Pages

Our Motto:

The Connecticut Catholic Corner Motto: Romans 14:16 "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil."

All articles owned by Connecticut Catholic Corner

© 2007-2023 All articles owned by Connecticut Catholic Corner *except EWTN press releases(see sidebar)*

***FYI: Comments***

Due to continued problems with Disqus I have removed them from this blog- in doing so comments from 2018-2020 have disappeared from my blog posts.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Excommunicated on Christmas Eve

     When I saw the tweet from Nick Donnelly (whom I follow and think does an outstanding job), I was saddened and a bit shocked, though to tell the truth I find it harder and harder to be shocked under the Francis Papacy. 

Most of the comments under the tweet were people upset and outraged that this happened. 

I wanted to know why, so I read the Declaration from the hermits themselves, which you can find HERE


The part that stood out to me, was this: 
"Though we are utterly unimportant, for who is interested in hermits that dare to speak out, we cannot keep silent for fear of damning not only our own souls, but the souls of countless others(xxii) .  We who are watchmen for the Church, who must speak from the watch tower of Truth, have no option but to withdraw our obedience from Pope Francis and sever communion with the Holy See(xxi) .  We do this with great fear and trepidation, but we cannot take part in the Pope’s sin. This is not an act of schism, nor is it an act of defiance, it is an act of real prudence; for no-one in their right mind would stay in a burning building, nor would they silently go down with the sinking ship.  They would try to save not only themselves, but warn others and help them to safety(xxiv)." 
As a result of the hermits severing themselves from the Holy See and Pope Francis, while acknowledging Francis to be the Pope, the Church had no other choice but to excommunicate them. 

And the battle began on social media among Catholic laity. I can see both sides in this, but I can't support both sides.

Some are taking the hermits side against the Church and others (myself among them) are siding with the Church.   

The way I see it (and I am open to anyone showing me how I could wrong-don't hold back in the comments), is that our Church, Our Holy Mother Church is in her Passion as Christ suffered His. 

Corrupt men inside the Church are a cancer, eating away and spreading disease in the Church. Francis, our wretched (God help him) pope is a large poisonous tumor spreading cancer in the body of the Church. 

What do faithful children do when their Mother is suffering so much? 

Do we abandon her? 

No! We stay and fight and pray for her. 

We cling to the authentic Faith, we have it, we know it. We don't leave her to suffer alone because Francis is a terrible pope! We suffer along side Mother Church and hold on because we KNOW who wins in the end! We already know how this story ends! 

Why in the world would you leave when there is no where else to go? Jesus created One Holy Catholic Church on earth, just the one. Outside of it, you may very well lose your salvation if you don't repent before death. 

Popes come and go. God will judge Francis as God Himself has allowed Francis to be our pope right now. 

I often wonder if Francis is a test on us. Do we love our Church enough that even when we have a bad pope we aren't rattled? OK, Francis rattles me, but he won't push me out of the Church.  

From the hermits blog page (sidebar)...
"Now however, the world and the Churches are descending ever further into a moral morass. And as we have ended our obedience to Pope Francis - and therefore all Bishops who go along with his false teachings and example - we are free to do what we must do under God. Preach God's Truth to the people, in season and out of season, so that those who have ears to hear may turn back to God and be saved."
They have, in my opinion (for what that's worth) placed themselves in schism and asked for the excommunication. 

In the hermits defense, they state in their Declaration that they believe Francis has set up the False Church of prophecy (by Blessed Anna Catherine Emmerich). 

The hermits quote: 

“I saw also the relationship between the two popes… I saw how baleful would be the consequences of this false church

“The Church is in great danger… I see that in this place the Church is being so cleverly undermined, that there will hardly remain a hundred or so priests who have not been deceived. They all work for destruction, even the clergy.

“When I saw the Church of St. Peter in ruins, and the manner in which so many of the clergy were themselves busy at this work of destruction – none of them wishing to do it openly in front of others – I was in such distress that I cried out to Jesus with all my might, imploring His mercy. He said, among other things, that this translation of the Church from one place to another meant that She would seem to be in complete decline. But She would rise again; even if there remained but one Catholic, the Church would conquer again because She does not rest on human counsels and intelligence. It was also shown to me that there were almost no Christians left in the old acceptation of the word.”

“Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head. Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapours. Some were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering.”

“I saw what I believe to be nearly all the bishops of the world, but only a small number were perfectly sound…”


“A false church, and wicked men scheming against the Catholic Church and doing much harm–both in her own time and in the future. And actually saw in a vision this, the enemies of the Church tearing it down and trying to build a new one on strictly human plans–but none of the saints would lend a hand. Later, this church of men is destroyed and the saints of God join in to rebuild the true Church of God, which becomes more glorious than ever before.”

Based on Emmerich and what Francis says and does, these hermits have severed all ties with the Church and Pope Francis because they believe our Catholic Church is now the False Church. 

What do you all think? 

Are the hermits right to sever all ties with the Church and Pope Francis? 

My current thinking, and its subject to change on this matter, is that Pope Francis will one day be declared an anti-pope and all he said and did will be washed away, leaving the Church and Her teachings as they always were. Now my hope and prayers are that Pope Francis will accept correction in his many errors, repent and one day be a decent pope. It could happen and I am praying for it to happen. But if it doesn't, I believe he will in the future be declared an anti-pope.

Now I want to hear from all of you.

What do you think of what the hermits did? 

Was the Church right in excommunicating them? 

Do you believe the hermits are correct? 

Has the Church become the False Church Emmerich speaks of? 

Let me hear your thoughts. 

Don't hold back, speak out and God bless you all. 



In Christ, 


Julie 



Sources: 

https://twitter.com/ProtecttheFaith/status/1209556382363668484 

http://www.trumpeteer.co.uk/the-declaration/4594595263 

http://www.trumpeteer.co.uk/the-hermits-blog/4594613512 




Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas dear friends! 

I hope you all have a wonderful Holy Christmas filled with great joy! 

God bless each of you. 🙏


In Christ, 

Julie 







Tuesday, December 17, 2019

EWTN Press Release: JRR Tolkien Award

EWTN Original Documentary Receives First Place PrizeSecond Award This Year For ‘J.R.R. Tolkien: An Unexpected Friend’

EWTN’s Original Film “J.R.R. Tolkien – An Unexpected Friend,” a co-production of EWTN and Diego Blanco Albarova, won top honors in the Best Documentary category at the 2019 Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival in Rome. Accepting the award for EWTN are Anthony Johnson (l) and Alexey Gotovsky (r) from EWTN’s Rome Bureau with English Actor Rupert Wynne-James, one of the Festival judges. The documentary airs on EWTN television at various times throughout the year (www.ewtn.com/channelfinder), and can be purchased on a single CD containing both the English and Spanish language versions from EWTN Religious Catalogue at http://bit.ly/ERCHDUF.

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – The English language version of the EWTN Original Film “J.R.R. Tolkien – An Unexpected Friend,” a co-production of EWTN and Diego Blanco Albarova, won top honors in the Best Documentary category at the 2019 Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival in Rome. The four-day festival was founded in 2010 by Liana Marabini under the patronage of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

“This award is one of only five given – out of more than 1,500 total entries,” said EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “The Spanish language version of this same EWTN Original Documentary was honored earlier this year with a First Place Gabriel Award by the Catholic Press Association.”

John Elson, Director of EWTN Co-Productions, said this documentary is a journey to the Christian meaning of the “Lord of the Rings.”

“Tolkien, who was a practicing Catholic, hid the Gospel in his most famous story. This documentary answers questions such as: Is this epic fantasy adventure a parable? Do orcs, elves and hobbits hide the precious pearl of the Gospel? What does the ring mean and why is it necessary to destroy it? Who is the enemy?”

The documentary airs on EWTN television at various times throughout the year (www.ewtn.com/channelfinder), and can be purchased on a single CD containing both the English and Spanish language versions from EWTN Religious Catalogue at http://bit.ly/ERCHDUF.

The Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival was launched to honor producers, filmmakers, documentaries, docu-fiction, TV series, short films and programs “that promote universal moral values and positive models.” The competition honors entries in five categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, and the Capax Dei Foundation Special Prize for Evangelization.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 38th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 global TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.



Tuesday, November 26, 2019

EWTN Press Release

EWTN: The Most Catholic Content On the Web –And It’s All Free


Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network now has more than 25,000 videos – covering just about every conceivable topic of interest to Catholics – available on the web, and, best of all, this content is free. Every day, EWTN adds new TV shows, live events, devotionals, homilies, and specials to its various web platforms.

