Father Matthew Schneider is dead wrong

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Catholic theologian Ronald L. Conte Jr takes aim at Michael Voris

Theologian and blogger Ronald L. Conte Jr, over at The Reproach of Christ Blog, has written an absurd post called "My position on Michael Voris and Church Militant".

Conte writes a 21 point list of what he has determined are the sins of Voris and Church Militant. No where in his list does Conte give examples or sources for his allegations with the exception of the mention of one airport video that he doesn't link to. This lack of proof doesn't stop Conte from judging them and determining Voris and the folks at Church Militant to be in mortal sin. 

Let's look at some of Conte's list...

1. The use of hate speech and gay slurs. No, this is not justified by the sins of those being corrected.

What "hate speech and gay slurs"? No examples given, just slander.  

2. The malicious condemnation of anyone whose views or actions they dislike, e.g. calling two priests “clerical clowns”, maligning various Bishops sometimes only for inaction (refusing to do what Voris and Church Militant think they should do). This is an objective mortal sin.

Complete lie from Conte.  

3. The vast over-simplification of all theological issues and Church teachings.

Again, no example is given. Just condmenation and slander of Michael Voris and Church Militant. 

4. The dogmatization of their point of view, as if it could not err.

Example? Zip, nada, nothing. 

5. The attitude that they, and especially Michael Voris himself, has the role to stand in judgment over Popes, Councils, Cardinals, and Bishops.

It's not judgment Conte, its seeing their fruits. You'd think a theologian would know better.  

Jesus WARNED believers to watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing...those wolves are in the Church today doing great harm.

Matthew 7:15-20 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. 18 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits." 

6. The refusal of submission of to the authority of each Pope, each Council, and the body of Bishops dispersed in the world, including refusal of submission to Pope Francis. (Numbers 5 and 6 constitute the objective mortal sin of schism.)

LIAR.  
Church Militant article "Church Authority and Schism": https://www.churchmilitant.com/catholicism/article/catholicism_schism

7. The rejection of the Second Vatican Council and recent magisterial teachings (mostly by ignoring these teachings). This is the sin of heresy, since it is a rejection of the infallible teachings of the ordinary and universal Magisterium in recent decades.

LIAR. 
Michael Voris and Church Militant do NOT reject the Second Vatican Council, not a single word of it. What Voris has spoken of is "the spirit of VII" which is NOT the Council at all. 

Church Militant article "Vatican II is on Our Side": https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/fighting-back

Here are more out right lies by Conte...

9. The teaching of abject heresy, e.g. denial that the Three Persons of the Trinity are consubstantial. Teaching heresy is an objective mortal sin.

LIAR.
Church Militant article "Divine Trinity":  https://www.churchmilitant.com/catholicism/article/catholicism_divine-trinity

10. An extremely narrow view of who is saved in salvation theology. This is essentially a type of neo-Feeneyism or mitigated Feeneyism, which is heresy.

LIAR.
Church Militant article "Church Membership and Salvation":  https://www.churchmilitant.com/catholicism/article/catholicism_church-membership-and-salvation 

11. The absolute failure to teach the love of God above all else and the love of neighbor as self. These two great commandments are replaced in Voris’ work with emphasis on socio-political issues, conservative talking points, and harsh criticism of all who disagree.

LIAR. 
From Church Militant article
THE SUPREME LAW OF THE CHURCH":  https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/archbishop-alexander-sample-on-salvation-of-souls

12. The refusal to engage in theological debates or discussions, because everything they present is treated as absolute dogma, so there can be no discussion or debate, nor any correction of their errors

This one is LAUGHABLE because anyone who spends 10 minutes on the CM website knows Voris does debate and discuss EVERYTHING under the sun relating to the Church and politics and social issues that are wrapped up in both the Church and politics. 

Church Militant article/video "DEBATE: MICHAEL VORIS VS. MARK SHEA": https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/debate-michael-voris-vs.-mark-shea

The list goes on, but its more drivel with little to no substance and lots of judgment and condemning. 

Clearly Conte is giving his "position on Michael Voris and Church Militant" without even knowing Voris or CM. Again, 10 minutes on the website would disprove most of Conte's list without having to do much research at all. 

