Giving up porn for Lent

"The spiritual combat in which we kill our passions to put on the new man is the most difficult struggle of all. We must never weary of this combat, but fight the holy fight fervently and perseveringly." - St. Nilus

Has anyone given up porn for lent?  That's not just pornographic movies or magazines, its also "romance" books filled with sex scenes- books and movies like "50 Shades of Grey".

I can't help but wonder how many Catholics filled the movie theater THE FIRST WEEKEND of Lent to watch the pornographic "50 Shades of Grey" on the big screen.

Couldn't give it up even for Lent, eh?

Porn in all its forms, is addicting.

I've got my own story with the porn found in women's "romance" novels.

I gave up "romance" books when I became Catholic- actually along my way to becoming Catholic.  Prior to that, I had been reading "romance" books since I was a pre-teen and never thought twice about it. No one in my Baptist faith ever bothered to mention that women's "romance" books were not in keeping with our Christian faith.

The women in my family watched soap operas (only one of them read "romance" books).  So growing up and seeing the "romance" displayed on soap operas was my first exposure to "romance" - totally corrupt of course.  No child should be raised thinking Luke raping Laura (General Hospital) was the beginning of their "romance" and eventual marriage.  But that is all I knew of "romance" as a young child.  Books didn't come into play until my pre-teen years.

"Romance" book reading started innocently enough with me.  When I was in 8th grade I read "Gone With the Wind" and I was hooked on books that mixed history with romance.  The cover of "Gone with the Wind" was my template for locating other books to read (until I began to find my favorite authors).  If the cover had Fabio on it, I read it.  Little did I know at that time, the "historical romance" section of the book store included books loaded with graphic sex scenes.  I can still remember the FIRST "historic romance" book I read - because it was SO shocking to me as a young pre-teen it was burnt into my mind and to this day (decades later) I can still recall the story, the cover and of course the sex scenes in that book.  I read hundreds after that one and those are a blur, but the first one sticks.  My view of sex had been completely corrupted by "romance" books and my view of adult romantic relationships had been corrupted by soap operas.

My Mother, once said to me as a pre-teen, "You're too young to read that" -which only indicated to me that in a few years I would be old enough to pick the book back up again and then read it.  So that's what I did- for years.  I read "romance" books daily.  My friends and I would swap books, spend weekends at some book warehouse spending our part-time job money on romance books.  I never left home without a "romance" book stuffed in my purse.

Some time ago, Katrina at The Crescat wrote a post about a "romance" book that had been turned into a mini series. In one of the comments I briefly mentioned my own involvement with "romance" books.  Years ago, long before I was Catholic or even thought of being Catholic I had another blog.  A successful book/movie reviewing blog which focused mainly on "romance" books.  For years I wrote reviews for "romance" publishers and authors- they sent me free books and swag and I offered give-aways of free "romance" merchandise- I even created a template and header for an "exotic romance" author I had befriended.  I made lots of friends with "romance" authors who wrote "soft porn" romance and "erotic romance".  We were friends outside of blogging.  We shared about our lives, husbands, children, work etc.  I knew these women as friends.  Anything they or their publishers sent to me I would read and review for them.  These are well known authors who've sold millions of books.

That all began to change when I started my journey into the Catholic faith.  I hadn't viewed reading "romance" as sinful in anyway.  To me, "its just fiction" was how I looked at it.  I never considered it to be harmful.  It was a hobby.  I read books because it was fun and my friends and I enjoyed the "romance" in them.  Just as I had spent time cross-stitching or bible reading or collecting shells at the beach, reading romance was just another past-time to me.  It was something to do with whatever free time I had. I never thought I was spending my time in sin by reading "romance" books because my view of "romance" had been so corrupted at a young age I was blinded to it.

It was when I began (unknowingly at the time) my journey towards the Catholic faith that how I viewed things changed.  I began to question what I was reading and watching on television.  I asked myself more and more "Is this the sort of entertainment I should be entertaining myself with?"  

The guilt came.  No longer was it fun to read or review these books.  It felt wrong.  I felt guilty.  I thought, "Would I discuss this book with Jesus?  Would I sit down and watch this movie with Jesus if he walked into my house right now?"

No way!  I would HIDE the books and turn off the TV.

Then I knew.  What I had been doing for years was wrong.

I closed down the book blog, said goodbye to all the publishers, authors and other people I had met and befriended in the "romance" world.  I filled garbage bags with books and DVD's from my house and tossed them in the trash along with all the "romance" swag I had accumulated over the years.  Autographed books and photographs went too.

I completely cleansed my house of everything that was associated with "romance" books and movies.  But I couldn't cleanse my mind of what I had taken in.  Sadly, that was there to stay.  You can't get innocence back once it's lost.  Be very careful what example you're setting for your own children!

A few Catholic blogs, including Katrina over at The Crescat shared a video this week, by Russell Brand about porn and how destructive it is to people.

Because porn is such a huge problem for all people today...men, women (especially all those women reading and watching "50 Shades of Grey") and children (horrible), I thought, I too would share this video on my blog.

If you're a Catholic woman still reading "romance" books, won't you please consider giving it up?

How about starting with this Lent?  It's not too late!

Go to confession and toss out all the books and start over and don't go back when Lent is over!

Give up all forms of pornography forever!



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Catholic Catechism:

2354 Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials.

2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.

Links: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kvzamjQW9M

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecrescat/2015/02/russel-brands-anti-porn-rant.html

http://www.kofc.org/en/catechism/index.html

EWTN Press Release: Len Marino Named VP of Creative Services

EWTN Names Len Marino 

Vice President of Creative Services

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network has named Len Marino to the post of Vice President of Creative Services. In this newly created role, Marino will assume senior management responsibility for a consolidated Creative Services Division, which will include the Network’s Creative Services and On-Air Promotions Departments.

“Len is clearly a dynamic and capable leader who brings a wealth of experience, talent and wisdom to EWTN,” said EWTN Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “The consolidation of these areas into a single creative group will enable us to expand upon the tremendous work that has already been done in these areas and to bring more focus to our efforts to build a greater engagement with the Network’s global brand and our mission.”

