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

Calling all Catholic priests...why are you abandoning women?

I read a book years ago called "The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life" by Father Charles Aminjon because Saint Theresa of Lisieux wrote "Reading this book was one of the greatest graces of my life." 

After reading the book, I completely agree. In the book is a small passage where St. Bernard is quoting from his book on the life of St. Malachy. 

Quote page 153: "This saint [Malachy] relates that one day he saw his sister, who had been dead for some time. She was doing her purgatory in a cemetery. On account of of her vanity and the attention she had devoted to her hair and body, she had been sentenced to live in the very grave where she had been buried, and to witness the dissolution of her body. The saint offered the Sacrifice of the Mass for her for thirty days; at the end of this period he saw his sister again. This time she had been sentenced to complete her purgatory at the gate of the church, doubtless because of her irreverent demeanor in the holy place; perhaps she had distracted the faithful from the Sacred Mysteries in order to draw eyes and appreciation to herself. She was exceedingly sad, wearing a mourning veil, and was in extreme anguish. The saint offered the Sacrifice once more for thirty days, and she appeared to him for the last time in the sanctuary, with unruffled countenance, radiant in a white robe. The bishop knew by this sign that his sister had gained her deliverance."  

I came across another quote, that says nearly the same thing.

'We read also in Father Nieremberg that a noble lady, who was exceedingly pious, asked God to make known to her what displeased His Divine Majesty most in persons of her sex. The Lord vouchsafed in a miraculous manner to hear her. He opened under her eyes the Eternal Abyss.There she saw a woman a prey to cruel torments and in her recognized one of her friends, a short time before deceased. This sight caused her as much astonishment as grief: the person whom she saw damned did not seem to her to have lived badly.Then that unhappy soul said to her: "It is true that I practiced religion, but I was a slave of vanity. Ruled by the passion to please, I was not afraid to adopt indecent fashions to attract attention, and I kindled the fire of impurity in more than one heart. Ah! If Christian women knew how much immodesty in dress displeases God!" At the same moment, this unhappy soul was pierced by two fiery lances, and plunged into a caldron of liquid lead.' Source: Rev. F.X. Schouppe, S.J.[SaintsWorks.net] 

The issue of immodesty and women's vanity is a huge issue in society that most women today are completely unaware of. They do not know that immodest clothing and vanity are deadly to their souls. Hollywood, fashion, magazines and social media whores like the Kardashian's have blinded women to true virtue and dignity found in modesty. 

But the blame doesn't rest solely on them. The responsibility is really on the Catholic Church (Matthew 28:16-20) to lead by teaching these things to the laity to save our souls. If the Church doesn't do its duty to teach us right from wrong, secular society will poison us with their lies. 

Sheep are generally dumb, they follow whatever shepherd is leading and right now secular society's demonic shepherds are leading countless sheep to Hell because there are so few good shepherds among the wolves in the Church willing to lead the flock to Heaven. 

This week on Twitter, Catholic priest Fr. Kevin Cusick (whom I believe is a very good priest and I have enjoyed following him on social media for years) put out the following tweets: 

All Hell broke loose and swarms of diabolical idiots (Catholics included) attacked this priest for daring to tweet out Catholic teaching. 

'The parish priest and especially the preacher, when occasion arises, should according to the words of the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. iv, 2) insist, argue, exhort and command that feminine garb be based on modesty and womanly ornament be a defense of virtue. Let them likewise admonish parents to cause their daughters to cease wearing indecorous dress.' 
Decree of the Congregation of the Council (by the mandate of Pope Pius XI), 1930 A.D. 

Fr. Cusick decided to delete his entire Twitter account and leave the fight, much to my disappointment. His explanation can be read on The Wanderer. 

Recall just a few months ago in March, a Catholic mother of four sons wrote a letter to the Editor of her local paper about women wearing leggings to Mass. 

