More dirty laundry

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:52 AM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
If it’s good for the bishop to sue our Father then it’s good for us to sue the bishop? They are acting more Novus Ordo than like an EF community usually acts. These parishioners will have to show that at the time the money was given, it was meant only for a traditional sanctuary with Extraordinary Form altar. That means that Fr. Rodriguez will have to produce a document stating that he was authorized by the Bishop to initiate such a project for a return of the sanctuary to Extraordinary Form modifications. Otherwise, the lawsuit will have no legal basis as the courts have always allowed the Church to spend money for its upkeep and needs unless otherwise specified by the donor for a specific project. In addition the lawsuit will appear as a frivolous and petty attempt to go after the bishop by Father’s supporters. But the sad effect eventually is that the EF Mass in El Paso, if it ever had a chance of getting off the ground with the new bishop, isn’t going anywhere now.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 2:32 AM By Robert Bushlow
Since when does faithfully upholding authentic Catholic doctrine constitute being a “problematic and outspoken priest”? God bless Fr. Rodriguez!

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 5:02 AM By Abeca Christian
God bless Fr. Rodriguez! I admire him because not many Catholics or even church leaders would stand up to those who are pro-gay! I admire him, he gives me hope. One huge reason(one of many of course) I gave up reaching out to homosexuals now is because I hated being the only one now and have lost courage and strength, also because I have a family to raise and protect. I no longer have the energy to reach out to them, I hate being outnumbered, most people in the past few years (at least in my area) have grown complacent and have been permitting the gay agenda to silence their voice, since I have children who keep me busy and who need much of my attention to guide and lead them well, I can no longer fight that fight, but this priest gave me hope and in a sense has made me look at myself in the mirror on how I have been growing more coward, tired of being the only one who tried once to reach out to homosexuals. I feel intimated now. I pray that this priest receives great support or else he will grow weary and especially when the church leaders, themselves are working against him. It’s a big spiritual battle folks, please pray for this priest, don’t let the evil one make you believe that he is at fault, because the evil one will blame and blame, he will tear this priest apart just to discourage him. We are human. Look what they did to our Lord, crucified him, don’t think for a minute that this priest is not experiencing a form of crucification. This spiritual battle is one that no one comprehends, it can be intimidating especially when one is gentle and pure of heart, it can be scandalous and heartening to a human soul, I’m sure this good priest has a heart that loves, he is showing it by his preaching in regards to homosexual sins. God bless him.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:00 AM By Gabriel Espinosa 
What a shameful shepherd.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:46 AM By St. Christopher
“Fr. Angelo Sotelo” may well be correct. Unless the funds were clearly designated for the purpose of building a traditional altar, then they will likely lose. Also, the new bishop will not want to become involved in such litigation, so he could well freeze any application of the EF that is not ongoing. The greater issue, of course, is the complicity of almost all American bishops to simply disobey the Pope regarding his motu proprio on the TLM. They do this by a “passive aggressive” stance that seeks, ultimately, to get by with a couple of masses within the diocese being dedicated to the TLM. And, even with these, they are often changed, and made unattractive or inconvenient for many Catholics. Having said this, Fr. Rodriguez is going to need to bend the knee to the new bishop and humble himself in new ways to advance his cause of expanding the TLM in El Paso Diocese. A very good man and priest, in a troubled Church.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:50 AM By Juergensen
“The bishop’s lawsuit alleges that Fr. Rodriguez, a problematic and outspoken priest” – This is Amchurch code for “orthodox and faithful priest.”

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:03 AM By Dennis
Father Angel, the old Mass can “get off the ground” in El Paso, and anywhere else for that matter, simply by having a priest offer it. The priest needs no permission from anyone to do so, and a bishop has no authority to stop a regularized priest from offering that Mass. This has been the case since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI, and the present pontiff has just acknowledged that fact and given it the force of law. The old Mass was never — never — outlawed, and any Roman Rite priest has the God-given right to offer it.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:26 AM By Sue in soCal
I have been following this story closely and, while Bishop Ochoa has made the accusation that Fr. Rodriguez was involved in the recall election, the only thing reported by the El Paso Times is that Fr. Rodriguez challenged elected officials and candidates to rethink their support of homosexual lifestyles. I think this bishop has made some missteps in trying to silence this priest and is off the mark or disingenuous on the basic issue. I find it especially interesting that, according to the El Paso Times, Bishop Ochoa filed the lawsuit January of this year after being named bishop of Fresno in December of last year.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:44 AM By Traditional Angelo
Abeca Christian, When I first read this article this morning I was shocked. Especialy because this is the action I had hoped for. I had mixed feelings. But after reading your post I realize its about time Catholics started defending their faith and their good priests with full force. Its sad it has come to this. But the actions of many Chancery’s have merited it. I have the highest respect for Fr. Angel Sotelo, but if the Novus Ordo Catholics of which he speaks succeeded in causing great damage, then I suppose we can use the same means to defend ourselves and undo the damage. This is a case where the means justifies the end.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:58 AM By MIKE
It appears that the Bishop has violated Canon Law. Parishes are “juridic persons” not the Diocese. Now, because parishes are “juridic persons” distinct from dioceses (see cc. 373 and 515 § 3), and because a pastor is the administrator of the goods of a parish (c. 532), any specially-designated donations made to a pastor/parish can be used by that parish ONLY for the purpose expressed. The canonical penalty for laity suing certain ecclesiastical officials in civil court (see 1917 CIC 120, 2341) is not found in the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:04 AM By Catherine
Please don’t be discouraged and take heart good parishioners who support Father Michael Rodriguez. We support Father Rodriguez and we support you. We prayerfully support the bishop because even God would not want a bishop to sue another priest. This bishop truly needs our prayers the most. He is accountable for this mess. The bishop had the authority to oversee the parish finances all along. This looks vindictive even if others have convinced themselves that it is not. Our Catholic Church teaches, “Don’t even give the appearance of scandal, let alone the appearance of vindictiveness.” Even when we disagree with the terrible example that a bishop has set, we still want them to go to heaven too. Sometimes they do make it very difficult but we are still called to forgive them and to pray for them. Fr. Angel Sotelo’s words are really a great compliment. Do not worry about a EF Mass in El Paso either. If God wants it, it will happen. Remember, God and parents are often harder on the children whose good hearts are amenable to change and the children who know better. When we completely trust in God and leave it in God’s hands, God says, “Revenge is Mine Alone!” God uses His perfect justice to reach the vindictive and mean spirited child who started the problem to begin with. Yes, the bishop did set the terrible litigation tone of example. No earthly court system can monetarily compensate for the scandalously shameful example that this brings to Christ’s Church. Who was the lead shepherd who *completely ignored* Christ’s gospel and then wandered off into secular pastures by going to a public court for justice? There could have been a peaceful resolve. Distant hearts have forgotten the gospel. If I had the money, I would personally place the amount in question into the hands of the bishop. I would ask the bishop if the scales of justice in the eyes of God were met by resorting to secular methods that scandalized souls. What is the monetary price of one soul?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:06 AM By Juan Oskar
Is ” Section 501″ a new Commandment I haven’t heard about?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:17 AM By Dave N.
Another case of the Vatican moving a problematic bishop from one diocese to the next.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:22 AM By JMJ
The devil is alive & doing quite well without having to do a thing: just let the Catholics do it by themselves & he has more time to work with Obama & his OBAMANISM to destroy our country. When we stop calling homosexuals “gay” as they ARE NOT & this is a disgusting way to use a wonderful word. +JMJ+

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:27 AM By MIKE
Any individual has every right to donate directly to a Parish for a specific purpose. (See my post above.) The funds can only be used for that purpose. If for any reason the specific reason can not be done, the money must be returned. I myself have donated for security cameras for my Parish. I clearly wrote in the “for” section of the check -“security cameras only”. This is important to protect your donation from being used for other purposes and portions of the donation going to other places, and to protect your Priest since all Parishes are audited from time to time. If you do not donate for specific purposes, a percentage of your donation goes to your Diocese, and a percentage to the USCCB since they take their alloted percentage share.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:35 AM By Catholic Joe
It is sad to see a house divided airing its laundry in pulbic. We all know the fortitude of a house divided–it has none. Let’s look beyond the law, technicalities and the such…Let’s look at reconciling and UNITY–true Christianity and true strength..

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:40 AM By Bicoastal Faithful
When people start taking about “Novus Ordo Catholics” with a sneer, we know that the spirit of schism is at foot in our land. And various heresies are sure to follow.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:06 AM By james
Bishop Ochoa was the spiritual leader of his diocese and is responsible in representing the needs of all of the members of his flock. This legitimate authority comes directly from Rome. His authority trumps that of any priest in any parish. All of you who are claiming to be so self-righteous and so protective of the Church are in effect denying the fact that Bishop Ochoa has the power passed on to him from Saint Peter. Take off your self-serving myopic blinders and follow what the Church teaches. For once, place your faith in Christ and those he has chosen rather than one priest who thinks that he is bigger than and more popular than the Church. All of you are so anti-hierarchy that you have become spiritually blind and are putting only your own “goals” in front of those of the Body of Christ. Get it together….

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:11 AM By Catherine
TA, No matter how tempting or fair it might seem, this is not the example of the saints. Look at St. Gerard Magella, falsely accused of a terrible sin. St Gerard bore his suffering and God used that suffering to instill the magnificent gifts of the Holy Spirit into St. Gerard. No secular court of appeal could have ever bestowed such a glorious result. Look at the example of St. John of the Cross. He was friends with St. Teresa of Avila and they knew that reformation was necessary. What happened to St. John of the Cross serves as an example. St. John of the Cross was kidnapped by his *own* order and he was locked in a 6ft by 9ft cell and beaten 3 times a week. There was only one tiny window yet in that unbearable dark and cold desolation, his love and faith were like fire and light. He had nothing left but God and God brought John the greatest joy in that cell. His life of poverty and persecution could have produced a bitter cynic, instead it gave birth to a compassionate mystic who lived by the beliefs, “Who has ever seen people persuaded to love God by harshness? Where there is no love, put love and you will find love.” It is right for the laity to respectfully speak up to our bishops when we see them error or when they are silent in the face of serious sin. The saints did not use “equivalent retaliation methods” known as tit for tat. This is not the first time in Church History that clergy have forgotten their primary roles as servants of God but the tried and true methods of the saints are the examples we should strive for in these very dark times. Let us pray that Bishop Ochoa would withdraw this terrible lawsuit and make a Holy Novena to St. Rita for a Godly resolve. Then he will set a true example of an authentic shepherd who leads by his good example instead of harshly leading souls away from God.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:18 AM By Traditional Angelo
Thank you CalCathDaily. Because of your endeavers a new dawn has arrived for the Church in the US. Benedicamus Domino!

