Fallen Heroes, Part Three: America Makes a “Good” Confession

America Confessed

As Catholics, we know that a “Good” confession doesn’t just happen.

We’ve all been guilty of dashing into the confessional and blurting out the most recent fight with _________ in which we said unkind things, or we lied, or gossiped- spit out the words of an act of contrition–and maybe we really were contrite and will try to do better.

But we knew, as we left, that maybe that confession was a sin of omission so we vowed to do better next time, said our penance, did our penance by apologizing to the wronged party and went on our way until “next time.”

A truly “good” confession is about reconnecting with God’s mercy, that’s why we call it the

“Sacrament of Reconciliation.”

CCC 1422,1442-1445,1468

To make a “good” [as in honest and complete] confession requires solitary time for reflection and prayer so the Holy Spirit can help us bring to mind all the ways in which we have fallen short of God’s hope for us, and sinned by commission and omission.

For non-Catholics that means we have to consider not only what we’ve done wrong but what we have failed to do that we should have.

If you were raised in a Pre-Vatican II Catholic household and you were caught red-handed,* stealing candy, or caught in the act of beating up your brother “for no reason” but it was actually because you coveted the praise he got for his spelling paper and that extra piece of cake. If your guilt was apparent for all to see, in addition to a trip to that aforementioned woodshed you were also sent “to the box”…to the confessional.

*Red-handed is not an ethnic slur but rather a straight forward Scottish expression for having been caught with blood on your hands from being a poacher…from coveting/stealing another person’s livestock.

A Pandemic Lockdown is an efficient way to get the TIME necessary for deep reflection, especially since its frequent deadly outcome made most of us, regardless of religion or lack thereof, take a measure of our life and our “readiness” for eternity.

Sadly, the recent American Reflection on its sins were ALL of the red-handed, caught in the act variety, and even then in the face of blatant proof some persons or corporations had the audacity to either gaslight the victims or simply deny the video that proved their guilt. And shamefully, many have been set free because of money, status or both.

America has long since favored the cover-up and silence-for-money route of dealing with their sins against the common good. Until recently, when encouraged by a governing body who threw out the rulebook for decency toward one’s fellow man, and went on a spree of sin–simply because it could–America’s evil nakedness was exposed.

The Exposure of American Sin began in earnest in 2017 after a year of vitriolic campaigning during which nearly half of American Catholics abandoned the Ten Commandments for a candidate who was anathema to righteousness.

Traditional Catholic Bible

Concomitant, was a resurgence of the 2006 “me too” movement with regard to the continual and unabated sexual harassments of girls and women at schools, in the workplace and even publicly endorsed by a new President who campaigned saying he could and had used his power and status to violate women’s bodies–and he found huge support for his tendencies in like-minded men and gaslighted women —

Case in point, one unconscious white college co-ed who was raped next to a dumpster and then blamed for tempting the WHITE BOY beyond his control. He was portrayed as a young man with a bright future rather than a rapist. We must readily admit the outcome would have been different had the boy been Black. Nevertheless, he only got 4 months. She will have a lifetime of trauma.

America’s sins weren’t just local…but GLOBAL.

If you were paying global attention during this time, many of Pope Francis’ criticisms were of American relentless consumerism, the oligarchy attempting to replace democracy in a Republican White House with executive order after order that endangered the most vulnerable people, animals and allowed for pillaging the planet for profit. America was were guilty of all he accused–and more.

Pope Francis also called America out for policies and executive orders that gave behemoths of money to the already uber rich, while ignoring the poorest of the poor and the marginalized.

When The Encyclical Laudato Si, on “caring for our common home” came out [Climate Change and Ecology] there was a huge negative uproar in many American pulpits. Out came out the Traditionalist Catholics who rejected Vatican II as ruining the faith and liturgy, lead by Cardinal Sarah who was then and is for just a bit more, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. [he’s just turned 75 and Pope Francis has accepted the resignation [Feb 20,2021] all are required to “offer” at that age].

