramento-priest-files.html#ixzz1QmEsTHVO
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Works for me.
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For a synopsis of what's been happening regarding the Corapi affair I've found Diane's reporting at Te Deum to be helpful - she also has an amazing photo of Fr. Corapi at the top of the post.  The Anchoress has her good objective commentary as well. 
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The Black SheepDog website hasn't been updated for awhile.  I'm thinking TMZ might get a hold of the story pretty soon and we'll maybe get better coverage.  I'd love to see photos of the ranch.  What?

UPDATE:  1 July - there has been an update.  A patriotic update no less.  Black SheepDog

Father Stefano Gobbi, RIP

Founder of the Marian Movement of Priests
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Fr. Gobbi founded the Marian Movement of Priests in 1972 after receiving locutions from Our Lady asking for priests to consecrate themselves to her Immaculate Heart.  This occurred at the time many priests began leaving the priesthood and Marian devotion was in decline.  Fr. Gobbi's movement grew and spread quickly.  He was a friend to other mystics, Bl. John Paul II, as well as the false mystic, Fr. Gino, an Italian stigmatic now discredited due to homosexual behavior and other canonical infractions.  I'm not sure if Gobbi knew Fr. Maciel or not.  Fr. Gobbi also believed Medjugorje was authentic and offered his own predictions about the secrets - he believed Our Lady had told him.  Gobbi's locutions were deemed 'private meditations' by some authorities, although it is my understanding that the CDF never officially ruled on the phenomena, and the Marian Movement remains an active organization in good standing.    
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A personal encounter.
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Fr. Gobbi visited the Twin Cities a couple of times, I think at the invitation by the late Fr. Thomas Pingatore, who was very devoted to the Movement.  I saw Fr. Gobbi once at old St. Ambrose, and I think once at St. John's on the East side of St. Paul.  I have no recollection of either event except the one at St. Ambrose.  One of my Italian friends was there - she is also my sister-in-law's sister.  Anyway we were standing at the back of the church when Gobbi came in and he greeted us.  After he passed I pulled out a rosary made of rose petals I happened to have with me and I whispered excitedly,  "Mary Ann!  Can you smell the roses just now when Fr. Gobbi passed?"
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"O my God!  Yes!  Terry! - And - and- I think the rosary smells of roses too!"  her eyes flooded with tears by then. 
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I then held my beads up to my nose, inhaled and exclaimed, "Oh!  My!  Gosh!  Roses!  Mary Ann!  The rosary smells just like roses!"  And I held the beads out for her to smell and pulled them back before she could get a closer look.
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So.  Do you think I told her that the rosary was made of scented rose petals squashed into little brown-red beads?  Or do you think I let her believe it was a miracle? 
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I'm not telling.
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More seriously, prayers for Fr. Gobbi - he was certainly a devoted servant of Our Lady.

Canadian Bishops Issue Document: Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-Sex Attraction

