Father Joseph Illo, pastor of Star of the Sea parish in San Francisco, gave this 21-minute homily on Sunday, July 12.
I’d like to welcome a seminarian, Benil, a friend of Will Hayes, who was with our young adult group and who entered the seminary for the Fraternity of St. Peter three years ago. Benil is also in that seminary. The fraternity was formed in 1988 to be in union with Rome and preserve Catholic tradition. Will will be back on August 15 for a solemn High Mass on the feast of the Assumption.
In the Gospel Our Lord warns us about false prophets. There is a price to be paid for those who do not bear good fruit. We have had error since the beginnng. Think of Aaron, Simon Magis. In our own time priests and bishops teach error to justify their own behavior.
The error of radical feminism has a big footprint in the Catholic Church today. What are its fruits? Broken families, childless women. This error is part of modernism, relativism, a problem for maybe 300 years, named by Pius X in Pascendi.
How do we protect ourselves from these false teachings? These unnatural acts – abortion, contraception, LGBTQ acts – can never be tolerated. But we live in such a secular age. Most of the churches in our city are mostly empty. The empty catechesis, the empty faith of most Catholics. 75% of Catholics don’t believe in the Real Presence.
On July 1 the Society of Pius X defied the current pontiff in consecrating four bishops. A sad day. Tens of thousands of our fellow Catholic are outside the Church. The Fraternity of St. Peter was founded to stay with the Church. But the very real concerns of the Society of Pius X have been unanswered by Rome.
The great schism of 1054 involved sins on both sides. Obstinate people on both sides.
We must stay within the Church, even when it is abominably corrupt.
On July 1, 15,000 stood outside in the rain in Econe, Switzerland. They witnessed a beautiful ceremony.
But others, including the four dubia cardinals who did not receive an answer to their objections to Amoris Laetitia, stayed within the Church, in spite of the toleration and tacit support of heretical and immoral clergy.
Why are traditional clergy persecuted when the German church leaders who reject fundamental Catholic doctrine are not?
Why is the SSPX excommunicated for unlawful ordination of bishops when the Chinese government church is not?
Clearly a double standard.
We cannot abandon the church of Rome. We ourselves cannot be the final authority of the Church.
Or, let pirates drive you off of your ship! We don’t care whether you jump off the starboard or port side, right or left, just surrender it to us usurpers. Arrr! Fraidy! Just don’t stay and fight. (We might lose.)
As Fr. Illo noted, and the Church teaches, “The great schism of 1054 involved sins on both sides.” Schismatics are always welcome back. We came back in 1646. As the priest (or bishop) prays in the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, “By the power of your Holy Spirit, bring an end to schism in the Churches, extinguish the raging of the nations, and quickly put down the upsurges of heresy.” Lord, make us one, as You desire. (John 17)
I have always thought that the Vatican should have a dialogue with the SSPX. Regardless of the SSPX– the Vatican owes it to all Catholics– and to all the world– to honestly sit down and examine, and fix ambiguities of Vatican II. And to honestly implement a good plan to include both the Latin Tridentine Mass– as well as the Novus Ordo Mass. Pope Benedict’s “Summorum Pontificum” was best. It is not right that the current pope refuses to do this, and refuses to discard wrongful documents and plans of Pope Francis– to include “Amoris Laetitia,” “Fiducia Supplicans,” “Traditionis Custodes,” the abominable “Synod on Synodality,” and controversial ‘Synod Study No. #9,” etc. Pope Francis should have been made — by Canon Law– to answer the dubia. A pope should not have absolute poer–big mistake. There should be a law included in our Code of Canon Law, to examine, question, and potentially evict a bad pope, who abuses his power, and advocates many errors and abuses, like Pope Francis.
I have often wondered if there is any connection between the sloppy celebration of the Novus Ordo and the sloppy sexual ethics advanced by those clerics pushing the LGBTQ+ agenda. Both occasions are an affront to Catholic orthodoxy although in different ways. I would define a sloppy Novus Ordo as that which fails to inspire due to poor music, poor preaching and a poor communication of heart-felt conviction by the priest. I would define sloppy sexual ethics as any formulation of conduct which violates the Moral/Natural Law. Siding with the alphabet people philosophically certainly evinces such a violation. In both cases there is a strong rejection of Tradition though in different aspects of Tradition. I don’t know if any of this makes sense– as I said I am just wondering.
Well said, Mr. Gallup. Now something for you to consider is that your personally esteemed Holy Name of Mary parish in San Dimas is listed as a LGBTQ+ friendly parish:
https://www.newwaysministry.org/resources/parishes/#toggle-id-3
I believe HNM parish exhibits the criteria you are talking about in your post regarding poor liturgy, poor music, and poor clergy.
Immoral, selfish, irresponsible, lazy people, especially clerics in a church, or very sloppy, lazy, irresponsible students in school, on-the-job, or in political leadership, or anywhere else– this is very harmful to society. Our whole society and the churches all used to have good, professional standards. The anti-society, dope-infested, deviant, rebellious 1960s “hippie” youth, made this very poor behavior into a cheap, ugly, disgraceful fashion. We used to have good standards required, for everything. These problems should not exist, in a good church and good socety, that really cares to do what is right, do their best.
In September, the Pope will visit France, including Lourdes. The facade of Our Lady of the Rosary at the shrine of Lourdes, with the mosaics of Marko “Rapenik,” is only partially covered-up— a horrific hypocrisy and disgrace to the sick and wounded, brutally raped nuns, who are victims of “Rapenik!” I think that the French Bishops’ Conference should personally go to Lourdes, put on work clothes and hard hats, and personally destroy all of “Rapenik’s” mosaics– and burn them, publicly. Next, hire a devout Catholic talented artist, who loves Our Lady, to replace the Satanic mosaics with beautiful artwork. Until this happens, the Pope should decline a papal visit to Lourdes, and blessing the sick.
Trump hates France, so of course Leo is going to visit France. France has its own huge problem with immigrants who are not assimilating into French culture. Immigration without cultural assimilation is national suicide.
It would seem that the medicine in the form of the schism created by SSPX is worse than what they feel is the disease of their grievance.
Trying to ride both sides of the fence gets you some painful saddle sores.
Pick a lane, Bucko.
This makes you sound like a wimpy dork who no one likes.
Who are you calling a wimpy dork?
And, you think being liked is so important? It’s better to be respected than liked, “buddy.”