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Contents © 2004
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
LETTERS
October 2004
SOP AND SUBTERFUGE
The article "Ignore, Ignore" [September Mission] by Christopher Zehnder reflects the constant practice of the diocese of Orange to lie. In a complex and unconvincing argument about waiting for further clarification about what the instruction regarding the Eucharist means, the letter from Lesa Truxaw talks about waiting for further clarification. Her letter completely ignores the fact that the clarification had already arrived by the time her letter was sent to the priests.
The following appeared in the May 2004 issue of the newsletter from the United States bishops' committee on the liturgy -- something I am sure that the director of worship would have known. The newsletter read: "in a letter dated May 6, 2004 ... to Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., chairman of the USCCB Committee on the Liturgy, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, writes concerning a conflict between number 105 of the recent instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum and numbers 36 and 37 of the USA Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds. This conflict concerns 'the Instruction's clear exclusion of any pouring of the Precious Blood after the consecration [which] overturns certain presuppositions that seem to underlie the above-mentioned norms.'" This statement also included the revision of the norms for the United States.
The reality is that Lesa Truxaw did not write the letter she signed. At Bishop Brown's instigation, the Rev. Arthur Holquin wrote the letter and then had her sign it. This is SOP for the diocese: subterfuge. The bishop has others do his dirty work and then he can deny any responsibility for it if it doesn't work out.
Please don't blame all the priests. Any priest who would complain or who would go ahead and change the manner of distribution of the Precious Blood would be considered a "problem" and pay the price.
William Friar
received via e-mail
DON'T EVEN WAX THE PEWS
It is interesting that the truth of scandal, cruel wrong, and deception in Orange County is being uncovered from the mountainous Los Angeles borderland of Tehachapi. The Spirit in heaven, as well as in the bones of the ancient Indians sleeping in your mountains, must be well pleased. Congratulations on "All that Perceptions Stuff" [July/August Mission]. It is a tremendous job of reporting. Robert Kumpel did a most praiseworthy job
The main story, for my interest, however, is the proposed renovation of the Serra Chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano. The chapel and the mission, I believe, are national monuments, or enjoy some type of protection from would-be renovateurs. I cannot think of a more holy historic relic and revered place of worship than the Serra Chapel. Its loss would be like the "renovation" of St. Sophia's in 1453 AD, which was changed into a mosque when Constantinople fell to the Turks. I cannot think of a greater religious tragedy, outside the current destruction and desecration of church property in Palestine, along with the slaughter of the aborigines by the Israeli Zionists. The Serra Chapel is so old, fragile, and sensitive that to even think of "renovation" is to invite its destruction. I don't think the old pews should be waxed, they are so precious.
The Serra Chapel is worth the battle and must be preserved, as is, with its squeaky, old wooden pews, the heat of the St. Peregrine's vigil lights, the Latin Mass on Sunday, the altar, retablos, religious art, and ancient rafters. We have done a poor job of defending the honor and achievements of the Franciscan friars who built it and have let the anti-Catholic devils do them dirt. But now we might redeem ourselves, somewhat, by saving their most holy relic for future Catholic worship and veneration.
We have seen many examples of the modernist architecture of the new clerical designers, with their spa-sized baptismal fonts, the "table" in the center of the nave, and the closet-sized Holy Sacrament chapel. Cardinal Mahony's new Los Angeles cathedral is the matrix and the Mecca for these dreary, non-descript structures now the rage in the Catholic Church. They seem to lack the aura of sanctity and holiness as well as the physical loveliness and grace of earlier times. May God save the Serra Chapel today and turn back the clerical demolitionists from His holy, blessed shrine that has been the refuge of Catholics for centuries under Spain, Mexico, and the USA.
Patrick F. Flynn, Yorba Linda
received via e-mail
DOCTOR OF HERESY
After Notre Dame University president Theodore Hesburgh had converted Notre Dame from a Catholic school to a secular humanist school, he appointed Father Richard McBrien to be the head of the university's department of theology. Father McBrien has a Doctor of Heresy degree. Father McBrien believes that morals and theology continually change and evolve. This explains why he sometimes contradicts himself in his weekly column in the Tidings. If a change in morals or theology takes place while he is writing his column, then his column may end up containing a contradiction. McBrien also believes that morals and theology contain many nuances.
Some changes drive McBrien up the wall. In one column, he told us how horrified he was when he learned that young priests believe that a parish church is a house of worship. He is also depressed because young priests don 't have soup kitchens for their starving parishioners and don't lead protests against the death penalty.
In one column, he told us that pastors know that birth control is acceptable because all of their parishioners practice birth control. He thinks that lay people should decide what is Catholic doctrine rather than the Vatican. After Mel Gibson's movie about the Passion became a success, Father McBrien told us that Sacred Scripture is anti-Semitic and should be rewritten so that it is ecumenically correct. McBrien thinks that people who try to evangelize Jews are guilty of hate crimes.
Father McBrien also likes to sing a song called Hooray for Vatican II. As communist dictators look with pride at the devastation which they have caused in their native lands, McBrien looks with pride at the devastation which Vatican II heretics have caused to the Catholic Church. Father McBrien agrees with Cardinal Mahony that this devastation is the work of the Holy Spirit. Wrong. It is the work of Satan.
Robert A. Obergfell,
Bellflower
Editor replies: In general, I share Mr. Obergfell's censure of Father Richard McBrien's ideas. However, if McBrien does say that parishes should have soup kitchens, I'd have to say I agree with McBrien, on this point at least. This is hardly a new-fangled concept. In fact, it goes back to the Church as described in the Acts of the Apostles: "And all who believed were together and held all things in common, and would sell their possessions and goods and distribute them among all according as anyone had need."
MOST NOT LOYAL
Are we approaching the time of the great apostasy? Now we have bishops who have more in common with homosexuals than with loyal Catholics.
Father John Hardon said he thought there were only six bishops in our country who were completely loyal to Rome, another 40 who were mostly loyal, the balance not at all!
Let us hope the next Holy Father will not be afraid to accept the early retirement of many bishops and dissidents.
William C. Osborn,
Long Beach
FAITHLESS SHEPHERDS
The pitiable Cardinal Mahony seeks comfort in belonging to a crowd. It is a very poor comfort for a Catholic bishop, as Cardinal Wolsey found under Henry VIII. Wolsey was stripped of all his wealth and honors, accused of treason, and ordered to London. He became sick on the way. Dying, Wolsey said, "if I had served God as diligently as I have done the king, He would not have given me over in my gray hairs."
Past history of the Church records that many bishops have sought solace hiding in a crowd. Many times those responsible for the faithful have proved to be faithless.
Jesus warned us of the wolves in sheep's (pallium) clothing. Jesus also promised us "that the gates of Hell will not prevail."
Many years ago, an arrogant, atheistic teenager bragged to my mother that membership in the Catholic Church was dwindling. Her response was, "that may be. It might happen that the Catholic Church may consist only of some naked black men sitting under bushes in Africa, but it will be."
The Catholic Church is not dependent upon numbers. Nor is it a democratic institution. The canons of the Catholic Church do not endorse any type of government. The Church does require that members support and maintain a moral code under God.
anonymous