“EWTN is the largest provider of Catholic content in the world,” said EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw. “The EWTN On Demand platform features 50 new podcasts per week, as well as an ever expanding library of audio and video content. Everything is targeted to Catholics who want to learn more about their faith, via their mobile phone when they are on the go, desktop computer when they are at work, or television when they are home – whatever is most convenient for them.”

Content can be accessed via the EWTN app (www.ewtnapps.com), the EWTN website (www.ewtn.com), and the EWTN YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/ewtn), as well as through services such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Google TV. For more information, go to www.ewtn.com/everywhere.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 38th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.



Tuesday, October 22, 2019

EWTN Press Release: EWTN Launches New Website



EWTN, The Web’s Largest Catholic
Content Producer, Launches New Website


 Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN, the Web’s largest Catholic content producer, announces the launch of a newly optimized, mobile friendly, thoroughly modern website, which allows viewers to easily access all of EWTN’s content across multiple platforms. Come see what the excitement is about at www.ewtn.com.

Content such as EWTN’s On Demand platform, links to daily homilies, EWTN news, live show topics and guest information, a library of more than 15,000 Church documents and catechetical resources, as well as current and historical Vatican news articles compiled over the past 20 years can be easily accessed with just one click – and that’s just the beginning.

Want to know more about EWTN’s famous foundress, the late Mother Angelica, or to pray the rosary with her? Want to hear the day’s daily Mass readings and an inspirational homily, listen live to EWTN television or radio, or catch up on the latest news from a Catholic perspective? It’s all there in one place.

In addition, rotating banners showcase the Network’s newest programs, special events, mini-series, documentaries, news programs and more. Viewers can also learn about how to join EWTN’s evangelization efforts via a link to our Media Missionary mini-site, or about job openings at the Network in our Employment section.

Now it’s easier than ever to join the millions of viewers who visit www.ewtn.com every day to find out what’s happening at the Network and around the world.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 38th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 global TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division. 



Saturday, October 12, 2019

St Gregory Purgatorial Society High Mass event

Dear Friends,

The Annual Mass for the members of the St Gregory Purgatorial Society will be on Saturday, November 2, at 11 a.m. at St Stanislaus Church (New Haven). It will be a Solemn High Mass.


The enrollment of our beloved family and friends in the Purgatorial Society is an act of love and hope. As we know from the revelation of Sacred Scripture: nothing unclean can enter Heaven and enjoy the Beatific Vision.

The Souls in Purgatory need our help to get to Heaven. We can do this my enrolling the names in the Purgatorial Society for November 2nd. Each First Friday of the year the Souls are remembered at the 8:00 a.m. Mass and in the rosary. This is an annual enrollment from November to November.

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die …” – John 11:25-26

links: http://saint-gregory.org/purgatorial-society/ 

http://saint-gregory.org/

++++
Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA

Paul's email: CatholicCT@gmail.com

Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"

--------------------------

Friday, October 4, 2019

Connecticut Catholic Event this Sunday

Rosary Sunday, October 6, 3pm

On Sunday, October 6, at 3pm, join the Dominican Nuns of Our Lady of Grace Monastery for Solemn Vespers and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the praying of the Holy Rosary. There will be a procession to the Fatima Grotto. 

Fr. Henry Hoffman, pastor of St. Jude Church, Monroe, CT, will preside and preach.

Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 11 Race Hill Road, North Guilford, CT.

++++
Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA

Paul: CatholicCT@gmail.com

Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect with Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"


Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Update...on my health

After 15 days in the hospital I am now home recovering from gall bladder surgery. 

Ate solid food for the first time yesterday since July! 

Was so weak couldn't focus my eyes and was difficult to even speak! 

Lost well over 30+ pounds. 

I want to thank each and every single one of you for the prayers, novena's and daily thoughts on my well being. You just don't know how much I appreciate those prayers and how much you all have touched my heart. And thank you to Mary Katherine for posting some updates in the comments.

Thank you and God bless each and every one of you. 🙏


In Christ,

Julie 


Sunday, August 18, 2019

Personal post on my health...its not so good

Greetings in Christ to all my blog readers. 