Read it here: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

To be fair, Cardinal Sarah wasn’t the start of the American Anti-Francis campaign but the “deeply insulted” American Catholics were using Cardinal Sarah’s criticisms of Vatican II and his reversing some of the liturgical practices–most notably a few years ago by reversing Vatican II and forcing priests to face the altar rather than the congregation–to infer combat the Traditionalists and Republican Catholics exacerbated the tension by joining, albeit misaligned, forces.

Soon the rabid and radical American Catholic Media began challenging Francis’ papacy saying it wasn’t legitimate and would be the ruination of Catholicism. I won’t list those screeds because their words are distortions and lies and I will not give them an opportunity to poison any more minds. It does remind one of the idiocy of challenging President Obama’s birthright and American citizenship ad infinitum.

These attacks on Francis were unwarranted because Francis’ condemnation of America was right on the money! WE WERE/STILL ARE GUILTY of American policies that did/do everything he;s accused us of.

We ARE a nation in need of metanoia and repentance and reparations.

To be Fair, Cardinal Sarah spoke to the Catholic News Agency and said he never opposed Pope Francis and you can read it here.

FYI: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [CDF] is, in layman’s terms, sort of the Pope’s #2 guy, in charge of interpreting Catholic doctrine for the rest of us, particularly Bishops and priests. But more than that, he has tremendous power or as it says from the Vatican website:

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has as its duty the promotion and safeguarding of Catholic faith and morals, and is currently competent to address the delict of sexual abuse of minors.  The Congregation advises a diocesan bishop or religious ordinary as to the appropriate process for particular cases, and may authorize corrective measures to be taken.

Vatican,va

The CDF’s power is not to be taken lightly, in the past [during the horrific INQUISITION] HE was known as the GRAND INQUISITOR. When Cardinal Sarah, always blunt and honest, a trait Francis values, commented on anything, it became fuel for the fire for the American anti-Francis throng. Admittedly, Cardinal Sarah much prefers PRE Vatican II.

Francis revealed many things Americans are doing that bothered him in relationship to the Gospel, his mission, and the souls of the American Catholics living in such a culture.

These included the American’s relativism with the truth and American Media penchant for FAKE NEWS. NOT Bearing False witness was not listed as one of the 10 Suggestions…it was anathema to everything holy. Francis decried it–as he should have.

Did you know that many American companies have and continue to go into South American Countries/the Amazon and literally pillage the land of any and all profitable resources by:

Destroying the earth

Bearing false witness that it will be great for the local economy. WE AMERICANS pay the locals starvation wages making them slaves in their own land; WE AMERICANS steal the profits they promised to share and return nothing but ecological devastation, deforestation, polluted air, toxic water having effectively murdered the land, water and air leaving in its wake death, destruction, and unemployment when WE AMERICAN CORPORATIONS come back to America claiming to be the conquering heroes for their shareholders whose profits soar and greed is never ending.

WE AMERICANS must own what AMERICANS do around the world in our name. Pure and simple. Even more so for the people we elect and put in charge.

America’s SHAME was caught in the act exposing those who were bribed and given kickbacks for their silence. The average American has been none-the-wiser, all the while we’re walking around proudly shouting we are the greatest nation on earth. Not so much.

The Greatest Nation does not leave so many of its citizens homeless, starving, without adequate healthcare, letting some of it’s citizens automatically have more opportunities than others based on skin color or ethnicity. Nor does the richest nation condone murder, sexual abuse, slaughter of children in mass shootings, human trafficking and destruction of our home, and the entire planet for the profit of a few.

The Richest Nation in the world??? Not so much… China and a few others are closing in…but we are coming close to the title of most duplicitous, thieving, and hoarding nation where the richest 1% have taken all that is good from the 99%.

The Beacon of Democracy? Again, not so much. We’ve been forced, almost nightly, to REALLY reflect on White Privilege and systematic racism. While I’m a white American, I’m also a woman who was raised in lower middle class status and when I became a single mother [Thank you Viet Nam and Divorce] I became the white working poor. But still, I could NEVER imagine “the talk” that Black mothers have to have , with their Black children about how to “not be gunned down in a police encounter–especially when your only crime was to be Black in America.” The same goes for persecuted children of immigrants, Muslims and now Asians (again).

