The Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops has completed a formal investigation of Bishop Joseph Strickland and the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, according to multiple media reports and confirmed by EWTN News.
The inquiry, known as an apostolic visitation, marks a rare though not unprecedented intervention by Rome into a U.S. diocese and points to possible disciplinary action against Strickland, a widely popular though polarizing Texas firebrand viewed as a culture war champion by many U.S. conservatives for his staunch defense of the unborn, marriage, the traditional Latin liturgy, and Catholic orthodoxy.
The leader of the eastern Texas diocese since 2012, Strickland, 64, has faced criticism for what some see as intemperate social media posts unbecoming of a prominent U.S. prelate, including a May 12 tweet that suggested Pope Francis was “undermining the Deposit of Faith.”
Not one to sit on the sidelines, he recently played a prominent role in a eucharistic procession and prayer rally in Los Angeles on June 16 organized to protest Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers for honoring an anti-Catholic drag group at the team’s annual Pride Night game.
Though he was hailed for his leadership in some circles for joining the Dodgers protest, others saw the involvement of a bishop from another diocese as a breach of ecclesiastical protocol. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which condemned the Dodgers’ actions, emphasized in a statement that it had not given “backing or approval” for the rally.
More recently, on June 21, Strickland criticized a newly released Vatican document that suggests topics for discussion at an October assembly tied to the ongoing Synod on Synodality — including questions related to women deacons, married priests, and calls for greater inclusion for LGBT people.
“It is a travesty that these things are even proposed for discussion. I pray that all who truly know Jesus Christ will not be deceived by this path,” he tweeted. “The Gospel welcomes all to repentance & sanctity, if there is no repentance the barriers to sanctity remain.”
News of the Vatican investigation began to circulate among Catholic outlets on Saturday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
According to a source in the diocese who spoke with EWTN News on background, the apostolic visitation consisted of interviews with diocesan clergy and laity throughout the preceding week before concluding on Saturday morning with a meeting with Strickland. Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson and Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey, led the inquiry….
From Catholic News Agency
Relevant video with nuance: https://www.youtube.com/live/B4fTungVPk8?feature=share
Blessings to Strickland for providing the spiritual leadership the LA archdiocese refused to provide.
It was led by lay people with million dollar organizations.
Rabble rousers with money, as usual.
So what ?? the enemy has millions more but that doesn’t bother you… you just think that you must be broke to be a good Catholic.
Interesting response.
The point is that people with lots of excess money can exert an influence disproportionately greater than their numbers or the merit of their position. Would Jesus want money to be spent on a pointless demonstration and getting people riled up or on the poor?
Dear Influence of money,
If you lived in SF like I did, where the “Sisters” have been mocking, annoying and hating Catholics for decades, you wouldn’t think the rally was pointless.
“The money should have been spent on the poor.” From whom did we hear that before? Ah, yes –
Mark 14:5: “It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.”
Mark14:7: “For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always.”
Stay strong Bishop! Remember your baptismal name is JOSEPH – “Terror of Demons”!
Yay, Joseph! Joseph, most faithful, Joseph most just! Saint Joseph, pray for us!
As I pointed out correcting jon’s misinformed post in another story comment thread, the apostolic visitation to Bishop Strickland’s diocese was not about his social media presence nor his statements about Pope Francis. It was an investigation of his governance, particularly with respect to the bookkeeping policies and the dismissal of personnel in the finance office. If Strickland gets sacked for poor bookkeeping, draw your own conclusions about the regime that makes that decision and any ulterior motives it might have to use bookkeeping anomalies as a pretext for removing him.
Where did you get that information?
The Pillar reported that a few days ago:
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/apostolic-visitation-completed-in
Thank you.
It’s from the testimony of a Tyler priest according to reporting in The Pillar.
As I had mentioned in another post, I am relieved that I may be mistaken: that the apostolic visitation is about Strickland’s financial mismanagement, and not about the slander by Strickland against Pope Francis.