A new document - one that is very much overdue.
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As Fr. Tim Finigan said, the document is composed: With kindly pastoral advice, the document does not shirk from Catholic doctrine but presents it in a balanced way with a view to fostering the spiritual life of young people with SSA.  Fr. Finigan hi lights some key sections of the document that I will reprint here.
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Above all, welcome these young adults and, if they are honestly striving to live in accordance with the teaching of Christ, encourage their full and active role in parish life. ...
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To the extent that a same-sex attraction is not freely chosen, there is no personal culpability in having such an inclination. Nonetheless, when oriented toward genital activity, this inclination is “objectively disordered.” This does not mean that the person as a whole is somehow defective or “badly made,” or that he or she has in some way been rejected by God. Inclinations to homosexual acts in no way diminish the full human dignity or intrinsic worth of the person. For many people, same-sex attraction constitutes a trial. They therefore deserve to be approached by pastors with charity and prudence.
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A person with homosexual inclinations is not called to a “loveless” life, but to live in the love and grace of Christ Jesus. He alone fulflls our human personalities and lifts them up to the Father. Such a life entails both self-giving and self-sacrifce, the marks of true love for God and one’s brothers and sisters.
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We ask you to pay particular attention to guiding adolescents and young adults with same-sex attraction away from two specifc dangers. First, help them see themselves as persons with a God-given dignity and not merely as individuals with sexual inclinations and desires. Second, help them avoid involvement in a “gay culture” opposed to the Church’s teaching, with its often aggressive and immoral lifestyle.  - The Episcopal Commission for Doctrine of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) Full document here.
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Help them avoid involvement in a “gay culture” opposed to the Church’s teaching, with its often aggressive and immoral lifestyle.
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I personally believe that the need for this new pastoral instruction on doctrinal teaching and direction is urgently needed today more than ever, since in many places education, government, media and entertainment has already more or less united together to indoctrinate young people and children into accepting the construct that gay (homosexual behavior) is good, and that gay (homosexual behavior) is no different from heterosexual marital relations.  As Fr. Finigan observed: "One of the most important pastoral concerns of the Church should be to protect young people from the strident and aggressive gay culture which is prevalent in many cities."
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Bonus:  Two more excellent quotes from the document:
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20. Because chastity is not only a journey but also a battle, be on guard against temptations that will continually arise. Realistically assess your weaknesses, and avoid circumstances that might lead you to fall. When using the internet, be on guard against pornography, as well as certain chat rooms and social networking sites that promote immoral lifestyles. Chastity is a challenge, but God’s grace will give you the strength to overcome temptation. ...
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21. ... When you stumble on your way, the Lord is with you. Never give in to discouragement, but return frequently to the Lord for forgiveness. Growth in holiness is a long and arduous journey. Because we are all sinners, God continuously calls us to conversion when we give in to weakness and sin. God always offers you his grace, especially in the hardest moments of your lives. Confess your sins with contrite hearts, resolved not to repeat them again. Try to find a stable confessor or spiritual director with whom you can discuss your difficulties honestly and so receive help in overcoming them. -  Best Quotes Source
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These last two are very important to remember so that one doesn't become discouraged.  It takes time and effort to do God's will - patient endurance and trust in merciful love.

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Thanks very much to Diane at Te Deum for the heads up.  Thanks to Fr. Finigan for the excerpts and his commentary.
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Art: Andrew Wyeth

SS Peter and Paul

I've never had a particular devotion to these saints in the sense that I do for particular personal patron saints, although I have a great devotion to their Letters.  Perhaps the times warrant a more intense devotion to these fathers in the faith.  They are frequently depicted in art appearing to various saints.  I believe Catherine of Sienna was especially devoted to them as well.  How much we need them today!

Art:  Fra Angelico, Apparition of St.s Peter and Paul to St. Dominic

I give up! Portugese Cardinal says there is no theological problem with women's ordination.

What up with that?
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At Fatima Our Lady said "In Portugal the dogma of faith will always be preserved".
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Yeah-huh!  But at Akita the Blessed Virgin said, "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops."
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So what's up with Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal?
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"Theologically there is no fundamental obstacle," Cardinal Policarpo was quoted as saying. "We could say there's a tradition, because it's never been done. There's a fundamental equality among all the members of the church," the Cardinal said. "The problem lies in a strong tradition, which comes from Jesus and from the fact that the churches of the Reformation conceded the priesthood to women." - Source
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Now clearly that is just wrong.  Especially since the Holy Father has asserted that the teaching against the ordination of women is 'infallible'.
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Whaddaya do? Quick - somebody get Ed Peters on the line!  Or.  Let the dead bury their dead. 
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In the meantime, maybe I should go back to drinking?
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Photo:  Cardinal Policrapo

Painting.

Homeless saints.
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I need a change of scenery.  I've got to finish doing the period pieces I'm working on for the tabernacle frames and do something less disciplined.  I am finishing up my patron, Peter of Verona right now - though it is small, I think I'm treating it too preciously.  I want to do something else.  I came across this wonderful work by a street artist, Gabriel Reese, a portrait he painted and mounted on the boarded facade of a building.
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The artwork was installed by artist Gabriel Reese, known better in street-art circles by the name Specter. Mr. Reese said he based the portrait on Billy Bobby, a homeless man he met and spent time with in Soho. It’s the second installation in a series called “If I saw you in heaven” that Mr. Reese said will eventually feature two more romanticized depictions of homeless people he has encountered in the city. “On earth these people are on the same plane as you, we just choose to ignore them,” he said. “That’s why I make them godly.” - Story here
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His Billy Bobby reminds me of St. Alexis.  The homeless St. Alexis at once exemplifies for me - on the one hand the Scriptural passage, "let the dead bury their dead", while on the other hand, "Go back home and recount all that God has done for you." [Luke 8:39] 

Becoming Jain...

