Oh I don't know ; sometimes I am a coward and think there is only so much truth I can handle. But it was Jesus who said, 'The truth will set you free'. But goodness it is so very, very, very painful to learn all this. John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Powerful, powerful Video! Thank you Padraig. God has sent His angels out around the world to gather the victims, to enlighten His children and to expose the evil deeds done in the dark; And like a great symphony, it is with synchronised precision that all this comes about at His appointed time! Thank you Oh Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! I sense the spiritual battle between Good and evil is about to be become manifest in the physical realm in a much more evident way. Therefore... Dearest Mother Mary place us under Thy mantle as the great storm approaches, and fill us with the graces necessary to remain faithful to Thy Divine Son Jesus. Amen
Amen....it feels as though things are moving so fast now...no time to waste preparing our souls and praying for those most in need of God’s mercy. Jesus, I trust in You+
Yes, the only thing is it reminds me a bit like Pandora' Box; once she opened the box all the evils of the world escaped. Or like my dogs, once you let them off the lead they would attack any other dog in sight, Which is why I never let them off the lead. But now the dogs of war are unleashed, I notice Pope benedict and Pope St JOhn Paul 2 being mentioned. The dogs of war are off the leash. But I am afraid I don't see any alternative. ANTONY: Blood and destruction shall be so in use And dreadful objects so familiar That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial. Shakespeare Julius Caesar
Yes but it may have it's dark side. Respect for the Roman Pontiff was inbuilt in us; once lost who will rebuild it? Sigh. Not for generations. BUt what alternative is there toasking these hard, hard questions. Our poor, poor Church. Many prayers.
I take it reading between the lines that James Grein comes from a very wealthy background; his family being of Swiss background? I must look him up on the web.
I'm not sure you will get much information on the web unless you know Grein's mother's maiden name. Grein's maternal grandfather was from St. Gallen in Switzerland and was wealthy. Born in 1930, when McCarrick was 3 years old his father (a ship's captain) died. His mother worked in a car parts factory in New York. As I said on the other thread, I get the impression that there are gaps in Grein's story. Did he ever tell anyone that McCarrick had abused him when he was a child? Perhaps I misunderstood, but I got the impression that he didn't tell anyone until information came out following the investigation by the New York diocese. Wasn't that when James Grein told his story to the NYT? To date, Grein is the only person to have accused McCarrick of child molestation. I think he said that he had tried to tell his older brother but that the brother was too busy to listen to him. Or did I get that wrong? I could be way off the mark here, but is it possible that Grein was a willing companion to McCarrick? How do we know that he hasn't concocted a victim story to stave off him or his family being implicated in McCarrick's shenanigans? Some of what he said (e.g. about who knew what) sounds like speculation. Also, he gave a peculiar answer when asked whether Pope Benedict knew. Here's a link to McCarrick's wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Edgar_McCarrick According to Wikipedia, McCarrick was a student at (Jesuit) Fordham Prep School, then spent a year studying in Switzerland before going to Fordham University. Here's a glowing article about Cardinal McCarrick published in The Washingtonian in October 2004 which gives some information about his early years: https://www.washingtonian.com/2004/10/01/the-man-in-the-red-hat/ McCarrick talks about getting a nickel to spend if his mother had worked overtime. Despite their poverty, he went to (Jesuit) Xavier High School (a preparatory school). Currently the fees are about $19,000 per annum, so perhaps he got a scholarship or a reduction in fees. Look at who they had giving a talk to their students yesterday on the topic "How we can strengthen the Catholic Church": http://www.xavierhs.org/s/81/rd16/i...=8540&ecid=8540&crid=0&calpgid=61&calcid=6974 Xavier High must have had higher standards back in the day because McCarrick was expelled in his junior year. He said they expelled him for missing classes. That Washingtonian report also says that he was off school for a year before "a friend of the family" got him into (Jesuit) Fordham Prep School where currently the fees are about £20,000 p.a. He excelled at Fordham and was elected student-council president. Wikipedia has him spending a year in Switzerland studying languages between Fordham Prep School and Fordham University. The Washingtonian quotes him as saying that he was on a religious retreat in a monastery in the Alps on his 20th birthday when he decided to become a priest. He can't have spent much time in Fordham University because he was ordained in 1958 having achieved a BA in philosophy (1954) and an MA in theology (1958). If priestly formation takes 7 years, he must have entered the seminary in 1951 at age 21. Grein says that the grandfather took an instant shine to McCarrick when the uncle brought McCarrick to visit him. Didn't he say that from then on McCarrick often went on holidays with the grandfather? He said that the grandfather took young McCarrick to Switzerland to meet the grandfather's work and holy friends. Why? Who were those friends? What kind of influence did they have on a young man from a poor background? Had McCarrick himself been taken advantage of at some stage? What caused him to miss school as a teenager? How do we know that McCarrick hadn't been chosen and groomed to pursue an agenda? McCarrick was ordained by Cardinal Spellman. Did Grein say that it was his family who introduced McCarrick to Spellman? Spellman was the Bishop who gave Fulton Sheen a hard time. I think there's a general belief that Spellman was a practicing homosexual. I recall reading where one Bishop made a disparaging remark about Spellman - referring to him as a peacock or something similar. James Grein says that it would have been political interests who were behind McCarrick. Perhaps he's right about that. He implied that it was Communist interests. I find that hard to believe. He didn't mention Masons but that's what it sounded like to me. It seems to me that a lot of questions need answering, but nobody is likely to ask hard questions of James Grein if he's considered to be a victim - especially a victim of child abuse. I'm not saying the man is lying but I do wonder whether perhaps some of his story could have been embellished and some relevant details omitted - not necessarily deliberately.
