The following email came to CalCatholic on November 15.
Last evening I was “let go” from my position teaching Confirmation to high school students at St. Timothy’s because I am accused of “being too passionate about my faith” and the students are “too impressionable.”
I am a faithful Catholic Catechist that teaches only the truth from Scripture and the CCC.
I believe in helping the students to develop “well formed consciences,” so I speak about the “intrinsic evils” in our current dark culture. Abortion, euthanasia, cloning, destruction of stem cells for embryonic research, the eroding and re-definition of traditional marriage, and the assault on our religious freedom. But most of all the disappearance of “God” in our world. The DRE [director of religious education] says that I’m only to teach Confirmation.
Last Wednesday, the day after the election, I spoke to the students about voting as Catholics first and shared the above non-negotiables with them. A question came from a student asking “does this mean if you voted for Obama that you are not Catholic?” I said that voting for a platform that supports intrinsic evil like that means you are not a “faithful Catholic.”
I had a meeting with Father Garbo, pastor of St. Timothy’s Church in San Mateo this morning, he supports the DRE’s viewpoint. He voted for Obama and doesn’t believe that in doing so you are not a “faithful Catholic.” I told him he was wrong to vote for intrinsic evil and that the majority of U.S. bishops and our Pope think so too. He said he didn’t care what the bishops think – which means this priest, like many, are outside the magisterium of the Church – not new news to any of us.
It’s terrible enough that those who are not Catholic would attack us – but to be attacked from within is very depressing. I believe that God is allowing all of this to happen to me and to the world for a greater good and I trust in Him. I will fight this and all those who believe like this within the Church and in the public square.
I will be writing a letter to my new archbishop in San Francisco, the USCCB, and our Pope – especially since this priest is going on sabbatical to Rome in January. I pray for all of our clergy.
Speaking the precisely politically correct words has become as much of a concern, for tax exemption reasons, than teaching the practical meaning of the teachings of the Catholic Church, which are so often twisted to justify the political choice of the person speaking. The author has a clear understanding of morality but struck fear into the hearts of clergymen with an eye on our tax exempt status for speaking so clearly. Obfuscate, obfuscate, and one can remain above criticism, condemnation and firing. Speak clearly and you’ll be pushed out the door faster than you can ever imagine.
The author has a clear understanding of morality but struck fear into the hearts of clergymen with an eye on our tax exempt status for speaking so clearly.
Will someone check the Internal Revenue Code and notice that the churches have a specific tax exemption.because they are churches.
The churches need new CPA’s.They had this exemption long before the LBJ amendment was passed.That’s what the Protestant pastors are fighting and testing ,The Catholic bishops are wusses.on this issue..
I don’t think the pastor or the DRE care about the tax exemption status. He believes in liberal causes and as long as liberal causes are spoken about in churches the IRS does not seem to care either. I would say that people who vote for Obama are sinful Catholics and if they are not trying to come to an understanding of the teachings of the Church then they are scandalous Catholics.
Parents should care for their children and make the sacrifice–take them to Margaret Mary Parish across the Bay or the Oratory or Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara and play it safe. Unfortunately, your regular ol’ Diocesan parish is such a roulette game these days.
If parents agree with this pastor, it sounds like the vine is more infected which means more chastisement to come for all of us.
I had a similar experience at a Jesuit high school. Sadly, the Church is divided between Catholics and Judas-Catholics. Expect no help from the bishops; just keep on being Catholic and leave the rest to God.
Me too. You know you’re in trouble when teachers refer to themselves as “Jesuit Catholics” (seriously!) and the only “religious” thing they talk about is social justice.
I was in Lucerne when we bumped into a nurse from our ship. She kindly pointed across the bridge to two churches. She said, “That one is a Catholic Church, the other is the Jesuit Church,”
Archbishop Cordileone (Savior, Heart of a Lion) will not ignore these issues. You can bet that the priests and parishioners who spend far more time in front of the TV and other avenues for the infection of the brain with wicked “modern” ideas than in front of Jesus, and those who see sitting down to eat with sinners as not enough—they must also agree (“find common ground”) with unrepentant sinners—are not going to have it easy any more.
Those who want to side with the crowd that booed God at their convention and support evil will one day be asked why they voted with every libertine Hollywood starlet and doped-up musician for a president who teaches that evil is good.
you are setting yourself up for dissapointment.
More evidence of why the Church needs a new monastic movement, so that the faithful have recourse to the Word of God despite the efforts of worthless priests to prevent it. A priest who condemns the Word of God does it for a reason. Ask yourself what is the reason … money, power, sex. Shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out what a particular priest is up to. When they are not up to holiness, then they are anti-Christ.
This is an outrage and we need to write our concerns, even if this is not close to home, because this letter was written by the person who experienced it! I am so angry right now….Time to excommunicate this priest from this parish too….Lord help me calm down before I write my complaints to hopefully the appropriate folks….This faithful Catholic Catechist, I will keep you in my prayers and don’t give up…fight with everything you’ve got, since this happened to you personally it has more leverage so please stand up and don’t give up. I don’t think I saw the name of the faithful Catechist….how can I write a formal complaint without all the details..??
It’s not about me. I need no vindication. I have been called by the Holy Spirit to teach and to teach our faith fully and faithfully to His Living Word and the CCC. My hope is that all faithful Catholics continue to speak up and speak out no matter what.
The Catechist in Question,
Thank you very much for for sending the informative email to California Catholic Daily. I am positive that your teaching from the CCC and from Sacred Scripture, greatly influenced children. It is important for those in authority to know that this is taking place. Those in authority will then be accountable if they choose to do nothing.