What?
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These men are Jain monks or ascetics - some wander totally naked - no matter the season, so completely detached are they from worldly goods and possessions.  Others actually wear a band over their mouths to maintain silence - I think.  It seems strange to us in the West of course - although Indian food is very popular now days, and many TV shows (Big Bang Theory) have Indian actors.  But I digress.  One shouldn't be scandalized by the nudity, since even in Orthodox tradition, some holy ascetics went around naked - these were often considered to be holy fools for Christ.  None of this would be tolerated in the West today however - although it is still permitted in India.  In Minneapolis there are many people from India and we even have Hindu temples - although it must be noted Jains are not Hindus.
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I heard from a monk friend yesterday, just after reading about Jain monasticism, homeless pilgrims, and Franciscan poverty and asceticism.  It seemed like such a coincidence.
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For more information on Jainism (it isn't Catholic), click here.

That's all.  ...well maybe not:
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The top illustration of ascetics is to replace photo showing real life Jain ascetics. 
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One more unique aspect of Jainism is its ascetics. The Jain ascetics are homeless wanderers, having no possession of any kind. They follow strict celibacy and guide basic layman about the principles of Jainism and principles of nonviolence, which they follow strictly. They never use vehicle and still travel thousands of miles. They renounce the material worldly things and show the people that true happiness lies in non-possessiveness and not in material or sensual pleasures. Their wealth is their spirituality.

Best commentary yet on the gay marriage deal...

I found it on Dymphna's blog.
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At the risk of making her mad at me for being so presumptuous, let me say that I always find great wisdom on Dymphna's little blog.  For some reason she reminds me of Nina on Third Rock From the Sun, the only sensible character in the college office of Dr. Mary Albright and Dr. Dick Solomon, to whom she acts as administrative assistant.  Dymphna is one of the few commonsense bloggers in a blogosphere of opinionated insanity and inflated egos - and I'm trusting she has a good sense of humor too.  But I digress.
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She's right of course:
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"A lot of nice, well meaning people in the blogosphere are aghast because gay "marriage" has been legalized in New York state. To be honest, I feel like asking these people where the hell they've been for the last twenty or thirty years. Have they been so self absorbed that they havne't seen what's been going around them?
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Marriage was already befouled a long time ago and heterosexuals did it." - Dymphna's Road
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Photo:  Third Rock cast.  I would be Dr. Dick of course.  (Larry is French Stewart's character, and Adrienne is Mrs. Dubchek.

Another priest thrown under the bus?

Rather, isn't it simply compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People? 

“Please keep Father Spaulding, St. Timothy Parish and the person who brought forward the accusation in your prayers.” - Rev. David Sanfilippo, vicar of priests.
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Rev. John D.“Jack” Spaulding, pastor of St. Timothy’s Catholic Community in Mesa, was placed on administrative leave Friday after a Diocesan Review Board Thursday night determined there was a “credible”allegation of his involvement in sexual misconduct with a minor. It allegedly took place more than 25 years ago when he was pastor at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Parish in Scottsdale.
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Between 1989 and 1996, nine young people of St. Maria Goretti said they were hearing voices and getting messages, or “locutions,”from Mary. Spaulding, who said he also began to get messages, instructed them to record their messages, which were compiled and examined by a diocesan commission. Its report in 1995 said the locutions were “explainable in the range of ordinary human experiences” and were not supernatural.
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The diocese released a statement Friday afternoon that Spaulding, 67, had resigned as pastor on Monday, and that Bishop Thomas Olmsted had accepted it and was consulting with others in the diocese to name a new priest for St. Timothy, one of the largest parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
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Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery released a statement Saturday morning saying his office has received no allegations or investigative report from law enforcement regarding Spaulding, nor is it participating in any criminal investigation arising from his suspension.
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Olmsted said the case will be referred to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome for further proceedings. Spaulding’s resignation is effective July 4 and “came after a separate investigation by the diocese into concerns that the parish had failed to follow certain financial and human resources policies and procedures,” the diocesan statement said. It said the diocese wants to “assure the faithful of St. Timothy that there was no finding of embezzlement or other such financial crime or impropriety” on the part of Spaulding or parish staff. “Father’s Spaulding’s resignation on Monday from his position as pastor was based upon his recognition that a change of leadership was necessary at the parish,” the two-page statement said.
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Olmsted said he took his action on the sexual misconduct allegation in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by national bishops several years ago. - Source
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Prayers for Fr. Spaulding.