Even though I have plenty of personal experience being marginalized by poverty, sexism, and misogyny… I have long owned that I had white privilege “sort-of” but then this year with the real undressing of the police departments exposing a violent bigotry rampant around the country after the death of George Floyd–A violent murder caught in the act on video it became clear that the GOOD COPS–and there are thousands–would be outnumbered by the bad apples if we didn’t step up and help purge them from the ranks. A host of other examples of systemic racism followed. I’ve had to own it all as an American.

9 minutes with a cop kneeling on his neck.

I was most horrified, when I saw that video…FIRST of all, that Americans can now see murders as they happen and so frequently, so ordinarily, that it’s part of our daily lives… SECONDLY, that his fellow cops just stood there, knowing the officer on George’s neck was wrong and it was dangerous for George. They watched as this officer committed murder.

WHY, WHY, did they not pull him off George? THAT dear people, is SIN of omission.

I won’t mention the officer’s name because he deserves to die in anonymous ignominy because he’s just a symptom– the SIN, is that we who claim to be American Christians have put up with RACISM for so long in this country because it might challenge/reduce our WHITE PRIVILEGE.

God will use anything and everything–including a PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN to turn evil into good and bring us back into a state of grace.

Romans 8:28

By publicly revealing America’s vast storehouse of sins, we as a nation–just as we as individuals who make a “good confession” —have the opportunity to reconcile with God, with each other and heal as a people…because just as WE THE PEOPLE are the Church, WE THE PEOPLE are the nation of America… and WE ARE GUILTY.

In church we say, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa it means, my fault, my most grievous fault [My bad!-This is on me!] and we, as a nation, surely in commission and maybe in many ways of omission, are indeed guilty.

WE Americans who claim to be [Catholic] Christians, who profess that each and every one of us is Imago Dei –created in the image of God have allowed this abuse by police, by cities and states with FOR-PROFIT prisons who rely on headcounts for profits with crooked judges and racist cops who predominantly arrest minorities on trumped-up charges so they can fill the FOR PROFIT prisons and make money off the misery of others. Also by the death penalty and abortions and death by neglect of the homeless and elderly–out sins are grave. Our sins are MORTAL Sins, make no mistake.

What we have done individually, in wounding our relationship with God , in breaking His commandments and in failing to love our neighbor as ourselves as well as, putting people in power who continue to sin on our behalf, are OUR SINS OF COMMISSION

What we have NOT DONE as a nation to protect persecuted brothers and sisters is AMERICA’S SIN OF OMISSION.

As we enter Holy week this Sunday, with Palm Sunday… and walk with Jesus through His Passion, Death and Resurrection,

Let us take the time to reflect on how we have failed God’s Hope for us as individuals, and for us as Citizen of a nation with truly GREAT POTENTIAL.

Let us take the time this week to take those reflections and make a “good confession,” to ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness and to experience the close encounter that is the Holy Spirit comforting a truly contrite heart.

Let us experience the joy of being close to Jesus and walking in a state of grace.

COMING UP…in Time for Easter,

Fallen Heroes Finale #4…Mercy, Grace, and the Resurrection of Unity

Your sister in Christ,

Thora

Fallen Heroes-Part Two: The Woodshed Rebellion

In case you’re just joining us, my last post was about two of my heroes who’ve been wobbling on their pedestals for some time and finally, this Lent, came tumbling down.

Coincidentally, while both my Heroes: The Catholic Church and the United States of America fell from their respective pedestals – it was knowledge I happened upon while researching one that implicated the other and in the end, to be honest, they didn’t fall but rather, I’ve kicked them off that pedestal with my size ten boot of disappointment and heartbreak following a dose of reality I sorely needed.

My Lenten quest has been twofold:

1.To figure out the origins of the anti-Francis movement in a now-divided Roman Catholic [especially North American] Church–what I will attempt in this post

2. How What I’ve learned about North America that I didn’t know but should have and Why I [we, the average Catholic citizen] doesn’t/didn’t know. That’s for the next post.

Back to today’s quest…what’s going on with the split in the American Church and what started the Anti-Francis movement?

Not the least of the reasons for this local split [United States] is the alignment of so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ, with a political movement whose policies eschew both morality and comprehension, turning friends into outright bullies.