I think Conte was desperate for some blog hits and knew mentioning Voris and CM would bring him some traffic. Which might have worked, but at what cost? Conte looks to be a liar and/or a fool. High price to pay for some click bait. 



In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


Sources: 

https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/29/my-position-on-michael-voris-and-church-militant/ 

http://www.catholicplanet.com/work.htm

https://www.churchmilitant.com/

Patheos blogger labels authentic Catholics as nihilists

Rebecca Bratten Weiss is, among other things, a writer on the Patheos website. Until this week, I had never heard of her so I had no preconceived ideas or impressions of her. 

On January 8th of this year, I read an article on Church Militant that briefly mentioned her name. I honestly didn't pay much attention to her name, as the article its self was so disgusting in its content -Franciscan University of Steubenville had supported a pornographic book giving a detailed account of masturbation and the Virgin Mary (after public uproar FUS changed their tune). This post isn't really about any of that- its about Weiss labeling Catholics who actually hold to the Catholic faith as "nihilists".

Today in my email, I received a link to one of Weiss' Patheos articles "Here’s What You Need to Understand About Catholic Media Conflicts" so I read Weiss for the first time. Her thinking completely perplexes me as does her use of the word "nihilists". 

Weiss: "I’d like to follow up by stating that sometimes it’s erroneous to frame a conflict as being between “two sides” at all. Sometimes the conflict is not so much a conflict as it is an attack by nihilists on diverse, well-meaning humans simply trying to do their best in the world."

According to Weiss, Catholics who hold to the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church which have been passed down over the centuries are "nihilists" and self proclaimed Catholics who wish to change teachings and who often reject and/or ignore teachings...these people are "diverse, well-meaning humans simply trying to do their best in the world". Boggles the mind. But it gets worse...Weiss' example of one of these poor well-meaning humans is none other than heretical priest Fr. James Martin.

Weiss writes: Father James Martin of New Ways Ministry is a Jesuit priest with a special vocation for reaching out to Catholic-affiliated LGBTQ persons who feel marginalized, excluded, or even victimized in the church. This is a ministry which is built upon the most central of the church’s teachings about LGBTQ persons: namely, that “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”

Let's stop right there. Weiss labels Martin "of New Ways Ministry" seemingly unaware that the USCCB has CONDEMNED New Ways Ministry. 

Weiss: Father Martin is not a far-left Catholic, and has never advocated for a reversal of the magisterial teaching on the morality of homosexual acts, nor on gay marriage.

Hold the bus! Again, Weiss shows she has not done her homework. Spend any time reading Martin on social media and its clear. I have written about Martin's heretical beliefs HERE, HERE and HERE to name but a few times Martin has gone against Catholic teaching on homosexuality.

In "The LGBT Philosophies of James Martin and Patrick Hornbeck" Youtube video Martin says (*at the 26 mark)...

Martin states in the video he wants the Church to "reflect" on homosexual "love" because *he* has determined these relationships to be worthy of "reverence".

*Note to Fr. Martin, the Church has already reflected on homosexual "love" and found it to be DISORDERED. 

Clearly Martin continues to show he and his views are in direct opposition to the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church.

Weiss: For this, he has sometimes been criticized by leftist Catholics for not going far enough. I’ve been in many conversations with feminist academics who are critical of what they perceive as his unwillingness to push back against the existing magisterial teachings. And right-leaning Catholics get upset with him for not reiterating more strenuously the “homosexual acts are bad” element of magisterial teaching (for which, honestly, I commend him: gay Catholics have heard those lines all too frequently).

Again, I don't think Weiss has done her homework on Martin. Martin has repeatedly openly supported gay "marriage" and unions on social media. 

Fr.Martin promoting a lesbian couple fornicating for decades.

Here is Martin promoting a gay book that encourages gay "marriage"...

        

Most recently Martin promoted a blasphemous rosary on social media... 

I could go on, but why bother? We've all seen it from Martin for years now. We know he's a heretical priest doing great damage to the bewildered lost sheep who can't see the wolf before them. 

Weiss then turns her eyes to Church Militant and defends pornography being promoted at a Catholic University. 