Marino’s career began on Madison Avenue and spans more than 35 years with stops at CNN Creative Services, Starz, Encore and Hallmark Entertainment Networks. He’s worked with the Muppets and helped launch a number of networks including Encore’s Multiplex, Kermit and The Hallmark Channel. He’s had his own creative shop for the past 14 years. Marino’s latest projects include creative and on-air promotion for WeatherNation as well a series of advertising campaigns and branding initiatives for EWTN.

Marino is a devout Catholic and 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus. Marino and Lorna, his wife of 31 years, will be relocating to Birmingham from Denver in the next few weeks. The couple has a grown daughter and two feisty terriers. Marino is an alumnus of Tulane University in New Orleans and St. Mary’s High School in his native New York.

“I feel blessed to be able to contribute to the evangelization efforts of EWTN as it continues its global expansion,” Marino said. “Five years ago, I had a series of life-changing events that put me on a path to a deeper understanding of my Catholic faith. Over the past months, I have enjoyed working with the Creative team at the Network and I look forward to using the experiences I have been privileged to have over my lifetime for EWTN and its mission.”

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Pope Benedict XVI and the SSPX

Apparently, some don't like that I hold the personal opinion that the SSPX are in schism with the Catholic Church.  I'm OK with that.  

What I am doing today is showing (in part) WHY I believe as I do.  I refer to the words of Pope Benedict XVI himself for my views...

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

CONCERNING THE REMISSION OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION

OF THE FOUR BISHOPS CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE

 Dear Brothers in the Episcopal Ministry!  The remission of the excommunication of the four Bishops consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre without a mandate of the Holy See has for many reasons caused, both within and beyond the Catholic Church, a discussion more heated than any we have seen for a long time. Many Bishops felt perplexed by an event which came about unexpectedly and was difficult to view positively in the light of the issues and tasks facing the Church today. Even though many Bishops and members of the faithful were disposed in principle to take a positive view of the Pope’s concern for reconciliation, the question remained whether such a gesture was fitting in view of the genuinely urgent demands of the life of faith in our time. Some groups, on the other hand, openly accused the Pope of wanting to turn back the clock to before the Council: as a result, an avalanche of protests was unleashed, whose bitterness laid bare wounds deeper than those of the present moment. I therefore feel obliged to offer you, dear Brothers, a word of clarification, which ought to help you understand the concerns which led me and the competent offices of the Holy See to take this step. In this way I hope to contribute to peace in the Church.
An unforeseen mishap for me was the fact that the Williamson case came on top of the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards four Bishops ordained validly but not legitimately suddenly appeared as something completely different: as the repudiation of reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and thus as the reversal of what the Council had laid down in this regard to guide the Church’s path. A gesture of reconciliation with an ecclesial group engaged in a process of separation thus turned into its very antithesis: an apparent step backwards with regard to all the steps of reconciliation between Christians and Jews taken since the Council – steps which my own work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support. That this overlapping of two opposed processes took place and momentarily upset peace between Christians and Jews, as well as peace within the Church, is something which I can only deeply deplore. I have been told that consulting the information available on the internet would have made it possible to perceive the problem early on. I have learned the lesson that in the future in the Holy See we will have to pay greater attention to that source of news. I was saddened by the fact that even Catholics who, after all, might have had a better knowledge of the situation, thought they had to attack me with open hostility. Precisely for this reason I thank all the more our Jewish friends, who quickly helped to clear up the misunderstanding and to restore the atmosphere of friendship and trust which – as in the days of Pope John Paul II – has also existed throughout my pontificate and, thank God, continues to exist.
Another mistake, which I deeply regret, is the fact that the extent and limits of the provision of 21 January 2009 were not clearly and adequately explained at the moment of its publication. The excommunication affects individuals, not institutions. An episcopal ordination lacking a pontifical mandate raises the danger of a schism, since it jeopardizes the unity of the College of Bishops with the Pope. Consequently the Church must react by employing her most severe punishment – excommunication – with the aim of calling those thus punished to repent and to return to unity. Twenty years after the ordinations, this goal has sadly not yet been attained. The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four Bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council. Here I return to the distinction between individuals and institutions. The remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the field of ecclesiastical discipline: the individuals were freed from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties. This disciplinary level needs to be distinguished from the doctrinal level. The fact that the Society of Saint Pius X does not possess a canonical status in the Church is not, in the end, based on disciplinary but on doctrinal reasons. As long as the Society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church. There needs to be a distinction, then, between the disciplinary level, which deals with individuals as such, and the doctrinal level, at which ministry and institution are involved. In order to make this clear once again: until the doctrinal questions are clarified, the Society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers – even though they have been freed of the ecclesiastical penalty – do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church.
In light of this situation, it is my intention henceforth to join the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" – the body which has been competent since 1988 for those communities and persons who, coming from the Society of Saint Pius X or from similar groups, wish to return to full communion with the Pope – to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This will make it clear that the problems now to be addressed are essentially doctrinal in nature and concern primarily the acceptance of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar magisterium of the Popes. The collegial bodies with which the Congregation studies questions which arise (especially the ordinary Wednesday meeting of Cardinals and the annual or biennial Plenary Session) ensure the involvement of the Prefects of the different Roman Congregations and representatives from the world’s Bishops in the process of decision-making. The Church’s teaching authority cannot be frozen in the year 1962 – this must be quite clear to the Society. But some of those who put themselves forward as great defenders of the Council also need to be reminded that Vatican II embraces the entire doctrinal history of the Church. Anyone who wishes to be obedient to the Council has to accept the faith professed over the centuries, and cannot sever the roots from which the tree draws its life.
I hope, dear Brothers, that this serves to clarify the positive significance and also the limits of the provision of 21 January 2009. But the question still remains: Was this measure needed? Was it really a priority? Aren’t other things perhaps more important? Of course there are more important and urgent matters. I believe that I set forth clearly the priorities of my pontificate in the addresses which I gave at its beginning. Everything that I said then continues unchanged as my plan of action. The first priority for the Successor of Peter was laid down by the Lord in the Upper Room in the clearest of terms: "You… strengthen your brothers" (Lk 22:32). Peter himself formulated this priority anew in his first Letter: "Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15). In our days, when in vast areas of the world the faith is in danger of dying out like a flame which no longer has fuel, the overriding priority is to make God present in this world and to show men and women the way to God. Not just any god, but the God who spoke on Sinai; to that God whose face we recognize in a love which presses "to the end" (cf. Jn13:1) – in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. The real problem at this moment of our history is that God is disappearing from the human horizon, and, with the dimming of the light which comes from God, humanity is losing its bearings, with increasingly evident destructive effects.
Leading men and women to God, to the God who speaks in the Bible: this is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church and of the Successor of Peter at the present time. A logical consequence of this is that we must have at heart the unity of all believers. Their disunity, their disagreement among themselves, calls into question the credibility of their talk of God. Hence the effort to promote a common witness by Christians to their faith – ecumenism – is part of the supreme priority. Added to this is the need for all those who believe in God to join in seeking peace, to attempt to draw closer to one another, and to journey together, even with their differing images of God, towards the source of Light – this is interreligious dialogue. Whoever proclaims that God is Love "to the end" has to bear witness to love: in loving devotion to the suffering, in the rejection of hatred and enmity – this is the social dimension of the Christian faith, of which I spoke in the Encyclical Deus Caritas Est.
So if the arduous task of working for faith, hope and love in the world is presently (and, in various ways, always) the Church’s real priority, then part of this is also made up of acts of reconciliation, small and not so small. That the quiet gesture of extending a hand gave rise to a huge uproar, and thus became exactly the opposite of a gesture of reconciliation, is a fact which we must accept. But I ask now: Was it, and is it, truly wrong in this case to meet half-way the brother who "has something against you" (cf.Mt 5:23ff.) and to seek reconciliation? Should not civil society also try to forestall forms of extremism and to incorporate their eventual adherents – to the extent possible – in the great currents shaping social life, and thus avoid their being segregated, with all its consequences? Can it be completely mistaken to work to break down obstinacy and narrowness, and to make space for what is positive and retrievable for the whole? I myself saw, in the years after 1988, how the return of communities which had been separated from Rome changed their interior attitudes; I saw how returning to the bigger and broader Church enabled them to move beyond one-sided positions and broke down rigidity so that positive energies could emerge for the whole. Can we be totally indifferent about a community which has 491 priests, 215 seminarians, 6 seminaries, 88 schools, 2 university-level institutes, 117 religious brothers, 164 religious sisters and thousands of lay faithful? Should we casually let them drift farther from the Church? I think for example of the 491 priests. We cannot know how mixed their motives may be. All the same, I do not think that they would have chosen the priesthood if, alongside various distorted and unhealthy elements, they did not have a love for Christ and a desire to proclaim him and, with him, the living God. Can we simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical fringe, from our pursuit of reconciliation and unity? What would then become of them?
Certainly, for some time now, and once again on this specific occasion, we have heard from some representatives of that community many unpleasant things – arrogance and presumptuousness, an obsession with one-sided positions, etc. Yet to tell the truth, I must add that I have also received a number of touching testimonials of gratitude which clearly showed an openness of heart. But should not the great Church also allow herself to be generous in the knowledge of her great breadth, in the knowledge of the promise made to her? Should not we, as good educators, also be capable of overlooking various faults and making every effort to open up broader vistas? And should we not admit that some unpleasant things have also emerged in Church circles? At times one gets the impression that our society needs to have at least one group to which no tolerance may be shown; which one can easily attack and hate. And should someone dare to approach them – in this case the Pope – he too loses any right to tolerance; he too can be treated hatefully, without misgiving or restraint.
Dear Brothers, during the days when I first had the idea of writing this letter, by chance, during a visit to the Roman Seminary, I had to interpret and comment on Galatians 5:13-15. I was surprised at the directness with which that passage speaks to us about the present moment: "Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another." I am always tempted to see these words as another of the rhetorical excesses which we occasionally find in Saint Paul. To some extent that may also be the case. But sad to say, this "biting and devouring" also exists in the Church today, as expression of a poorly understood freedom. Should we be surprised that we too are no better than the Galatians? That at the very least we are threatened by the same temptations? That we must always learn anew the proper use of freedom? And that we must always learn anew the supreme priority, which is love? The day I spoke about this at the Major Seminary, the feast of Our Lady of Trust was being celebrated in Rome. And so it is: Mary teaches us trust. She leads us to her Son, in whom all of us can put our trust. He will be our guide – even in turbulent times. And so I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many Bishops who have lately offered me touching tokens of trust and affection, and above all assured me of their prayers. My thanks also go to all the faithful who in these days have given me testimony of their constant fidelity to the Successor of Saint Peter. May the Lord protect all of us and guide our steps along the way of peace. This is the prayer that rises up instinctively from my heart at the beginning of this Lent, a liturgical season particularly suited to interior purification, one which invites all of us to look with renewed hope to the light which awaits us at Easter. 

With a special Apostolic Blessing, I remain

Yours in the Lord,
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI    From the Vatican, 10 March 2009

Source:   http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20090310_remissione-scomunica.html


That's really all I've got to say on this topic unless something new comes up.

God bless!


In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Added:

DECREE OF EXCOMMUNICATION

From the Office of the Congregation for Bishops, 1 July 1988.

Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre, Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Tulle, notwithstanding the formal canonical warning of 17 June last and the repeated appeals to desist from his intention, has performed a schismatical act by the episcopal consecration of four priests, without pontifical mandate and contrary to the will of the Supreme Pontiff, and has therefore incurred the penalty envisaged by Canon 1364, paragraph 1, and canon 1382 of the Code of Canon Law. Having taken account of all the juridical effects, I declare that the above-mentioned Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre, and Bernard Pellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta have incurred <ipso facto> excommunication <latae sententiae> reserved to the Apostolic See. Moreover, I declare that Monsignor Antonio de Castro Mayer, Bishop emeritus of Campos, since he took part directly in the liturgical celebration as co-consecrator and adhered publicly to the schismatical act, has incurred excommunication <latae sententiae> as envisaged by canon 1364, paragraph 1. The priests and faithful are warned not to support the schism of Monsignor Lefebvre, otherwise they shall incur <ipso facto> the very grave penalty of excommunication. From the Office of the Congregation for Bishops, 1 July 1988. Bernardinus Card. Gantin Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

Source: https://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CBISLEFB.HTM

EWTN Press Release: EWTN to encore "The Crusades"

Fact Check: EWTN To Encore ‘The Crusades’

       Irondale, AL (EWTN) – At the National Prayer Breakfast, President Barack Obama set off a firestorm of controversy when he said: “”[R]emember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.”
       Is what the President said accurate? Find out the truth when the EWTN Global Catholic Network re-airs its blockbuster mini-series, “The Crusades.” (Airs 6:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday through Friday, Feb. 24 – 27 on EWTN.) This powerful four-part series, shot on location in seven countries, gives viewers a well-rounded understanding of an important historical event, which continues to have repercussions in our own time.
       Each episode of this timely and important mini-series features original dramatizations, an original musical soundtrack recorded in Europe, and three pre-eminent, world-renowned Crusader scholars, together for the first time! They include Professor Jonathan Phillips, Professor of Crusading History at the University of London; Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith of Cambridge University, widely regarded as Britain’s leading historian on the Crusades; and Professor Thomas F. Madden, chair of the Department of History at St. Louis University, a widely recognized expert not only on the Crusades, but on Christian-Muslim conflict.
       Viewers will also enjoy the many locales in which the series was shot: Istanbul; Turkey; Israel, including Jerusalem; France, Austria, England, Spain and Slovakia.
       Here’s a series overview:

• Episode 1: A look at the history and reasons for the Crusades, which were originally known as “armed pilgrimages” because they sought to protect pilgrims visiting the Holy Land against Muslim conquerors.
• Episode 2: A look at the Crusader States, which were set up by the Crusader hierarchy after the miraculous success of the First Crusade; the formation of Military Orders such as the Knights Templars; the re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the rise of Sultan Saladin and his conquest of Jerusalem.
• Episode 3: A look at the Third Crusade, which was led by King Richard the Lionheart of England, King Philip of France and German Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa; the famous meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al-Kamil; and the role that devotion to the Apostle James and the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela played in Crusader successes.
• Episode 4: A look at the failures and successes of the Crusades and their legacy, including the role of St. Louis IX, the rise of the Ottoman Empire; the epic Battle of Lepanto, a turning point in the war, and a triumph of faith; the final Christian victory in the Iberian Peninsula, and the loss of the Holy Land, in particular, Jerusalem.

       If you are at all concerned about world affairs, you will not want to miss this important series. We suggest you mount a Crusade to get your family and friends to watch this important week of programming on EWTN!
       And stay tuned: EWTN is currently filming another documentary mini-series on the Inquisition!

       EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Vatican: Woohoo! Front and center dissenting gay activists!

Once more, this papacy has caused scandal to the faithful (and by “faithful” I mean devout practicing Catholics who accept Church teaching) by giving a dissenting group of homosexual activists a VIP seat in St. Peter’s Square during a papal audience with the “Who am I to judge” Pope Francis.

Quote: A prominent American Catholic gay rights group was given VIP treatment for the first time at an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday, a move members saw as a sign of change in the Roman Catholic Church.“This is a sign of movement that’s due to the Francis effect,” said Sister Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of New Ways Ministry, which ministers to homosexual Catholics and promotes gay rights in the 1.2 billion-member Church.Gramick and executive director Francis DeBernardo led a pilgrimage of 50 homosexual Catholics to the audience in St. Peter’s Square.They told Reuters in an interview afterwards that when the group came to Rome on Catholic pilgrimages during the papacies of Francis’s predecessors John Paul and Benedict, “they just ignored us”.This time, a U.S. bishop and a top Vatican official backed their request and they sat in a front section with dignitaries and special Catholic groups. As the pope passed, they sang “All Are Welcome,” a hymn symbolising their desire for a more inclusive Church.

How nice (not!) that a U.S. Bishop and top Vatican official (would like to know who that is) supported the request to give dissenting Catholics who support mortal sin and flaunt it (sin of scandal) a special VIP place at the Vatican.   

And these dissenting ‘catholics’ sing a protestant song (“All are welcome” see link below for more on that little gem) to push their desire for the Church to welcome mortal sin and redefine it.  

Clearly, some Bishops and “top Vatican officials” DO support mortal sin and we’ve learned from the Synod on the family last fall that there is a deep evil desire within the Church to do just that-redefine what is and isn’t sin.  Thank our dear Lord that He sent the Holy Spirit to protect the Church from not only the evil outside the Church, but also the evil disgusting men inside the Church who work to destroy Her from the inside.  They will not succeed in destroying the Church, so there NEVER any need for Catholics to run out of the Church Jesus Christ founded for something else that “looks” like His Bride.  Christ wasn’t a polygamist- he has only One Bride. 

I am a big fan of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and have been for many years.  I think she would completely understand what devout Catholics today are suffering because of the current state of the Church: 

Quote: Sister Emmerich lived during one of the saddest and least glorious periods of the Church's history, when revolution triumphed, impiety flourished, and several of the fairest provinces of its domain were overrun by infidels and cast into such ruinous condition that the Faith seemed about to be completely extinguished. Her mission in part seems to have been by her prayers and sufferings to aid in restoring Church discipline, especially in Westphalia, and at the same time to strengthen at least the little ones of the flock in their belief. Besides all this she saved many souls and recalled to the Christian world that the supernatural is around about it to a degree sometimes forgotten. A rumour that the body was stolen caused her grave to be opened six weeks after her death. The body was found fresh, without any sign of corruption. In 1892 the process of her beatification was introduced by the Bishop of Münster.

Our Lord gave Emmerich a lifetime of amazing visisions and among those visions include the attempted destruction and then restoration of the Church.  I thought I would share today, one of Emmerich’s visions for two reasons 1) I am reading Emmerich again as part of my Lenten plan (I always make a Lenten plan) and 2) because I think some might find comfort in this vision- especially those who are considering leaving the Church for something else that merely resembles the Church.