Who are you going to believe?

Faith in what?
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Do you believe the One Holy Roman Catholic Church, the Vicar of Christ and the Bishops in Communion with him? 
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Or do you believe popular culture which governs public opinion effecting changes in civil law and traditional morality?  Or, if you are trying to be a faithful Catholic, do you believe a schismatic bishop who claims to speak for the CDF?  Or a priest who has left ministry?  Or the bloggers and journalists who claim sitting bishops are liars and Marxists, and that they throw unwitting priests under buses?  Or do you believe dissenting Catholics who form their own 'worship' communities and new age retreat centers and tell you every one is wrong - except the gays?  Or do you believe spurious mystics who claim the Virgin has been telling them secrets for 30 years - but they can't reveal them?  Who do you believe?
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So, who do you believe?
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Bishop Fellay of the SSPX claims:  "These are the words from the Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: “But you know, it’s the priests, it’s the bishops, it’s the Catholic universities: they are full of heresies!” That’s what the the Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith told us in June 2009! So they know that the situation in the Church is dramatic. If they are able to say that it is full of heresies everywhere, it really means something! At the same time, they act as if everything is fine. It is disappointing and confusing, my dear Brethren, but that’s the situation." - Source
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Thirty years and still going strong: "Since the beginning of the apparitions, over 40 million pilgrims have come to the small, hilly village to pray, fast, repent, and get a glimpse of the visionaries. Some have documented “miracles” such as rosary turning to gold, supernatural sightings, the dancing sun and healings.  If this is a hoax, six individuals have given 30 years of their life to maintaining the charade. Each of them has continued on with their lives; marrying, having children, working. None of the visionaries took a vocation in the Catholic church. They all chose secular lives." - Source
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Fr. Corapi:  "The leadership of the Church has made it clear to me they don’t want me anymore. They have a right to do that and I have to accept that. So, I’ll do what I can outside of the Church. I’m not leaving the Church. I am simply doing something else in life so that I won’t wither up and die, and so that you can still derive some benefit from my gifts from God." - Source
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But what have your bishops and cardinals in communion with the Pope told you?  What does the Catechism teach?  What do the various Vatican dicasteries tell you in the Pope's name?
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One, Holy, Roman Catholic Church - Jesus Christ.
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Let the dead bury their dead...  follow Jesus Christ. 
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Art: Synaxis Of The Holy, Glorious And All-praised Twelve Apostles

Corpus Christi

Body and Blood of Christ, strength and courage of martyrs, save us.
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"Martyrdom is witnessing to the truth, and paying for the witness. In other words, we're living in the age of martyrs in two senses. First, on the level of suffering and pain. For many, suffering due to physical pain has been reduced by advances in science; thus, the deepest pain is not in the body, but in the soul. In the souls of the just, there has been an ocean of suffering. One sees so much evil in the world, and often it is very close to home. It is a deep suffering. When we see evil perpetrated, committed by people whom we dearly love, it causes us deep suffering. And so that's martyrdom, you might say. But when we accept such suffering as a witness to our love for Jesus Christ, we are practicing martyrdom, and, with his grace, we can even enjoy the experience." - Source
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"Given that, to make bread the wheat must be ground, and to make wine the grapes must be crushed, so I want my members to be broken and ground by the beasts' teeth to become a sacrifice pleasing to God." - St. Ignatius of Antioch


Photo:  Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini during the Corpus Christi procession.  I very much admire a monstrance like the one shown.  Photo source.