This shows that the Pope and the Holy See do not launch investigations out of vendetta, although Strickland’s online slander against Pope France is serious and grave enough, worthy of an apostolic visitation and investigation. I am so glad to be wrong.
jon. I’m happy you’re relieved that you “might” (not “may”) be mistaken and also that you’re so glad to be wrong. For someone who invokes and demands faithfulness to the Magisterium and the hierarchy at all times, you have found a way to damn a faithful prelate with feigned relief that he’s caught for one thing and not something else. How very unsupportive of you.
“Zorro” is mistaken. Anyone, a lay person or a cleric, is not worthy of my support if he sets his face against the Church which means setting his face against the Pope, the Church’s teachings, her institutions; because doing so is to set one’s face against God. These people who have set their face against the Church include the likes of Lefebvre and his minions, the beloved SSPX, Vigano, those who unjustly attack the Pope and his bishops and priests, and anyone who preaches a Gospel and teachings other than those handed down by Christ and by his Apostles.
We do not know why but why should just pray.
Something has seemed fishy here for a while.
Usually when I see him or hear him, everything sounds good.
Then he turns around and does something like sign a petition against the Pope.
It seems to me that he is catering to a faction in the Church.
I hope he will follow the Gospel.
“As I had mentioned in another post, I am relieved that I may be mistaken: that the apostolic visitation is about Strickland’s financial mismanagement, and not about the slander by Strickland against Pope Francis.” Allow me to agree and disagree with you, jon. I think the poster bookkeeping ably spelled out B. Strickland’s situation. I think you were originally correct: B. Strickland went too far in his criticism of Pope Francis and that genie cannot be put back in the bottle, or so it seems to me. Financial matters provide the pretext for removing B. Strickland, which is what I think will happen. Pope Francis, in my estimation, wants team players for the success of his synodal vision, and he is not going to brook rival visions from Tyler, Texas. All the ships must sail in the same direction (with apologies to Godfather III). Thankfully, I am no prophet and B. Strickland might in some way be rehabilitated in Francis’ eyes, though at this point I don’t see how.
“Dan” here needs guidance because he is thinking about this in purely material, shallow terms.
The Church, “Dan” is not a mere NGO nor a mere corporation, but the mystical Body of Christ, wherein unity in mind and spirit of all its members is essential.
All the Pope is about is forwarding the Gospel and the Church’s teachings, and the synod is only an instrument for that.
Contrary to “Dan’s” point, this is not about the Pope “wanting team players for the success of his synodal vision”; that’s a grossly materialistic, merely political, and base way of thinking about this.
Rather a bishop is a shepherd of souls called to be in union with the earthly universal shepherd, the Pope, at all times, so that everyone is in union with Christ through the Pope. Otherwise, if that bishop separates himself from the Pope (and therefore from Christ), he is bringing down the flock with him. The battle is spiritual, people.
You can see this spiritual battle seeping into the material realm at work in Strickland’s situation. Strickland has expressed slander against Pope Francis. His antipathy against Pope Francis might have been going on for some time. How did he get this way? Who knows. I speculate that he may have believed the anti-Francis talk of some people who’ve attached themselves to him.
Because Strickland has expressed spiritual disunity with the visible universal shepherd, it should be no surprise then that “materialistic” problems in the form of financial mismanagement should seep in. If the Devil can find some entry point somewhere, he’ll go there. The Devil knows that if he can bring down the shepherd, the head, by disuniting him from the Pope, a lot of people come down with him. The moment a branch risks coming off the vine, that branch is in danger of dying.
So no, this is not about the “Pope wanting corporate yes-men for his synod.” Bishops are called to freely follow the Bishop of Rome anyway in all things. This is about a bishop, Strickland, putting himself and his flock in spiritual danger.
The apostolic visitation therefore is more than necessary. It’s for the spiritual good of both Strickland and the Catholic faithful in Tyler, TX.
““Dan” here needs guidance because he is thinking about this in purely material, shallow terms.” Actually, jon, I was reflecting on the very insightful comment by bookkeeping June 26, 2023 at 11:18 am. I thought his analysis brilliant and articulate. I only wish I could say so much with so few words. If I have detracted from his post the fault is mine. A final note, jon. I am sure B. Strickland agrees with you that “the battle is spiritual, people.” You and B. Strickland stand as one in that regard.