“[Dec. 27^th] I saw St. Peter’s.  A great crowd of men were trying to pull it down whilst others constantly built it up again.  Lines connected these men one with another and with others throughout the world.  I was amazed at their perfect understanding.  The demolishers, mostly apostates and members of different sects, broke off whole pieces and worked according to rules and instructions.  They wore white aprons bound with blue riband.  In them were pockets and they had trowels stuck in their belts.  The costumes of the others were various.  There were among the demolishers distinguished men wearing uniforms and crosses.  They did not work themselves, but they marked out on the wall with a trowel where and how it should be torn down.  To my horror, I saw among them Catholic priests. 

Whenever the workmen did not know how to go on, they went to a certain one in their party.  He had a large book, which seemed to contain the whole plan of the building and the way to destroy it.  They marked out exactly with a trowel the parts to be attacked, and they soon came down.  They worked quietly and confidently, but slyly, furtively, and warily.

I saw the Pope praying, surrounded by false friends who often did the very opposite of what he had ordered, and I saw a little black fellow (a laic) laboring actively against the Church.  Whilst it was thus being pulled down on one side, it was rebuilt on the other, but not very zealously. 

I saw many clergy whom I knew.  The Vicar-General gives me great joy.  He went to and fro, coolly giving orders for the repairing of the injured parts.  I saw my confessor dragging a huge stone by a roundabout way.  I saw others carelessly saying their breviary and, now and then, bringing a little stone under their cloaks or giving it to another as asomething very rare.  They seemed to have neither confidence, earnestness, nor method.  They hardly knew what was going on.  It was lamentable! 

Soon the whole front of the Church was down; the sanctuary alone stood.  I was very much troubled and kept thinking, “Where is the man with the red mantle and white banner whom I used to see standing on the Church to protect it?” [Interesting to note: earlier in her writings Emmerich identifies this “man with the red mantle” as St. Michael the Archangel- some suggest he is no longer seen atop the Church because the St. Michael prayer is no longer said at the end of Mass, in Emmerich’s vision of December 30, right after this vision of the Church being restored by a new pope, she once more sees Michael atop the Church] 

Then I saw a most majestic lady floating over the great square before the Church.  Her wide mantle fell over her arms as she arose gently on high, until she stood upon the cupola and spread it over the Church like golden rays.  The destroyers were taking a short repose, and when they returned they could in no way approach the space covered by the mantle. 

On the opposite side, the repairs progressed with incrediable activity.  There came men, old, crippled, long-forgotten, followed by vigorous young people, men, women, children, ecclesiastic and lay, and the edifice was soon restored.

Then I saw a new Pope coming in procession, younger and far sterner looking than his predecessor.  He was received with pomp!  He appeared about to consecrate the church.  But I heard a voice proclaiming it unnecessary as the Blessed Sacrament had not been disturbed.

The same voice said that they should solemnly celebrate a double feast, a universal jubilee and the restoration of the Church.

The Pope, before the feast began instructed his officers to drive out from the assembled faithful a crowd of the clergy both high and low, and then I saw them going out, scolding and grumbling.  Then the Holy Father took into his service others, ecclesiastic and lay.  Now commenced the grand solemnity in St. Peter’s.  The men in white aprons worked on when they thought themselves unobserved, silently, cunningly, though rather timidly.”  [Quote from ‘The Life of Anne Catherine Emmerich” by the Very Reverend Carl. E. Schomoger, C.SS.R., Volume I, pages 564-566]

Again I say, stick with the ONLY Church Jesus Christ created on earth no matter who the pope is or what evil the clergy are doing.  The Church belongs to Christ and He will sustain Her through all attacks- inside and outside the Church.   We are called “the faithful” IF and when we actually REMAIN faithful to Her. 

“To whom shall we go Lord?  You have the words of eternal life.” asked Saint Peter in John 6, and Jesus answered “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?  Yet one of you is a devil.”

There were devils in the Church when Christ founded Her, and there are devils in the Church now. 

To whom shall we go?  There is nowhere else but Christ’s Holy Catholic Church.  Remain faithful by remaining in Her through all Her tribulations.  Don’t let evil men inside the Church chase you out- that’s the devils hope and plan for you.  He delights when people leave Christ’s Church.  Be faithful!  Remain inside Christ's Church.

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner

Sources:

Sin of SCANDAL: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P80.HTM

Link: http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/02/18/gay-catholic-group-gets-vip-treatment-at-vatican-for-first-time/

Video Link: http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/world/2015/02/18/23624209/

Link to Bishop’s letter on “All Are Welcome” protestant hymn:  http://www.madisoncatholicherald.org/bishopscolumns/2596-the-beauty-of-our-worship-in-the-liturgy.html

Emmerich Book: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231230868914?lpid=82&chn=ps

Anne Catherine Emmerich: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05406b.htm

#ashtag selfie

Link: http://www.usccb.org/about/marketing/contest.cfm;

Getting political with a song...

If you haven't listened to "The Face of the New Democracy" yet its pretty good...

Louie Verrecchio vs Michael Voris

It seems Michael Voris has stirred the hornets’ nest again with his latest episode of Mic’d Up in which he (in the 3^rd segment) takes on the “Reactionary Catholic Media”.  Watch here:

I didn’t find anything wrong with what was said- nothing at all.  That said, I knew by naming names, Voris was going to get heat over it.  The response was swift, with Louie Verrecchio (Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II) who was not named specifically responding the very next day believing he was an unnamed target of this Mic’d Up episode.  Others soon followed: here.  I received several emails about this episode of Mic’d Up and Louie Verrecchio’s response, so I followed the link and watched Verrecchio’s video response.

Tradwriter 25: Michael Voris almost gets the SSPX... from Louie Verrecchio on Vimeo.

I found nearly everything troublesome about this response, and quite frankly some of it I simply didn’t understand.  I did agree with Verrecchio’s response to Pope Francis’ meeting and calling protestant Tony Palmer a “brother bishop”.  Verrecchio calls this “irresponsible”, I would go further and say it was scandalous – I believe Pope Francis has on numerous occasions committed the sin of scandal.  We both agree it was dangerous and false and it places souls in jeopardy.  I completely agree.  Most of what Verrecchio says after that point I disagree with.