Some of you who follow me on Twitter know a while back I mentioned I was sick and asked for prayers. Thank you. 

I am still sick. 

I have not been able to eat solid food since July 27th. 

I have been living on 6 spoons of broth per day along with water and some ginger ale. Literally, that is all I am able to do. I can't even eat a cup of Jello or pudding- nothing. My stomach will not tolerate any solids.

I've been to the hospital, my doctors and a specialist. They haven't figured it out yet. 

I am scheduled to have a scope put down my throat into my stomach on the 29th of this month, but to be honest I don't think I am going to make it that long unless I see some improvement very soon. 

As I write this, I am contemplating just going back to the hospital as I am so very miserable with 24/7 nausea. It never leaves me, in spite of the assorted drugs doctors have given me. Some of those drugs I have had horrid side effects from. 

I have never been so sick in my life. I am losing weight at the rate of 1 pound a day. 

I am asking for prayers. If you would please take a moment and send up a prayer for me I would be ever so grateful and appreciative. 🙏

Thank you all. 

God bless 


Julie




Monday, August 5, 2019

Mass shootings

I feel sick and heart broken every time I hear of another mass shooting. 

I don't know how to stop it. 

I don't believe removing guns is the answer, and I know messing with the 2nd Amendment would be detrimental to our nation. 

All we have to do is look at places in the world where the people aren't allowed to arm themselves and see that those governments sooner or later take complete control. Socialism, communism, dictators...etc. We don't want this in the United States.

Governments are corrupt...the moment the people no longer have the right to arm themselves to fight back against their governments is the moment that the people of the nation lose their rights and the government takes over. 

My own thoughts on these shootings is that several facts play a part, not just one. Gun's don't shoot people, people pull the trigger and kill people.

We know mental illness plays a part in many of these tragedies. I fully support laws that remove guns from people who show a potential to harm themselves or others (Gifford's shooter & the movie theater shooter, etc). 

It's also my opinion that the moment we legalized abortion and now in many states we've legalized euthanasia, that we told society 'life has little to no value'. Human beings have become disposable. 

Then add entire generations of kids growing up playing violent video games where to 'win' the game, you must kill the most people. These games are nothing like the games I had as a kid. 

Add decades of multi-million dollar movies, making guns and explosions fun and exciting. Kids absorbing all of this as normal. It's amazing to me that society worked so hard to remove smoking from movies and television shows because it influenced viewers to smoke, yet no one seems to think that watching mega amounts of violence might have the same effect on some people. 

Now toss in today's television that is packed with pornographic images and scenes, and we have warped the minds of children and adults alike. What is "normal" in media today would have been illegal and shocking decades ago.


PORNOGRAPHY AND VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA: A PASTORAL RESPONSE  
12. Frequent exposure to violence in the media can be confusing to children, who may not be able to distinguish readily between fantasy and reality. At a later stage, violence in the media can condition impressionable persons, especially those who are young, to regard this as normal and acceptable behaviour, suitable for imitation.
And most of all, add in the fact that God has and is, being removed more and more from places where God once held a place. Even in churches we hear more about social issues and the environment than we do about God and how life is precious. Prayers have been removed from schools, government assemblies, courts and sadly homes. 

Remove God and you make room for the devil.

Until our society turns to God and begins living decent moral lives, I don't see the end to mass slaughter of innocent people or an end to violence in our communities and homes. 

We need God. 

On August 15 on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the 54 day Rosary for the nation begins. If you weren't planning on joining, please reconsider. 
NOVENA FOR OUR NATION: AUGUST 15 TO OCT. 7, 2019
"The time is now to call upon God, through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, to heal our country and return it to holiness.
This is a nationwide prayer campaign called the “Novena for Our Nation.” Everyone from around the nation is encouraged to join ranks as, united, we pray the very powerful 54 Day Rosary Novena from the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 to the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7.
We continue to live in peace-less times with laws and court rulings in conflict with God’s laws; especially the disregard for the rights of the unborn, elderly and weak in our society and the attacks on marriage and family values. Society and many levels of government continue to demonstrate intolerance towards biblically based religious belief and practice. In conflict with First Amendment constitutional rights, persecution of traditional religious expression has reached historically high levels. We are in a Spiritual Battle.
We are called upon to help turn our country back towards God. We will accomplish that through prayer; prayer that can change hearts, change families, change our communities and change our country. There is no stronger weapon in this Spiritual Battle than the Rosary."