Quote: "The emergence of leggings as pants some years ago baffled me. They’re such an unforgiving garment. Last fall, they obtruded painfully on my landscape. I was at Mass at the Basilica with my family. In front of us was a group of young women, all wearing very snug-fitting leggings and all wearing short-waisted tops (so that the lower body was uncovered except for the leggings). Some of them truly looked as though the leggings had been painted on them.A world in which women continue to be depicted as “babes” by movies, video games, music videos, etc. makes it hard on Catholic mothers to teach their sons that women are someone’s daughters and sisters. That women should be viewed first as people — and all people should be considered with respect." "...  I wonder why no one thinks it’s strange that the fashion industry has caused women to voluntarily expose their nether regions in this way. I was ashamed for the young women at Mass. I thought of all the other men around and behind us who couldn’t help but see their behinds."

Mass hysteria erupted over this on social media attacking this Catholic mother and her sons (I wrote about it HERE). 

I don't have any expectations that non-Catholics in our secular society will understand the importance of modesty, but I am truly floored by the venom from 'Catholics' who attacked Fr. Cusick for his tweet. 

It's like modern society has put the stamp of approval on revealing clothing, so God must accept it too. 

Ummm...NO!  Doesn't work like that. 

More over, our Catholic clergy have a responsibility to TEACH THE FAITH whether we like hearing it or not! 

2 Timothy 4    

4 "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 5 As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Catholic priests are here for the sole purpose of saving souls! It's your calling! It's your duty! 

You are our Fathers (1 Cor. 4:15)! Correct us! Lead us! Love our souls enough to die for them. That's what Jesus did. It's what He called YOU our clergy to do. 

To all the Father Cusick's out there where ever you are, please, please do not run away from the flock! Souls are at stake here. Don't abandon the sheep to the wolves of secular society. 🙏



In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Links: 

https://thewandererpress.com/catholic/news/frontpage/a-leaven-in-the-world-when-the-twitter-mob-came-after-me/

https://connecticutcatholiccorner.blogspot.com/2019/03/yahoo-editor-elizabeth-di-filippo-makes.html 

https://ndsmcobserver.com/2019/03/the-legging-problem/  

I'm in Twitter jail again...over gender propaganda

This time for sharing my Catholic belief, which I believe DNA backs up, that God made them male and female-period. 

I said, "Science (DNA) says there are male and female. Period. Everything else is mental." 

For this grave offense I have been put in Twitter jail for 12 hours AFTER I am forced to delete the tweet because some snowflake couldn't deal with me sharing my opinion. 

Those of you not in Twitter jail, please feel free to share this insanity. 

I stand by my tweet.

God made them male and female. Period. 


In Christ, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

My response on Twitter once I got out of jail. 

What the hell Pope Francis!

The "stang"... 

Quote: "The Stang is adored by many modern Traditional Witches, myself included. It’s a tool whose use powerfully evokes a sense of connection to something old and primitive. In its simplest form, a forked staff, Witches use the Stang in various ways including representing the Horned One, aiding in spirit flight, and directing energy."  

Now this from our Pope... 

American Papist, Thomas Peters on Twitter put it best...

In Christ and continually befuddled & saddened by our current pope. 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Sources: 

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/byathameandstang/2016/08/the-stang/ 

https://twitter.com/AmericanPapist/status/1047521381129355265 

My Christmas wish...priests with brains

When Fr. James Martin retweets another priest you generally know what you're getting, but sometimes you still have a what-the-hell-is-that moment. 

This is one of those moments. 

The tweet is from Fr. Peter Wojcik who tweets a picture of the Holy Family as illegal immigrants, illegally entering a country. Fr. Wojcik then encourages illegals to continue to dream of illegally entering countries because, (get this)...Mary believed God was faithful to his promise. 

What the hell does that mean? That God promises people who want to enter countries illegally that they will get there? Encouraging people to make the deadly trek across borders that is known to kill people? 

Great message Fr. Wojcik, how many people will you have killed by encouraging this? 

Talk about using Jesus for politics!  This is disgraceful and potentially deadly! 

Way to go Father. 


In Christ and praying for priests with brains, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Link: https://twitter.com/ChicagoPriest/status/944599964004618240  


One more thing...


Guess who these two are...?

Can't tell by their clothes? Neither could I. 

It's Father Wojcik and Sister Celine. 