A movement that then joined the political with harsh and rigid ultra-conservative Catholics who have gone from wanting to turn the Church back to the 1950’s . To that end promoting global, mercilessly-rabid attacks on any deviation from their now ultra-narrow liturgical view and rejection of Vatican II as if it never happened, and was irrelevant. They have gone so far as to imply Vat II is anathema to authentic Christianity. This commingled group has responded with a vitriol that it is both unconscionable and reprehensible.

Soon, they conjoined themselves to the European “We hate Francis” movement.

FYI: There can be no Catholic Church without mercy.

There can be no Catholic Church without love.

There can be no Catholic [universal] Church without unity.

But Before we take on the American Church, we need to go back to BEFORE, before Pope Francis was even Pope and what he did for his beloved South America when Archbishop of Argentina. As chronicled in “Wounded Shepherd, Pope Frances and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church” by Austen Ivereigh [the Cliff’s notes version].

The then Bergoglio found pastoral corruption and major spiritual issues all around him. He formulated and began his mission that would prepare him to, years later, apply it to reform the Whole Church, not just the South American dioceses. Which is his current goal

Francis has always been comfortable with opposing “pulls” and diversity. He drew on the wisdom of Henri de Lubac.

“Henri de Lubac saw the Church as a complexio oppositorum, a system that synthesized elements that ordinarily pull in opposite direction, creating–through the power of the Holy Spirit-a unity out of diversity that respected difference.

Wounded Shepherd, Ivereigh p 18

In his own development as a priest, Bergoglio told his confessor Fr. Ibarra that he experienced “the tenderness of God in guided spiritual discernment.” As pope he has adopted a mission that the Church offer that experience to every young person.

Before he could reform the South American parishes, he had to first address the Bishops and priests regarding their lack of interaction with the issues that the parishioners faced in their everyday lives. What he found in the local struggles was that foreign investments had come in, virtually enslaved the people on meager wages while the foreign companies removed the natural resources and left a toxic wasteland, uninhabitable earth, polluted waters and abject poverty that now added unemployment to the mix. But through this the Bishops had become enriched from corporate kickbacks and payoffs. Removed from the parishioners daily lives–especially neglecting the struggles of priests in the middle of the chaos and turmoil these were not Shepherds who smelled of sheep.

To the Woodshed

Most of us are old enough to remember, or had our parents tell us, of the rural habit of making a disobedient child go get a switch from the willow and walk that long walk of doom to the woodshed where the corporal punishment, a whipping, would be administered for the aforementioned transgressions–the dread often worse than the red marks administered. Americans have largely rejected disciplining their children in such a psychologically torturing way but the metaphor still stands.

The modern equivalent is being sent to the Principal’s office or having one’s boss give you a verbal whipping–and the greater one’s ego, the greater the sting.

Even as Bergoglio, Pope Francis has always said “the Shepherd must smell of sheep.” And that as priests their primary duty is to be present in the concrete lives of the parishioners–so too should Bishops be present for their priests. This focus has not changed in the over 60 years of Francis’ tenure in religious life.

It was in South America, a few years before becoming Pope that Francis conceptualized and put into practice his mission. When he was speaking to the young people at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Watch he explained that people must go out be among others, that outreach is not a “program” it is a way of life, it is the only way to evangelize, the only way to show that the joy in your heart is only increased when you share it with others. That is love. That we must look at others with:

“The eyes of the heart.” Compassion. “Love is being able to take a hand that is dirty and the ability to look in the eyse of those who are in distress and say, ‘for me, you are Jesus.’ This is the beginning of very mission, this love with which I must go out and speak.”

Wounded Shepherd, Ivereigh p 24

Francis’ Latin American detractors took his comments about the amoral treatment of workers to slander him with Labels of Communist or Marxist. Many of those who tried to stir up trouble had been removed from powerful positions or were friends of those who had. [some were angry about the end of kickbacks and payoffs].

Francis has always rejected Communist and Marxist philosophies in favor of Pope Leo XIII’s Rearum Novarum when it comes to workers and the economy–an encyclical that was used as one of my textbooks for my Masters of Management-Ethics.