Sorry to say but I find nothing “brilliant” about “bookkeeping’s” post; and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if that poster were actually you, given the similarities in your thinking (materialistic and all about politics) and your effusive praise for his comment.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that poster were actually you, given the similarities in your thinking (materialistic and all about politics) and your effusive praise for his comment.” I do not play childish games, jon. Dan is Dan, and I post only as Dan.
It’s been reported in several places that the Diocese of Tyler has excellent bookkeeping, and is in a very good financial state. They also have numerous priestly vocations. It is said that the Vatican investigators are unhappy with Bishop Strickland’s criticisms of the pope’s occasions of straying from Catholic teaching, in public remarks, and his criticisms of the heterodox Synod of Bishops. Many good clerical leaders have had the same criticisms. But Strickland has done it too many times, particularly on social media– which offends the Vatican, naturally.
Pray for Bishop Strickland for defending the faith. Viva Cristo Rey!
I was looking up Bishop Strickland’s podcast and I came across another organization that was asking for donations for the rally.
This one is not even a tax exempt organization.
Caveat emptor,
I thought it was odd when a commenter here told us to donate to Bishop Strickland’s charities.
I could not find any except Catholic Charities of Tyler Texas.
Anybody know anything else?
I found where he was asking for donations to the Seminarian Fund.
Some Catholic Charities were caught giving to Planned Parenthood. Why do you not look those up while you are at and see which bishops seem to have given their approval while you are at it? The Lepanto Institute can help you with that one.
I could find nothing on Catholic Charities giving to Planned Parenthood.
And it is not Bishop Strickland who approves of any Catholic Charity group giving to Planned Parenthood.
Some bishops and celebrity priests who question, to say the least, the teachings of Christ and His Church are not being investigated. Shouldn’t there be equal justice under canon law? Why is retired Bishop Laxland investigating Bishop Strickland? Maybe Archbishop Cordileone or Bishop Daly should lead the investigation.
Legitimate church agencies are being used to target conservative churchmen. Make no mistake, this is political and is being directed from the top.
The Catholic Church is conservative. Even the most liberal of churchmen is conservative.
But there are things that churchmen cannot do.
The apostolic visitors have a document of what they are to ask questions about.
It isn’t conservatism.
The most disturbing thing I found while doing a deep dive on this is that there are people, websites and organizations calling Bishop Strickland “America’s Bishop.”
This is dysfunctional and contrary to the Faith.
If that’s the most disturbing thing you found, then consider yourself lucky.
Is it possibly simply a term of endearment, not a theological or ecclesial statement?
Everyone (except maybe those of you in California) knows that the Dallas Cowboys are “America’s team.”
Yet, we all know there’s still the NFL with 31 other teams.
Maybe y’all need to relax, take a time out and enjoy a Modelo (America’s new leading beer brand).
Texans are happy to share Bishop Strickland. And, the SF Archbishop is welcome down here anytime.
Did not know the Dallas Cowboys were “America’s Team.”
But this is not a game and there are not teams.
We are all one Body.
one Body, you’re correct about that (us being one Body). But, were people wrong to call Archbishop Fulton Sheen America’s bishop? Or, apple pie America’s dessert? No one is claiming either Strickland or Sheen are over the US bishops. That’s ridiculous. Such are simply titles of affection and appreciation. Peach and cherry growers don’t whine about apple pie. This isn’t a matter of doctrine or dogma. When it’s said of a guy that he “worships” the ground his wife walks on, no one seriously thinks he is an earth worshipper. And, being a Catholic, when I threw a “Hail Mary” for America’s team, I probably said one. And, it didn’t always work because it’s a desperate football play not a novena to Our Lady.
Relax, Bishop Strickland won’t be interfering in your parish (unless maybe you live in Tyler, but, you don’t or you’d have known the Cowboys are America’s team).
an ecclesial kangaroo court
this way cometh
we need an ecclesial
High Plains Drifter
We do not even know what it is about.
He is not a victim.