Christmas wish #2...bring back the cassocks and habits! 

Questions for Catholics

So this was going around Twitter tonight and I thought I'd take a stab at it. And I am passing this on to other Catholic bloggers to do too! 😇

1)  Latin 
2)  Convert
3)  2007
4)  2007
5)  The Virgin Mary 
6)  The Virgin Mary 
7)  Have never been to Extraordinary, but I dream of it. 
8)  I'm a Catholic gypsy at the moment, haven't attended mass at my official parish in ages (too progressive). I attend assorted parishes around my state looking for a new home parish. Mostly I feel like the Jews in the wilderness (see more on that HERE).
9)  None currently 
10) Hail Mary, Glory Be, Hail Holy Queen, Our Father 
11) Answered above 
12) My blessed "I'm A Catholic, Please call a Priest" necklace, holy water bottle & rosary beads - never leave home without them! 
13) Advent 
14) Holy Guardian Angels (Oct.2) 
15) Consecration 
16) It's as hard to find as Bigfoot around here! 
17) 2 weeks ago 
18) Coming from Protestantism hearing "vocational life" was completely foreign to me. If only I'd been raised Catholic...
19) Too many to pick from - hate hearing new or folk type music at Mass. Give me old Gregorian Chant every time! 
20) Favorite Catholic meme...

21) I have a ton of favorite Catholic movies, love the Bernadette/Lourdes movies, "Going My Way" and "Come to the Stable" are my top favorites. 
22) Do Christmas carols count? I love "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Oh Come all Ye Faithful" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" 
23) I'm no expert on encyclicals as I haven't read a whole lot of them, but I would say JPII's "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" and Benedict XVI's "Deus Caritas Est" (as they are currently sitting beside me at my desk😎). 
24) Blue 
25) "Ave Maria" and "Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary" 
26) The verses in John 21 where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. 
27)  There are so many! I probably pick up St. Faustina's Divine Mercy Diary the most often (love reading this during Lent). 
28) Blogging? 😇
29) Pope St. Gregory I, Pope Pius X, Pope St. Leo the Great 
30) ?
31) my best friend
32) Dominicans 
33) Seeing people hold hands and raise them up during the Our Father at Mass. 😕
34) The Sacraments! 


Passing this on to other bloggers...lets see you post on this. Leave a link in my comments area so I don't miss your post answers! 

God bless! 


In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Thanks to JenToInfinity on Twitter for inspiring this post! 

Father Rosica won't dialogue with me...

...and I'm all broken up about it. 😉 I guess Father Rosica didn't like my post about him (HERE). So much for dialogue, meeting people where they are and building bridges. Clearly dialogue, meeting people where they are and building bridges only works if you're draped in a rainbow flag marching in parades and whining. 

What cracks me up is that Father Rosica thinks blocking my @CtCatholicCorner Twitter account accomplishes anything. Who only has ONE Twitter account these days? 😎 And if all my accounts were blocked or closed I could still see using my family members and friends accounts. You can't hide on social media Father, so put your big boy pants on and deal with it. 

The progressives in the Church today seem to be under the idea that they can silence the Catholic laity on social media. They can't. They can demand we stop using the word "Catholic" like they did to Michael Voris so many years ago, but that didn't silence Voris- it just made him more militant- hence the perfect name for his apostolate 'Church Militant'. I think they did him a favor as 'Church Militant' is much more fitting a name than his previous "Real Catholic TV" for the times we are living in. 

That said, the future for Catholic bloggers who voice their opinions on all matters Catholic may very well find themselves silenced in one media field as Deacon Nick Donnelly was when his bishop forced Donnelly to shut down his blog. So Nick popped back up on Twitter and continues to voice his Catholic opinions on social media. 

You will not silence us! And you only look like spineless cowards when you try. 