Following his Palmer comment, Verrecchio indicates that he and Voris differ in their worry over where Catholics may go IF they leave the Church.  Verrecchio says that Voris seems to be only worried Catholics are leaving the Church to join with the SSPX.  Verrecchio says he worries that people are leaving the Church to join Protestant communities where there is no priest or Eucharist.  He says, “Let’s be clear, the Blessed Sacrament at an SSPX Mass is without any question what so ever, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.”

I stopped the video there for a moment.  What he said disturbed me greatly.

I know the Sacrament is the Real Eucharist, but how incredibly sad that Verrecchio seems to prefer a disobedient priest illicitly consecrate bread and wine to the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord against our Lord’s own Church authority.  What a terrible sin!  To abuse the priesthood by consecrating the Host against the authority of our Lord’s Bride…terrible. 

I would be more frightened of offending my Lord by such a communion than to eat the mere bread at a protestant service “in remembrance” of the Last Supper.

Christ gave the authority to HIS Church to consecrate the bread and wine into His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity- for a group of wayward (I don’t care if they are well intended) priests to disregard the authority Christ gave to His Church and work under their own authority… well they aren’t much different than the heretic Martin Luther in that regard are they? 

I can’t help but wonder how did our Lord feel when Martin Luther was consecrating the bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord outside the authority of the Church?  I can’t believe He feels much different when the SSPX does it.  The Church is Christ’s Bride…how dare the SSPX disrespect Her authority and boldly disobey Her in such a disgraceful way!

The very first sin in the Bible is disobedience…we’ve learned nothing if we continue to disobey.

Verrecchio goes on to discuss whether or not the SSPX are in schism- as if he’s unsure. I believe they are (see links below).

At this point, Verrecchio decides to give an analogy on what (he thinks) “submission” means (I have an entirely different view of submission, it's called obedience)– in his attempt to show how Archbishop Lefebvre was not guilty of schism because he didn’t have to submit to the Church because he (Lefebvre) “was convinced souls were at stake”.

Hmmm…  I stopped the video again and I replayed this part several times.  The excuse (I’ll get to the bizarre analogy in a moment) is Lefebvre simply HAD to ordain bishops ASAP because souls were in danger of damnation (I guess) if he didn’t create these bishops at that moment- without the approval of Pope JPII.

Now, for the life of me I don’t understand that at all.

How was going against the Pope, to ordain bishops going to help save souls?  How does disobedience to authentic Church authority help a soul?  These men went from Catholic priests to illicit bishops- how is that helpful to anyone’s soul?

I admittedly don't understand this point of view at all, nor how Verrecchio thinks this some how excuses Lefebvre.  Perhaps Lefebvre didn’t believe the Church still had authentic authority from Jesus?  Did he believe Jesus took away that authority and gave it to someone else?  Ridiculous!  Verrecchio goes on to say we really shouldn't bother discussing Lefebvre any more because he's dead and Jesus has judged him.  I disagree, I think people could learn from the mistakes of the dead clergy in our Church history. 

Now Verrechio’s analogy of two neighbors is (in my opinion) apples to oranges.  Verrecchio says imagine one neighbor who strictly forbids anyone from entering his property or house.
This neighbor has authority and he's using it to keep people out.  His neighbors “submit” to his authority because it’s his property and he has a right to dictate who can and can’t enter his property.  So one day, a neighbor (I’ll call Mrs. Kravitz for obvious reasons) thinks she sees smoke coming from her neighbor’s house and calls him at work to get permission to enter the property and investigate the smoke (guess 911 or the fire department aren’t options).  The guy tells her, no- stay out.  A bit later, Mrs. Kravitz thinks she hears children screaming in the house, so she calls him again at work and asks for permission to enter the property.  The guy again says “no-stay out”.  This time, know it all Mrs. Kravitz ignores the order to stay out and enters the property only to find the dog has gotten into the flour (smoke) and the TV was on(screaming children).  There was no fire, no danger, just overreacting and disobedience.

Now, there is so much wrong with this analogy I am not sure where to begin.  First, Verrecchio is assuming that BOTH neighbors are equal and one is asking for “submission” by not entering his property.  Well, I couldn’t help but think of the Garden of Eden.  “You are free to eat of any tree in the garden except this one.”  Submission is obedience.  Disobey and you fall to sin.  

The ‘neighbors’ in Verrecchio’s analogy –Christ’s Holy Catholic Church and the SSPX- are NOT equal.  The neighbor who forbids entrance to his property had the authority, the other neighbor Mrs. Kravitz had ONLY the choice to “submit” to that authority or not.  She decided she knew better and would act on her own to save the day!  How very protestant-like this analogy was to me. 

Did not Martin Luther do the same?  He thought he saw a “fire” in the Church that only HE could put out.  He would not submit to the Church.  He would not obey the authority of the Church given to Her by Jesus Christ Himself.  Instead he [Luther] set about to “reform” Christ’s Church without having the authority to do so. 

I see the SSPX exactly the same way.

Well intentions will never trump obedience.

We must obey authentic Church authority- not those who break away in disobedience because they refuse to submit to the authority of Christ’s Bride.

Keep away from the SSPX until they humble themselves in submission to Christ's Bride.  There is only ONE Church on earth that Jesus Christ gave authority to, and if you are in opposition to Her, you are in opposition to Him.
He will not forsake His Bride.

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FvQso_9Tk8

Link: http://www.harvestingthefruit.com/vorissspx/

Link(schism): http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/traditionalists-announce-definitive-break-with-catholic-church/

EWTN Press Release: EWTN on Amazon Fire TV!

Another EWTN First: EWTN Launches on Amazon Fire TV

Programs Will Be Available in English, Spanish & German

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network is proud to announce that it is the first Catholic television network to be available on Amazon Fire TV. Amazon Fire customers can view living streaming of all of EWTN’s television and radio networks, video-on-demand of EWTN’s live shows, news programs, daily homilies, and devotionals.
Programming is available via Amazon Fire and Amazon Fire TV Stick in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Germany. Currently, EWTN can be found in the Amazon Fire “Apps” section under the Lifestyle Category or users can simply speak into the remote that comes with their Amazon Fire and ask for the EWTN app. As always, EWTN is free.