Bishop Joseph Strickland has been dubbed “America’s Bishop,” in continuation of that title carried popularly by our beloved Ven. Abp. Fulton J. Sheen, years ago. This honor has been now given, popularly, to Bishop Strickland, for his deep devotion to Christ, and his courage to always stand up and publicly defend Christ’s true Faith. He states that we are now as the First Century Christian saints and martyrs, persecuted for Christ, and we must all stand up bravely for Our Lord Jesus, and defend Him. I so adored Ven. Abp. Sheen. And now I stand firmly in prayer, for God’s gift of our present “America’s Bishop,” a great, devoted, faithful Catholic spiritual leader, dear Bishop Joseph Strickland. May God richly bless and guide our dear Bishop Strickland, in this moment of crisis. May God’s Will be done. All for His glory.
Beautifully stated. Thank you.
He should reaffirm that he is the bishop of Tyler, Texas and instruct those who call him “America’s bishop” not to do so.
“America’s Bishop” is not a serious title, it is a term of endearment only. I doubt if Bishop Strickland pays any attention to it. He is a humble man of God. Many were very enthusiastic in the large crowds at Dodger Stadium, last week and expressed their thanks for Bishop Strickland’s presence, exclaiming in a heartfelt way, that he is ‘”America’s Bishop,” just like Abp. Fulton Sheen was, in his day. Abp. Sheen did not pay any attention to popular endearments, he was a humble man of God. Bishop Strickland is likewise a humble man of God, and pays no attention to popular endearments. Billy Graham was called, likewise, “America’s Pastor,” and was dubbed the “Pastor to the Presidents,” in many cases, over the years. Graham, too, as a devout man of God, paid no attention to that. We are very blessed by God, in this evil, turbulent era, to have the extremely rare and few devout, faithful Catholic clerical leaders, who stand up courageously for Christ. You had better support these very few. Tomorrow, they may soon be all gone– and who will replace them, we do not know.
It is possible that either John-Henry Westen, of LifeSite News, or Terry Barber, of Virgin Most Powerful Radio, dubbed Bishop Strickland as the new “America’s Bishop,” continuing from the tradition of dubbing our beloved Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, “America’s Bishop,” many years ago.
Bishop Sheen was on TV and broadcast across the country. It was not outrageous to call him “America’s bishop.”
The bishop of Tyler Texas has a podcast that very few Catholics listen to. Not the same thing.
LifeSiteNews attacks the Church frequently.
Don’t follow lay people.
Bishop Strickland’s broadcasts, and podcasts, are extremely popular. Thousands of Catholics are loyal listeners. Just as in the days of Abp. Fulton Sheen, when he was on “The Catholic Hour” on the radio, and “Life is Worth Living,” on TV. And no, LifeSiteNews is totally supportive of Catholic teaching. Their staff is very young (much younger than my age group) and they have a very different, modern journalistic style. (I am older than Bishop Strickland, too.) I appreciate Bishop Strickland’s broadcasts, and podcasts, of the “Bishop Strickland Hour,” on Virgin Most Powerful Radio, with Terry Barber. There are many other fine Catholic radio shows, with outstanding Catholic lay and clerical leaders, on the Virgin Most Powerful Catholic radio station, and others. I have their app on my phone, as well as EWTN, Divine Mercy, and many others.
LifeSiteNews has some excellent interviews with important Church leaders. I enjoy watching/listening to these interviews. They were one of the excellent Catholic groups that helped organize the Dodger Stadium protest and prayer rally, with Bishop Strickland. They are deeply involved, trying to do all they can, for the Church.
Thousands of Catholics. Out of 70 million.
Yeah that is popular all right.
There will always be only a very few truly dedicated, faithful, practicing Catholics, in this world, who sincerely love and follow Our Lord.
Reading some of the comments on this site make me wonder if the Catechism is even taught anymore. The politics of the secular world cannot be used to change the teachings of the Bible. If you are Catholic, you have a belief system that supports these fundamental teachings and cannot be altered to fit popular social aberrations. What is happening in Rome? Why are Bishops who support the liturgy being “visited”. I am elderly, but I fear death less than the destruction of my Church and the insanity in the world today.