Weiss: Recently, the far-right media tabloid Church Militant published an execrable and dishonest smear piece about Dr. Stephen Lewis of Franciscan University, who dares to teach actual literature in his upper-level literature classes. Dr. Lewis is no radical leftist, and is in fact fairly conservative. He simply understands that part of the role of an education is to prepare adults to encounter a broad range of human experiences, and to be able to engage with artistic works even if they contain difficult or problematic material.
This is nothing out of the ordinary for conservative Catholic academics who actually have functioning mental apparatus. In my doctoral program at University of Dallas we read any number of “scandalous” works from antiquity to modernity – from bawdy Greek epigrams to Gilles Deleuze, Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. We read feminist philosophy. We talked about the masturbation scene in Ulysses, and discussed the nature of language in Lolita. And Dallas is, largely, considered conservative. But it also happens to be a university, not a four-year Bible camp. At least when I was there, the dominant ethos was one of magnanimity, not fear, and we enjoyed academic freedom while also celebrating Catholic identity. I can not imagine a university of that caliber caving to the demands of the barely-literate tabloid media.

Once more, I question whether or not Weiss has done any homework at all on the subject of being Catholic and pornographic material. 

From the Vatican website: 

5. Among the alarming developments of these years has been the widespread increase of pornography and wanton violence in the media. Books and magazines, recordings, the cinema, the theatre, television, videocassettes, advertising displays and even telecommunications frequently offer a representation of violent behaviour or of permissiveness in sexual activity that reaches the point of being openly pornographic and morally offensive.

6. As reflections of the dark side of a human nature marred by sin, pornography and the exaltation of violence are age-old realities of the human condition. In the past quarter century, however, they have taken on new dimensions and have become serious social problems. At a time of widespread and unfortunate confusion about moral norms, the communications media have made pornography and violence accessible to a vastly expanded audience, including young people and even children, and a problem which at one time was confined mainly to wealthy countries has now begun, via the communications media, to corrupt moral values in developing nations.

10. While no one can consider himself or herself immune to the corrupting effects of pornography and violence or safe from injury at the hands of those acting under their influence, the young and the immature are especially vulnerable and the most likely to be victimized. Pornography and sadistic violence debase sexuality, corrode human relationships, exploit individuals - especially women and young people, undermine marriage and family life, foster anti-social behaviour and weaken the moral fibre of society itself.

11. Thus, one of the clear effects of pornography is sin. Willing participation in the production or dissemination of these noxious products can only be judged a serious moral evil. Likewise, production and dissemination of these materials could not continue if there were not a market for them, so those who use such materials not only do moral harm to themselves but contribute to the continuation of a nefarious trade. 

14. Even so called "soft core" pornography can have a progressively desensitizing effect, gradually rendering individuals morally numb and personally insensitive to the rights and dignity of others. Exposure to pornography can also be - like exposure to narcotics - habit-forming and can lead individuals to seek increasingly "hard core" and perverse material. The likelihood of anti-social behaviour can grow as this process continues.

15. Pornography can foster unhealthy preoccupations in fantasy and behaviour. It can interfere with personal moral growth and the development of healthy and mature relationships, especially in marriage and family life, where mutual trust and openness and personal moral integrity in thought and in action are so important.

16. Indeed, pornography can militate against the family character of true human sexual expression. The more sexual activity is considered as a continuing frenzied search for personal gratification rather than as an expression of enduring love in marriage, the more pornography can be considered as a factor contributing to the undermining of wholesome family life. 

25. EDUCATORS. The chief collaborators with parents in the moral formation of young people must be educators. Schools and other educational programs should support and inculcate the social and ethical values that promote the unity and health of families and of society itself. Of particular value are programs in media education to develop in young people a critical attitude and properly formed skills of discernment in using television, radio and other media, so that they might know how to resist manipulation and how to avoid merely passive listening and viewing habits. It is also important that schools emphasize the need for respect for the human person, the value of family life and the importance of personal moral integrity.