When the very same thing happened to a teacher in Orange County, another staff member at the school secretly placed a large nail in the hand of the teacher. The staff member told the teacher to keep that nail in their pocket as a reminder of the privilege in being uniquely called to lay down on the cross and suffer that wound in union with Christ. The staff member then said, “You are not the first one who has been given this unique opportunity and you will not be the last.”
When I heard that story my first thought was, “Why didn’t that staff member speak up too? Well, they did not speak up because they did not want to lose their employment but they at least, according to their own individual gifts, spoke up to offer consolation in privacy.
The teacher then went to another school and the same thing happened again. At the first school it was the clergy that did not want the truth taught and at the second school, it was the parents who complained about their children learning about the importance of not missing Mass, learning about mortal and venial sin and other teachings in the Catechism.
The principal of the second school called the teacher in for a meeting and said, “I know that you have only taught what the Catholic Church teaches but by doing this you have pricked too many consciences and the parents say that they will not send their children here next year if you are a teacher.” The principal then terminated the employment of this teacher and handed the teacher an envelope and asked the teacher, “Do you hate me for doing this to you?”
The teacher responded, “No, I don’t hate you.” Then the principal, knowing full well what she was doing, ashamedly closed her eyes, looking down to the ground and said in a most self-recriminating fashion, “Liar.”
When the teacher got home, the teacher opened the envelope to find a very large sum of money.
Faithful Catechist, I have often thought, what would it feel like to interiorly carry the shameful burden of that kind of betrayal, a betrayal so clear and deeply incriminating that you would repeat history and pay even more than thirty pieces of silver to atone for turning your back on the Truth.
God bless you very faithful Catechist! You taught those children the Truth and nothing but the Truth, and you did it for God..You are strong in the Holy Spirit! “If God is for us, then who can be against us?”
“For many are called. but few are chosen.”…Matthew 22:14 Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible
This happens in Orange County often – look how many principals come from LMU-need I say more? The diocesan education office is more concerned with computers than actual religion-mention the Baltimore Catechism and you’ll be talked to, mention purgatory (etc) and they won’t know what you’re talking about.
Unfortunately this message is quite common!
You don’t need the approval of an apostate priest, religious, or bishop to teach from the Catechism of the Church, you may have to do so from the modern catacombs, but do so anyway.
Parents who want the fullness of the Faith taught to their children will seek you out.
And there are wise bishops who will Confirm your students, you just need to ldentify them and locate them. Actually in these times of emergency for the Faith, a priest can Confirm your students.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
My daily Rosary today goes out to you.
I understand that but there is power in numbers and we need to act quick so the faith is never watered down. I use to teach women’s bible study at our local Catholic Church and i was allowed to also post faith question and info on our church bulletin…well when I posted facts about our faith and even saint quotes, there was a big fuss at the church, there was a nun there who thought my comments would offend Jews. Well anyhoo long story short, it was not a fun thing and the priest there gave me a hard time as well.
So no it’s about you but it’s about standing up….but OK I understand, I will keep you in my prayers. God bless you always.
Scadelous!
I feel deep empathy with the catechist.
Our church has a severe wound of inhabiting many cowards and weak disturbed man-boys as shepherds of the flock. I’m going to write a letter of charitable concern to this priest and inquire about this. I’m not the least bit surprised though. With Cardinal Dolan of NY
Doing the comedy dinnerPR show with BO, Catholics are left to drift in the wind or grip the cross with more zeal to protect our own.
Cardinal Dolan deserves our respect, but I agree that he sat down to eat with an unrepentant sinner. Jesus sat with repentant sinners, sheep who did not want to be lost. We must beware going too far in seeking “common ground” lest we compromise on our principles, or confuse the ignorant/innocent. And we must turn off the TV! If you bathe in mental manure long enough, you’re bound to come out thinking “funny.” Our priests should be insisting on this from the pulpit. Even the commercials shown during sports events are pernicious vehicles that encourage promiscuity and all manner of vice.
An excellent post, Robert Hill, and so full of truth.
Why should we respect weakness? Especially being weak with a hate filled, anti-Catholic bigot like Obama!
I got rid of my TV many moons ago, because I didn’t want it around my children. The result of that action was astounding. The first change I noticed was that my common sense and conscience began to grow back. Then I had a metanoia and have been committed to Catholic Orthodoxy ever since. I had no encouragement except for that of the Holy Spirit. Many friends have left me, because they though i went over the edge. Jesus gave us two options, he said you are either with me or you are against me. Clearly he gives us freedom, but WE have to choose. I will tell you this. I well know this Catechist, she is a lovely generous and courageous woman and I love her dearly as a sister in Christ. It is my honour to call her friend. She was a Catechism teacher for my youngest son, who also loves her dearly. My greatest worry now is that I have nowhere local to see him confirmed. I guess I will be driving to Oakland or Sunnyvale. The best outcome of not having a TV is that I have peace in my home and I have great boys who think for themselves and are not influenced or controlled by popular secular thinking.The single best wholesome change that you can make in your home is to get rid of the monster in your living room, who steals your freedom of thought, tells you what to buy and what is important and what is funny or beautiful or evil. It destroys and disrupts your family’s peace and your children’s true nature and breaks down family communication. It is a thief and a liar from the beginning. I know you may think..”.yes she is off the deep end.” So I dare you to try…give it up for a year reclaim your life and family, see what happens to your home.
I did so long ago, and yes my life, even in the midst of turmoil, has been more peaceful.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Typo…
Scandalous
The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 2nd Timothy 4:3-5
This proves that all Priests must be required to read (or re-read) the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”
which all Catholics must adhere to – to be “Faithful Catholics”.