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:43 AM By Maryanne Leonard
Yes, indeed, this is what we need – more public scandal for the media to report about Catholics. Whatever happened to working these things out behind closed doors? Whatever happened to priestly obedience? I wonder what the Vatican would have to say about this? I’m sure the IRS finds it quite interesting as well. Just because homosexuality is a sin, and we find it appalling besides, should our priests be down at City Hall demonstrating against homosexuals? Whatever happened to love the sinner, hate the sin? What about the concept of keeping us from having our tax status challenged by the IRS? Are we going as crazy in our own ways as is the rest of society?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:57 AM By MIKE
james, all Bishops are required to adhere to the teachings of the Magisterium as contained in the CCC, Code of Canon Law, and GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) all of which can be found on the Vatican web site. If they deviate, correction is necessary, since they are held to a higher standard than we. Everyone is human, everyone sins. Charity requires correction.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 10:06 AM By charlio
I’m inclined to give James (9:06 AM) a good deal of credibility. It’s a mystery that our Lord established an hierarchical Church rather than a democracy. It’s a mystery that members of the Hierarchy are given so much latitude. When a Bishop undergoes a transformative conversion, it is a cause of rejoicing among the angels, probably more than 99,999 other sheep who “seem to be standing” (let them see that they don’t fall). Most of the criticism of lion-hearted Bishop Cordileone yesterday failed to acknowledge the fact that if any of us had to shoulder the burden the average Bishop has bearing down upon him, just for 5 minutes, we’d curl up & blow away like the wicked witch of the west. Did any of you who criticized Bishop Ochoa, first pray for him? Might he not need your prayers more than Fr. Rodriguez, who God is taking care of?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 10:41 AM By Abeca Christian
Thank you Traditional Angelo, I know my post was long but it came from my heart and I feel pain for this situation. God bless you for reading my long post. It explains why I am supporting the good priest but I am still praying for our church and it’s leaders. God bless you

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:12 AM By sam
Plz tell me on what evidence do you condemn one -the Bishop; yet exonerate the other – the priest? As Catholic Christians we are not to judge – lest YE be judged. This website is always full of so much arrogance and animosity toward the Church, the Bride of Christ, as represented by the Bishops, that I fail to see all truth in anything presented.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:12 AM By k
MIKE, interesting canon laws. Father rodriguez was not the pastor of the parish, though. He was, I think, administrator. Catherine, that was beautiful post. What you are describing happened to many, many saints- Pdre Pio, Jeane Jegan, St. Francis. None of them reacted the way Father Rodriguez has in his articles in the Remnant. He seems so taken with the EF that he has forgotten the infinite merits of every Mass. Very disturbing writing. He says he is being obedient to his bishop while he is trashing him on the Internet. I don’t doubt that he is in shock and traumatized by the events that have occurred, but there are many blessings that have come from them. There is an article where someone writes how they prayed for years for a “real” altar at San Juan Bautista and now, when they travel to assist at Fr. Rodriguez’ Mass, they have one at an old mission that was preserved by the parishioners there. The parishioners there have been parying for decades for a Traditional Latin Mass and now their prayers have also been answered.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:18 AM By txdesertflower
Excuse me for asking, why do they need a separate building for the latin mass? Why not do it as we do everywhere else in America and have one mass (for example: the 5.30 pm on Sunday night) the latin mass? Maybe a compromise to stop the lawsuits, please folks.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:25 AM By Luisa
Thank you Dennis, for reminding Fr. Sotelo and all Bishops, priests that they no longer need permission from their Bishops to celebrate the Traditional Latin mass. This beautiful ancient mass of the saints was never outlawed. We should not have to beg for this ancient mass. I Thank God, for the hierarchy of the Catholic church – Our fearless leader Pope Benedict XVI for his 2007 motu proprio. As far as Fr. Rodriquez – If you have been following the story it is pretty obvious to see that the real issue here is about a Traditional priest, Fr. Rodriquez speaking out against homosexuality. All priests, Bishops should be speaking out against this great evil, that is destroying families – marriage between and man and a women. I leave you with this quote… In his 1997 book Salt of the Earth, then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: “I am of the opinion that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It’s impossible to grasp what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community that suddenly declares that what, until now, was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden makes the longing for it seem downright indecent, calls its very self into question.” God Bless Fr. Michael Rodriquez

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:37 AM By Catherine
charlio, Who would dare to criticize the examples put forth by the many different saints? I’m inclined to remember the many saints who lovingly spoke to influence the Popes. I am inclined to remember the saints who lovingly challenged superiors of their orders. According to some, those saints should have ignored the voice of God within their hearts and they should have buried their heads to remain silent while evil is done. Our faith is *prayer and works*. What is faith without works? If anything, the terrible sex abuse scandal within our own Church points out the reality that heads should not be buried in the sand. Who are these shepherds who tell their flocks, “Don’t worry, have fun, you don’t need to pray, there is no mortal sin, you just need to *pay* even while I don’t even obey”. What caused the scandals to begin with? The root of the scandals was disobedience to God and the teachings of the Church and that disobedient root needs exposing not burying. All throughout our Catholic Church history, the many different charisms of saints continue to be holy examples. Certain saints are holy examples of silently bearing suffering during difficult trials. God wanted their silence. There are also saints who let their superiors know that they could smell the stench of corruption all the way to Rome. I’m inclined to remember St. Anthanasius who helped superiors to obey. Who are these new modern day Catholics who choose to stifle others from challenging error? Oh, that’s right, they have always been there throughout Church history and let us be thankful to God that our holy examples of saints not only listened to God but they also obeyed God. How many times in Church history did the person who tried to silence a great saint become a saint himself? There are many and history tells us that these individuals usually became ardent supporters of those saints who they once tried to silence, for they also came to realize that neither of them could silence the voice of God.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:39 AM By Martin
This is just plain evil. You see how Satan can enter the Church. I’m sure Martin Luther thought he was doing the right thing when he opposed the Pope – look at all the scandalous behvior of the clergy of the time – but what disastrous results! If Fr Rodriguez had been obedient and not try to set up a structure outside of Canon Law, there would not be this problem. While it’s true that the intention of the donor must be honored, it’s also true that a preist is on very thin ise when he tries to operate outside of the authority of his Ordinary. Somebody once said that the after the sex abuse debacle, the next scandal for the Church to confront would be financial. Looks like he had a point.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:41 AM By Brian S
Meanwhile, our parish is inventorying the pews, chalices, and statues for submission to this new bishop. Apparently he’s sensitive to theft concerns.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:42 AM By Bud 
:” El Paso City Council for extending health insurance to all employees regardless of marital status or sexual orientation” This identical situation happened in Columbus, Ohio. The city council granted city sponsored “family status” to anyone living with another regardless of sex and whether married or not. Of course this was only to recognize a marital status where even gay marriage is prohibited and/or not recognized. Ohio State University also grants same sex rights. My problem is how dare these “civil service” and certainly not even elected but appointed arrogant “faithful servants” usurp a right to spend the taxpayer’s money. This is how Washington D. C. city government, minor officials imposed gay marriage on the rest of the district. The Bishops and the Jesuits seem to have their own command of how things should be run! At least the bishops are trying to clean up their act and be leaders!!!!

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:52 AM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
A priest should never initiate a building project without approval from the Bishop and so if offerings are accepted for only that purpose, the priest has to be able to show that this was an approved project. And once money is collected the Bishop has every right to ask that the money be kept in a diocesan account, not a local account of the pastor’s choosing, although the money still belongs to the parish. This lawsuit will be tossed out as those litigating do not understand money procedures in the Church. But the court will want to see documentation that the Bishop had given approval for both the project and the collecting of money for this project.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:58 AM By diane
Dennis, yes this is true, every priest has the right to offer the TLM mass but when the bishop is against it, he has the authority to dismiss the priests who do. (and no reason need to be given) I know of three priests in the archdiocese of San Antonio who were sent away…There are other priests who wish to offer the TLM in various areas, but they do not in “obedience” to their bishop.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 12:08 PM By Larry
If those lay donors had written on the memo space of their checks words to the effect of “donation for Latin Mass chapel,” then they may be able to recover their money. I think legally if the Church accepted the checks with that specification written on them, then that would constitute a contract. Otherwise, they might not have a case. I’m not a lawyer–and we’d really need a lawyer to say whether that’s the case or not.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 12:23 PM By Gneaus
Some thing is very wrong. All dioceses conduct annual audits of each parish within the dioceses. If, as the bishop alleges, Fr. Rodriguez was mismanaging funds, why did a diocesan audit identify the problem?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 12:39 PM By Bakersfield Crusader
The new bishop certainly hasn’t made a good initial impression on this member of the diocese he now oversees, one who does not take kindly to any arrogant attitudes or actions against the orthodox faithful while pushing a distorted social justice agenda.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:05 PM By Catherine
Fr, Angel Sotelo, Did Father Michael Rodriguez personally tell you or did Bishop Ochoa personally tell you that Father Rodriguez initiated a building project? I am asking because it sure sounds like you know the precise and very intricate details of the financial issues that took place.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:14 PM By Juergensen
Bishop Ochoa has changed his story as regards Fr. Rodriguez. When Bishop Ochoa dismissed and transferred Fr. Rodriguez back in September 2011, the reason given by the Bishop was that Fr. Rodriguez, in his active ministry against the mortal sin of sodomy, had engaged in an “intervention in the political process” that “is not permitted under SECTION 501 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE” (KVIA-ABC 1:09 pm MDT September 21, 2011). But now, in January 2012, Bishop Ochoa is claiming that Fr. Rodriguez was removed “based on credible information and documents that show that he intentionally and materially failed to comply with the MANUAL OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF PARISH FINANCES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF EL PASO.” Well, what exactly is the issue here? The Internal Revenue Code? Or the Manual of Policies and Procedures of Parish Finances of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso? Or, is it something else? Just as changing the story is not a good thing for the accused, nor is it a good thing for the accuser.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:19 PM By k
Fr. Angel Sotelo, I think these friends of Father Rodriguez have helped to prove the charges against him. Is what you wrote effected by the fact that checks were made out the Father Rodriguez personally, not to the parish?