29. THE CHURCH AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS. For the Church, the first responsibility is the constant, clear teaching of the faith and, therefore, of objective moral truth, including the truth about sexual morality. In an era of permissiveness and moral confusion, this requires that the Church be a prophetic voice and, often, a sign of contradiction. The so-called "ethic" of immediate personal gratification is fundamentally opposed to integral human growth and fulfillment. Education for family life and indeed for responsible life in society requires formation in chastity and self-discipline. By contrast, pornography and wanton violence can blind individuals to the divine image in the human person, can weaken marriage and family life and can do serious harm to individuals and to society itself. Wherever possible, the Church must join with other churches, denominations and religious groups in teaching and fostering this message. It must also make the best possible use of its own institutions and personnel to give education and formation concerning the media of social communications and their proper role in individual and social life. Special attention should be given to assisting parents in their efforts.  Thus, media education belongs in Catholic schools and other educational programs, in seminaries,8 in formation programs of religious and secular institutes, in the continuing formation of priests and in parish programs for youth and adults. Priests and Religious in pastoral and educational work should themselves be discrimating consumers of media who give good example in what they read and view.

Let's not forget the Catholic catechism on this either...

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.

Considering all of this, how in the world can Weiss label Catholics who HOLD to these teachings as "nihilists" while referring to Fr. James Martin as a "diverse, well-meaning human simply trying to do their best in the world"? 

Truly, boggles the mind.

I'll finish this with a quote by Saint John Bosco...

In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Sources: 

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/steubenville-english-professor-promotes-blasphemous-book 

http://www.usccb.org/news/2010/10-028.cfm 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHpKah-Kx-A

Vatican document on pornography: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/pccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_07051989_pornography_en.html

Say goodbye to cemeteries and hello to composting human beings

The term is "recomposition" and the idea has taken off in Washington state. Katrina Spade originally cooked up the idea of composting human beings back in 2013 from a farming friend who composts dead livestock. She now has the backing of Democrat Sen. Jamie Pedersen, who is sponsoring a bill in Washington’s Legislature that if passed, would allow families to compost their death family members as early as 2020.

  "Pedersen sees recomposition as an environmental and a social justice issue." 

It always circles back to social justice. Exactly how it is considered "social justice" is because its cheap-so poor people can compost their dead and then plant a tree in the remains-and composted dead people can help stop erosion.  Senator Pedersen gushes that “People from all over the state who wrote to me are very excited about the prospect of becoming a tree or having a different alternative for themselves”. Becoming a tree eh? 🌳

I was curious to what faith-if any Pedersen subscribed to. According to Wiki, Pedersen is an openly gay Lutheran man "married" to another man and together they are raising four sons. Apparently, in Pedersen's branch of the Lutheran faith one can become a tree after death-and he says it like that's a good thing. 

I asked a Catholic family member what they thought of human composting and her response was, isn't that what happens to us anyway? 

Well, yes, but we aren't scattered in the flower bed or used to mulch the apple tree. Maybe I'm the only one who sees a problem with this. 😕

Quote: "The process involves placing unembalmed human remains wrapped in a shroud in a 5-foot-by-10-foot cylindrical vessel with a bed of organic material such as wood chips, alfalfa and straw. Air is then periodically pulled into the vessel, providing oxygen to accelerate microbial activity. Within approximately one month, the remains are reduced to a cubic yard of compost that can be used to grow new plants."

The Catholic take so far? 

"Alkaline hydrolysis may go against Catholic doctrine that requires the human body to be respected, said James LeGrys, theological adviser to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. LeGrys was unfamiliar with recomposition, but noted that it could be problematic if body parts are separated in any way."

Could be problematic? 

Imagine how this would work...

After the Catholic funeral everyone follows the hearse to the local compost heap and tosses dear old granny in. Then a month later they show up with shovels to either stuff granny's compost into burlap bags or a wheelbarrow so they can tote her back home to their garden. 

Yeah, seems a bit problematic to me. But what do I know? 

I was surprised to learn there is something going on in Germany that is very similar. Though not composted, the cremated remains of people are being put beneath trees in "forest burials". 

Quote: "Asked specifically about the growing trend in his native Germany of "forest burials," where people pay to have their ashes in urns interred at the base of a tree in a designated forest burial ground, Cardinal Muller said the German bishops were not thrilled with the idea, but accepted it with the proviso that the tree be marked with the name of the person buried at its base."🌲

Muller continues...

"We believe in the resurrection of the body and this must be the principle of our understanding and practice," Cardinal Muller told Catholic News Service, noting that there is a difference between allowing for the natural decay of the body while protecting the environment and seeing the body of the deceased primarily as fertilizer for plants and trees."

