https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/202...p-apologises-after-homily-causes-controversy/ Well the Father received a standing ovation from the congregation at the end of his Homily. So that cheers me up a lot. A few marched out...and good riddance. https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/202...p-apologises-after-homily-causes-controversy/ The Catholic Bishop of Kerry has apologised for a controversial homily delivered to mass-goers in Listowel on Sunday, saying the views expressed were not representative of the Christian faith. Bishop Ray Browne's comments come following a sermon by retired priest Seán Sheehy, deputising for the Parish Priest of Listowel, Fr Declan O'Connor. In his homily at St Mary's Church, Fr Sheehy said people rarely hear about sin but he said "it is rampant" in legislation. He went on to make disparaging remarks about abortion, transgenderism and homosexuality. A number of people left the church in protest at the priest's homily. Today, the Bishop of Kerry published a statement on the issue on the diocesan website. In his statement, Bishop Browne said he was aware of the deep upset and hurt caused by the contents of the homily in question delivered over the weekend. He apologised to "all who were offended" saying the views expressed "do not represent the Christian position". "The homily at a regular weekend parish mass is not appropriate for such issues to be spoken of in such terms," the statement added. Bishop Browne said the gospel is a gospel of love and "ever proclaims the dignity of every human person". "It calls on us all to ever have total respect for one another." Speaking to Radio Kerry this afternoon, Fr Sheehy said Bishop Browne had told him that he was "to be taken off all masses". He stood by his homily, saying: "I know myself that what I said cannot be disproven by any honest-to-God Catholic, Christian or Catholic teaching, and that's the bottom line."
In the discussion on radio 1, Joe asked in the Bible there was any condemnation of homosexuality. Fr. Sheehy referred to Genesis, 'male and female He made them'. Joe said, "I thought you said Jesus said it, make up your mind". Fr. Sheehy made a great and spirited defence of the Church's position. However, he forgot that Jesus himself confirmed this Word of Scripture in Matthew 19:4-6.
..and may He also reward the good people who cheered him on. If I had been there I would have been doing hand stands and leaping about like a March Hare, cheering myself hoarse. As to the two Bishops who shut the poor man down....well all I can say is a Fear of Loss of Human Respect is a terrible ; most especially in Bishops. Cowardice does not lead to Heaven. As Jesus said, 'Your ancestors stoned the Prophets...' I suppose the good Father will now be posted to Outer Pantagonia to Minister to the Cannibal tribes there, or to the Moon to service the first human colony that arrives there at some future date. Never to be seen again. Bye, bye Fr Sheehy.Poor man Matthew 23:30 …29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.… https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2017/02/08/what-is-the-sin-of-human-respect/ “Human respect” seems like a good thing. After all, we ought to respect, honor and appreciate one another. What then is meant by the “sin of human respect”? It is when we fear man more than God; we are more concerned with what people think of us than what God thinks of us. This is an unholy, sinful fear, and is at the root of many of our sins, both of commission and of omission.
So very sad. As an English Catholic I am immensely grateful to the Irish church which for many years (as far as I can remember certainly) sent priests, brothers and nuns to teach us the faith. Where would we have been without them? It seems very sad that Our Lady only promised that Portugal would not lose the faith when Poland and Ireland have suffered so much to remain Catholic. I read not so long ago that Maynooth seminary, which used to be overflowing with students, is largely empty. So sad, so very sad. Our Lady of Knock, pray for Ireland and for us all. On another note, I watched the video with Patrick Coffin and my mind went back to a conversation I had in the early 90s with a dear friend who is no longer with us. We were talking about the devastation in the church. She said that a monk told her (I think it was Fr Bede Camm) that it would take three generations to undo all the damage. I said cheerily that I might live to see it then (given that generations overlap). She looked at me sadly and shook her head. No words needed to be said. Perhaps the good Dom meant a hundred years. If this is right, then we are in it for the long game and many of us won't see the restoration of the Church. During the English reformation many people must have wondered when the torment would end. That was in the 1530s. The Catholic emancipation act was in 1829 (I think!) and of course Catholics in England were very much the underdogs for decades after. We could be in for a long hiatus when chaos rules with hedonism, blasphemy and heresy everywhere. I suppose 'prepping' has a spiritual context too. We need to be spiritual preppers by keeping to the true faith and ensure our loved ones hear the truth. Let good Catholics go into film, theatre, the arts, politics, journalism, etc but for my part I will be behind the scenes, praying and sowing seeds where I can.