My husband always throws this out there about Spellman when he wants to bolster his arguments against the Church. He seems bemused that I don't take the bait. I know longer enter in to defend prelates. The inviolate Bride I will fiercely defend but sadly he sees no distinction between them.
Yes, There are certain aspects of Mr Grein's evidence that caused me to raise my eye brows somewhat. The main thing is that it is all so convenient to the present purpose. If a total stranger appeared at the door offering me a free Christmas turkey I would think twice before eating it. Sad; but such is the way of the world. As Jesus said, 'Be you innocent as doves but subtle as the serpent'. Dr Marshall is a very fine intellectual but e is not a trained journalist who would at once go back to trace and check his sources. If people like Michael Voris or Raymond Arroyo had been offered a turkey I don;t think they would have eaten it just quickly. I hope Dr Marshall has done his background checks. I hope he is not left with a total turkey which will discredit him. We will see. Also I was uneasy about Mr Grein suggesting that the structure of the Church being dissolved and I am afraid Dr Marshall looked a little bit like a fish that had swallowed the hook, line and sinker. It will all come out in the wash.
Shocking =not What really gets me is the Popes latest speech against homosexuality in the priesthood, yet this Fr. Martin is given carte blanche to do whatever he wills. I think it wise to question everything we hear or see in these times, really I do because we are all fallen human beings. What Mr. Grein motives are for coming out now with these allegations, we cannot know for sure. I don't think his allegations are false because he speaks with conviction. At his young age he could have very well been groomed. Whatever else was going on, only God knows. You bring up some very good points Dolours, we should be on guard. We all have much need to grow spiritually and Mr. Griens comment about starting a new church bothered me. The core of the Catholic Church is good and holy and nothing can change that.
I have a tendency to divide our priests in, bishops etc into 'good guys' and 'bad guys, but seeing this video this morning I was flabbergasted to hear that my hero JPII knew, allegedly knew about McCarrick and did nothing because of the money flowing in. If true, he shouldn't have done that, but I'm trying desperately not to put him in 'bad guy' camp. I love him, I will forgive him but I must say I actually put my fist up to him and said out loud, 'you should not have done that, you SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT!'
My mother used to say, 'If you believe all you hear, you'll eat all you see!' Perhaps it is true, perhaps it is not. But in charity I prefer not to believe unless I have real evidence otherwise. Without evidence this is merely gossip. Pope John Paul 2 was a saint and towards the end of his reign suffered very badly from Parkinson's. These tow facts alone would give me cause for pause at such rumours without anything else. I think we might all be surprised at what Popes know and do not know.
St. Pope John Paul spent most of his life working in a Communist country, Poland. The reds used to send people to tempt priests and bishops sexually and, when the reaction was not what they wanted or expected, they were especially vicious in attacking the innocent by spreading rumours. Rumours were spread in Poland about JPII himself and a woman friend. Consequently, the Saint was very wary of believing rumours of sexual misconduct without solid proof because he knew that it was a rapid and easy way of destroying a reputation or at least making people mistrustful of the accused. He was also a man who worked with hero priests under Communism where priests had made extraordinary sacrifices to become ordained and, in his innocence (I believe) he thought of all priests (even in the US and western Europe) as being of the same mould. His approval of the many, many dubious names handed to him for episcopal appointments was a result (so some believe) of some cynical moves by those entrusted to put names forward to him and his naïve trust in them. It could hardly have been otherwise when you consider his theology and goodness and the apparent lack of those in so many of his appointed bishops, archbishops and cardinals.