For all of us here, who are loyal to holy mother church, we all knew the bullet was coming for Bishop Strickland. It was only a matter of time. Rome could not wait to get their hands on this guy. Outrageous how they’re treating this man a loyal bishop to holy mother church and the magisterium! 60 years ago he would’ve been a saint for defending Holy Mother Church . Now Bishop Strickland is the evil one. This is a man who has 20 seminarians in his diocese of Tyler, Texas, and who personally learned the Traditional Latin Mass only in 2020 and is a great friend of traditionalists. Bishop Strickland is a very humble man, the hatred of him disgusts me coming from Rome and the bishops. Pray for this man, he needs every prayer possible for the onslaught that will soon be befall him. If he is dismissed by Rome, hopefully the SSPX will ask him to join the society as a bishop, for he is loved by all who know him he is on good terms with the SSPX as well. He did say they were in schism, but recanted that statement after studying the SSPX, a very humble man, indeed. God bless Bishop Strickland
Sorry, but “Romulus” is wrong, as usual, on so many levels.
First, the ability to offer the TLM, being a friend of traditionalists, even having 20 seminarians do not necessarily mean things are going fine for him. There are many priests who can offer the TLM, but who are dissenters. Just look at your beloved SSPX.
Also, please: nobody hates Strickland though there may be proof that he has antipathy (at the least), or hatred (at worst) for Pope Francis. Is “humble” a right description for a man who has unjustly slandered the Catholic Pope? Is he by doing that, a “loyal bishop to the Church and Magisterium”? He might have been so in the past, but his recent online posts attacking the Pope should make any right-thinking Catholic doubt him.
And secondly, if the beloved SSPX asks him to join them, and he accepts, then that will be proof of what I had suspected: namely, that the “radicalized, extremist traditionalists” have been feeding him with falsehoods and dissentful attitudes. And this poor Bishop believed them.
Yes, pray for this poor Bishop, but may God preserve the Pope and the Church.
jon. Stop calling people wrong all the time. It’s so arrogant. Also, any time you sarcastically use the word “humble”, the internet erupts in laughter.
If there were more comments here, Zorro, supporting the Pope, the bishops, the Second Vatican Council, the Mass of Pope Paul VI, among other things, then yes, I’d spend more time praising comments here; but those comments are few and rare. So inevitably find myself correcting commenters for their dissent and falsehoods.
By the way, a reliable sign of humility is obeying the Church’s liturgical, moral, and spiritual teachings. Humility is not thrashing Pope Francis nor any cleric unjustly and uncharitably online. Humility is respecting the liturgies of the Church, in particular those that bear the name of Pope Paul VI.
If Mickey Mouse were elected pope, and Gay Marriage at Disneyland was made Canon Law, and if the liturgy was an “Amazonian Rainforest Rainbow Mass,” with trans Pachamama idols instead of Christ, and “Communion for all;” and if Minnie Mouse was re- made into a lesbian priestess with a group of trans deacons and deaconnesses to assist her, jon would be the “Numero Uno” church member– pompously chastising all who disagreed. jon does not care if Mickey Mouse were pope, and everyone told jon this was wrong. He worships the pope, not God. Go join papal favorite, Jesuit Fr. James Martin, at his Rainbow Masses, jon!
I think you are mischaracterizing jon.
Nothing about any of Jon’s comments that I’ve read here or in the past justifies The Emperor’s very bad comment about him.
Are you going to accept the new Amazon Missal and its Mass, complete with Pachamama idols (and married deaconesses, who help lead the Mass) along with their pagan Pachamama rituals– when the Vatican publishes and distributes this new Amazon Missal, and the worldwide celebration of the Amazon Mass is officially started? Are you going to attend that pagan Pachamama Mass — simply “because the Pope said so” — and encouraged it? Or are you going to see and live by Christ’s Truth? The Pope and Vatican are making a huge mistake, with the Amazon Mass and Pachamama idols, etc.
reply to, please learn the Catholic Faith.
Get a catechism.
Baltimore, Trent, CCC
Learn about I believe in one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Please save yourself from hell.
“Owing to the sudden and repeated calamities and misfortunes which have befallen us, we must acknowledge that we have been somewhat tardy in turning our attention to the matters in dispute among you, beloved; and especially that abominable and unholy sedition, alien and foreign to the elect of God, which a few rash and self-willed persons have inflamed to such madness that your venerable and illustrious name, worthy to be loved by all men, has been greatly defamed. . . . Accept our counsel and you will have nothing to regret. . . . If anyone disobey the things which have been said by him [God] through us [i.e., that you must reinstate your leaders], let them know that they will involve themselves in transgression and in no small danger. . . . You will afford us joy and gladness if being obedient to the things which we have written through the Holy Spirit, you will root out the wicked passion of jealousy” (Letter to the Corinthians 1, 58–59, 63 [A.D. 80])
Pope St. Clement I
Emperor:
We have confidence in the Pope because we have Faith in Christ, the Head of the Church.