You can read the short document it for yourself: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/upload/encyclicals-descriptions.pdf

We [and Pope Francis] will get into the foreign pillagers, sadly mostly United States but some Finnish and Belgian, but back then, Bergoglio wanted to address the problem of the businessman priest in lieu of a pastoral one.

He contrasted the good-shepherd with the businessman-priest. Calling for them to look at how Jesus spent his time:

1.Plenty of solitary prayer,

2.Then, on the road to meet people where they live, close to the people and their problems. He never Hid.

3.He never turned them away because he had to attend meetings or saying: “I have to do this, or that.”

4.He was always open to the needy.

He told the priests to not be afraid of getting close to the people–but instead be afraid of stasis and excessive organization, of wanting everything to be perfect and organized.

Life is messy.

Francis told them in 2017 [as he had years earlier] “I would say that kind of life, so structured, is not a Christian life” smiling he added “Maybe that parish priest is a good businessman, but I wonder, is he even a Christian?”

“Maybe that parish priest is a good businessman, but I wonder, is he even a Christian?”

Pope Francis , visit to Genoa 2017

Already angered by Pope Francis’ austerity measures the anti-Francis who was upsetting the status quo, grew. Francis took the European Bishops and Cardinals to the woodshed during the financial scandals at the Vatican where he forced some the Bishops and Cardinals to turn over ill-gotten gains in the form of lavish gifts from money laundering for the Mafia. [Italian Bishops who were already angered there was not an Italian pope].

The angered South American Bishops joined voices with the angered European Bishops and the anti-Francis was born–kids who got slapped for having hands in cookie jar.

Francis made it clear to all, “We do not need or want any illegal money.” Refusing Italian Mafia money also ended all the kickbacks and payoffs to local Bishops and Cardinals.

Woodshed Rebellion

There grew a rebellion from the Bishops and Cardinals, not unlike a petulant teen who’s had their cell phone confiscated–but what Francis confiscated were lavish apartments, massive artwork collections and massive wine collections. He turned them into cash for the poor. He turned one of his palaces in to a soup kitchen for the homeless–leaving the beautiful works of art on the walls saying that the poorest of the poor deserved the very best that could be offered.

After dealing with the financial “issues” from the 800 page investigation Benedict XVI turned over to Francis to finish, Pope Francis went on to address his own personal pet peeve that is too much distance between clergy and laity… The problem that kept the Shepherd from smelling of sheep: Clericalism.

Clericalism: A Superiority Complex

Simply put, Clericalism is a disease of the ordained/religious that is like a superiority complex where they think because of their status they are above/superior too the average every day person we call the laity…or laymen. You and me.

Clericalism invented: [implied Shut-up] Pray, Pay and Obey expectations for everyone who isn’t ordained. It is, in Francis’ estimation diametrically opposed to humility–the virtue of all virtues and a catalyst of spiritual growth [along with gratitude].

You can tell Clericalism is at play when a parishioner is always quoting: “Fr. BigBritches says” as if he is the final authority, rather than Scripture or Catechism. This declaration is often followed by a deep sigh of adoration as if they have been privy to a secret only the most holy/high can access.

That’s not my God, my God is accessible to all- because Jesus died for ordinary me.

That parishioner does not see the priest as just another servant of a loving, inclusive God–but some highly elevated personage due preferential treatment. When the truth is, Catholicism has always been meant to be the “option for the poor” as highest priority.

But it’s not just a sickness of the ordained. We’ve all seen in our churches…the woman/man who’s been on the committee for 20 years as giving them the power to dominate; the family that always sits in “their pew” and others make sure you know that that pew is for the Snodgrass family, or any of the other “holier than thou” behaviors we saw caricatured on Saturday night life. Humor hits home when based in fact.

SNL’s “Church Lady”

Perhaps the fact of secular America’s irreverence and boldness in publicly lampooning officiousness and “uppity” behaviors is the reason we haven’t seen the extent of Clericalism in the U.S. that is more prevalent in European countries–but we certainly have our fair share of priests who are more businessman than shepherd–but some of that, to be fair, could be pressure from a Businessman Bishop. Francis put the issue of clericalism at the feet of both Bishops at Cardinals–and at the foot of the cross.