“EWTN is excited to have another platform to deliver our video content to more people around the world,” said EWTN Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “Our launch on this new service helps us to fulfill our mission to bring the Gospel message to the ends of the earth using every means possible.”

EWTN’s diverse programs include live call-in talk shows, news programs, original series and documentaries, teaching series with noted theologians, award-winning children’s shows, live coverage of the Pope and important Church events, a live daily Mass, devotions, concerts, music, and much more.


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34^th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

EWTN Press Release: Brand New Shows!

EWTN’s Spring Season Puts Spotlight on Evangelization

        Irondale, AL (EWTN) – Wish you were better at sharing your faith? Whether they’re your neighbors, your friends, your family or even your own grandkids, EWTN has a show that will help you share the faith while deepening your own! Get a sneak peek at the Network’s new shows this week with EWTN President and “Bookmark” Host Doug Keck. “EWTN Season Preview” for Spring airs 11 p.m. ET, Monday, Feb. 16; 5 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Feb. 18; 10:30 a.m. ET, Friday, Feb. 20; and 1:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Feb. 21.

        In addition to new episodes of many of your favorite shows, the following brand new shows will premiere the first week of March:

• “Grandparents:” This show kicks off with an “EWTN Event!” At 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Feb. 25, Fr. Mitch Pacwa will welcome Host Fr. James Mallon to “EWTN Live” to discuss his new series, “Grandparents.” Afterwards, stay tuned for the first episode of the new series. Let Fr. James Mallon, Deacon Larry Worthen, and Nicole Snook introduce you to grandparents who play a rich role in developing the faith lives of their children and grandchildren – and learn about grandparent saints! Following the premiere, “Grandparents” will settle into its regular time slot at 9 p.m. ET Sundays; and 5:30 a.m. ET Mondays.

• “Symbolon:” Dr. Edward Sri and a team of theologians conduct a series of discussions to help Catholics better articulate and live out their beliefs! Airs 11 p.m. ET, Mondays; and 3:30 a.m. ET, Saturdays.

• “The Voice of the Bridegroom: A Christological Key To Reading the Whole Bible:” Bishop Jan Liesen, SSD, of Breda in the Netherlands, leads a spirted 14-part discussion series that explains how God speaks to us in the Scriptures. Airs 2:30 p.m. ET, Wednesdays; and 11 p.m. ET, Fridays.

• “Fields and Faith:” Join Host Bob Dolan as he speaks with famous sports figures about their achievements and learns what they have discerned God wants from them on and off the sports field. Airs 4:30 p.m. ET Sundays; and 6:30 p.m. ET Tuesdays beginning March 1.

         Among returning shows, we especially call your attention to new episodes of “The Church Universal:”

• This season, Host Fr. Joseph Mary will interview The Society of St. Vincent del Paul, which fights the cycle of poverty through radical transformation of the poor; Cursillo, which helps members bring others to Christ by living out their Christian faith with greater vibrancy; Worldwide Marriage Encounter, which helps improve and strengthen marriages; Focolare, which has grown into a worldwide faith-based community devoted to helping the poor; The Neocatechumenal Way, which evangelizes and instructs adults on the truths of the Catholic faith; the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders, which helps Latinos hold on to and learn more about their faith in America’s increasingly secular culture; and the Knights of St. Peter Claver, which is not only the largest and oldest African-American Catholic lay organization in the U.S., but one which now boasts representatives on six continents.

         Learn more on our website, www.ewtn.com; look for the many ways you can view EWTN at www.ewtn.com/everywhere; find out the channel (U.S.) on which EWTN is airing in your area at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder; and like or follow EWTN on our many social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Linkedin and Instagram!

         EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 34th year, is available in over 238 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

The Blogger from Brooklyn is wrong

'There is not in the whole world a monster to be compared with a priest in the state of sin, for the unfortunate man will not bear with correction.' 

 -St. Jerome-

Over at the blog “Catholic in Brooklyn”, Church Militant TV's Michael Voris has once again (this is at least the 12^th time by my count) been the target of this blogger’s wagging finger.  I don’t know what it is about Voris that sets this person off, but a simple search of the “Catholic in Brooklyn” blog shows PAGES of posts ranting about Michael Voris.

The post I am talking about today is entitled “St. Catherine of Siena warns Michael Voris and the Catholic Blogosphere”.  The blogger completely twists the meaning of words, scripture and our Catholic faith to attempt some sort of attack or correction of Michael Voris and other Catholic bloggers (that would include me because I do the same things as you'll see in the links to my own past posts on this issue) for reporting on priests in the Church who reject the Faith and teach heresy.  

This blogger firmly believes Catholics are not allowed (by fear of God) to point out evil within the clergy(more on that later).  But first the blogger wrongly accuses Voris of "manipulating" viewers because he shows videos of Catholic clergy and Catholics behaving in ways that are not Catholic [supporting and/or marching in gay pride parades].  The misuse of the word "manipulate" is only the beginning...read on and see for yourselves.  

Of course this is wrong -and I said so in my comments left on the blog(see below).  

Catholic clergy ARE participating in gay parades - I've done posts on it with photos of the priests AT the gay pride parades (see photo below): 

And this has been going on for DECADES in the Church...

Photo link: http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A093rcLA_PriestsGayParade.htm

Photo link: http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A181rc_MHR_GayParade.htm

So I have just proven that "Catholic in Brooklyn" is WRONG about Voris "manipulating" people with false images.  Catholic clergy ARE doing these things, Voris is right and Catholic in Brooklyn is wrong.

The only "manipulating" going on here is done by the Catholic in Brooklyn blogger who seems determined to attack Voris and other bloggers for reporting on Catholic clergy who are promoting MORTAL SIN.  As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this is not the first time Catholic in Brooklyn has taken shots at Voris and others who report on this issue. There is a clear and distinct bias from this blogger against any Catholics who point out heresy or other evils done by Catholic clergy.