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:21 PM By k
Gneaus, according to the lawsuit, Father Rodriguez was depositing the funds in the account for the parish’s defunct Saint Vincent dePaul ministry because he knew it would not be audited. He was then getting Certificates of Deposit in his own name with his mother as beneficiary if he deceased.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:30 PM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
Gneaus: The next crisis that will hit the Church is the scandal that most parishes in the country actually are not audited by the diocese, allowing for minor or major discrepancies in Church finances. The rule has always been that “Father knows what he is doing” and parishioners rarely rock the boat about exactly what is done with their money, except for back east, where major embezzlement by various priests caused a crackdown. And remember, Fr. Rodriguez took parish funds and put them into CD’s under his personal name, so an audit of the parish would never have even found that money if Father had not stated that he had done this (to his credit, he was forthcoming about this). But as things are now, many pastors operate according to their own financial guidelines, and sometimes, creative accounting. Dennis, you are absolutely right that a priest needs no permission to offer the traditional Latin Mass. What I meant was that the active support of the bishop sees a growth and flourishing of the EF, whereas the strong discouragement of the bishop means that it withers or even dies out as he works to undermine it.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 1:41 PM By Mary
the parishioners have a good case in canon law.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 2:23 PM By pete
Mike. RIGHT! What the faithful may not realize is that the VERY PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY IS VIOLATED UNCANONICALLY IN ALMOST ALL THE DIOCESES OF TH WESTERN PART OF OUR COUNTRY (maybe the entire country) BY THE ANNUAL BISHOP’S COLLECTION TO RUN THE DIOCESE (usually in the $millions). They assign a tax to the parish for the diocese and get ANYTHING OVER THAT FOR THE PARISH ITSELF; it’s supposed to be the DIRECT OPPOSITE, The parish gets what it needs and then gives something over that to the administration of the diocese. In some dioceses the paychecks for the parish priests salaries as well as staff IS SIGNED BY THE BISHOP CHECK BOOK AND NOT THE PASTORS, so that the diocese gets all the interest and not the parish! It’s about time this policy which is post Vat II (of course!) is challenged in the Vatican. The concept that the Bishop is in personal communion with all the parishes as the unifying factor is DISPLACED IN PRACTICE by the diocesan bureacracy interferring at every stage of parish life.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 2:37 PM By JLS
A contract does not have to be in writing. The suing parties are the witnesses along with Fr. Rodriquez, and that is all that is necessary to prove the intent of the donated money. Wisdom at this point dictates that Bp Ochoa should take out his check book and start writing. If it goes to court, the costs will mount severely: Jesus says to settle before reaching court, or else they’ll take every last penny from you.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 2:57 PM By Anne T.
I do not know who is right or wrong in this, but I always write in the memo on my checks the reason for writing my checks if I want them to go for a specific purpose. Thus the cancelled check should be proof enough if the money is not used properly.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 3:01 PM By Traditional Angelo
Catherine, I would like to bring up the examples of another 2 great Saints. One was St. Joan of Arc, burned at the stake for witchcraft. Afterwards the Church imposed the death penalty on her Bishops for what they done, only after the people spoke up. Another was St. Louis of Montfort, his Bishops put out posse’s to capture him in order to punish and unjustly imprison him. St. Monfort hid in the forest escaping his superiors, hiding from those Bishops. There were those who spoke up, word got to the Pope and the Pope decreed that this Saint was free to preach wherever he wanted. Those Bishops who wanted his destruction were severly punished. Today the people must once again speak up in order to defend our good priests. How else does one expect for all the injustice of 45 years to end.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 3:33 PM By FrMichael
MIKE, I think you came late to the party that was covered in another post a few weeks back. The diocese alleges that Fr. Rodriguez violated the financial policies of the diocese and contrary to policy put the donated funds in a cover account (St. Vincent de Paul) and in his own name. The donors clearly intended the money to go to the renovation of the church, so it seems clear that Fr. Rodriguez ought to be a defendent in this law suit also. Something in excess of $20,000 is missing as well, $200K already being returned. The situation is a huge mess and it’s going to take forensic audits and people testifying under oath to get the truth out.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 3:36 PM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
Pete: canon 1263 allows for the bishop’s annual collection, and since the parish is already being supported by the Sunday collections, the bishop does not actually have to give any of that back to the parish. The practice of returning money to the parish is an incentive to the clergy to collect more than the amount assessed by the diocese. As far as post and pre Vatican II, you have no idea of what bishops did, to shake down money out of parishes. At least in the post-Vatican II era, we have some say in how we are assessed by the bishop; pre-Vat II the bishop pretty much got the money he told you to cough up, if you (the pastor) knew what was good for you. JLS: First, if Fr. Rodriguez had no permission from Bp. Ochoa to collect money for an EF sanctuary, (he did not) the court will say the parish cannot be held to an illegal contract (contracts by the parish legally cannot exist without bishop’s approval); secondly, in El Paso, good luck getting any jury to politically sympathize with Fr. Rodriguez and anything he tried to do at St. John’s. This is a civil lawsuit, for which you are totally at the mercy of the jury’s sympathies. What is just, fair, and legal, has very little to do with the outcome!

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 5:29 PM By Tracy
Fr. Angel Sotelo, correct me if I’m wrong but it sounds as if you believe that the use of the courts in church financial matters as being something new. While I think it is sad that things have gone this far, you may not be aware that an American Bishop, Saint John Neumann was sued in the American court system in 1853 by a parish in the diocese of Philadelphia regarding a financial matter. Neumann initially lost the case in the lower court but ultimately had the matter resolved to his favor after he appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court. The ruling set the precedent for Archdiocesan and parish financial dealings which exist to this day.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:16 PM By Mac
When reform is needed within the Church (rather than leaving the Church) we have many Saints who were REFORMERS – who JUDGED problems in their lifetimes and tried to have them corrected. Here are a few – – – St. Charles Borromeo, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Theresa of Avila and St.John of the Cross, St. Philip Neri, Pope St, Pius V all helped to bring authentic renewal into the Catholic Church.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:21 PM By Mary
Fr Sotelo, in my Diocese there are QUOTAs (annual percentages that must be met) for the Diocese and USCCB. That is why I like donating for specific needs for my parish, and directly to specific local Catholic Charities to help the poor. :)

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:12 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Bicoastalfaithful, 8:40 AM, Pray tell how you can tell that when someone writes about “Novus Ordo Catholics” that it is with a sneer! Can you actually see their faces? I am a Traditional Catholic who often attends Novus Ordo Masses, and I often write about “Novus Ordo Catholics” and I don’t have a sneer on my face when I do do! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:15 PM By simone_dubois
Let’s pray for all involved, all our priests and all our Bishops. None of us were there, none of us know all the facts. Everyone is probably doing what they believe to be best even if it isn’t best. Satan sows discord, Christ alone brings true peace. We need to put this in our Blessed Lord’s hands and trust in Him.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:26 PM By Bob One
Many people don’t understand the basic organization of the Catholic Church. The Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese. The Bishop is the spiritual leader of the Diocese. Each parish is in effect a local franchise of the Church of ___. A parish in Berkeley is a parish of the Church of Oakland. Most Dioceses are organized as Corporation Sole. In other words, the Bishop owns the churches, land, bank deposits, etc. If a parish wants to build a community hall, they need the permission of the Bishop who must approve the funding plan as well as the design. Although Canon Law gives many rights to the pastor of local parishes, they have promised obidience to the Bishop who ordained them and those who follow him in the office. Most Dioceses have thick manuals that spell out how money is to be accounted for, how it is to be counted, who can count it and how often, etc. Those records must be on file with the Diocese. It is the Diocese who audits the books of the parishes. It sounds like this Priest went of the reservation.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:33 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
I remember once when I was attacking porno in the Newspaper racks where minors could easily see it at the Norwalk, CA City Council. I was overjoyed when the now deceased Pastor of St. John of God parish, un-announced to me, came and defended and supported my positions. Would you who seem to find fault with Fr. Rodriguez going to El Paso City Council meetings to likewise denounce that City Council’s, which I understand consisted of a majority of “Catholics”, support for so called Gay rights? God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:34 PM By AnnCA
Bishop Ochoa will have a hard time raising money in the diocese of Fresno. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:30 PM By JLS
The donors were not and are not subject to the bishop’s rule about how to use the money. They stipulated what it was to be used for.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 10:04 PM By Fr.Michael Perea
Although I now live and work in Southern California I am from El Paso and I know Fr.Michael Rodriguez, his family and many of the parishioners involved in this case. For what it is worth and based on what I know, which is not much, but which is enough for me to have formed a careful opinion here is what I pray,hope and think will happen. 1. Rome will intervene to withdraw Bishop Ochoa’s lawsuit against Fr.Rodriguez from the jurisdiction of the civil courts and seek to adjudicate it and the related lawsuits within its own court system. 2. Bishop Armando Ochoa will be promoted to a high post in the Roman Curia. 3. Fr.Michael Rodriguez will be named pastor of San Juan Bautista although with some restrictions which he will no doubt welcome and obediently accept along with his parishioners. 4. Rome will appoint a great man to be the Bishop of El Paso. In the meantime let us pray and see what happens.

Posted Wednesday, February 01, 2012 10:49 PM By Abeca Christian
Again another great post from Traditional Angelo!