“She lives from Him, in Him, and for Him; He lives with her and in her.” CCC 807
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is online (if you do not own one.)
Article 9 :I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church begins at paragraph 748.
jon,
Can’t help but snicker each time you refer to SSPX as “the beloved SSPX.”
All the priests in the SSPX are suspended.
He is too good of a Catholic to join them.
If you are loyal to Holy Mother Church, you would not write that.
I am in agreement with Bishop Strickland with his stance supporting all the traditional Catholic positions.He failed to support one of the most traditional positions,that being his vow of obediance!All of the saints who had problems with their superions were humble and adheard to their vow of obediance.
Wait a minute. The saints would prefer death, rather than a false obedience to evil religious superiors, who were disobedient to God. They all bravely endured persecutions, and fought valiantly for Christ and His true teachings. Many of our Catholic clerical leaders today, are disobedient to God, and yet are demanding a false obedience — to their profound disobedience. Especially lately, with the controversial Synod of Bishops. Why are profoundly disobedient clerics— such as gay-promoters like Jesuit Fr. James Martin, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Abp. Vincenzo Paglia, Cardinal Robert McElroy, Bishop Georg Batzing, and many others– not being notified of a big, formal Vatican investigation? The evil, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick never had any Vatican warnings, nor a formal Vatican investigation, either. (And why did McCarrick never spend one day in prison, for his sex abuse crimes?) “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark!” (from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”)
For starters, I think that the German Bishops’ Conference, as well as the Synod of Bishops, should be honestly investigated for heresy, immorality– and serious attempts at schism from the Catholic Church.
Contrary to “disobedient’s” false and erroneous point, not “many of our Catholic clerical leaders today are disobedient.” That comment could only be made by a minion of the beloved SSPX or by one of the dissenting radicalized traditionalist groups who want to discredit the Church’s legitimate hierarchy.
There are over 6,600 bishops in in the world. How many of those have you heard about in the news dissenting? Hardly a fraction.
Secondly, dissent and disobedience are sadly found in the left side and on the right side of the Church, “disobedient.”
Instead of lamenting why some clerics are not being disciplined as you would have them to be, it does not excuse disobedience from those clerics you happen to like.
No, jon. For starters, Cardinal McElroy has been disobedient to Christ and to Church teaching, promoting the “gay agenda,” every way he could, all his life, since he entered the priesthood. Many Jesuits likewise, are unfaithful to Christ, and run immoral and heretical “Catholic” schools. Faithful Jesuits, like Fr. Joseph Fessio, were persecuted and banned from teaching, replaced by immoral and heretical professors. Bishop Cantu of the Diocese of San Jose has a scandalously immoral and heretical false “Catholic” high school, named for Abp. Mitty. Cantu ignores complaints of parents. Most Catholic colleges and universities today, including the famous Notre Dame U. In South Bend, Indiana, are immoral and heretical, welcome Planned Parenthood and the LGBT “lifestyle,” offer immoral and heretical teaching to students, denounce faithful Catholic teaching and spiritual life– and the bishops do nothing to correct them. The largest Catholic university in the U.S.– DePaul U., in Chicago, founded by the Vincentian Fathers— offers a minor in LGBTQ Studies. The schism-headed German Bishops’ Conference, and Synod of Bishops, are widely criticized for being immoral and unfaithful to Catholic teaching. And no one here is interested in joining your “beloved” SSPX. The SSPX has had trouble with pedophile priests, some who were illegally “protected,” same as your “beloved” clerics in the regular church, and at the Vatican. Many Catholic seminaries in the post-Vatican II era, have been found to be immoral, heterodox, even heretical, and infested by gays, and gay sex. Laicized, former senior cardinal Theodore McCarrick– as well as former (now deceased) priest, Marcial Maciel — was highly praised and promoted at the Vatican, for decades, though the popes and prelates knew of reports of theirs and many others’ evil sex crimes. Sorry, the Catholic Church has today, become a vast, diabolic sewer, unfaithful to Christ, run by untrustworthy leaders. It must be thoroughly cleaned up. Stop lying. “The Emperor has no clothes on.”