A phrase came to me when I was praying There is devastation in the vineyard of the Lord. I did an online search and found that it matched a book written by Dietrich Von Hildebrand - The Devastated Vineyard (1973) by Dietrich von Hildebrand Available online on link below http://www.maroon.dti.ne.jp/gokyo/vineyard/index.html#MOKUJI
A little bit of the preface gives a flavour of the book - remember written in 1973 Preface Today we can no longer call the situation in the holy Church “The Trojan Horse in the City of God.” The enemies who were hidden in the Trojan Horse have stepped out of their encasement and the active work of destruction is in high gear. The epidemic has advanced from scarcely recognizable errors and falsifications of the spirit of Christ and the holy Church, up to the most flagrant heresies and blasphemies.
Hi Clare A. Please help me understand your position. You mentioned that a monk spoke of a long period required to "undo all the damage" required to bring about "the restoration of the Church." First, I believe it will only be a short number of years before we see "the restoration of the Church." Second, I believe that this "restoration" will NOT be a HUMAN restoration. The Church must first appear to die and then Jesus will supernaturally intervene and save the faithful remnant. This is what is taught in CCC 677. It is Magisterial teaching to be accepted on Faith by every Catholic. Here is why I believe what I do. The Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 starts with this question: [3] And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the world? Sedente autem eo super montem Oliveti, accesserunt ad eum discipuli secreto, dicentes : Dic nobis, quando haec erunt? et quod signum adventus tui, et consummationis saeculi? The disciples ask Jesus to "tell them...of the consummation of the age," a time period that would end definitively at some point in the future. That "age" (saeculi) is the process of "salvation history" discussed in Genesis through the Apocalypse. The "consummation" refers to Jesus, the Bridegroom, returning to his betrothed Bride and "consummating" the spiritual marriage with his faithful believers. The "wedding supper of the Lamb" is the event that faithful Catholics will experience in "the end times." This is a wonderful reward for faithfulness to God's Word, not something to fear. Jesus describes this event in Luke chapter 21: [28] But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand. His autem fieri incipientibus, respicite, et levate capita vestra : quoniam appropinquat redemptio vestra. However, before we experience this wonderful "consummation," many must first pass through a cleansing to be worthy to stand in the presence of Jesus. Part of that cleansing is "the Warning" and "the Miracle," as well as other frightening "end time" persecutions that have been foretold. The persecutions are related to the Antichrist, an individual and series of events discussed in CCC 675-677. Those Catholics who "persevere" in the True Faith, during this 3.5 year period of the Antichrist, will be the ones who experience the "wedding supper of the Lamb." Those people who fall away from the True Faith, and persecute the Faithful remnant during that 3.5 year period, will experience God's Wrath, along with others who reject the True Faith. Do you not believe that we are experiencing right now the events spoken of in the Olivet Discourse and the Apocalypse? Those events are explained in less metaphorical language in CCC 675-677. It revolves around the Anti-Christ (an Anti-Pope) who tries to destroy the Church from within. He will appear to succeed. I believe that the Synod on Synodality is the instrument by which this Antipope/Antichrist will try to invert the teachings of the Catholic Church. This is happening NOW, in my estimation, not decades down the road. It seems that you don't agree with that sequence of events. You seem to describe a Church that, through a long period of human effort, will achieve "a restoration." That we are going through a kind of bump in the road right now, but, given enough years, we will get things back on track. Is that what you are saying? Can you help me understand your position better? Why do you think we are not in what the CCC calls "the Church's Ultimate Trial." Thanks in advance.