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 12:52 AM By Clinton
What ever the outcome in this matter, let us remember to pray for all clergy of the Holy Catholic Church. For those strong in faith, May the Lord make them even stronger to continue in their work in the face of evil. For those weak in faith, May the Lord remind them of their sacred calling to His priesthood and their duty to preach and live the Gospel no matter the cost. And for those clergy who have lost their faith, May the Lord reach out His hand and save them from sinking as He did Peter when he had his lapse in faith in Jesus. +JMJ+

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 2:10 AM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
Tracy: I am aware that bishops (besides Neumann) were sued in civil court even before Vatican II. Litigants were usually excommunicated for this, as the old canonical discipline forbid the faithful or priests from suing the bishop in civil court. Needless to say, it is sad when these tactics are employed by traditional Catholics who are angry at their bishop. I can assure you that devout Catholic families of yesteryear would sooner kiss their money goodbye before dragging a bishop before a civil judge. JLS: I understand that donors are not “subject” to the bishop’s financial guidelines, but we, the priests, are. We cannot just go out and start special projects, and we cannot just go out and take money from people and promise them an EF sanctuary without being able to make good on that promise in accord with our bishop’s rules. It is unfair to the bishop and disobedient as well to flout those rules. For all his wonderful intentions, Fr. Rodriguez should never have taken money under the pretext of EF restoration and then deposited that into any account of the parish while keeping his bishop in the dark. Because once the bishop finds out that large amounts of parish money are not being properly managed under diocesan supervision, and he so orders those funds into a diocesan deposit and loan account under the parish name, the Bishop is then not to blame that specified (EF money) and unspecified (Novus Ordo) money has all been mixed together. The bishop, by ordering those funds under supervision of diocesan accountants, is doing his job, as so ordered by canon law, which makes him responsible for parish money which is in excess amount of normal operating expenses. The bishop cannot be now blamed that special project money was mixed with other funds when he had no idea that such a special project was being promised and money was being collected on that promise–all without permission of the chancery.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 3:30 AM By OSCAR
Fr. Perea, Bishop Ochoa has already lost his office by way of a Transfer out of Texas that he did not want. See “LOSS OF ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICE” – “Transfer”. So this Bishop is already on the Vatican radar, probably due to written complaints from individuals in his TX Diocese and the press coverage. 2) He will not be promoted to a ‘high’ post if disobedience to the Vatican or required Church teachings is proven; Cardinal Law used to have a US Archdiocese and now has a Parish in Italy as an example. When people care enough to stand outside the Bishop’s office praying the Rosary as they do at abortion clinics and it makes the news, a big promotion is not in the best interest of the Church. With today’s internet and news media things can not be handled quietly as in the past. The Vatican would not want to cause Scandal. Next although everything must be handled in complete fairness, the Vatican is not used to moving as quickly as necessary, so over-riding the Bishop’s civil suit may not happen in a timely manner.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:05 AM By MMC
CalCatholic: this is what your so called “problematic and outspoken” priest has said. He is a hero and shining light within the ranks of our lost and diseased hierarchy. God bless you Fr. Michael! It should have been Bishop Ochoa at these meetings. And for the record, any priest or bishop may do what Fr. Michael has and is doing. Cardinal Bevalaqua of Philadelphia did the EXACT same thing when the Philly Council tried to pass Same sex unions into law. You also need to do your research on the heretical programs that are still being promoted in the El Paso diocese under Bishop Ochoa’s leadership. Pray for your new Bishop, my brothers and sisters in Fresno…he needs help for he is quite lost. Fr. Michael Rodríguez: Are Homosexual Acts Right or Wrong? Posted: 31 Jan 2012 09:25 PM PST by Fr. Michael Rodríguez; January 31, 2012 Address to El Paso City Council In the middle of our dark, secular, godless society, there is a light. This light is the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Jesus Christ and His Church teach the truth about homosexuality, and we can summarize this truth in three points: (1) Homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity; they are mortal sins which cry to heaven for vengeance. Under no circumstances can they be approved. (2) Homosexuality is an objective disorder. (3) Homosexual persons are to be treated with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. In the debate over homosexuality, the dark side seeks to frame the issue as one of discrimination and civil rights. This makes no logical sense. No one has a civil right to do something morally wrong. I don’t have a right to steal. I don’t have a right to lie. I don’t have a right to commit adultery, and I don’t have a right to engage in homosexual acts. As for discrimination, discrimination exists when one is against a person not when one is against actions on the part of a person. The Roman Catholic Church condemns actions of a homosexual nature. She does not discriminate against homosexual persons. Thus, before anyone speaks about discrimination and/or civil rights, the following questions must be answered: (1) Do you believe in right and

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:30 AM By Dottie
MMC, what are you talking about? CCD is merely reporting existing news, if they ever get involved in any comments you will see it in bold print. If you read the article carefully, you will note that it does not take sides, but is merely reporting the news for us to comment.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 5:36 AM By Abeca Christian
MMC your fine with your view on how this article came across to you. You are entitled to your opinion and I’m sure this website is open to them, nothing wrong with seeing what viewers think? Right? I would hope so. Nothing personal actually. I didn’t see anything wrong with your free speech. You should see how UN-neutral the liberal media is. It’s time that we follow the Christian reporting act, we report with still conveying our conservative views in Christ, we need a balance since all we are seeing are liberals taking over, we need backbone and a balance. This balance will bless priests and lay faithful who are fighting the good fight, feeling more support and less discouraged. It’s only my opinion and am not accusing this website of anything, but am speaking in general.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 6:56 AM By JLS
Fr. Sotelo, your assessment looks more reductionist than realistic in that it assumes some things about communications, knowledge and intent that are more in line with a theory than the way human and divine nature would suggest.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 8:02 AM By Jacqueline
Division, Conflict, name calling, suing, disputes, all represent the work of the devil. Then, unfortunately, nobody is minding the store. The Bishop is king, so to speak when indeed they are humans, too and make mistakes. There should be someone minding the store because more funds go astray under the Bishop’s watch???? Who is minding the Bishop???? Kudos to a faithful, courageous priest, Father Michael Rodriguez! You are in my daily prayers.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 8:51 AM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
MMC: The lawsuit in question is regarding $27,000 of money which is not accounted for, not the Church’s faith on sexual morality, which Bishop Ochoa accepts. If he did not, then Pope Benedict XVI is quite stupid and should immediately resign the papacy for translating a heretic from a smaller diocese to one twice the size. JLS: I don’t know what it is you think I am assuming–you do not present any facts to contradict my premise. On the contrary, in all the news accounts, Fr. Rodriguez does not dispute that he initiated the renovation project *without* permission from the bishop, and accepted large amounts of money without following fund raising rules of the diocese of El Paso. The obvious here, as Bob One stated, is that Father “went off the reservation.” As much as we love Father’s ministry and courage, we cannot invent new rules and a double standard for him because he is loved. Being one of the “good guys” if anything means that priest should be even more transparent and correct in all his undertakings.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 9:00 AM By Life Lady
Wow, I am loving all these posts, but most of all, I love reading the call to pray for everyone, the bishop and the priest. YES!!! Pray, pray, pray. Only by prayer will all this be resolved. Thanks to everyone for all the “facts” and alluding to the saints. It is good to know we are not experiencing anything unusual, it has happened before in other trying times, and will likely happen again, but no doubt those saints and laity at those hard times were praying and storming Heaven for a peaceful and loving solution. Thank you all, and please, Pray for everyone involved for a peaceful and loving resolution. God Bless!

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 9:20 AM By Maryanne Leonard
MMC, your point that no one has a civil right right to do something morally wrong is, sorry to say, not correct. Think of all the people who have been given a green light by this society to murder human beings as long as they are not yet born, and who do just exactly that. Also, married people can commit adultery to their heart’s content without breaking any civil laws. Sad to say, the list goes on. Homosexual acts are indeed on that list.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 10:05 AM By Catherine
Jaqueline, Excellent post! May God continue to bless and protect Father Michael Rodriguez.The following words are taken from the book, ‘Chalice of Strength, Prayers for Priests’– “Priests are a gift from God to the Church and to all humanity. Through them we receive the Eucharist and all of the Sacraments, by which our sins are forgiven. The salvation or loss of a thousand souls can depend on the fidelity of one single priest. For this reason priests are under spiritual attack. On Dec. 8, 2007 The Congregation for the Clergy addressed a letter to *EVERY DIOCESAN BISHOP in the world* calling for Eucharistic Adoration for the sanctification of priests, and spiritual maternity, after the example of Mary. In the midst of all of his duties and ministries the priest must find and *maintain* an intimate union with Christ as the source of the spiritual efficacy in the service of souls. The Mystery and reality cannot be reduced to the hierarchical structure, the Liturgy, the Sacraments, and juridical ordinances. In fact, the intimate nature of the Church and the origin of it’s sanctifying efficacy must be found in a mystical union with Christ.” The faithful then rightfully ask? How many bishops have listened, obeyed and followed that letter sent by the Congregation for the Clergy and publicly promoted Eucharistic Adoration in each parish of their jurisdiction, in a Crusade of Prayer and Reparation for priests? Did Bishop Ochoa implement this crucially important letter of instruction to each parish while he was in charge in El Paso? Have any of our California bishops listened to and followed this very important instruction of a Crusade of Prayer and Reparation for priests? Are more religious rights being taken away because OUR OWN lead shepherds ignore the HOLY MEANS that will bring unity?

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 10:55 AM By Catherine
Maryanne Leonard, Great post!

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 11:30 AM By Tracy
Fr. Angel Sotelo. Thank you for your response to my post and for all of your various postings. First, let me clarify that I was not taking any sides in this matter, as to be honest, I didn’t know all the facts. Yes, you are right about the excommunications of the past. That being said I thank you for bringing much needed clarity to this issue. I definitely disagree with JLS’s assessment of your position.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 12:47 PM By JLS
Tracy, my position is challenging readers to think; so, too bad you disagree with it.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 12:59 PM By JLS
Fr. Sotelo, I’m merely target shooting; sorry if I blew your hat off by mistake. Yes, I present positions, but that is my secondary objective, the primary being to aim for the truth … often by jostling others, which seems to me to be effective. The criticism of this is that it damages the dignity of others; however, I disagree with this criticism. Rather, a person’s dignity if solid should stand against any criticism. For example, you toss in a phrase about if such and such, then the pope would be “stupid” … since he is not, then his dignity is not damaged. In other words, how can true dignity be damaged? Jesus rose from the indignity of death that was put on Him; isn’t that our true objective, to rise from terminal indignity? How better than to practice for when our time comes?