May God help us all.


In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


links: 




Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Church Militant, Father Perrone and Opus Bono

Bewildered. 

When I first saw the AP report about Opus Bono, I thought the good folks at Church Militant would be hurt to hear these reports about Fr. Perrone whom they'd defended time and time again. 
AP: "For 25 years, the Rev. Eduard Perrone presided there. Inside the church, commonly known as Assumption Grotto, glossy Opus Bono brochures tout the pastor’s role as the group’s co-founder and spiritual lifeblood. Stern and imposing, the 70-year-old Perrone is a staunch conservative; he refused to marry couples, for example, if he thought the bride’s dress was too revealing.
Earlier this month, his parishioners were shocked when Perrone was removed from ministry after a church review board decided there was a “semblance of truth” to allegations that he abused a child decades ago. Perrone told the AP that he “never would have done such a thing.”
In the years before Perrone helped start Opus Bono, he and Assumption Grotto took in at least two priests who had been accused of sexual misconduct at dioceses in other states. One of them later admitted to molesting as many as 50 children in the 1980s and ’90s, according to court documents in Texas. In 1999, Perrone welcomed the other priest — a West African clergyman named Komlan Dem Houndjame — to come work at Assumption Grotto. Two years later, Detroit Archdiocese officials say, they asked Houndjame to return to his home country, Togo, after learning of accusations of sexual misconduct against him in Detroit and at an earlier posting in Florida.
Instead he went to a treatment facility in St. Louis.
In 2002, Detroit police charged him with sexually assaulting a member of Assumption Grotto’s choir.
The 48-year-old parishioner who accused Houndjame of rape said Perrone’s response was to protect the church, testifying in court that he told her, “Just walk by him and ignore him.
Perrone responded to the charges against Houndjame by asking the congregation to support the priest in his time of crisisJoe Maher was among those who were moved by Perrone’s plea for help."
I, in good faith to CM, assumed CM knew nothing of Perrone's involvement as they have written articles on Opus Bono over the years here in 2018 and here in 2019 without mentioning Perrone's involvement- particularly that Perrone is one for the founders of Opus Bono, at all. Either they didn't know or they hid that fact. I sincerely hope they did not know.

At this point, I honestly thought they would be feeling a terrible betrayal by a priest they trusted, believed in and supported. I know how betrayal feels, and it sucks. 

But Church Militant doesn't appear to feel betrayed at all. Instead they are continuing to defend Fr. Perrone. 




Perhaps this is all so unbelievable to them that they are in complete denial and refuse to even entertain the possibility that any of this could be true about Perrone. We've all been there when we hear something unpleasant about someone we care about and trust, our first instinct is "No way!". We don't want to believe someone we trust and look up to could be something other than what we believe them to be. (flashbacks of Fr. John Corapi for me) 

Or maybe CM knows something we don't. That is a very good possibility because they have said time and again that they get information that they cannot publicly share. 

Having just listened to Father Perrone talk about his involvement with Opus Bono (41:55 mark) on the recording mentioned in the AP article, he doesn't sound to me to be "kept in the dark" about all that Opus Bono was doing, though he admits that by 2013 (the time of this recording) he is less involved than when he first help found Opus Bono. 



But then there are the tweets...




Read Mary Rose Maher's story here.

And then we are right back to the archdiocese removing Perrone for "a credible allegation of abuse of a minor".

This leaves me completely bewildered by CM's response in light of their quick decree of "guilty" in the Father McLucas case- declaring him a "sexual predator" and attacking the SSPX for "defending a sexual predator", which I talked about in my last blog post

After seeing the AP report, I had honestly planned on writing an entirely different blog post. A post about not kicking Church Militant when they were down or gloating (thinking this betrayal would be a knife in the back). But CM is not down, they are still riding their steeds on the battlefield like knights defending Perrone to the end it seems. 

Again, I am bewildered by this response after reading for so many years Church Militants amazing news reports exposing clergy abuse everywhere in the Church. They never held back...until now, or so it seems.