Many Priests do not know their own Faith yet are expected to teach others.
Encourage all Priests to read or re-read the CCC in entirety.
Make certain they have the updated copy with “revised in accordancwe with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II” on the cover.
The catechist is doing the correct thing by communicating directly to Abp Cordileoni, the Vatican, and needs to add the US Papal Nuncio in Washington DC.
If anyone has a Priest who isn’t quite right with the Faith, direct him to the web site: ” What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE “.
The quotes from our Popes etc., should get him interested in reading the CCC directly and in entirety.
Some priest are so far gone, they simply do not care. A man goes through seminary and has never read the CCC of his own initiative? You expect him to change now?
These men’s hearts are hardened against Christ. Only a true conversion can bring them back. You see it in their total cavalier attitude towards the Holy Eucharist and the way they go out of their way to turn the Mass into a production circus, funny vestments that look like Vulcan garbs than Catholic Mass Vestments.
Sermons that sometimes include curse words and no relation to the faith.. Music that is scandalous. I could go on.
I pray for this catechist that has stayed faithful to God and His Church. It is not easy and in fact will be more difficult to do so in this Godless nation. Many Catholics, including clergy have and will continue to apostatize from the Faith. They have chosen Barabbas over the Lord. May He have mercy upon them. +JMJ+
Thank you for sharing your experience. Our clergy needs prayer now more than ever, the world has indeed become a very bad place, just my opinion.
Heh…Don’t feel alone. I teach 7th & 8th grade and the parents had a problem with me teaching the kids about sin and the ramifications of mortal sin. Thankfully my pastor stands by me. Very different than when I was teaching 5th grade in a different parish, same diocese (archdiocese of New York.) The books we HAD to use were filled with paganism and relativism. I contacted the archdiocesan director of catechesis,a Sister Jane Curtin, to express my issues with the material. She called me a fanatic. Just great. I think that it would be a good thing for concerned catechists from all over to join in a letter writing / phone call making campaign with regard to this person. Hey CalCatholic, please forward my name and my email address to the author of this letter. I’d like to get in touch with that person and discuss a counter-offensive.
Write with documentation to Cardinal Timothy Dolan since he is the Bishop of the NY Diocese.
Each Bishop is responsible for whatever happens (Catholic) within his own Diocese.
Quote the pertainent sections of the CCC in your letter. Provide dates, times and exact locations. Send registered mail.
Copy the US Papal Nuncio in Washington, DC.
Did that already Oscar. When he first came to us I sent a package to his office and to his residence. All the documentation. I spoke directly with him when he visited our area and tld him I was the one who sent the package. Nothing has been done and the status quo remains the same.
May your idea become a great movement!
Our Holy Father has stated in the past that we need to “get the filth ” out of the Church. In the colloquial -Take the (doctrinal) trash out Baby.
My prayers are with you, faithful Catholic and servant of Our Lord. If it’s any comfort, some Saints were most persecuted by their fellow brother monks, priests, and bishops.
Thank you for speaking the truth. As a newly appointed Catechist I will follow your example of speaking the truth in love.
Noella and other catechists – – – Hope as part of your training you were required to read (study) the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in entirety.
If not, please read it, so you can teach the TRUTH.
On the net go to: ” What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE ” for documented quotes about the CCC from our Popes.
The church is heading for a huge split over gay-marriage. Note the stories elsewhere of two boys who support gay marriage not being confirmed. I suspect the majority of youth believe as these boys do, with Obama’s blessing. The cultural tides favor the Fr. Garbos of this world, and such priests are not going to make gay-marriage, or any other of a number of issues, an impediment to confirmation. Faithful Catholics will find their contributions to the religious education of the youth unnecessary, as we see above. And what is a bishop to do if many of his priests believe as Fr. Garbo? Or what is the larger church going to do if many bishops believe as Fr. Garbo? The LA archdiocese where I live seems to have found a solution: have priests preach the same homily week after week: “love God and one another,” and that’s all the folks need to hear. Everything else, or so it seems by way of silence, is negotiable, but never openly negotiated, except perhaps by theologians at Jesuit schools, where open rebellion is the new normal.
The Lord will purify his people as in Malachi 3.
What does it matter, we have seen this whole movie before; We know how this game plays itself out, the heretics goes out, the heretics turn aganist the faithful, persecute them, and then 500 years later, the Church is still flourishing while the heretics are busy self destructing.. AKA Western European Mainstream protestants
Dan, the news is that the teenager removed himself from confirmation, because he did not believe in Church teachings on marriage. I pray for his soul. So much of society says that it is just two people loving each other. Why should they not have a right to love whomever. It’s only fair. Then some religions have gay ministers and now gay marriage voted in by three states. People rejecting and perverting God’s laws for their own desires and slothful practicing of faith has caused this turn of morality.
I wonder what Father Garbo’s version of this situation is. We have only hear the catechist’s story so far.
Dan,
Re.: “what is a bishop to do if many of his priests believe as Fr. Garbo?” I believe St. Paul answered that question: “preach the Gospel in good times and in bad”! I believe he also stated what those “bishops” who fail to do so can expect in the next life in ETERNITY!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
What a mess ! Many of us believe that Obama’s policies on HHS mandates, etc. are the beginning of a formal persecution. They do amount to that. But for a priest and DRE to fire a catechist who teaches what the Church teaches is pretty outrageous. The priest “doesn’t care” what the bishops say ? And he remains a pastor ? The train has derailed, folks. This is just weird.