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 1:28 PM By k
Catherine, thank you for bringing that to our attention. CatholicCulture has a link to the pamphlet put out by the Congregation for the Clergy. It is so beautiful.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 2:28 PM By Abeca Christian
To me this is not about whether I agree or disagree with Fr, Angelo Sotelo but whether there is a spiritual battle present in regards to this situation.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:09 PM By Catherine
k, You are welcome.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 4:18 PM By Catherine
Abeca, Feb. 02, 2012 1:28 — Amen! —“And after they crucified him they divided his garments casting lots” ….. Matthew 27:35

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 5:07 PM By Janek
Very sad indeed, all this could have been avoided if only the Mass of All Times was freed and supported by our bishops as our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI had asked in his Moto Propio. I still do cannot comprehend the distain of The TLM by so many bishops of the world??? What are they afraid of???????

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 6:17 PM By Traditional Angelo
Abeca Christian, You rightlfuly say, “but whether there is a spiritual battle present in regards to this situation.” I believe this is a spiritual battle, and its been going on for 45 years. Fr. Sotelo a good and faithful priest I believe is just trying to douse out this fire with every good intention. But it was the Bishop who misguidedly started ths fire. Now if he has the Charity of Christ he could douse the fire out himself. Nothing is impossible with Christ. Where is his Pastoral guidance? These days are worse than the days of the Reformation. This is, and has been a spiritual battle which Pope Paul Vl termed the “smoke of satan”. This is nothing new, something that is new is that along comes calcathdaily, giving the laity a chance to speak their minds without being abdruptly silenced in humiliation. Fr. Rodriguez is an instrument of God. Fr. may have made mistakes, but that only confirms he is God’s instrument. Funny how God chooses and uses his intruments. God Bless you Abeca, God’s little Girl. Lets continue forward in the battle for Truth & Justice in Charity.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 6:36 PM By ssoldie
Kudo’s to the parishionars in El Paso. If you want to read more about whats been going on in El Paso, go to the Remnant and keep informed

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 9:38 PM By JLS
Thanks for the tip, ssoldie. I’ve been reading the situation on the Remnant site. One thing that Fr. Rodriquez is being persecuted for is his intellect. This may surprise people, but highly intelligent people are typically attacked because of it. Most such people, unlike priests, work in situations where such attacks are blocked by the social structure and dynamic … intellects bunch together and protect one another. This does not happen much in the priesthood unless it might be in a religious order or monastery. The problem becomes exceptionally bad when the intelligent priest is also extremely faithful. This appears to be the case with Fr. Rodriquez. His religious Father, Bishop Ochoa, attacked him rather than develop and protect him. This of course is not unusual in Catholic history … which again gives light as to why we find the well known saying attributed to various saints including St Charles Borromeo, “The streets of Hell are paved with the skulls of bishops”. How many saints lived under the authority of bishops who were saints? Let me guess that most of them were persecuted by their non-holy bishops.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 11:00 PM By Abeca Christian
Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength. – St. Philip Neri This quote is to inspire us all.

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 11:04 PM By Abeca Christian
Catherine thank you for the beautiful biblical scripture you posted. It serves us all as a reminder to whatever personal afflictions we are going through, that no matter what, our Lord went through worst and with meditating on these truths in His word, we can attain what we are lacking to get up and keep going. As real as the spiritual battles are, they are no match to what our Lord can do!

Posted Thursday, February 02, 2012 11:20 PM By Abeca Christian
Traditional Angelo I agree. Just today I saw part one of the movie and life story of Saint Philip Neri. It lifted me up. Traditional Angelo do you think that we can have more saints like Saint Philip or hopefully saints to be like Fulton Sheen? With all the great evils we are facing daily and with how weak we are or can be, can there actually be any more new saints in our time? I often wonder right now. The cross is very heavy. Many years back, there was an ex-homosexual man who found Jesus and became a non-Catholic Christian, I met him at one of the conferences that a Christian church lead to unite Christians to fight the good fight against the gay agenda and for pro-life reasons as well, he also went to many council meetings to speak out against gay pride parades and such. I learned a lot about from him as well. God bless him. He was courageous, I learned by his great examples. His name is james hartline, he first posted here when this website was new. I admired his courage to speak up. He was outspoken about homosexual lifestyles, he shared the biblical teachings on how evil they were. Now I feel blessed to have heard that we have a priest who goes to council meetings to stop whatever gay agenda is being imposed upon his city. God bless him. I thought that our church has given up on the homosexuals by being complacent with their agendas and by not speaking up against them. I hope and pray for Saint Philip Neri to intercede for this priest and help him, may Christ give him all the courage he needs to continue fighting that good fight, because like I said before, it can be a lonely battle, one that can sometimes tire one endlessly.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 1:06 AM By Traditional Angelo
Abeca Christian, Today we have many great Saints walking among us. We do not recognize them and they do not recognize themselves because of their humility. God has revealed through approved apparitions that when a soul loves God, trying to do his will, wherever they go God’s graces go out to others through them. In truth it can be said these souls are mediatrix of God’s graces. Our Lady is the perfect Mediatrix of all Graces. The Cross can be heavy, but we make it heavier when we do not put our complete trust in God. Complete Trust makes the “the yoke sweet and the burden light”. I am learning this the hard way. As for the Church, she is the Bride of Christ and will never give up on sinners. The man you speak of who spoke out against the lifestyle he previous led is good news. Too bad he is not Catholic. Do not become discouraged, that is a trick from the serpent. Lets gladly carry our Cross with the intention of being Crucified with Our Lord. A priest would always say, “Might as well accept your sufferings in union with Christ. Your going to suffer anyway, why not suffer with Christ and make it meritorious.” Pray for us in the Diocese of Fresno as we are uncertain what lies ahead of us. And pray for Fr. Sotelo, he loves the old Mass and says it often. I fear how he now will be treated. Msgr. Belloumini and Fr. Baca were treated like dirt by our former Bishop and his collaborators because they loved the Old Latin Mass.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 1:42 AM By Traditional Angelo
Fr. Angel Sotelo, I am concerned! If Bishop Ochoa is as they say anti-Traditional Mass, what will become of your love for the “Usus Antiquior”. And what will become of other priests in our Fresno Diocese who say it or wish to say it. Are we perhaps headed for another dark or darker night. It cannot be denied that good priests in this Diocese have been treated bad to very badly. It is known that Msgr.Belloumini resigned from the Diocese of Fresno at one time because of shrewd attitudes from the Diocese towards the Tridentine Mass. Priests in our Fresno Diocese have actually left the priesthood in discouragment, others took sabbaticals just to get away, others resigned, others have been contemplating leaving the Diocese or the priesthood all together. What will happen to Fr. Persod and Msgr. Ruscitto? Fr. Sotelo I’m sure there are many of us concerned about the future of us Traditional Catholics in this Diocese. Things have been rotten in the past, are they slated to get even more rotten. Fr. Sotelo please be careful, but not at the expense of Truth.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 6:11 AM By k
Traditional Angelo, you are saying that priests quit because they could not say the TLM? Or was it something else? The military diocese has been begging for priests to help the soldiers. There are Catholics who don’t get to assist at Mass every Sunday because of lack of priests. Places like the diocese of Billings, Montana have less than 80 priests trying to cover more than 100 parishes and mission churches. Many parishes have only 1 priest to take care of thousands of parishioners. And your diocese has priests just quitting?

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 8:54 AM By Central Valley
Angel you are soooo correct.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 9:22 AM By Central Valley
Angel you are soooo correct.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 9:34 AM By Central Valley
I meant to post Trad Angelo is correct. Many of the Traditional faithful worry greatly about the new bishop. In Bakersfield the Mass has been moved to the middle of the afternoon. Much has changed as I suspected after the death of Msgr Belluomini. Time of the Mass changed and we get bounced to another parish for a youth Mass at St Francis. At St Francis your graces are measured by your check book. Hopefully the SSPX will soon be in full communion and the St Michaels chapel here we come.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 10:32 AM By Catherine
k, Yes, there are priests that have left orders and some who have been deliberately persecuted because of their attachment to the TLM. It is never just about the Mass. It is the whole ball of traditional wax that is not accepted or wanted. I just recently heard about some very excellent priests who were just about to leave because of the persecution towards them. They were being bullied by a Cardinal and these priests were very much loved and known for their faithfulness. They told the Cardinal that they were gong to leave if he was going to keep up the persecution. It is not just persecution about the TLM Mass either. Traditional Catholics often know the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church and it appears that some chanceries are very threatened by this and prefer watered down Catholicism.. Then Catholics are taught that you can vote for Obama. Catholics are taught that same sex marriage is an extension of social justice. Catholics are taught that you can use your own conscience about birth control and the list goes on. The priest shortage is no accident. Good candidates have been turned away for years. Nebraska does not have vocation shortage. Don’t bring up the size of Nebraska. Size has nothing to do with it. It is a lack of fidelity to *all* the Magisterial teachings that has everything to do with their being a 80 priests having to cover more than 100 parishes in Montana. Is there a FSSP parish in Montana? If there isn’t each bishop has the authority to invite as many as the area needs. The FSSP is ready, more than willing and more than able. There has been a strong push to remove the authority of the priest from parishes and give that authority to laypersons. k, Don’t question the priests who are persecuted or the priests who love the TLM. Ask yourself why the lead shepherds in the United States are not using the many traditional orders that could fulfill the needs of souls in each area.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 11:31 AM By Larry
“They told the Cardinal that they were gong to leave if he was going to keep up the persecution.” Leave what, Cahterine? Leave for where? What was the nature of the persecution?