What is important to remember is that even though some of the priests, bishops and cardinals took offense,[some were laicized-defrocked and some even jailed], even dispensing vitriolic retribution in response to the trip to the woodshed, our polyglot, articulate, beloved Pope Francis called them out in no uncertain terms, enumerated the offenses with proof and clearly outline the ramifications–but…

Francis always spoke with gentle mercy, seeking the reform the in processes so it couldn’t happen again, and a metanoia/conversion of the offender. He didn’t storm in there and shout and accuse and demand “his way or the highway.” When possible, as in the Vatican finance scandal, he brought in outsiders and laity who were above reproach to cleanse the wound with the exposure of truth so the healing could begin. Always.

After a few years, the South American Catholic Church found that the reforms were working in increased evangelization, increased community involvement, and all the ways the program similar to our stateside version called: “Forming Intentional Disciples” put it into practice in Francis’ New Evangelization…which is somewhat different than the N.E. mission of the same name I studied at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

The formerly lagging, stagnating Latin churches were alive with mission and people. It takes time, it take enormous effort but the Church is nothing more than WE THE PEOPLE, we are the church and we are so blessed to have been given a Shepherd who indeed, smells like us.

Francis, the Shepherd we need for this time and place

Coming up next… Part Three: America Makes a Good Confession

Your Sister in Christ

Thora

P.S. While the liturgical concerns and they synod concerns were also contributory in the anti-Francis movement they will be addressed at a later date, after further research.

When Heroes Fall -The Intro

Organizations Fall too

I’ve had two Heroes in my life… The Catholic Church and the United States of America.

But what I’ve discovered this Lent changes everything. [We’ll get to that in a minute]

We’re not talking blind adoration, here. I’ve always been aware that both have major problems but the fact that they [I thought] acknowledged them and were working on them gave me hope.

My citizenship in the United States of America is a source of pride second only to my Christianity as a Catholic.

These past few years, both of my Heroes fell off their pedestals, and left me deeply saddened and heartbroken.

My Mom was an uber-patriot, former WWI, Naval Petty Officer who loved the United States of America with all her heart.

1960’s

She was, however, a bit naïve as she’d pick up the National Enquirer and fret over Aliens and haunted houses in the grocery checkout line. I’d challenge the veracity of the articles and she would square her shoulders, stand a bit taller than her 5’4″, missing only the salute she would declare:

“America would never, ever print anything that was not true. WE are not a country of propaganda!”

Thora Helen Moses Layman

She believed, with every fiber of her being, that American Media would print the Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth.”

I’m sorry to say, I’m glad she didn’t live to see the last dozen years in America, where truth devolved into such relativism that whole networks had no problem turning the “news” into a bad recreation of a “Fiction 101” class and the last five devolved even further into “Fantasy”.

Forget just breaking her heart. It would have broken her completely. She was, after all, a photo-journalist in her later years and journalistic integrity was one of her heroes.

I’m more rational, maybe even a bit cynical and yet, I confess, the last five years have nearly broken me.

It was almost too much to struggle with two tarnished heroes tippling atop their pedestals.

I can handle a hero stumbling–I came into the Catholic Church in 1993 and the Sex Abuse Scandal was not far behind. But the sex abuse scandal, for me, while horrific, was in the end, a blessing for the light shown on the dark places that desperately needed to be cleansed and healed.

Catholics are 1/6 of the planet’s population, ergo, although we try, with a billion people we will always certainly have our share of abusers, thugs, murderers as well as saints and ordinary folks. It’s simply percentages.

People will be people.

When the Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal broke in 2002, we Catholics came together and demanded changes, demanded accountability, demanded safety for our children, and justice for the victims. We made many changes to ensure sure that couldn’t/wouldn’t happen again.