My last comment on this is to remind us all that the wolves in sheep's clothing (predator priests) are very good at deceiving the faithful. They live among us, they befriend us, they earn our trust all the while devouring the flock from within and working to destroy the Church anyway they can. 

God bless and help us all to see the wolves among the shepherds. 


In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


Sources: 

https://www.apnews.com/abe2da0da2f648ad89dde483a92d3f19 

https://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspot.com/2019/07/church-militant-asks-me-to-tell-them.html 

https://twitter.com/maryrosemaher

https://www.maryrosemaher.com/about-me

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/questions-remain-in-catholic-charity-reorganization 

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/opus-bono-sacerdotii-raising-money-for-priest-charged-with-gay-sex-assault 




Friday, July 26, 2019

Church Militant asks me to tell them where they went wrong


Twitter with its space limitations and Church Militant with its comments closed on all things SSPX has prompted me to write this post in response to a tweet from Church Militant requesting me to "tell us where we're wrong". 

Full disclosure, I am a paid subscriber to Church Militant and think they do great work. I have defended them and Michael Voris numerous times over the years because I believe in the work they do -HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE

I don't always agree with them 100%, but pretty close. When I disagree, I say so - HERE and HERE and HERE for example. Today is another one of those times.

It all started here (https://twitter.com/cathfamilynews/status/1154551586607095808) with an article shared by Catholic Family News responding to a Church Militant article entitled "Is the SSPX sheltering a Sexual Predator?"

After watching Christine Niles headline news report on this and seeing the Catholic Family News' SSPX response to CM's article I tweeted the following... 


Church Militant didn't seem to like my response and a bunch of tweets followed leading to me writing this post. 😒

The standard is my main issue with the articles. So lets back up a bit.

On July 8 of this year, CM wrote an article defending Fr. Eduard Perrone who "has been temporarily restricted from any public ministry due to a credible allegation of abuse of a minor pending the outcome of a Church process".
CM writes: "A priest of the archdiocese of Detroit is categorically denying claims that he abused a minor.
Father Eduard Perrone, longtime pastor of Assumption Grotto, with a reputation for orthodoxy and promoting the Traditional liturgy, was temporarily placed on leave following a single allegation the archdiocese has deemed "credible."
"In guidelines published on February 21, Pope Francis lists 21 points by which he recommends all sex abuse investigations should be handled.
Point number 14 states:
The right to defense: the principle of natural and canon law of presumption of innocence must also be safeguarded until the guilt of the accused is proven. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the lists of the accused being published, even by the dioceses, before the preliminary investigation and the definitive condemnation." 
Now here's the rub, CM does to Fr. James McLucas exactly what they are upset about happening to Fr. Perrone. This is the double standard so many Catholics on social media are seeing-myself included. 

CM's articles on Fr. Perrone show him in a shining light as a wonderful priest, etc, etc, even giving a link to a fund raising campaign to help Perrone. (links below). 

Now maybe Perrone is completely innocent. 
I hope he is. 
But just as possible is that Fr. McLucas is also innocent. 

Does Fr. McLucas not have the same right to "presumption of innocence" as Fr. Perrone? 

The CM article about Fr. McLucas who is NOT an SSPX priest, but rather "...a diocesan priest who occasionally helps the Society of Saint Pius X", has an entirely different tone than the articles CM wrote about Fr. Perrone. 

In these articles you won't see any compliments or links to fund raising for Fr. McLucas. Instead, you will get articles that seem (to me), to convict McLucas of all charges and paint the SSPX as a haven for sex abusers. 

This in my opinion, is slanderous- and for the record I don't personally even know anyone who belongs to the SSPX and I've never even seen a SSPX parish. I have no reason to defend them other than this just seems wrong to me. 
CM writes: "With stories of the sexual misdeeds and the cover-ups perpetrated by modernist clergy an almost daily occurrence, it is easy to overlook the fact that the indulgence now being shown towards the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) by Church authorities can allow priests suspended from ministry on account of sexual immorality to function under the cover of quasi-legitimacy should they choose to associate themselves with the renegade organization." 
"Suspended from his priestly functions by the archdiocese of New York, McLucas turned to the SSPX, with which he was working by October 2016. For a conservative clergyman guilty of sexual misbehavior to go off into a "traditionalist" apostolate of a disobedient or schismatic nature is not unusual, but those doing so have tended to established so-called "independent chapels" operating under no authority but their own."
Anyone else notice the snide tone? That is my second issue with CM's reporting on this. Why are they always so nasty to the SSPX? 