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 12:09 PM By k
Catherine, Wow! I did not know that FSSP priests would go anywhere. That is as it should be, but very impressive. I’d like to know more about these persecutions. I have wondered if rather than it being the Mass itself, it was something that went along with it.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 12:34 PM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
Traditional Angelo: actually, the Steinbock years were relatively peaceful for the EF Mass, as he never discouraged me or any other priests. The conflict with Msgr. Belluomini, God rest his sainted soul, was in regards to how Catholic Charities should be run, and as regards to priests who have become discouraged, left, or were told to take time off, I cannot go into their personal details, which are delicate matters, but I will say that Steinbock begged his priests, practically in tears, never to abandon the altar and the sacraments. Whatever his faults were, God is my witness that he hated bitterly whenever any priest told him they no longer wanted to minister. Bishop Steinbock never, ever saw the priesthood as a job, but an unbreakable consecration to Christ and the Church for the sake of souls. He had to at times suspend and sanction priests for reasons he could never state but he loved priests with a father’s heart. His fault at times was perhaps letting priests get away with too much, but he didn’t like the “iron hand.” I still miss him very much.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 12:43 PM By Fr. Angel Sotelo
Central Valley: the Bakersfield situation is very difficult, since Father Ralph’s passing. The traditional Latin Mass community is still going, but needs a stable home with a stable priest, since its home at St. Francis has become crowded with so many other things, and Fr. Kris is in California City and Fr. David is in Taft. The problem isn’t so much with the bishop, but with a dwindling clergy who don’t know the EF and can’t take charge like Fr. Ralph. We need to find a priest who can go down there and remain for the duration. I believe the new bishop would be fine with that if one could be found.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 1:06 PM By k
Catherine, I am still very disturbed by this. How could God be pleased when priests quit? How could it be the will of God?

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 1:18 PM By Abeca Christian
Trad Angelo a friend of mine and myself we tried to challenge James Hartline to discover more truths in the Catholic church, in hopes that he would convert, after that he shunned us, it’s OK. He is still in my prayers. He use to invite us to go and challenge the city council in regards to their approval of gay pride parades and such, some went, I continued to reach out to homosexuals but didn’t go with him because I had friends who told me to not get involved in his ministry because he rejected Catholics but now I look back, I wish I would of never took their advice, I should of joined with him, maybe I wouldn’t have felt alone in that good fight, having help from more protestant friends, may have helped me than the lack of help I had from my own. I am a no body, didn’t have a huge support because I kinda kept my ministry to myself, reached only one person at a time, even through work etc. Oh well, can’t look back with regrets, I was just growing more in the traditional ways and many of the traditional friends I had advised me wrong by telling me to stay away from protestants. It was wrong. The protestants could of used some devout Catholics to give great witness of our faith. They were inviting and I was ignorant. There is power in numbers and fighting the good fight helps more when you can find more of like minded in family values, even if they are not Catholic. There is more to the story but I can’t go at it in detail here, last I heard was that James had aids, I don’t know what happened to him, but I often think of him and am grateful that he left the gay lifestyle and he tried to make good by God by reaching out to others to turn away from gay lifestyles and to spread the truth about those evils. He may have had many challenges and may have not gotten along with people because of his past traumas that caused anger issues in him, but he carried his cross and walked with Christ, as best as he knew how. I will pray continue to pray for your intentions.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 1:25 PM By Catherine
Larry, What do you mean leave for where? They would quit. It is very difficult to completely fly under the radar if your parish is growing and thriving and you are completely orthodox. These priests are obedient and have been obedient. These priests communicated that they wanted to teach exactly what the Church teaches, no more and specifically, no less. They do not water down the authentic faith. It is apparent that the conversation with the Cardinal had a good effect. They are still being the same faithful priests that they have been. Larry, Do you see it as a sign of disobedience if a priest lets a superior know that in good conscience he cannot disobey God by watering down the teachings of the Catholic Church? Well, this time it worked and I think that these priests are courageous. Larry, I have met many young people who say that they once considered entering the seminary but they would never ever enter because of a general view that a diocesan priest needs to either hide his orthodoxy or learn how to play consistently crushing dodge ball games with a chancery that is laden with heterodoxy.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 7:57 PM By Catherine
k, You are correct. “How could God be pleased if a priest quits.” Couldn’t you also ask this question? How could God be pleased if his chosen lead shepherds suppress and quash the authentic teachings of his Catholic Church? Why k, do you want to know about these persecutions? Are you researching for a solution or is it mere curiosity?

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 8:20 PM By k
abeca, James Hartline has an active ministry in San Diego and online.

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 8:44 PM By Charles in CenCA
I stand by and with Fr. Sotelo. This is hardly the time to make assessments and judgments from afar regarding the “state of the Church” based upon digital data culled from the internet, or even anecdotal testimony not under oath broadcast by “interested parties.” The one thing I see connecting the diverse threads of thought in this combox is that the Enemy, Satan is well a-foot, and each of us needs to appeal to the saving power and grace of God to avoid furthering division among us. This is not a plea for tolerance, or burying our heads in the sand. To the contrary, it is a plea that has already been aired here- recognize that Holy Orders have been imbued upon these two men discussed, and Fr. Sotelo and others mentioned. Do not risk advancing Satan’s agenda here or elsewhere by presuming to know more than he does about how this world “works.”

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 10:30 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Traditional Angelo, You might like to know that before he died, Bishop Stienbock made his peace with Fr. Baca and helped him get an assignment in the Yukon. Now, because of health reasons, he is back in the Fresno Diocese and I am afraid his Calvary will continue under Bishop Ochoa. Pray for them both! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Friday, February 03, 2012 10:37 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Traditional Angelo, I know and knew both Bishop Steinbock and Bishop Ochoa, believe me, Bishop Steinbock was far more traditional than is Ochoa. Bishop Steinbock’s problem was he lacked backbone to oppose the modernist. Bishop Ochoa is a modernist and he became such under Mahony. When he was involved in Cursillo, he was much more orthodox. God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 5:38 AM By Abeca Christian
In my earlier years, I also tried reaching out to fallen away Catholics and also tried to evangelize to non-Catholic Christians as well, still do when the opportunity arises. k I know, but I have not heard from him in a while. You are not telling something that I don’t know. He shunned us for trying to convert him. He didn’t receive our evangelization to share the truth about our faith, very well. Oh well, we can still pray for his conversion. He even asked me to write for his online ministry because he loved my love writing to Jesus, I turned that down too. I don’t know, maybe it was for the good. Now I have something greater, raising my kids. It’s harder as they get older, they need more guidance. God help us always!

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 5:45 AM By Abeca Christian
Folks the reason I brought up James Hartline was because when I knew him a while back, he had aids, I haven’t heard from him, also due to him shunning us for the reasons I stated, but I forgive him. I don’t know if he already had passed away, I have a friend, who use to volunteer as one of the main contacts in Concerned Women for America org and she knew him well, I just never bothered to ask her about him and if he was still with us. My prayers have always been with him and continue too. Salvation and reaching sanctifying grace should always be our main concern.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 6:50 AM By Larry
“Larry, Do you see it as a sign of disobedience if a priest lets a superior know that in good conscience he cannot disobey God by watering down the teachings of the Catholic Church?” No, I don’t–in fact I’ve strenuously advocated, right here on this website, exactly the course of action you’ve just described. I was simply asking you for a little more information–were they going to leave the Church or just the priesthood? What exactly was the nature of the cardinal’s offensive conduct?–that sort of thing. You answered those questions. I have one admonition–that cardinal’s conduct needs to be reported to the Holy See!

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 7:43 AM By Traditional Angelo
Central Valley, I have always looked forward to your Posts. I wish you would Post more often. “Summorum Pontificum” was very clear. Yet the Fresno Diocese done its own deliberate tampering with the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio. With the way things have gone on in the past with us Traditional Catholics and the availability of the Tridentine Mass I share your hope. I wish the SSPX would accept Rome’s terms for a solution. I am with you on once again attending St. Michaels Chapel in Bakersfield. I once frequented that SSPX Chapel. I found great peace and an increase of love for the Church there. If the SSPX accepted a solution we would be able to attend St. Michaels without the interference of the liberals who lead the Fresno Diocese.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 8:16 AM By Traditional Angelo
Fr. Angel Sotelo, I witnessed that Bishop Steinbock’s attitude towards the Tridentine Mass was favorable. At St Anne’s Chapel on the Chancery grounds, Bishop Steinbock through Karen Lamb was very exceptional when it came to the Old Mass. Karen Lamb with her untiring efforts obtained for us the Old Mass at St. Anne’s from Bishop Madera. Bishop Steinbock took it a step forward giving blanket permission for any priest who so desired to say the TLM for us. But then we were blocked from having Mass at the Chapel, on the grounds it was a private Chapel for every Diocesan group with the exception of Traditionalists. We were transfered to St. Agnes. In a Sermon Msgr. Harguendigy spoke of the Bishops plan to end the Tridentine Mass at St. Agnes, and that would be the end of it. Msgr. Harguendigy saved the Mass, telling the Bishop he would say the Mass for us himself and the Bishop acepted. Bishop Steinbock was very friendly to those who desired the TLM, it was his liberal collaborators who would not stop at sabatoging the TLM. It seems it is only now that I appreciate what Bishop Steinbock did for us. At the time we failed to recognize his Pastoral care for us Traditional Catholics. Thank You Bishop Steinbock, Requiescat In Pace!