*FYI: Excellent article on Deacon Nick Donnelly over on Archbishop Cranmer website: http://archbishopcranmer.com/protect-the-pope-francis-destroying-catholic-nature-church/

Quote: "It appeared, then, that Deacon Nick Donnelly was just a bit too Catholic for the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales. For as long as Pope Benedict XVI sat upon St Peter’s Throne issuing the occasional motu proprio favouring the old paths (Jer 6:16), Deacon Nick’s commitment to immutable truths and infallible moral law were tolerated, not least because they chimed with the Vatican under Benedict, if not quite with the CBEW. But under Francis, the traditionalists appear to be on the retreat: they are sidelined or censored while those progressive Roman Catholics who advocate a more tolerant approach to priestly celibacy, same-sex unions, abortion or divorce and re-marriage are not merely tolerated but actively promoted.
Benedict XVI was a Catholic Herald kind of pope; Francis inclines toward The Tablet. Or at least that’s how it appears. Certainly, the Diocese of Lancaster isn’t averse to promoting the latter on its website, giving high profile coverage to liberal bishops who are calling for a “radical re-examination of human sexuality”, while downplaying (/ignoring) the traditional teaching.
For Deacon Nick, such a radical re-examination is unnecessary, unholy and un-Catholic. Indeed, for him it amounts to apostasy: such teachings do not ‘develop’ through synodical debate and legislative resolution, for that would incline toward the more heterodox Anglican view. No, if the Magisterium is infallible, its teaching must be protected and the Deposit of Faith defended. Dissenting bishops and cardinals must be called out, corrected and rebuked using Scripture and referencing the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Those who do not repent ought to be excommunicated."[clipped]

Back to Fr. Rosica on Twitter...

...I still see you Father. 😄

Father Rosica's interpretation of the Holy Virgin Mary riding a bike to save the earth from global warming tweet...

This is the same priest who a few years ago threatened to sue a Catholic blogger, Vox Cantoris Blog, for daring to voice his opinions on the failings of Father Rosica and other progressive Catholic clergy. 

Father Rosica lost that battle badly, but he didn't learn much from it as he still seems to be trying to shut down and block authentic conservative Catholic laity who speak out against the progressive agenda in the Church. 

Why bother blocking Catholic laity from your social media? What are you trying to hide Father Rosica?

What don't you want us to see?


In Christ and on social media whether the progressives in the Church like it or not, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Links: 

https://twitter.com/FatherRosica

http://archbishopcranmer.com/protect-the-pope-francis-destroying-catholic-nature-church/

http://voxcantor.blogspot.com/2015/02/this-blogger-being-threatened-with.html 

http://www.lepantoinstitute.org/uncategorized/fr-rosicas-ironic-lawsuit/

Michael Voris & Christine Niles vs Fr. Antonia Spadaro on Twitter

LOL 

That's all I can say. 

Antonio Spadaro begins with another jab at voters who opposed abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, etc., by once more calling us "haters" for supporting Trump over The Butcher Killary...

To which Voris responds with...

And Christine Niles jumps in...

...and then quickly followed with (LOL)

And then Michael gets back into it with...

...at which point Spadaro picks up his ball and goes home. 😄

God I love Twitter! 


In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


UPDATE: 
Church Militant article on today's tweet storm: https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/twitter-war-over-fr.-spadaros-whining 

Pope's Jesus the blob crucifix

All I seem to be doing with our current pope is asking "why"? I sincerely just don't understand Pope Francis. I am mostly scandalized by him if I am honest. Today is yet another one of those days.

Actually, I am truly repelled today by another thing Pope Francis has done. What was he thinking? Is he TRYING to remove Jesus from our minds to push his progressive agenda? I hate to think like that, but I do each and every time something like this happens- and lets face it, it happens frequently with Pope Francis.

Now he's removed Jesus from the Crucifix...or turned Jesus into a blob on a cross - at this point who can be sure? 

From Father Kevin Cusick's tweet: 

Another move to be more protestant-like? Holy Communion for everyone! World Youth Day with Jesus in Dixie cups! Celebrate the heretic Martin Luther! Remove the Corpus from the cross as protestants did centuries ago. 

Yep, looking and sounding more and more protestant every day. 

God help us hold on to the authentic Faith while the Church tries to destroy its self from the inside.

In Christ and still baffled by this pope, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Fr. Kevin Cusick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MCITLFrAphorism