Sorry to say, but “The’s” litany of complaints and exceptional cases do not (I repeat, DO NOT) prove her point that “the Catholic Church has today, become a vast, diabolic sewer, unfaithful to Christ, run by untrustworthy leaders.” False.
Again, folks, the Church has many enemies out there who would love to list for you all the things wrong with it. The Church has had problems and issues from the beginning, “The.” So, what’s new?
If you are a member of the Catholic Church, “The” (and not some fundamentalist Protestant or a hostile atheist or worse), why don’t you work on making better the part of the Church you have control over, namely yourself?
hon, sorry, but the worst “enemies” of the Catholic Church are false, immoral, heretical Catholic clerical jeaders in high positions, destrroying Christ’s holy Church from within.
Jon, as a Catholic, you have a big responsibility to stand strongly for Christ’s teachings, and watch out for your parish, parish school, your family and children, not to be involved in any evils, sins and false teachings, corrupting our Church. Where evil and corruption exist, do not shamefully lie about it and try to “rationalize” it. You owe your true obedience to Our Lord, first and foremost. Not to any man– a mere human being put in a position of high, earthly Church leadership. You have to be honest about that. If your child has a teacher at the Catholic school who starts giving LGBT lessons, and harrassing the kids on LGBT sex issues, use of pronouns, and assigning LGBT pornographic books to read, etc.– you better have the courage to confront your child’s teacher, school principal, and Pastor! If they tell you the material was “okayed” by the Vatican, and soon, Jesuit Fr. James Martin and Sr. Jeannie Grammick will visit the parish school — validated by the Vatican– to teach and indoctrinate the kids on LGBT issues– you had better have the courage to say “No” to it! We do not always have truly good, dedicated, faithful Catholic popes, bishops, priests, etc. in the Church. Watch out! These are human beings– not gods! There is no “magical protection” of Catholic clerics and popes, to always flawlessly, automatically do and preach and teach according to God’s Divine Will. Many are disobedient to God, and commit sins. All are humanly weak, flawed, and prone to sin and error. Catholicism was established long ago, by Christ. Our Lord’s teaching is eternal, immortal, exact, changeless, perfect, infallible, Divine– directly from the Son of God, the God Who made the entire Universe, and Who made all of us. You either believe it, and make up your mind to obey it— or you don’t. That’s life. That’s reality.
So “The”, the Church has an official mechanism for removing clerics that have been proven to be disobedient. And the two clerics you have mentioned here have already met the Church’s justice. The Church, the Holy See, can deal with the other alleged wrongdoings and situations you mentioned in its own way and in its own time, if the allegations are true. Therefore your point that the Church is “has today, become a vast, diabolic sewer, unfaithful to Christ, run by untrustworthy leaders” is very wrong, false, mistaken, a lie, and uncharitable. Lies are also part of the Devil’s (the Enemy’s) tactics.
I enjoyed the break from this for a couple weeks.
No, jon. And many good clerics in the Church are just dreading the upcoming next phase of the heterodox, near-schismatic Synod of Bishops, in October. The Devil’s minions are in charge– led by Cdl. Hollerich. And that is the truth. Satan is in the Vatican. The Emperor has no clothes on.
There is more than one meaning to the word Church.
There is a large hierarchy and the lay people who are baptized.
There is the Mystical Body of Christ.
I think went a really long time while you were mad at the word PISS when nobody attacked the people that you attack.
Could you please pray to Mary before you post.
She is the Queen of the Clergy.
I think we established that you are not a churchgoing catholic so stop talking about our clergy.
“The” has posted gross slander against Hollerich. Very distasteful. Read what Cardinal Hollerich recently said, according to the “European Conservative”, about homosexuality: “there is no room for a sacramental marriage between persons of the same sex, because same-sex unions lack the procreative character of marriage.”