Perhaps the Faithful to date have not done their duty, and turned this Priest over to the Diocese Bishop (and US Papal Nuncio).
Bishops are not mind-readers.
But they should know their priests well. Are they not supposed to care for these souls first and foremost?
Can we say our Bishops are Holy Men?
Been there, done that. Mustn’t upset sensibilities of the children (more likely, not to incur the wrath of the parents). Have had priests tell me they are censured if preaching about hell and the mortal sins that lead there. Yet, bishops do hand-wringing over the lack of belief (not that they haven’t taught the faith). “Do you think when the Son of Man returns he will find any faith on the earth?” [LK 18:8]
The only one who can censure a Priest is their Diocese Bishop, or their Order if they are not Diocese Priests.
(And then the Vatican as a last resort.)
If you have a bad Bishop, write to the US Papal Nuncio and the Vatican.
The Great Apostasy; has it begun yet?
Yes, It was called the protestant “revolution” a few years back.
Juergensen,
You have got to be kidding!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
I’m sorry to hear that this happened to you. We think we have a generation of priest where many were taught in liberal seminaries, influenced by the social upheaval of the 1960’s. It’s very sad that even priests (some) are so far away from true Cathlic teaching that they would vote for a candidate who supports a number of the non-negotiables (when the other candidate does not, making the choice quite clear).
You were right in what you said and did and I support you. I will pray for you and for Fr. Garbo and for all the clergy. I also hope you do write that letter to Archbishop Cordelione, who is a very good bishop. I believe he will do very good things and reign back in the ultra-liberal priests and the Catholic laity in the SF Archdiocese…and I pray that you get your job back as well since we NEED catechists like you getting the truth out to our young people and not the liberalized and false version of Christ’s truth.
God bless you.
By all means, write the letter. Just don’t be surprised if nothing is done.
I am also a catechist in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. I heard Cardinal Dolan on the radio the other day and he said we must teach the non-negoitables BUT we cannot accuse any Catholic of sin or infidelity if they voted for Obama because we do not know their reasoning or their conscience. Now Cardinal Dolan is no softie when it comes to calling the shots…so good foryou for teaching the non-negoitables but perhaps your comment on the fidelity of Catholic voters was the final shot?
That sounds just like something I’ve come to expect from Cardinal Dolan, Dante. He speaks from both sides of his mouth rather consistently. I’m beginning to think he is a disaster for our Church here in the U.S. as he sugar coats unacceptable acts making him appear acceptable to most Catholics. That kind of duplicity is the most difficult to counteract. I first began to see this before his totally scandalous dinner invitation to obama when he did not openly confront Gov.Cuomo about the same-sex marriage act but then he looked all wrinkled up with distress, hands wringing and bemoaning the passing of the act and how could this happen? etc.etc.etc. The most dangerous liar is the one who lies first to himself.
Dolan is not your Bishop. He has zero authority in any Diocese other than his own in NY.
Any problems should be communicated to your own Bishop – in SFO it must be: Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone.
Advise him of problems against Church teaching and give him a chance to make the corrections.
If that does not work, contact the US Papal Nuncio in DC and the Vatican.
In 2012 Dolan also said publically that he was glad Biden was in public office since he was a Catholic.
Dolan should have said ‘Catholic heretic’, since Biden had been forbidden Communion and forbidded to speak in Catholic schools within his own Diocese.
Dolan is not perfect, and needs to clean up his own NY Diocese.
If your statement is correct, he speaks in opposition to: ” Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion, General Principles” by Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict) which can be found on the internet.
We do know what is in the hearts of those who support abortion, euthanasia, gay-marriage, and is against freedom of religion. It’s called supporting MORTAL SIN.
What is Dolan thinking ?
We CAN state objectively and correctly, however, that it is NOT possible for a knowledgeable, sincere, faithful Catholic with a well-formed conscience to have voted for Obama nor to support the Democrat Party. Sure, a Catholic with a poorly formed conscience might have voted for Obama or the Democrats, and such a person’s moral culpability might be mitigated by factors or circumstances that contributed to the poorly formed conscience (such as inadequate preaching or catechesis). But if the person’s poorly formed conscience is the result of a hardened heart or the result of a lack of taking personal responsibility to inform himself correctly according to the mind of the Church, then such a person’s guilt is rather apparent.
CCC: ” 1791 This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man “takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits. ”
If a person is literate, there are no excuses (unless one has never heard of the CCC).
The Magisterium gave each of us the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in order that we will know the faith and pass it on.
Those who have already been talked to by their Diocese Bishop such as Sebelius, Biden, Pelosi, Kerry, etc., – they have been taught and chose to disagree with the Church. They may lie, but are certainly not ignorant.
Cardinal Dolan gave Obama the photo he needed. Disgraceful.
These are sober times for our Church and the holy family. What we don’t need is clergy who humor our adversary in the name of common ground. We need wise strong unswerving leaders not jokes and comedy (e.g., the embarrassing shameful Dolan / BO dinner show).
As the father of three children, all of whom have been confirmed, I expected my children to be prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Confirmation preparation class at our parish- not told how they, or their parents, should vote in an election. With regards to that matter, perhaps the children should be warned about the dangers of cults, such as Mormonism.
FHKJ – – – As a parent, it is your personal responsibility to teach the Faith according to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in entirety.
This includes your responsibility to vote, and about the mortal sins of abortion, euthanasia, freedom of religion, etc. (Yes these are all in the CCC.)
You will be judged by Jesus on the job that you do.
CCC: ” 2221 The fecundity of conjugal love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend to their moral education and their spiritual formation.
“The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute.”