Church Militant appears to have a real hatred for the SSPX and I honestly don't understand it. The Catholic Church does not share CM's view of the SSPX. 

Moving on...Church Militant's second article defending Fr. Perrone is entitled "MORE THAN 50 ALTAR BOYS VOUCH FOR TRADITIONAL DETROIT PRIEST" ! Again, they come charging to his defense like knights on a battlefield. 
CM writes: "More than 50 altar servers are vouching for the moral integrity of Detroit's Fr. Eduard Perrone, placed on leave after a single 40-year-old allegation of abuse arising from a "repressed memory." The longtime priest, known for his orthodoxy and promotion of traditional liturgy, as well as his attempts to expose the homosexual priestly network in Detroit, was placed on leave July 5 by the archdiocese of Detroit. It issued a letter explaining his removal the same day, while leaving out any mention that Perrone categorically denies the allegation and maintains his innocence. Since then, 51 men who at one time served as altar boys for Fr. Perrone have signed affidavits testifying to his character."
Church Militant's second article on the SSPX is entitled: "SSPX DEFENDS SEXUAL PREDATOR" 
CM writes: "In response to James Baresel's July 24 article titled "Is the SSPX Sheltering a Sexual Predator?" published on Church Militant, the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has issued a response accusing Church Militant of "slanderous" information about the priest in question.
The subject involves Fr. James McLucas, a diocesan priest whom the SSPX admits "occasionally helps the Society of Saint Pius X." 
McLucas was sued in 2012 by a young woman, Maureen Nysewander, who alleged he took sexual advantage of her when she was seeking counseling from him for a serious eating disorder and self-esteem problems.
In spite of the SSPX's defense of this priest, McLucas has never denied that he engaged in sexual relations with her."

1) CM has declared Fr. McLucas "a sexual predator"- something they did not do with Fr. Perrone whom the archdiocese claims has a "credible allegation of abuse of a minor" against him. 

2) The second articles are full of "allegedly" and "reportedly" stories that always show McLucas in a bad light, while the same "allegedly" and "reportedly" stories in the Perrone articles put the sex abuse victim in the bad light, while Perrone is pure as the driven snow. Again, he might be, but the stories of the two priests are being reported with a double standard. One is automatically presumed innocent, the other automatically presumed guilty. 

3) No where in the SSPX's statement do they EVER "defend sexual predators" - their statement actually condemns sexual predators. 

From the SSPX press release
Protection of All - The Society of Saint Pius X is committed to protecting all minors and vulnerable adults and to cooperate fully with civil and ecclesiastical authorities. In addition, we are committed to both helping victims as well as those that are accused. We do not unduly assume the role of judge and leave any investigation to the proper authorities.
From our internal policy on these matters:
Our commitment includes the protection of children (i.e. minors), and vulnerable adults from harm, and the protection of workers from false allegations...We provide individual care and counsel both for the abuse victim and his/her family...The accused is to be treated with dignity and respect. Clergy will seek opportunity to provide individual care and counsel both for the accused and his/her family until the investigation is completed. 

If Church Militant doesn't or won't see their own double standard here that's on them. 

I've answered their request to me to tell them where I believe they were wrong in their reporting.  

While CM has closed their comments on this subject, my comments are open to all- even the SSPX.😉 Have at it. Let me know what you think about all of this mess. 

God bless.🙏 


In Christ, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Updated to add the PA Grand Jury quote about Fr. McLucas


Sources:

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/is-the-sspx-sheltering-a-sexual-predator

https://catholicfamilynews.com/blog/2019/07/25/sspx-responds-to-church-militant-accusations/ 

https://catholicfamilynews.com/blog/2019/07/25/sspx-responds-to-church-militant-accusations/ 

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/traditional-detroit-priest-categorically-denies-abuse-allegations 

https://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/press-release-concerning-church-militant-article-regarding-sspx-49433?fbclid=IwAR1Ut9L0Sa_DyLBWFJ4aMDlBICpFhiBpeyTkJYhcQB6eEwrMQraZdrvCl9o

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...