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 9:01 AM By Traditional Angelo
Kenneth M. Fisher, I also fear that Fr. Baca and other like minded Priests and the Traditional laity will continue the Calvary we have been walking through. That Bishop Steinbock was Traditional, I strongly believe. You say he lacked backbone, that is what I meant by my opinion that Bishop Steinbock was a sort of puppet Bishop. The liberals seemed to impose their own agenda on him and he went along. The main problem in the Fresno Diocese has been that those in leadership both Clergy and Laity are in command and have been in command for decades. When this ends then this Diocese will be able to rebuild for the good of the Church and the salvation of souls.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 9:30 AM By Maryanne Leonard
Kenneth, I generally agree with you. However, your comment on Friday, February 3, at 10:37 pm saying Bishop Steinbock’s “problem was he lacked backbone to oppose the modernist” did sting. I really liked Bishop Steinbock personally and found him to be a warm, kind, loving, and compassionate man whose major “flaw,” as I saw it, was his loving care for others. He really believed in people, encouraged and loved them, cared for his flock and his priests, forgave people their sins, and mainly saw the good in others. Because of his good heart, he did suffer abuse and disrespect, and disobedience at the hands of others who exhibited evil, and I feel he showed too much patience in trying to guide them properly rather than saying he lacked backbone. Father Angel Sotelo, I agree with you, and I still miss him too. He gave so much loving guidance to his flock that he seemed like a gift from God to me. Once he was leading a procession outside the church when my long, white, flowing dress suddenly floated in the breeze all around me. Bishop Steinbock shouted out, “Oh look, there’s an angel!” causing everyone within earshot to laugh and laugh and fall in love with with this dear man’s tender heart all over again. Who could forget this wonderful bishop? So many of our CCD posters are quick to criticize bishops harshly, and sometimes for good reason, but please remember that our bishops are put into extremely difficult positions sometimes that would challenge any of us. A little human compassion and appreciation for their human shortcomings would seem very much in order while encouraging them to do their best in serving as guiding lights to their flocks.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 11:49 AM By JLS
To me human compassion is getting rid of bad priests and bishops and excommunicating anyone connected with abortion.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 12:01 PM By MIKE
Maryanne, our Bishops need to follow the examples set by St. Paul in the Bible from ACTS through his letter to PHILEMON. Satan is making great grounds through political leaders that many Bishops do not correct and do not have them make public reparation for their Scandals. We are at war with our culture of relativism and secularism; Catholics need to be taught and lead by a great Saints. We need strong leaders, not those who are afraid, or are merely nice guys. If we can encourage and support strong and faithful leaders – we will help do God’s will.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 12:08 PM By k
Catherine, no it is not curiosity that makes me ask. It is something that showed up in the Remnant articles by and about Father Rodriguez. Something disturbing. Self-will and self-love. You know how the devil can trick someone into thinking that what they want or enjoy is what God wants. You know how important forgetfulmess of self and distrust of self is to spiritual combat and correct discernment of God’s will. However, all things work togethere for the good of those who love God. (Romans 8:28) So we should trust Him in all things.

Posted Saturday, February 04, 2012 7:43 PM By Catherine
k, So, Father Michael Rodriguez is disturbing to you but Father Zampelli’s lesbian play *Stop Kiss* gets a free defense pass? Sorry k, You have once again placed yourself in the penalty zone for duplicitous posts. k, Who do you think you are fooling? I also find something else very disturbing. For a few years now, there have also been numerous articles that have, (as you say) “showed up,” not just in the Remnant k, but on CCD and they have exposed those who distort Church teaching and you are silent in posting insinuations that these individuals are being tricked by the devil with self will. It now appears that you are pretty much hell bent on discrediting Father Michael Rodriguez. WHY k? Why has Father Michael Rodriguez pricked your selective conscience to such a degree? Your post smells p-r-e-t-t-y fishy and if something smells real fishy, it usually is! I see you have all of the silent and patient compassion in the world for those who have wreaked havoc in our universities and parishes. I find it very difficult to believe that you are who you say you are. That being said, if you ever want to be taken seriously, you need to speak up each time when error is presented instead of honing in on a faithful priest who taught what the Church teaches about homosexuality. k, Did you know that the name of one of the playhouses that showed Stop Kiss, is called the “NO RULES PLAYHOUSE”. Should Catholic priests be promoting lesbian topic plays that will be welcomed and shown in something called the *NO RULES PLAYHOUSE*? How dare you talk about Father Rodriguez being tricked by the devil. You are the one who seems to be playing in the selective playhouse of selective complaints where there are no rules for anyone, that is unless they speak up about Church teaching on homosexuality. The devil is the master of the “NO RULES PLAYHOUSE” and he seems to be playing you like a fiddle. I do not accept your selective tunes.

Posted Sunday, February 05, 2012 11:46 AM By k
Catherine, I’ve never seen “Stop Kiss.”. and it doesn’t sound like anything I would see. My posts are not duplicitous because you like some and you don’t like others. If Father Hardon told you to correct error every time you see it, why don’t you do it? Everyone has self-will and self-love. Catherine, you need to take your own advice. Just because a priest “tickles your ears” doesn’t mean he is some saint.

Posted Sunday, February 05, 2012 9:11 PM By JLS
k, a few months ago you were talking up some play of the same sort of sordid content.

Posted Sunday, February 05, 2012 10:52 PM By Catherine
k says, “Just because a priest “tickles your ears” doesn’t mean he is a saint.” First of all, Father John Hardon S.J. was incapable of tickling ears. Secondly k, Please search the words. “A Saint in Our Midst,” Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Father John Hardon S.J. Now go above and read Luisa’s 11:25 AM post. This IS about homosexuality. Pope Benedict XVI says, “Homosexuality is incompatible with the priesthood.” On Feb. 8, 2011, 9:36 topic , Will He Present Church Teaching. you wrote, “I see nothing in Father Zampelli’s comments that say homosexuality should be celebrated. The comments were made at a time before the Vatican released the guidelines on homosexual persons and there was a lot of tension and speculation on what would be decided. His comments are no where near as inappropriate or outrageous taken in context.” k, You also criticized CCD for not researching the article before they printed it and then you accused people of sins of the tongue. Why were you so concerned about those Vatican documents and defending Father Zampelli? Who has tickled you ears? While on one hand you defend the indefensible error taught by another priest, then you use your self willed tongue to discredit a very faithful priest who only taught what the Church teaches regarding homosexuality. This is what I mean about your duplicitous double standards. Luisa is correct. This IS really all about homosexuality. The Holy Father is certainly not tickling our ears when he wrote these words, “Homosexuality is incompatible with the priesthood.” May God bless and protect Father Rodriguez who faithfully continues to demonstrate just *how difficult* it is to teach the truth within our own Church. This is why the Holy Father wrote those words. k, Your accusations of the devil tricking Father Rodriguez while give Father Zampelli a pass, have helped to demonstrate why this problem still exists. You are showing how it is still a “NO RULES PLAYHOUSE” for the disobedient.

Posted Monday, February 06, 2012 11:33 AM By k
Catherine, I support all teachings of the Church on homosexuality, homosexual acts, homosexual marriage. All of it. Remember when you jumped me for posting the CCC teaching on homosexuality? This is not about homosexuality. That is just where you go when you disagree with something I posted.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:02 AM By Catherine
k, Nice try a a distraction. If you support all Church teaching on homosexuality then publicly praise Father Rodriguez for supporting them and most importantly for publicly upholding them too. Pull away all other issues like you did for Father Zampelli when you defended him. You see k, it is one thing to *say* you support the teachings regarding homosexuality. It is quite another thing to publicly uphold them or publicly enforce them like Father Rodriguez has done. One of Ken Fisher’s best posts said, “The best way to water down Church teaching is to *say* you believe in these teachings but *never* publicly teach it or *never* publicly enforce it. SEVERAL other posters have seen this kind of pattern in your posts so I am not alone in the assessment of your imbalance of fairness or kindness. If you can publicly defend Father Zampelli who promotes a lesbian play to Catholic students at a University then you should really be able to publicly praise the good work that Father Rodriguez has done in teaching what the Church teaches about homosexuality. Let us hear you publicly praise and support Father Rodriguez for the work he has done to uphold Church teaching on homosexuality. So far k, Father Rodriguez is walking the walk while you attempt to discredit him. Meanwhile you comfortably and safely just talk the talk. Once again, Lets us all hear you post praise and support for Father Michael Rodriguez’s faithful upholding of Church teaching on homosexuality.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 2:48 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Larry, 6:50 AM, “-that cardinal’s conduct needs to be reported to the Holy See!”. Been there, done that in person with ALL the Dicasteries, no results! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 2:53 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Larry, 6:50 AM, “-that cardinal’s conduct needs to be reported to the Holy See!”. Been there, done that in person with ALL the Dicasteries, no results! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 2:58 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Maryanne Leonard, 9:30 AM, Considering what is happening to Fr. Rodriguez, If I revealed how I know this, I would be putting a priest’s head on the chopping block. Bishop Steinbock told another Bishop that he could not support an orthodox priest because of the liberals in his Diocese! I know several orthodox priest in that Diocese! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 4:06 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Things have come to a very sad state of affairs, haven’t they, Kenneth? I understand that and am heartsick about all that I see throughout the Church. Unless people have been around a while, they really have no way of knowing how much ground we have lost. I truly am hopeful though that because we have a wonderful Pope and now Archbishop Dolan here in the United States, the bishops will begin to exhibit more and more of the behavior we would have expected of them all once upon a time. The Church is still wonderful, of course, and its purpose is the highest on earth, but there are so many weeds to pull in our beautiful garden, are there not?

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 4:30 PM By JLS
The idea of the Church may have “lost ground”, but the actual Church is no different from how it has ever been … faithful people.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 5:09 PM By k
Catherine, Father Rodriguez did not get in trouble for the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. He got in trouble for involving himself in a recall election from some politicians and for money laundering, collecting funds without authorization, and taking the money collected and putting it in a Certificate of Depost in his own name. In a parish that he himself calls poor, who he states the weekly collections were $1000, he managed to collect at least a quarter of a million dollars and put it in a CD in his name with his mother as beneficiary. This is not about homosexuality.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 5:12 PM By Traditional Angelo
Kenneth M. Fisher, Your Post of February 07, 2012 2:53 PM. What you said is what many of us in the Fresno Diocese knew. I had compassion for Bishop Steinbock when he was alive because of the liberal-nazis. After what you have posted of what Bishop Steinbock said, The compassion I have for him now is almost unbearable. I wish we could have defended him in life, but we were too busy blaming him, even though we knew the liberals were the ones who run the Diocese. There is no exucuse for us. May God in his Mercy forgive us. Bishop Steinbock, I’m sorry! Requiescat in Pace!