The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable. ”
Freedom of religion is a “mortal sin?”
So just what would your three children be affirming in their confirmation?
Something like:
I believe in contraception as dictated by the government and in the right over my own body to abort another living human being;
I believe that it is good government to use the babies I have killed to be given to a laboratory to be used in experiments to find a utopia where we can cure anything at any cost;
I believe that if my grandma is getting old and feels that she is a burden on us that she should be able to kill herself or have her caring doctor do this for her;
I believe that any two men, or two women (or several people) can be married and that makes a lovely family, especially if they can adopt children that are procreated by others or in a tube.
I hope the part about “the forgiveness of sin” is left in there somewhere!
It might just be me, but I think you have much more to fear than what the Mormon church is doing. I will pray that your children learn the Truth.
May I also remind you sir of the vow you took at your Childrens babtism. You will be held accountable.
Other religions are not fully true; however, that does not mean their members are bad or sinister. Often they may live more in accordance to the CCC2ndEdition than “faithful” Catholics. It is not the purpose of being Catholic to keep apart from people of other religions but to engage them with the Gospel of Christ … in the way you live and converse. If you feel too spiritually weak to engage non Catholics, then it is up to you to make yourself strong, ie holy.
He should go straight to Archbishop Cordileone that diocese is in the San Francisco Archdiocese
This should be done immediately – The question is would the Archbishop see him or even make an appointment to see him – This is a question/problem that needs to be answered now as it’s not going away –
I am.
Another reason for such strong re-action by Bishops and laity might be that they have been protecting the children from anything negative and don’t appreciate it when someone tears away the curtain of darkness.
I know this catechist………..a Real Deal when it comes to the
Catholic Faith and a very caring and giving person too! The
students were blessed to have this person be their teacher!!!
Good that you are getting the word out. Prayers coming your way……
“Go into all the world preaching the Gospel and discipling the nations” (Jesus, Great Commission): This includes the rectories, chanceries and episcopacies, some of these being the darkest corners of all.
I remember once telling Archbishop Khai that I used to consider the chanceries as holy places but now I consider them dens of Satan. When I did so, he looked at me sadly and nodded his head.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
When I taught high school I was informed that I must teach only from the provided book. I was not to add to the curriculum. The Principal of the “Catholic” high school was a Franciscan Brother. I did not follow his instructions. When he challenged me I told him that he had to administer the high school only from a book and could not add to his authority by demanding things that were not in his power to change, one of which was that I was a Priest with a Master’s Degree in Theology and he only a brother with a big office and a brown robe. He reported me to the Archdiocese and was removed as Principal.
Report this to the Diocese, sending a copy to the Ordinary, another to the Chancellor, another to the head of the Department of Religious Education, another to the Pastor and another to the DRE.
Teaching Confirmation INCLUDES teaching Catholic Moral Doctrine.
If you think the Jesuits have taken ‘a little tumble” (Lord of the rings refers), you have not met the regular Franciscans. They are the worst kind of wolfs in sheep clothing. Literally. They are really down at the bottom of the cliff with their horse… eating little imp legs
A miracle!!!
Fr. Higgins,
Thank you and God bless you!
Thank God, apparently your chancery was not one of the ones I described as Satanic to my beloved Archbishop Khai.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Agreed Father. Very well put. Thank you.
thank you Father. I’m pursuing all avenues.
“Only a brother in a brown robe.” We have very fine Religious Brothers teaching, defending and even dying for the True Faith, so you holding up your pedigree in front of this man is offensive.
How much more fitting for you to have reasoned with him about the truth at hand, rather than implying that your ordination and degrees made you automatically superior.
Those things mean little to God if the speaker himself is off base.
What would you have said to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta? “You are just a woman in a simple sari – don’t presume to challenge me?”
Anonymous,
At least Fr. Higgins has the spiritual courage to put his name on his writings, which if far more than we can say for you!
May God have mercy on your soul,
Kenneth M. Fisher
I had the same thing happenn to me, but this was about 20 years ago, the politically correct was not in play, and I was teaching First Holy Communion. There was a priest in my parish who said that they wanted all the children to receive Holy Communion in the hand for “hygiene” reasons. I didn’t argue with him about the hygiene, but I did ask if the Holy Eucharist was not something special, and ought not to be handled by just anyone, in any way that could bring abuse to the Sacrament. Let’s face it, children at the age of 9 and 10 can have a certian irreverence when it’s not taught in the home. Well, I began teaching communion on the tongue, and was promptly asked to leave, in the middle of class. I had a couple approach me as I was leaving, and ask me if it was right that their child could receive on the tongue. Of course I let them know that as parents it was their right and responsibility to teach their children their values, and to ask that the parish and those in charge of preparing their child to respect and follow thru on those values. There is a choice that we have, to receive on the tongue, so, if they as parents wanted their child to learn to receive on the tongue, buy all means, they ought to be able to expect those in charge to respect their view. I don’t know what happened to that couple, but I prayed that God would lead them in the right direction, since I was dismissed. I have to trust in God that they got to where they ought to be, and I am where I am, thru His graces. We can’t be silent, we must speak out, and we must not waver. If our priests can’t help but make mistakes, as the pastor in this article likely is making, we can be the militant Church, and stand for the Truth. Jesus expects that of us, and we must do that. The time for being silent and taking it on the chin is over. The gloves are off, but we can still have soft hands, but be hard as flint. That means be the Rock in the middle of the river, and come what may, stand for Jesus, or fall by the wayside and be trampled.
Thank you, un-named Catechist, for doing the right thing and trying to make a difference. Your reward in heaven will be great.