The key word: Together

But starting with the 2015 Presidential Campaign– MY CHURCH and my beloved country got wobbly,

BOTH HEROES FINALLY FELL Off –This Lent

It was best explained by what Pope Francis called “America’s Schizophrenia” when he commented on the paradox of American Catholics aligning themselves politically with the white, Protestant evangelicals in making anti-abortion THE ONLY ISSUE while seeming to have no problem with the moral depravity of a candidate, putting immigrant children in cages, cheating the poor by legislation that favors ONLY the rich, neglecting the homeless, the infirm and the elderly, and not the least being fine with the death penalty.

All of the latter positions in direct opposition to both the Gospel and Catholic Social Justice.

Not to start a brawl, but to the Catholic Church ALL LIVES do matter. And as we know, the ones at most risk matter FIRST.

My Church split in two.

It became Us and Them.

It became Republican Catholics…who put their PARTY before their Faith and their bold certitude could not be broached, discussed or challenged.

The other half of Catholic Americans were having a tough time finding a candidate who was pro life…but pro ALL life.

[I’ll save how I could vote for Biden when Democrats support “choice” for another post.]

But this wasn’t just political…the Party that spent all of it’s time telling us what to FEAR and who to HATE was also telling us HOW TO WORSHIP … the Republican Catholics aligned themselves with the Traditionalist Catholics and the anti-Pope Francis movement.

It was a retro trip BACK to 1950, Pre Vatican II as if it never happened…if you weren’t a “traditionalist or ultra conservative” your Catholic-ness was in question and in their eyes, found wanting.

Forget the Gospel, or Jesus’ mandates for the “least of these” …it was their rigid way or the highway. Merciless.

Forgetting that Jesus showed us the way, over and over again.

Every Single Time.

It became a schism in what used to be the “universal” church…where the great variety of our global ethnicities were our strength. Now, variety was no longer welcome.

Aggressive parishioners backed by rigid parish priests forced people to choose sides. They either left or became so uncomfortable they shut up and tried to be invisible. [I don’t do enforced quiet very well. I changed parishes.]

Along with all the people you were supposed to reject/fear/hate [besides immigrants, anyone not white, poor people and gays–the list went on to, as it always does, to include anyone not them].

These same Republican / Traditionalist Catholics who were commingling Liturgy and politics were telling us to HATE THE POPE– as if for the first time in the 2000 year history of the Church the Holy Spirit had NOTHING to do with his selection. Really? Hmmmm.

My heartbreaking LENTEN discovery about America was not about the GOP/Trump Years… been there, done that,

Nor was My Catholic heartbreak about Party versus Faith

MY Heroes, have completely fallen, are lying on the ground gravely wounded, in desperate need of healing.

THE GOOD NEWS is well…THE Good News, [as always] and that there is hope for a future of joy if we will look deep, admit our sins of commission and omission and do the tough work of repentance and recovery-both in the Church and in America.

My discoveries came from my Lenten Challenge to myself. I wanted to discover HOW and WHY so many American and Italian [primarily] Bishops and Cardinals could promote REJECTING AND HATING THE POPE.

How the Church I love, who welcomed me with open arms was now abandoning all that I have cherished and becoming unrecognizable to my wounded spirit? Where is the love? Where is the Mercy? Where the generosity?

What was behind this horrific division and change in the Body of Christ, Catholic?

I couldn’t trust anyone to TELL ME THE WHOLE TRUTH…much like the current state of network News in America. [I’ll save my comments on Media for post Easter]- I’d have to figure it out myself.

I’d find out for myself.

So I went to the documents the aforementioned discontented Church leaders used as bullets to try to kill the Pope, his mission, his credibility and the legitimacy of his papacy:

Laudato Si, Fratelli Tutti, Evangelii Gaudium and for insight, I added a Biography of Francis by a trustworthy source: The Wounded Shepherd. and I forced myself to read the rabid screeds from the “hate the pope press”

I enjoy the meaty-ness of Encyclicals and Exhortations so I read them all myself…again…and paid special attention –highlighting, underlining and even taking notes.

COMING SOON… Parts One and Two

1. What I’ve learned about American Foreign Policies, the Planet and some of America’s gravest sins that most Americans know nothing about.
2. Why Aparecida is a word all Catholics need to know.

Until then… keep praying, fasting and giving alms….

Easter is only days away.

Your sister in Christ

Thora

Palm Sunday’s coming up next.