PNF I have no idea exactly what was meant so I can’t answer your question. It was something said to me by a good Catholic. Perhaps I didn’t write clearly but I had no intention of saying that humans will sort it out. However they may well be the instruments God uses. As for the Warning and Miracle, these are pious opinion and not in the CCC. I believed in Garabandal until Joey died. Do you remember the 1970s? I found faith then and only gradually came to discern the times. That is fifty years ago. People of my parents generation like my friend may be forgiven for wondering when the innovations will stop. However only in the past few years has the rot appeared to come from the top.
I can’t find the thread on the synod so I’m posting this here.https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2022/10/31/a-self-destructive-synod/
I am convinced that this terrible time is necessary to reveal the rot. The hidden parasites eating the innards of the Church. With this pope in charge they are out in full force. No pretending any more. Now we see. Now people can choose freely. The windowing fan.
Permit me to think out loud. It's all just very upsetting. This has been a watershed moment. I suppose I've always had a mental reservation (to use BrianK's term) about Pope Francis. But admitting it is such a big step. And, of course this is only the beginning of things (the chastisement), if one goes this route. I feel sick in my stomach thinking about it. Having been apostate for more years than I care to think about, I finally found Holy Mother Church again. The thoughts of going into schism at some point down the line is a terrible thought. The Church I thought I was coming back to was the Church of the 1960s which I still have some memory of from my early childhood. I did not want to come back to a corrupted version of the Faith. I do think we need to choose sides between good and evil. However, at this present time, if that means calling a currently reigning Pontiff either a heretic or evil, then I can't do that. Besides, I admit I have had a sheltered existence but I thought we call the sin evil not the sinner. While I do not like an awful lot of what I see concerning Pope Francis, I accept I could be wrong. And I am a nothing whereas he is the Pontiff. Maybe I will try to explain my position further in another post. I do however, acknowledge and understand your own torture at this dilemma and your response to it. I have been thinking for quite some time that if it comes to it, I may have to follow Cardinal Muller, Bishop Schneider or any Episcopal Disciple of Jesus Christ who makes the reasoned argument that the time has come to stand in the shoes of St. Athanasius, and if necessary go into schism. But even if that time were to come, I would still have to make that decision. I have not made any decision as to what I would do yet. I am just not capable of making it at present. I am no Priest, let alone Bishop, Cardinal or Pope. Before I might have to make such a decision, I hope to learn much more about the Catechism (CCC, Trent), the Bible, the Church Fathers etc. But much more important is to have a lot more concrete Works of Spiritual and Corporal Mercy under my belt before I depart this life. It would be a white martyrdom to have to go into schism. There will likeky come a time in the future when I have no car and so I would be even more dependent on the Parish Novus Ordo Church. Could I survive without the Mass?, without the Eucharist?, without Eucharistic adoration?, without the fellowship of my Church community?. How could I tell my lovely Parish Priest? Could I survive just praying the Holy Rosary, the Divine Office, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary and other devotions? One of the ways that Jesus and Mary come to us is through others; could I survive without the fellowship and sense of belonging I get from the kind and gentle interactions with others at Mass and other Church ceremonies? I would be an orphan, again, except of course from this online community! I could try to keep my mind fixed on God, The Most Blessed Trinity, in Jesus, the Second Person, and through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. But without the Most Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mother Church I would be like the Israelites in the desert and I on my own too. It is not as if I am not isolated enough already. Perhaps I could make it to Confession and Mass at an SSPX Church once or twice a year, but that would be it. Two months ago I spoke with a man and his wife - two people whom I regard as having a very high degree of sanctity. They are members of the Latin Mass Society in Ireland. They attend weekday Novus Ordo Mass. They are highly knowledgeable on Fatima and have had for many years an apostolate based on Fatima and Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They were very wary of Fr. Gruner, however, who they deemed 'schismatic'. I told them I was thinking of going to a Latin Mass (I have never been to one!) and they invited me to the one they go to. I also mentioned that I was thinking of going to the SSPX to try it out. They spoke very strongly against the SSPX. I told them about Robert (Derry Organiser) was advising people to go to the SSPX, and that Robert says he is not trying to divide the Novus Ordo Church (Robert says that Christ will speak to him in His Church). They were still very antagonistic. They said that going to the SSPX would over time only lead to schism. They had had personal experience of someone close to them who had joined the SSPX. Over time, they said, this person became totally alienated from the Novus Ordo Church, to the degree that they seriously feared for the eternal salvation of them - their close relatives. They were quite upset about it. They seem very knowledgeable too on the SSPX. I pressed them on why not go to SSPX. They said that the SSPX all started with an act of disobedience on the part of Archbishop Lefebvre, when he consecrated his own Bishops without permission from the Vatican. They stressed how important obedience is in the Catholic Church. They cited the obedience of the Blessed Virgin Mary and many Saints in the Church. On the contrary they were very aware of all the problems in the Catholic Church and with Pope Francis. BUT they were not prepared to cross that line into Schism. I took all this in and continue to ponder it. This couple also talked about the Benedictine monks of the Monastery of Le Barroux in Provence. Apparently they cannonically broke along with Archbishop Lefebvre from the post-Conciliar Church and they established the Latin Rite at the monastery. However, that particular Benedictine Order then split apart and the Le Barroux monks returned to Holy Mother Church, keeping their Tridentine Rite in the process. One of the main protagonists in this story was Fr. Dom Gérard Calvet (1927-2008). For the sake of brevity, I just say that Dom Gérard said on signing the Protocol of Agreement, 5th May 1988, "It is hard to describe the joy we felt at fully belonging within the Catholic Church. Our Mother had embraced us again. All we could do was chant the Magnificat." When they were out of cannonical line he would tell his monks: "You must suffer because of this situation. If you don't, you have lost your sense of the Church". When asked about what were the problems in the Church back in 1994, Dom Gérard said: "There is a crisis of authority. The Church is adapting to the prevailing culture as if its doctrine were the findings of a survey: what the majority thinks, what the Church ought to teach. ...The Church transcends all opinions even if they are the majority. But unfortunately the men of the Church are incredibly conditioned by the press. It is that the Church is prey to a sentimentalist crisis. Faith is an act of the intellect guided by will. ... But today many Christians are living the faith as if it were an emotion. Yet martyrs did not let themselves be killed for an emotion, but for a reality they had proven, and which their intellect had recognised". Back then what was happening in the Church was chicken-feed compared to the current situation. I do wonder what Dom Gérard would make of it all today? I suspect he would have an apoplexy.
You are only stating a possibility, not declaring it, and it is certainly plausible. There are in fact two plausible versions. Firstly, he might not have been legitimately elected and, secondly, he might have been perfectly legitimate but has, through his words and deeds, rendered himself null and void. These possibilities, if true, might return Benedict as Pope, by default. On the other hand, maybe not and we are without a pope. This has happened before. We always have Christ. And we always have the office of the Papacy, the Rock which He promised, at Caesarea Phillippi, would remain impregnable to the Gates of Hell.
It's a great relief to hear that. We are being trolled and gaslighted, to use the modern terms, so much by the media. Lies was the old, and more accurate, term. Unfortunately, everyone has had the bishop's version of events shoved down their throats and few will hear of what really happened. God bless Father Sheehey, dismissed in the media as 'an old priest'.
I am afraid there is a problem with Father Sheehey. I will not go into it here, I am sure it will come out in the wash and I don't want get into scandal. But, as it turns out I would be a little careful with this particular priest. Things are maybe not as black and white as they originally appeared.
I think when the time may comes to make the big decision may be over the Holy Mass. If the Liturgy is tampered with in such a way that the Mass is no longer the Mass, that will be the hour of decision. Not only for simple lay folks but for the Clergy too.
It meshes with everything that's been happening. China is the perfect example of this....Ireland too, in centuries gone by. You guys may want to soon think about scouting out new locations of suitable rocks....they already know where the old ones are.