Archbishop Cordileone has a lot of house cleaning to do in in his archdiocese. Ask our Blessed Mother to give him the strength and protection to the task he has ahead of him. There are many priests in the Archdiocese of S.F.who think like the pastor at St. Timothy’s. It is time they were instructed in the true teachings of the Catholic Church. Supporting a President who promotes Infanticide is not a teaching of our Catholic Church. If the pastor cannot accept this, then it would be time he looked for another vocation. Leading parishioners astray is not acceptable is something he will have to account for when he meets his maker.
This story identifies the corruption of today’s Catholic Church. Of course the priest is wrong, and should not even be a priest! Yet, little will happen, because — although not all — clergy do not believe, and because most parents do not believe. Obama still got the majority of Catholic votes. Bishops are complicit in this. And, bishops are complicit in the enormity of evil that is engulfing the Church over sexual ethics: homosexual sex and relationships; sex outside of marriage; contraception; gender/power issues — all this stuff. The Church believers simply do not understand that most people baptised, and many that go to Mass, live sinful lives, and do so happily. No one knows what God will do in judging another’s life, but we do know that there is a Hell (although many Catholics do not believe it) and that many, many people will go there (according to Jesus and to Mary in her apparitions). The present Church is largely over. Tradition and pockets of devotion will remain, and that will be the source of tomorrow’s new faith. But diocesan life will almost always trend towards the sinful, the popular, and the modern when it comes to sexual ethical matters. This outcome is beyond scandal, largely because those that observe aberrant behavior no longer can be scandalized; one needs a basis of faith to be offended. Go to the bishop, certainly, but it will do little good. How much as MHR changed? It will not, nor will more TLMs be said, or the sacramental life elevated. Cardinal Dolan is such a caricature of what a leading bishop should be. He seems invented by Hollywood: good luck!
The Choir here hears you.
As a practicing, committed Catholic I pray for the return of the Society of St. Pius X fully into the Church. We need all their ‘ orthodox” clergy to help repair some of the damage to the Church as shown by the situation at
St. Timothy’s parish.
Dream on; St. Pius X is a protestant Sect. They are no different from LWCR
Please provide evidence that the Society of Saint Pius X is a protestant Sect.
Are they not protesting aganist the Holy Mother Church? Can you say they are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome?
They are a protestant sect. Its sad but true.
First of all, I have no connection with the Society of St. Pius X. They are not protesting against Holy Mother Church. They protesting what has been done to Holy Mother Chuch by the Modernists. Your “protestant” comment makes sense if you agree with the Modernists. Without the Society of St. Pius X, the Traditional Latin Mass would not have returned. If that’s wrong, then the Church was wrong for over 1500 years.
Ken so you must really have a lot of faith to put your trust in the society. I know that we already have good priests right now who are really making a difference.
Abeca,
I know a Franciscan priest, who after visiting a SSPX Seminary and observing the outstanding conduct of the seminarians, sought and obtained from his Superior permission to go to an Independent Catholic parish and administer to the faithful there.
They are not protesting against Holy Mother Church but against the many modernist errors such as out of control ecumenism that have infected Holy Mother Church!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Many Franciscans perform missionary service to those fallen-away or otherwise needing the grace of the Church. I would expect permission to do so to be commonly granted.
“Independent Catholic” indeed! You speak approvingly of such a thing and then cite modernist error?
Cardinal Burke, then Bishop Burke talked at a meeting of the USCCB several years ago. When he spoke about abortion and the right to life, he
was told that he had spoken long enough and to please sit down. This
was on EWTN and seen by many. It was the President of the USCCB who did this to Bishop Burke. Who has the last word now? God is good
and listens to our prayers. We must keep praying for reform in our Roman Catholic Church. The Bishops and clergy who back the actions of the pastor at St. Timothy’s need to do some serious self reflection and examine their conscience. If only half the Catholic clergy in the U.S. had voted their conscience and for LIFE, we would not be facing more
and more abortions……and the selection of Supreme Court Justices who will vote against the Sancitity of Life. Fr. Garbo what are you thinking?
What is the reason for your actions? Why did you vote for Infanticide?
Here is the statement from our U.S. Bishops about voting: “As Catholics we are not single-issue voters. A candidate’s position on a
single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support. Yet a candidate’s position
on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal
abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support. We must never vote for a candidate BECAUSE s/he supports abortion but we can vote for that candidate if s/he is the lesser of two evils. For example, in the last election one candidate wanted to do away with health care. That would expecially hurt the poor of our country. Our church teaches that the poor must receive preferential treatment. We should not support racial prejudice, and several other major sins. Many, even Bishops, talk about the non-negotiables. I went to the catechism, but found nothing in index that refered to voting, government or elections. When people hand out voting guides, as they did at my parish, that state something different than what the Bishops (teachers and shepards) teach, we should not follow it,, should we? I would be interested in where I can get the real answer about how I should vote.
You should vote against abortion and euthanasia. For religious freedom and free will. You have done a lot for Obama in this blog.
The preferential option for the poor does NOT mean the federal government must tax businesses out of business and borrow money from China in order to run increasingly expensive programs for the poor. Nor does it means there is only one way to achieve health care for all–and that is through a clumsy and costly national apparatus which may or may not serve its purpose. The latter is a matter of prudential judgment. On the other hand, Obama’s promotion of abortion and his attempt to force the Catholic Church and Catholic business people to help finance abortion is utterly and completely unacceptable.
Bob One: “For example, in the last election one candidate wanted to do away with health care.” Who are you referring to here? Romney? You know, it’s ok to mention candidates’ names. If you are referring to Romney, your statement is utterly preposterous. Do you equate Obamacare with health care for the poor?