Folks, I hope you realize that there are people who post here who do not have love, respect, nor reverence for the Church and her ministers.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/cardinal-hollerich-beset-from-all-sides/
Nobody slandered him for weeks…
How do the devil’s minions get in charge of the Mystical Body of Christ, when Christ is the Head?
That makes no sense.
It doesn’t make sense.
When the person is triggered she posts incoherent things.
Usually it’s about an alleged misdeed by a bishop or priest.
Sometimes it’s the usual stuff about old clergy abuse cases.
From there it goes on to the usual battle cry of “the Church is evil. Clean everything up.”
jon, thanks for the link to that article.
Her handle should be “Histrionics and Heterodoxy”
But they are planning to approve blessing gay unions. They won’t call it marriage, but they will wink and know that they consider it just like marriage with out the title. Mark my words, after the synod the Church will bless gay unions and gays in such unions having sex will be able to receive Communion with Church approval. Gay sex unions will be taught by the church to be good and in accord with God’s will. Don’t be fooled that they won’t call it marriage. They don’t care about the name. They just want the church to approve of gay sex.
Re: DePaul LGBTQ studies-Cardinal George approved it as long as they were taught the Church’s teaching on sexuality in all its fullness.
There is a true lack of understand of Holy Mother Church and a true lack of charity in the comments that criticize the Church.
The very last sentence in the link that Jon posted June 30 at 9:35 am makes Cardinal Hollerich suspected of heresy and/or apostasy as he should have said flat out that women cannot be ordained as priests, as St. John Paul II did, instead of waffling on the issue. That is if the article is accurate on what he said.
Anne TE is wrong. Nothing in what Hollerich said according to the article makes him heretical nor an apostate as she suspects. Anne TE’s point takes the Cardinal’s words uncharitably. More importantly, the quote from Hollerich makes “The’s” uncharitable words about him wrong.
Anne TE, maybe he was talking about ordination to the diaconate which the Church is supposed to be studying the possibility of. So none of us know until the Church speaks.
We can have an opinion and we can pray.
Sorry, Jon, but same sex marriage and women priestesses are apostacies, no ifs, ands or buts about it. They turn upside down everything the Lord Jesus taught about marriage.
Sorry, but this article from “European Conservative” proves that Hollerich is neither an apostate nor a heretic. “Anne TE” is wrong and has not proven her point.
Hollerich gave an interview on March 27, 2023 to the Croatian newspaper “Glas Koncila” where he said: “Pope Francis does not want the ordination of women, and I am completely obedient to that. But people continue to discuss it. I am not a promoter of the ordination of women; I am a promoter of giving women more pastoral responsibility.”
And concerning those with same-sex attraction, in his interview quoted by “European Conservative” he added: “Then, so many of our brothers and sisters tell us that, whatever the origin and cause of their sexual orientation, they certainly did not choose it. They are not ‘bad apples.’ They are also fruits of creation.”
This Cardinal is leading your conscience “Anne TE” to have a charitable heart towards those with same-sex attraction. Why are you bashing them, by bashing those like Hollerich (by calling him an apostate and a heretic) when what he really means is to evangelize to them?
Hollerich mentioned the need to change and repent, including the same-sex attracted: “Still, we have to accept all the people and make them feel the love of God. If they feel it, I am sure it will change something in their heart” (from “Glas Koncila”, Interview, March 2023).
The Church is not for the perfect, “Anne TE”. Stop your discriminatory attitude, hiding under harshly judging clerics like Hollerich. Just because a person is same-sex attracted doesn’t mean they’re not being called into the Church to change. Cast your ugly prejudices aside.
This looks like a schism developing.
we’ve been in one
for a LONG time
When will the Jesuits receive an apostolic visitation?
YES!! Pope St. John Paul II tried to confront the Jesuits in Rome, on their evils– but they ganged up on him and intimidated and threatened him. Not sure of all the details on that, exactly– but the pope backed off.
The greatest blessing & joy in my life is to shepherd the flock of Tyler. I speak the truth because it gives me joy & I must share it. I am not America’s Bishop but I pray that speaking truth with clarity & charity will inspire America’s Bishops to join me in speaking truth.
Bishop Strickland June 28 2023 Twitter
I feel better now.