In Christ and not wishing to be composted, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Sources: 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/washington-could-become-first-state-legalize-human-composting-n952421 

http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/final-resting-place-vatican-releases-instruction-on-burial-cremation.cfm 

Sheep steals baby Jesus...Mary's having none of that!

Just love seeing children recreate the Nativity! 

How cute is this?? 😇

God bless them. 

Father James Martin's new rosary-meditate on LBGTQ couples and Mother Earth

Nothing Fr. James Martin shares on social media surprises me anymore. 

Here is Martin promoting social justice Rosary beads for "modern sorrows" telling Catholics to meditate on LBGTQ couples, immigration, Mother Earth and other social justice topics with NO mention of Jesus at all. I'm not kidding...this is what Father James Martin is now promoting on social media.

Description of the "Rosary of Modern Sorrows": 

The Rosary of Modern Sorrows invites us into guided meditation on the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters in the U.S. and around the world. Click through the photos to read the specific social justice intentions for each decade.Made by Aline and Nziza: refugees from the Congo living in Charlotte, NC. 

This is the man Francis has promoted to consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communications. 

God save us from these clergy! 


In Christ, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Sources: 

https://contemplativerebellion.com/collections/catholic-patron-saint-jewelry/products/rosary-of-modern-sorrow 



https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/1069762368824098816 

Tis the season...

...for nuts to come out.

A few days ago the Huffingtonpost put together a "comedy" of social media backlash over the classic Christmas movie "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". 

HuffPost: Viewers Noticed Some Very Disturbing Details In ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’ Some of the scenes in this Christmas classic raise all kinds of issues. 

Most of it made me laugh...😉

All of these things kids have been saying for decades now. I've always thought that the Santa portrayed in this movie was HORRIBLE. And Rudolph's father was a jerk. The point of the entire movie is that bullying is wrong and that "misfits" fit in! Apparently this was lost on the Twitter folks when they were children. To see them just now figuring it out as adults was just hysterical!

Like this guy...

...who went on and on and on about it(⭐=my favorites). 

His Twitter profile says he's a pastor, so I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess if he's giving a sermon this Sunday, Rudolph will be playing a part in it. 😏

--- 

From classic Christmas movies, to classic Christmas songs.

With all the retched music flooding our world today, it has been decided by the minority that the secular Christmas song "Baby it's cold outside" is "an example of the rape culture" we live in today. 

Radio station WDOK in Cleveland, Ohio has banned the song "Baby, its cold outside" because ONE listener called in saying the 1940's song is "inappropriate in 2018" in light of the #metoo movement. 😕 

Now get this, the radio station set up a poll and the majority want the song to stay, the minority did not-but the radio host flips the poll and says the majority want the song banned. 

Quote: “It wasn't really our decision. It's the decision of our listeners,” said WDOK midday host Desiray, noting that the Christmas lineup is decided by the station’s listeners.The station said it posted a poll about the song on its web site and a clear majority of respondents supported the decision to remove the song from the station’s lineup."

Here is the poll from the website...

Looks to me like the majority of listeners do NOT want the song banned. 

Then the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center got involved and added their two cents... 

"In the song, the woman expresses concern about what others may think of her spending the night, as the man tries to convince her to stay.
While some might view the song and its lyrics as a playful, coy back-and-forth from another time, Miller said it may have a different meaning to a rape survivor.
“It really pushed the line of consent,” Miller said. “The character in the song is saying ‘no,’ and they're saying well, ‘does no really mean yes?’ and I think in 2018 what we know is consent is ‘yes’ and if you get a ‘no,’ it means ‘no’ and you should stop right there.”
Miller said the song is an example of the rape culture in which we live, and the first step to preventing sexual violence is to change that."

As for me and my house, I'm keeping my Dean Martin Christmas tunes- including "Baby its cold outside".🎄🎅

---

Can't wait for the Charlie Brown Christmas special!😊 

One of my very favorites! 🎄

I'm sure the nuts will complain about the Nativity story and sadly, one day I won't be surprised when this Christmas classic is banned from liberal television stations for its Christian content. 

In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Sources: 

https://fox8.com/2018/11/29/wdok-stops-playing-baby-its-cold-outside-amid-me-too-movement/ 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-disturbing-details_us_5bfe058fe4b0f43bf2661c7f 

https://twitter.com/revdaryl