Bob One: Cite me one reliable source confirming that Gov Romney wanted to do away with healthcare for the poor? Yours is a most dishonorable form of casuistry. You’re not a Jesuit, are you?
“As Catholics we are not single-issue voters”: Heresy. As Catholics, we are individual persons. Why the bishops not only fail to treat us as individual persons, and seem to always attempt to meld Catholic individuals into some sort of idea, ie depersonalization, defies the Salvific efforts of Jesus Christ. Where does the Magisterium teach that a Catholic cannot be a single issue voter? Whoever signed off on that phoney document should be removed from any position of authority. They are either slothful, malevolent, or not mentally up to the task of shepherding anyone.
Find another Parish and get back to work.
I am in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA and the religious education that my children recieved at their catholic high school, for their confirmation preparation was minimally Catholic. it is all about social justice & Tolerance, relativism & making excuses for sinful behaviour.
From the pulpit at our parishes in Pasadena CA one can hear sermons that justify a catholic spouse to divorce , never mentioning that according the the catechism this is a grave mortal sin, harming not only the spouse, but the children, & the extended community. Catholic teaching on the indissoulubility and permanence of marriage? whens the last time one heard that preached. The idea that selfishness and sin are what leads to the break up of families is what needs to be spoken of. these clergy who are part of assisting the destruction of families will have a lot of ‘xplaning” to do to our Lord Almighty on their judgement day.
In our local parishes 2 parishes also promote a ‘so called” catholic ministry that promotes homosexual lifestyle as a acceptable, pushes for same sex marriage. all under the guise of being pastoral & tolerant.
I wrote to this pastor and encouraged him to instead support Courage and Encourage which unlike these ANTI catholic groups, really do promote the true teachings of the church out of Love for those persons living with same sex attraction as well as the parents, family members.
our California Catholic churches have a lot of cleaning up to do.
please Bishops promote the truth faith. weed out these heretical groups, heretical priests. The souls of so many are depending on you.
The group in our Pasadena area that promotes homosexuality is called “Fortunate Families”. in Oakland then Bishop Salvatore Cordelione pressured the organization- Catholic ministry to Lesbians and Gays-( I think its called), to stop promoting anti-catholic agenda or else they need to stop calling themselves a ‘catholic ” ministry.
they are NOT catholic. There is no place for living a chaste life in their plan, instead they affirm a sexuallly active( out side of marriage) same sex activity. which the catechism says is a disordered activity.( never the person- the choice to engage in the activity.)
I attended one meeting and was so scandalized I had to go to confession afterwards for my faliiure to argue back at what they were promoting.
I later wrote to the pastor who adversites for it- he did not respond and still is promoting it to this day. I also wrote to Archbishop Jose Gomez and asked him to please instead support Encourage which he was kind enough to write back and say he would be happy to support.
Courage, and Encourage help encourage the person living with same sex attraction to folllow Christs teachings for living chaste lives.
as we are all called to do- to grow in love and grow closer to Him.
Point of fact: divorce is not sinful if the marriage is so hellish that one is forced to flee–it is REMARRIAGE without annulment that is immoral–not to mention any sexual activity outside of marriage.
You are confusing divorce and separation. Totally different. Remember marriage is a Sacrament. You can live faithful to your sacramental vows, despite a spouse who is unwilling to live out theirs.
Larry, what i referred to was not the rare occasion where a spouse is a danger to the other. then separation, even permanent separation is in order. What I am referring to are the all to frequent occurance nowadays where one spouse feels like the grass is greener elsewhere, often with a particular new flame in mind; decides they have ‘lost that loving feeling”, and with the blessing of all too many liberal clergy they divorce their spouse after many years, leaving behind children, leaving marriages that with just some attention could have survived. . Read the catechism on the section of marriage. Divorce is a grave offense against the sacrament of matrimony. CCC 2384. and CCC 2385: Divorce is immoral because it introduces disorder into the family and into society. It brings great harm to the deserted spouse, to children, and becuase of its contagious effect which truely makes it a plague on society.
The whole issue of so called same sex marriage being on the voting table wouldnt even have happened if for the last 40 years divorce laws hadnt been innacted that allow any spouse at any time for any non serious reason abandon the other. The Church has followed society in being permissive of it to the point where Catholics divorce at the same rate- almost- as non Catholics.
If marriage is only about “Feelings”, then I am only in it as long as I ‘feel” like it, then WHY not let two men marry, or two women, or two men and one woman.. and on and on.
Christ taught marriage is a sacrament.
My whole point is that too many clergy dont even follow what the catechism says on this sacrament. And too many Catholics dont know.
Amen to what you say!
Point of fact. Divorce is a grave offense.
One man’s hellish is another mans dissatisfaction with not being
doted over. Way too often fake justification substitues as a reason to
divorce. It is pure BS and lunatics and heretics say only remarriage is
wrong!!
Such is garbage and scandalous. You should repent Larry, if you are
man enough!
Now hold on just a minute, Karl! Let’s not demonize an innocent spouse who has been unjustly abandoned and then civilly divorced by the partner. And let us not insist that a woman who is being savagely beaten and repeatedly injured by a vicious husband (or vice-versa) has a moral duty to stay and take it–rather than get out. Here’s what the catechism says: “2383 The separation of spouses while maintaining the marriage bond can be legitimate in certain cases provided for by canon law. If civil divorce remains the only possible way of ensuring certain legal rights, the care of the children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral offense.” True, divorce is, as #2384 puts it, “a grave offense against the natural law.” But just because someone is divorced does not automatically mean they are in a state of mortal sin and unworthy to receive Holy Communion. They might have been abandoned after having done all they could to keep the marriage together. They might have had to run for their lives–and the lives of their children. And by the way, Karl–I don’t like your belligerent and self-righteous tone here. You should be “man enough,” as you put it, to take on a little humility and knock off the “holier-than-the-Church” act. On THIS particular point, I have nothing to “repent” of. You do.
