On Wednesday 17 November, during the morning session of the US bishops’ meeting, with 222 votes in favour and 8 against (3 abstentions), the document The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church (downloadable here) to relaunch the preciousness and centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church was finally approved.
Just the day before, certainly not coincidental timing, Vatican News published an interview with one of the most controversial American bishops, Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop emeritus of Los Angeles. Mahony is well known by American Catholics in pro-life circles for his staunch opposition to withholding Communion from politicians in favor of abortion or other grave public sins.
While Mahony has never wanted to offend the powerful; the Cardinal, does not hesitate to show his zeal when it comes to trampling the humble. As occurred with Mother Angelica, the heroic founding sister of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), guilty of having openly criticised the Archbishop of Los Angeles for some of his liturgical “inspirations”. Mahony strove to ensure that the poor nun suffered ecclesiastical censures; he even went so far as to threaten her with being unable to receive the sacraments if she did not make amends with a public apology.
This is the same person who threatens to withhold the Eucharist because of his touchiness, but is open to dialogue with the supporters of the extermination of innocents, and who was chosen by Vatican News to try to influence the American bishops. A hypocritical appeal to grasp the “outstretched hand” of sixty Catholic members of Congress, obviously Democrats, who, according to Mahony, would like to “collaborate with us in many ways and they gave a whole list of ways we could collaborate beginning with reducing as much as possible the need for abortion and the occurrence of abortion”….
The above comes from a Nov. 22 story in the Daily Compass.
Mother Angelica struck at C. Mahony where it really hurt — his pride. That is something Democratic pro-aborts could never do because he never withstood them in any meaningful way. IMO, it is a further illustration of his vanity that he demanded an apology. Had his liturgical inspirations carried the weight of profound insight, that alone would have brought Mother Angelica into disrepute without his saying a word. My memory of reading Mahony’s letter is that he was a true lightweight thinker whose ideas, and I crave pardon if I offend, deserved no more than a passing glance. Future generations will not gladly remember C. Mahony, but will (I hope) gratefully remember Mother Angelica.
Mahony should have been excommunicated, laicized, and spent time in prison, long ago, for his evils in regards to clergy child sex abuse cases. Plus, he should have been excommunicated for his heretical teachings on the Eucharist, and other matters. Mother Angelica should never have had to say a word, in defense of Church teaching– Mahony’s evils should all have been handled competently by the Vatican. He is not a true Catholic cleric. He is an irreligious, sacrilegious, Godless, evil hypocrite.
Pleasure, power, possessions, prestige, 4 great desires of human beings. In an article on Lebron James, the author noted the athlete’s basketball power, his possessions of homes, cars, money, and then proposed that for true pleasure Lebron needs prestige, to be looked up to, to be heard, to have others hear his opinions which he gives abundantly. It is the same for all of us human beings, simple folk, entertainers, politicians. Look at those who can’t wait to blog here on this site on almost every article. The temptation to pride to be recognized, to promote personal opinions, to be heard is tremendous. While Pope Benedict was humble and demure, most of us clerics are no different: Pope Francis’ loquacious airplane pressers could be used for promoting the name and salvation in Jesus. James Martin could promote chastity. Bishop McElroy could promote faith and eternal life. An audience will reveal a man’s character and need to be recognized. “It is better to be gone and not forgotten, then forgotten but not gone.”
“. Look at those who can’t wait to blog here on this site on almost every article. The temptation to pride to be recognized, to promote personal opinions, to be heard is tremendous.” I’m sorry to differ with you Ff. Perozich, but it just might be possible that some blog here because they have other motives than pride in expressing personal opinions. To say otherwise is to claim a window into other’s souls which you unfortunately do not have. I am retired in my 70s and am trying to understand the Catholic world. Blogging and reading other’s opinions forces me to go to articles elsewhere on the web to study and think. During my time in mathematics, I didn’t have that luxury. Do I understand the Catholic world better now than in 1978 when I entered the Church? I don’t know, but it is good to read those who find fault with my contributions as this especially makes me go back and think more. As one who “can’t wait to blog here on this site on almost every article,” I hope this provides a small window into my soul.
That is what I always find helpful about this website. It is not as good as it used to be. The late Kenneth Fisher used to comment here and so did Ron Conte. I appreciate the priests who comment here. I am not sure what inspired Fr. Perozich comment but honestly I don’t want people to look up to me, but sometimes I want people to look things up. Sometimes I want to be heard or just throw a thought out there because I have no one else to talk to about something. Sometimes I read a Scripture verse and think God wants me to post it (I could be wrong.) Sometimes I am just a snot because I think of something I think is amusing for a second. I got pride in abundance-I keep trying to do humility but I do not think I yet know what it is. I think I am getting worse instead of better as I age.
read that jon
When you are promoting and communicating the will of the God and his Church you are not giving a personal opinion, you are testifying to the church of our faith. Turn in your collar Father- you’re voted off the Island.