From the Catholic League. And

From the Catholic League. And before you read this, here’s the news story.
And let me just say that this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen from the Catholic League. How do we “Chill Out” about stuff like this when the people accused have not even dealt with the issues? It’s a standing Archbishop who was accused of sexual misconduct and paid out a $450,000 settlement. That is serious, serious business. There’s no statute of limitations on what we’ll see come Judgement Day – which is why I’m praying to God for mercy.
I can just see the headlines now:
Catholic League Calls on Everyone to Chill Out
Finally, here’s the quote –
THE CASE OF ARCHBISHOP WEAKLAND:
TIME FOR AN ETHICAL STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Responding to reports that Archbishop Rembert Weakland paid $450,000 to a man who accused him of sexual assault two decades ago is Catholic League president William Donohue:
“Any priest who violates his vow of celibacy is guilty of wrongdoing. Married men and women who break their marital vows are also guilty of wrongdoing. But it needs to be asked what social good is served when current disclosures of past indiscretions are made public. The time has come to invoke an ethical statute of limitations.
“Rumors abound everyday about the alleged sexual misconduct that a clergyman once committed. The motives are not pure. Some are interested in making headlines; some are engaged in blackmail; and others are promoting politics. This kind of sexual McCarthyism serves no constructive purpose.
“To be sure, American society is culturally schizophrenic: we sponsor a libertine understanding of sexuality that puts a premium on genital liberation and yet are appalled by the psychological and physical consequences that such a vision entails. We also expect that every person of the cloth will at all times restrain his libido while everyone else is free to throw constraint to the wind. The immaturity that characterizes this response is deep-seated.
“Voyeurism is usually considered an individual property but in the United States it has taken on a collective identity. It is now a society-wide phenomenon and is sustained by an appetite that is apparently insatiable. But that does not justify its perverse indulgence. To make matters worse, those who always harbored an agenda against their most-hated prelate think it’s time to rejoice. Count the Catholic League out. It’s time everyone—on the left and on the right, straight as well as gay—chilled out. Enough is enough.”

St. Blog Capital Campaign?

I’m not on the Parish council of St. Blog’s, but think it’s a appropriate to open the floor for discussion of launching a St. Blog Capital Campaign. The financial needs of the parish I see are as follows:
Development of a Crying Room for all the whiners who complain about my posts.
Installing Organ Pipes near my computer workstation to enhance overall sound quality
Removal of ads from all bona-fide Catholic blogs (we’ll need a Catholic Blog Inquisition.. er… Review Committee to make sure the blogs are legit.)
Upgrades to Blogger Pro for all Bloggers receiving > 1,000 hits per day.
Catholic Outreach: Buying Mark Shea’s, Amy Welborn’s and Michael Dubruiel’s books and air-dropping them over wayward Catholic institutions such as all Jesuit residences in the USA.
I will personally smack anyone who says we need to remove the communion rail. Seriously – I will look you up on four11.com, find you, and smack you.

Spoiled Brats

A priest friend of mine is a member of an old and distinguished order. I remember him telling me about a meeting between members of his order from America and members of his order from the third world. The americans showed up in casual clothes though the rule of the order requires habits. They lounged around in flip-flops and jeans and frowned when the other brothers showed up in habits. They began to discuss difficulties in their ministry. The americans talked about inclusive language. Ordaining women. How they wish Ratzinger would take a dirt nap. The priests from the third world talked about their poverty. Their ministry to the orphans. The fact it was hard to get enough money together to get habits for the men in novitiate.
American Catholics are generally speaking the spoiled children of the Church. Our tummies are full, our liquor cabinets are stocked, we have facilities, phones, offices, libraries, schools, pipe organs, sound systems, priests that drive late-model luxury cars and real estate worth hundreds of millions. Comfort has taken away our our sense of real need. Comfort fills the void that should be filled by God. And since we are comfortable, we have less of His spirit and are more concerned with maintaining the luxury than we are of becoming other-Christs.
We need to be led Bishops and priests that are poor and yearn to be filled with the grace of God. In place of Cardinal Soundbite I’d like to see an Archbishop that has worn out shoes and is carted around major cities in a Ford Taurus not built after 1996. We can only get back to God if we embrace the life of his Son.