Larry, as the following quote from the Catechism indicates, you are quite correct in your thinking – and Karl is not:
Catechism of the Catholic Church
2383 The separation of spouses while maintaining the marriage bond can be legitimate in certain cases provided for by canon law.
If civil divorce remains the only possible way of ensuring certain legal rights, the care of the children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral offense.
Karl, if you are the same “Father Karl” from whom we often hear, I pity your parishioners.
Even the Lord Jesus made exceptions regarding divorce, whereas you put yourself in the camp of those who “bind up heavy loads for others to carry” without being helpful to them as they carry their crosses.
Sometimes divorce is not only justified, but necessary and holy, as in the case of a widow marrying a man who abuses her daughter.
She saves her daughter by divorcing this creep, and, God willing, finds a good and decent man to help raise the little girl.
LARRY on November 21 – you stated it all perfectly. Hoory for you. Just because the Bishops talk about Social Justice does not make it acceptable to kill the unborn. In this discussion of Social Justice, justice for the unborn never seems to be part of the equation. Why is this? Feeding the poor is a wonderful thing to do but if we continue to tax the population of the U.S. into poverty, there will be NO money to help the poor. No one who voted for the present administration seems to understand this. The poor do not create business or hire people. It is the “so called rich” who take the risk or starting busineses and hiring people. The new so called health bill is not a health care bill…..it is a TAX BILL.
Good for you Amy. You get it.
The ‘social justice’ Bishops seem to forget that the US always has been very generous to those in need – subsidised housing, welfare, food stamps, etc.
What they need to be preaching is jobs – for all the physcially and mentally able.
There are 191 paragraphs in the CCC using the word ‘work’.
CCC: ” 2427 Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another.
Hence work is a duty: “If any one will not work, let him not eat.”
Work honors the Creator’s gifts and the talents received from him. It can also be redemptive.
By enduring the hardship of work in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish.
Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ.”
Bishops also need to preach on subsidiarity, solidarity, and commutative justice.
It is a sin against God’s commandment not to steal when we purchase on credit more than we can repay.
Jesus never taught it is the responsibility of government to help the poor. He taught that it is each of our own responsibilities. We will be judged by our own actions, not the actions of the government.
“It is a sin against God’s commandment not to steal when we purchase on credit more than we can repay.” Oscar, if this is so, then why did the Mosaic Law of God provide a jubilee year periodically to erase all debt?
Amy I’m confused but this doesn’t sound like the Larry we know from many past posts? Are you sure you didn’t confuse him with someone else?
I believe she’s referring to my post of November 21, 6:06 a.m. in which I spoke about prudential judgment regarding the best means to help the poor, Abeca.
Thanks Larry for clarifying, I think I may have misunderstood her post.
LARRY on Nov. 23 at 2:14 p.m. You are absolutely correct in what you say. And prudential judgment is what Cardinal Burke has spoken about so many times. He is a very wise and holy man and people would do well to listen to him and follow his wise advice. Our Holy Father used such good judgment in having him as his right hand man in the Vatican.
I wonder how many more pastors like Fr. Garbo there are? An ordained priest who sees no moral conflict in voting for un unrepentant advocate of partial birth abortion and infanticide is an unmitigated disaster for his parishioners. What other heresies is he preaching and supporting?
I belong to the parish in Riverside, California. I teach catechism to the little ones, (preschoolers) and my fiance is a core member of the Men’s ministry. We don’t see much support for either of our ministries by the staff or priests of the parish. We get a lot of “nice” and “safe” homilies from our priests as well. Because of this we don’t think we are getting fed the true faith, and saw just a small group show up for the mass held for religious freedom, so we may have many fellow parishioners who are moderate Catholics and Obama supporters. We have now started a search for a more devout parish where we are among those who are working on their salvation with fear and trembling. It is sad to see so much of the Church in shambles.
I can only imagine what you might be going through. Trying to education our youth about the truth of God’s true Church can make one wonder what good could possibly come from such a situation. But let’s not loose sight of the fact that our God allows things to happen perhaps to make something better. Before reacting to something that has happened, we should stop to think did we say something that was incorrect or should we have perhaps rephrased something we said. Our approach must always be one of sharing and helping and ensure it does not come across as judgmental and condemning. When we are passionate about something the latter is a real possibility and one that could result in our students turning away from the Church completely.
As Faithful Catholics we vote for LIFE, for Traditional Marriage, and for Religious Freedom. When a political party’s platform is blatently against the teaching of our Church and tries to remove God completely from it’s platform, we must not support that platform in any way. On another note, as faithful Catholic’s, because we love our neighbors and care about their salvation, we must admonish sin, not the sinner. If this comes across as judgmental or condemning, mea culpa, but if it saves the soul of the sinner by shedding light on their mis-guided “actions” , then that is what we are called to do as “Faithful Catholics”. The High School students that I was teaching we’re not afraid of my “passionate” teaching of Catholic Catechism–the Pastor and the DRE were. In fact, if the Pastor or DRE would have read the students journals they would have been amazed at the thoughtful pondering going on in their souls. Learning about God’s absolute truth will not result in the students turning away from the Church–I believe that it will “anchor” them more securly.