The "Catholic in Brooklyn" blogger goes on to butcher the meaning of "persecute" to mean Catholics aren't allowed to condemn evil done by clergy because...God says so.  If one looks at how "persecute" is used by the Catholic Church in our catechism it is clear those being persecuted are KEEPING the Faith, not those rejecting the faith.  More: here.

See how "Catholic in Brooklyn" distorts the word and God himself to justify his/her personal beliefs and manipulating people into thinking he/she is making some sort of point.  They aren't and don't. 

Link: http://catholicinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2015/02/st-catherine-of-siena-warns-michael.html

To manipulate the word "persecute" in such a way is shameful and entirely wrong. Christ's priests are those doing God's Will, not heretics.  You'd think the Catholic Church its self must have "persecuted" old heretic Martin Luther when he was a priest in the Church by this blogger's twisting of quotes and definitions!

Apparently this blogger also believes Catholics are not allowed to speak against any evil done by clergy- that we must keep silent and allow the evil to go on.  I wonder if this applies to child molesting priests in the Church too?  Should we keep our silence about them?  

If we take this particular Catholic blogger’s twisted personal interpretation of St. Catherine’s quote then we MUST keep silent and not expose sexual predators in our clergy.

Of course that is ridiculous and disgusting!  

So is keeping silent about heretics in the Church who are leading people to HELL.

To keep silent is to ALLOW the evil to continue and spread.  

"Not to oppose error is to approve it; and not to defend truth is to suppress it; and indeed to neglect to confound evil men, when we can do it, is no less a sin than to encourage them." -Pope St. Felix III

The blogger over at "Catholic in Brooklyn" is 100% wrong in ALL he/she has written in this post.  

We ARE our brother’s keepers and it is not just our right to speak out against evil-even in the clergy- it is our DUTY.  Saints in our Church's history have called out priests who do evil and they have not been "persecuting" God as this Brooklyn blogger seems to think.

'This is the way I am dealt with by the priests who are my betrayers . . . Their sentence is condemnation. David condemned those who were disobedient to God, not out of anger or bad will or impatience, but out of divine justice, because he was a righteous prophet and king. I, too, who am greater than David, condemn these priests, not out of anger or bad will but out of justice. Accursed be everything they take from the earth for their own profit, for they do not praise their God and Creator who gave them these things. Accursed be the food and drink that enters their mouths and fattens their bodies to become food for worms and destines their souls for Hell. Accursed be their bodies that will rise again in Hell to be burned without end. Accursed be the years of their useless lives. Accursed be their first hour in Hell that never will end. Accursed be their eyes that saw the light of heaven. Accursed be their ears that heard my words and remained indifferent. Accursed be their sense of taste by which they tasted my gifts. Accursed be their sense of touch by which they handled me. Accursed be their sense of smell by which they smelled delightful things and neglected me, the most delightful of all. May they be accursed by earth and sky and every brute creature. These obey and glorify God, whereas they have shunned him. Therefore, I swear by the truth, I who am the Truth that if they die like this with such a disposition, neither my love nor my virtue will ever encompass them. Instead, they will be forever damned.' -The Lord, to St. Bridget of Sweden

That all said, here is my comment I left on the Catholic in Brooklyn blog:

Connecticut Catholic Corner February 9, 2015 at 9:18 AM "If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public." -St. Thomas Aquinas

You're wrong about priests and gay parades. Catholic clergy are continually leading people into Hell over the issue of homosexual sins (gay sexual relationships).

See here: http://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspot.com/2014/06/when-will-vatican-end-catholic-parishes.html

And here: http://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-catholic-priest-helps-people-go-to.html

And here: http://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspot.com/2014/10/priest-i-am-coming-out-for-gay-equality.html

 I could go on as Voris has because the examples go on and on and on. 

 Heretics in the clergy are leading people to HELL and that is something EVERY Catholic should worry about and attempt to stop. 

  "Not to oppose error is to approve it; and not to defend truth is to suppress it; and indeed to neglect to confound evil men, when we can do it, is no less a sin than to encourage them." -Pope St. Felix III

"The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the faithful."-Pope St. Pius X

“If one yields ground on any single point of Catholic doctrine, one will later have to yield later in another, and again in another, and so on until such surrenders come to be something normal and acceptable. And when one gets used to rejecting dogma bit by bit, the final result will be the repudiation of it altogether.” - and - “What shall a Catholic do if some portion of the Church detaches itself from communion of the universal Faith? What other choice can he make if some new contagion attempts to poison, no longer a small part of the Church, but the whole Church at once, then his great concern will be to attach himself to antiquity (Tradition) which can no longer be led astray by any lying novelty.”  quotes from St. Vincent of Lerin

And of course Canon Law is on Voris' side too:

"According to their knowledge, competence and prestige which they possess, [the Christian faithful] have the right and even at the times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful" - Canon Law 212 Section 3

I don't know why the "Catholic in Brooklyn" blogger insists on redefining words, manipulating quotes from Saints and "shooting the messenger"(Voris). 

Voris is not creating the problem in the Church, he's exposing it and wanting it cleaned up.  

The "Catholic in Brooklyn" blogger seems to prefer pointing fingers are Voris and other Catholic bloggers rather than the offenders themselves.  Strange way to live out our Catholic faith which requires us to expose evil, not cover it up- even if its Catholic clergy doing the evil.

"If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public."

 -St. Thomas Aquinas

Just before finishing my post, "Catholic in Brooklyn" responded to my comment left on his/her blog...

You may well have good intentions Catholic in Brooklyn, but you are manipulating and warping everything because of your personal biases.  If you believe what you just said to me, you MUST believe it is wrong to condemn priests who sexually abuse children and that the Church was in error to condemn Martin Luther for all he did. 

Sorry "Catholic in Brooklyn" but you are dead wrong because they are your words that have twisted, redefined and manipulated Church teachings and quotes.

And because it isn't in my nature to simply shut up about such errors, this Catholic blogger isn't going to be silent.  God will indeed be my Judge and I am good with that.

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner