What would the Apostles have done?

Pastors who would tear the wings off Cardinal Dolan’s message - Judi McLeod Thursday, April 26, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nudging President Barack Obama out of the sanctuary of the Roman Catholic Church, is going to need helping hands of both the celestial and earth bound. St. Michael and the Archangels must be rooting for Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, but are foot soldiers on Mother Earth being tossed aside by the rank and file ostensibly on Cardinal Dolan’s side? Pastor Fr. Dan Papineau at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, has cut two parishioners off from an already agreed to letter campaign, and blames his change of mind on the local bishop’s office. “I received a response from a Diocesan spokesperson on the review of the text and procedure for implementing the Religious Freedom Campaign as reviewed by the Vicar General, Monsignor Richard Harris,” Fr. Papineau wrote in a letter to parishioners Cathy Tyler and Sherri Timmerman. Fr. Papineau states the following: “The matters we are concerned about are within the provence of the Bishop and only the Bishop can speak from the pulpit. The letters are political in nature and could cause an IRS investigation resulting in the loss of our 501c status. Priest (sic) should never issue political statements or promote letters that they have drafted. And that this initiative is a dangerous precedent that should not be done.” (Emphasis CFP’s). “They recommend referring the parishioners to read the statement put out by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in reference to the HHS Mandate. “Contained within the statement is an exhortation to action by contacting one’s U.S. Representative through the information provided and saying the message as noted, that the Representative will co-sponsor the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). “In the spirit of obedience I will comply with their directive. I suggest that an insert containing the bishops (sic) letter be put in the bulletin with a reference to it being stated before the final benediction when announcements are made. “I’m sorry if this response disappoints you but the Lord always blesses holy initiatives that are rooted in the spirit of obedience.” Mighty big of Fr. Papineau, particularly in light of the fact that a representative at Catholic Advocate advised Cathy Tyler that they’ve processed over 200,000 of these legislative letters from across the country to date. “I’ve researched the limits imposed by the 501c and there is no way these letters endanger that standing,” Tyler wrote in a letter to Cardinal Dolan. “The letters are legislative in nature and are not partisan. They don’t promote or discourage voting for any candidate. These letters are exactly the kind of activity you and the USCCB have encouraged from Catholics.” Tyler was right in reminding Cardinal Dolan that Fr. Papineau’s claim that Vicar General, Monsignor Robert Harris statement is indicative that “The matters we are concerned about are within the provence of the Bishop and only the Bishops can speak from the pulpit” should be of concern. “I know that priests across the country are speaking about this issue from the pulpit. It is not only Bishops, who are communicating this message to the parishes.” Tyler may have been too polite to point out, and so do activists get to take over the pulpit in some parishes. Cardinal Dolan’s public epistle to Catholic bishops was not just eloquent and passionate, it was a masterpiece, true words of which should be as much a clarion call to Catholics as the church bells that peal out before every Sunday Mass. Foot soldiers like Cathy Tyler and Sherri Timmerman, who stand at the ready to defend Cardinal Dolan’s fight to preserve the Right of Conscience Act against the Obama regime, should not be held back. Meanwhile, pastors like Fr. Dan Papineau should be putting wings on Cardinal Dolan’s message not tearing the wings off it. Letter April 25, 2012 Cardinal Timothy Dolan 1011 First Ave New York, NY 10022 RE: Religious Freedom in America Dear Cardinal Dolan: I’m a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC. When the mandate from the Executive branch and HHS happened earlier this year, our parish was in transition. Our Pastor was re-assigned to a different parish and the new Pastor had not yet been named. While Churches across the nation were being informed of this mandate, the communication was lost in the shuffle at our parish. The letter from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was never read to our parish, nor was a bulletin insert ever provided to our members. Our new parish Pastor, Fr. Dan Papineau, has been with us for a couple of months now. Once he arrived and had time to get his feet on the ground, my friend Sherri Timmerman and I made an appointment with him to talk about the mandate. We asked Fr. Dan to speak about the mandate from the pulpit. We also asked permission to proceed with a Campaign for Religious Freedom, which I had received from Catholic Advocate. Fr. Dan was excited by the idea of the letter campaign and agreed to let us proceed with a plan to implement the campaign. He asked Sherri and me to prepare a package which would include words he would say to the parish. He also invited us to speak to the parish on this issue. Sherri and I put a great deal of thought and effort into this project. We pulled our information from letters and bulletin inserts quoting your words, and the words of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops. We submitted our plan to Fr. Dan and he seemed impressed with the work we had done. His only request was for us to provide him with a timetable, which we submitted. Then we received a very discouraging e-mail from Fr. Dan. He said we could not move forward with the plan based on the direction he had received from the Bishop’s office. Below is a copy of that correspondence: Dear Sherri and Cathy, Greetings to you in our Lord Jesus Christ! I received a response from a Diocesan spokes person on the review of the text and procedure for implementing of the Religious Freedom Campaign as reviewed by the Vicar General, Monsignor Richard Harris. He states the following: 1. The matters we are concerned about are within the provence of the Bishop and only the Bishops can speak from the pulpit. 2. The letters are political in nature and could cause an IRS investigation resulting in our loss of our 501c status. 3. Priest should never issue political statements or promote letters that they have drafted. 4. And that this initiative is a dangerous precedent that should not be done. They recommend referring the parishioners to read the statement put out by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in reference to the HHS Mandate. Contained within the statement is an exhortation to action by contacting one’s U.S. Representative through the information provided and saying the message as noted, that the Representative will co-sponsor the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). In the spirit of obedience I will comply with their directive. I suggest that an insert containing the bishops letter be put in the bulletin with a reference to it being stated before the final benediction when announcements are made. I’m sorry if this response disappoints you but the Lord always blesses holy initiatives that are rooted in the spirit of obedience. Thank you for your passion in promoting the Right of Conscience Act. Fr. Dan Cardinal Dolan, we are so discouraged by this message. It appears to be in direct opposition to everything we’ve heard you say and the message we’re hearing from the USCCB. Our goal is to have our parish made aware of the grave danger to our Religious Freedom, which is under direct attack from our government. I’ve spoken to a representative at Catholic Advocate and have been advised that they’ve processed over 200,000 of these legislative letters from across the country to date. I’ve researched the limits imposed by the 501c status and there is no way that these letters endanger that standing. The letters are legislative in nature and are not partisan. They don’t promote or discourage voting for any candidate. These letters are exactly the kind of activity you and the USCCB have encouraged from Catholics. I’ve included a copy of the letter for your review. I’m also very concerned that Vicar General, Monsignor Richard Harris has stated that “The matters we are concerned about are within the provence of the Bishop and only the Bishops can speak from the pulpit”. I believe this is indicative of a larger problem within our diocese because I know that priests across the country are speaking about this issue from the pulpit. It is not only Bishops who are communicating this message to the parishes. We have foot soldiers ready to defend our Religious Freedom, but we’re being prohibited from doing so by our Bishop’s office. I’m asking for your advice and guidance. We are passionate about this issue and are more than disappointed that the parishioners at St. Benedict’s are not receiving a proactive message from our church leadership. I look forward to your response to this issue. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Cathy Tyler Mt. Pleasant, SC

Divine Mercy Prayers

Today bring to Me those who do not believe in God and those who do not know Me, I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy." Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen. *Our Lord's original words here were "the pagans." Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm#4#ixzz1tWq1RimV

Please pray this prayer for "Itchy Watch"

A Healing Prayer to St Jude for "Itchy Watch" Most holy Apostle, St. Jude, Friend of Jesus. We Place "Itchy Watch" in your care at this difficult time for him. Please Pray for Him, to let him know that he need not face his troubles alone. Please join him in his need, asking GOD to send him consolation in his sorrow, courage in his fears, and healing in the midst of his suffering. Ask our loving GOD to fill him with the grace to accept whatever may lie ahead for him and his loved ones, and to strengthen his faith in GOD's healing power. Thank you St. Jude, for the promise of hope you hold out for all who believe, and inspire him to give this gift of hope to others as it has been given to him. Amen Folks please join me in this prayer to St. Jude for "Itchy Watch" and his family.

Homosexuals in the Catholic Church

Westhempsteadgal,Frank. One subject that drives "Itchy Watch" crazy is Homosexuality. He had challenged me on that subject, and I had explained that I do not hate the person engaged in the practice, but the act itself. He wanted to know where our religion had stated that fact, and I had answered him with excerpts from the catholic catechism, of which he has no knowledge whatsoever.: Full Text of Catholic Catechism Regarding Homosexuality : #2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. #2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. #2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. Once we deviate from the teachings of the Catholic Church, we are engaged in the destruction of our infrastructure, which is what the Homosexuals are doing. To teach anything other than what is in the Catholic Catechism, is to damn yourself and those that you are teaching. Apostasy, which was forecast by the appearance of our Blessed Mother of Jesus, to our Lady of Akita, and had warned about it, is already taking place. By bending the rules, diminishing the sacredness of the Mass, and the receiving of the Body,Blood,Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus, Apostasy creeps in the door. I had seen a video of the girlfriend in a South American dictatorship, bite the host in half, and put the other half in her pocket, to give it to her Dictator boyfriend later, who was not allowed to be given the host by that parish(posted in "The catholic caveman"). The Pope had directed that communion should not be given to any politician that backs ABORTIONS, and many Bishops, Pastors, and Priest have ignore this directive. Because of my replying to "Itchy Watch" this way, he called me a "Homophobe" Dominus Vobiscum

Divine Mercy Prayers

"Today bring to Me the Souls who have become Lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy." Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen. Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm#9#ixzz1tLni69Ir

Divine Mercy Prayers

"Today bring to Me the Souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice." Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated. Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen. Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena....

What Vatican Council II has given us.

"Certainly the results (of Vatican II) seem cruelly opposed to the expectations of everyone, beginning with those of Pope John XXIII and then of Pope Paul VI: expected was a new Catholic unity and instead we have been exposed to dissension which, to use the words of Pope Paul VI, seems to have gone from self-criticism to self-destruction. Expected was a new enthusiasm, and many wound up discouraged and bored. Expected was a great step forward, instead we find ourselves faced with a progressive process of decadence which has developed for the most part under the sign of a calling back to the Council, and has therefore contributed to discrediting it for many. The net result therefore seems negative. I am repeating here what I said ten years after the conclusion of the work: it is incontrovertible that this period has definitely been unfavorable for the Catholic Church." — Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 1984.(Present Pope Benedict XVI) "Priests: After skyrocketing from about 27,000 in 1930 to 58,000 in 1965, the number of priests in the United States thereafter dropped to 45,000 in 2002. By 2020, there will be about 31,000 priests — and only 15,000 will be under the age of 70. Right now there are more priests age 80 to 84 than there are age 30 to 34." "Ordinations: In 1965 there were 1,575 American ordinations to the priesthood, in 2002 there were 450, a decline of 350 percent. Taking into account ordinations, deaths and departures, in 1965 there was a net gain of 725 priests. In 1998, there was a net loss of 810." "Priest-less parishes: About 3 percent of U.S. parishes, or 549, were without a resident priest in 1965. In 2002 there were 2,928 priest-less parishes, about 15 percent of U.S. parishes. By 2020, a quarter of all parishes, 4,656, will have no priest." "Seminaries: Between 1965 and 2002, the number of seminarians dropped from 49,000 to 4,700 — a 90 percent decrease. Without any students, seminaries across the country have been sold or shuttered. There were 596 seminaries in 1965, and only 200 in 2002. There were over three times as many total seminarians in 1930 as in 2002. There were over seven times as many religious order seminarians in 1945 as in 2002. There were over three times as many diocesan seminarians in 1945 as in 2002. There were more seminaries in 1955 than in 2002. Between 1965 and 2002, the number of U.S. diocesan seminaries decreased by 33 percent. In that same thirty seven year period, the number of U.S. religious seminaries decreased by 75 percent." "Religious Orders: The religious orders will soon be virtually nonexistent in the United States. For example, in 1965 there were 5,277 Jesuit priests and 3,559 seminarians; in 2000 there were 3,172 priests and 389 seminarians." "Parochial Grade Schools: There were 10,503 parochial grade schools in 1965 and 6,623 in 2002. The number of students plummeted from 4.5 million to 1.9 million." "Mass attendance: A 1958 Gallup poll reported that 74 percent of Catholics went to Sunday Mass in 1958. A 1994 University of Notre Dame study found that the attendance rate was 26.6 percent. A more recent study by Fordham University professor James Lothian concluded that 65 percent of Catholics went to Sunday Mass in 1965, while the rate dropped to 25 percent in 2000." Jones points out that "Mass attendance of U.S. Catholics fell precipitously in the decade following the liturgical changes and has continued to decline ever since." Source: Index of Leading Catholic Indicators: The Church since Vatican II Kenneth C. Jones