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 5:42 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Maryanne Leonard, 4:06 PM, Yes, and we need more gardeners, including priests, religious and laity, who are willing to be crucified for Him and His Mother! God bless, yours in Their Hearts, Kenneth M. Fisher

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 7:47 PM By k
Catherine, I publicly support Father Rodriguez and any priest, any Catholic, any person who teaches or upholds the teaching of the Catholic Church on homosexuality or on any other matter of faith or morals.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 8:24 PM By k
Catherine, I re-read my posts on “Will he present Church teaching?” Feb 3, 2011. It is sinful how you have distorted my posts into “defending an indefensible error” and “publicly defend Father Zampelli who promotes a lesbian play to Catholic students at a University.” Father Rodriguez said “Although the church gives no definitive answer as to the cause of homosexuality, she does teach that it is objectively disordered. It follows logically, then, that someone’s sin (even society’s sin) plays a primary role in giving rise to the homosexual disorder e.g. dysfunctional parent-child relations, divorce, absent father and sexual abuse.” Since Father Hardon commissioned you to correct every error, I am sure you will want to post the accurate church teachings.

Posted Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:35 PM By Abeca Christian
I pray that Jesus carries us to the top of the universe. In His arms I long to be. Safe at last safe at last.

Posted Wednesday, February 08, 2012 12:56 PM By Traditional Angelo
Abeca Christian, God granted me the same consolation. What does all the drudgery of this world matter when we remember the Crown promised to us from God in the end of it all. Lets continue forward with our Cross carried firmly. And keep our eyes fixed on heaven.

Posted Wednesday, February 08, 2012 11:11 PM By Abeca Christian
Traditional Angelo thank you great advice. I agree. Trad if you get a chance to rent or buy the Movie titled “Saint Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven”. I loved that movie, that I watched it twice in the same week. The story of the saints do encourage us and inspire us. Praise Jesus for these great gifts in the saints!

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 7:58 AM By dismas
As I read through some of these comments, I note the amount of rash judgment that is going on here. There are some of us very close to this situation who have tried to make the truth available to any who will listen. Yet I still read that money was “laundered” and misused. And I read that parishoners are suing the bishop to “get even.” There is no value in these conversations as they are completely disassociated from reality.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 8:57 AM By Catherine
k, “Since Father Hardon commissioned you to correct every error, I am sure you will want to post the accurate teachings.” Once again k, you are digging a deeper hole by showing such terrible disrespect for a very well known and holy priest who is deceased. You don’t have a limit do you? It does not matter if the holy faithful priest is living or if the holy faithful priest is deceased. I also remember Father John Hardon lovingly warning us of how extremely vindictive the enemies of the truth can be. Father Michael Rodriguez has also experienced this kind of vindictiveness for teaching what the Catholic Church teaches. This is why Pope Benedict XVI wrote that homosexuality is incompatible with the priesthood.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 11:09 AM By k
dismas, I am sorry that my phrase “money laundering” disturbed you. It may not be the right phrase to use. I was referring to the checks that Father Rodriguez wrote to the two insurance companies (I think from the Saint Vincent de Paul account) and then they wrote him back a check for the same amount. I do not know the reason he did this-he may have had a good reason, although I can’t think of one. I understand that the parishioners are not trying to get even. They gave their money for a certain thing to a certain person, and if it is not going to be used for that, they want it back. Please bring me back to reality. I got involved in a conversation with another poster who was getting nasty and lying about me and Father Rodriguez may have gotten swept along in the undertow.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 12:29 PM By Catherine
Stop blaming your disrespectful and discrediting posts about Father Michel Rodriguez on anyone but yourself. Yours is not a simple case of being swept along. The devil is the greatest master of pulling people down in the undertow. The devil attacks faithful and holy priests the most. Others have also noticed that you love to join in.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 1:38 PM By dismas
I would ask – where is all of this information coming from? There are those of us directly involved in this matter and we have attempted to provide first-hand information. You have heard from priests who visited San Juan and have first-hand knowledge. Things I have read or heard from popular news sources bear little resemblance to truth. If people are making decisions based on these sources of information it is impossible to have it right. Why bother? What results is a huge fiction. Faithful priest. Bishop exiles him for speaking plain, elementary Catholic truth. Bishop gets transferred. Bishop ignores Faithful’s pleas to resolve the financial issue amicably and jumps right to suing the priest in civil court and responding to his flock via his lawyer. The Faithful had no recourse other than to follow the path chosen by the Bishop for resolution. They did so reluctantly, but with determination.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 1:59 PM By k
Catherine, you are the one who said that Father Hardon told you to correct every error.. I am not being disrespectful to Father Hardon, although I was disrespectful to you. I apologize for that. I was mad because you were distorting my posts on the thread I mentioned-cherrypicking sentences to make it appear that I defend homosexuality in a way that I did not and do not. But I also notice that you rarely correct errors here. You did not correct the error in the quote from Father Rodriguez. You just launched into another tirade against me, trying to make it look like I did something I did not do. If you find the book or an article where Pope Benedict said that homosexuality is incompatible with the priesthood, you will find also what he says about why people are homosexuals. You could use the CCC. You could use documents from the Vatican. You could use Father Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary. You are insinuating that I am an enemy of the Truth, which is another lie. Corrrecting error is not attacking people who say something you disagree with. it is teaching the Truth.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 6:32 PM By k
dismas, the information comes from the lawsuit that is posted online. One of the TV stations in El Paso posted it. However this situation began and however it ends, it is important for the Church and the faithful. I support you in your lawsuit. I have nothing against Father Rodriguez but he seems like a young idealistic priest who is somewhat confused about why he is in trouble. No doubt all this came as a shock and trauma to him. These kind of things can take years for someone to sort out. I am glad he is in a situation now where he can say the form of the Roman Rite that he prefers. I hope he is praying his Rosary, reading his Bible, adoring the Blessed Sacrament and praying the Divine Office. I hope Bishop Ochoa is also doing these things. These are the things that Pope Benedict said lead one to holiness. We should do them also. God bless you.

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 7:23 PM By JLS
dismas, how is it you can judge how well others can absorb and analyze information that you admit boggles your mind? If you are not up to it, then why criticize those who are capable of it?

Posted Thursday, February 09, 2012 10:13 PM By k
Catherine, I do not know whether the devil is attacking Father Rodriguez in this manner. His attack may have been to tempt him into the financial things that would get him in trouble. The devil attacks all priests and bishops. He always has. He attacks us, too. Father Hardon has written about how the devil works. You can find it online.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 7:04 AM By dismas
Dear k: It is my impression that you are of good-will and supportive of Catholic Truth, a quality you share with Father Rodriguez. You do demonstrate that you have a view of certain things which would be markedly different if you were directly involved. If these words help clear things up, so much the better. Neither Father Rodriguez nor anyone else directly involved is confused about what is going on here. Father Rodriguez is idealistic in the exact same manner as were the very Saints we revere who gave their lives for Holy Mother Church. What happened had to happen. There was some trauma to all of us which quickly passed. There was shock only to those who did not understand the nature of the heresy gripping the Church. Modernism is not a quirk, it is a terribly destructive heresy. Modernism is not simply a different expression of Catholicism any more than protestantism or montanism would be. Modernism is not Catholicism. It is a different religion and a false one at that. What we have is a priest persecuted for courageously defending Catholic Truth. The lawsuit is simply one means of carrying out that persecution. You can be very sure that Father Rodriguez is doing all of those things you say you hope he is doing. My single effort here has been to warn people that they are objectively demonstrating a misunderstanding of the situation as a result of relying on poor and inaccurate information. This is all very unpleasant, but it is not complicated or confusing. Memento mei Domine dum veneris in regnum tuum.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 7:40 AM By Catherine
dismas, It is my impression that *you dismas* are of good will. It is also my impression that you are either trying to be wise as Solomon in trying to reach out to a soul OR that you are being very naive in recognizing many patterns of disguised deception.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 8:17 AM By dismas
Well, Catherine, it is almost certain that I cannot know what is really going on with any person on this blog since, with the exception of the priests who have posted and who are familiar with the situation, I know no one. It is very analagous to persons who engage in speculation regarding what is really going on in El Paso. We who are here know what is going on and we are only trying to alert folks for their own benefit. Speculation is unnecessary. The whole lawsuit is a sideshow and a diversion, although we take it quite seriously. The real issue is not at all difficult to understand. Father Rodriguez, like Father Hardon or any of the other all-too-rare priests who are faithful to the Church regardless of what they must suffer, is being attacked by enemies of the Church for the very reason that he is faithful, and publicly so. There is no reason to speculate about things. I take note of the fact that you do seem to understand all of this. My only reason for posting was to hopefully lead folks away from speculation, which in the form it appears here, is demonstrably not reflective of the situation. But I do think I am pretty much done. I draw no conclusions about any person because I cannot know and because I need not do so. AMDG.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 9:07 AM By Abeca Christian
dismas if you do not know, then how can you draw an impression and vocalize it. You could be drawing an incorrect one and doing a disservice, that is if you don’t know. Then silence is a good tool, no pun intended, I am trying to follow that example as well.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 10:20 AM By Catherine
dismas, Thank you for your kind response. We have had priests come on this site and publicly testify that Father Rodriguez is good.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 11:02 AM By k
dismas thank you for your answer and for your other grace-filled post. You are correct in your wisdom.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 11:13 AM By k
dismas, also, since you know Fathr Rodriguez, on another site where this story was discussed, an FSSP priest invited Father Rodriguez to join their order. If he only wants to pray the EF that might be something to consider. I have read that there is an SSPX chapel close to San Juan Bautista, but I think the FSSP are in union with Rome while SSPX are not. I sent you the prayer against persecutors in Latin at the end of my last post but CCD didn’t post it. I’m sure you probably have already been praying it.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 1:03 PM By Catherine
I am sure many would be absolutely delighted to have all priests like Father Rodriguez leave their diocese. Then kumbaya lyrics will reign in each parish.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 4:02 PM By k
Catherine, you really had me fooled. I can’t believe you would even suggest that traditional priests should be run off and liturgical abuse should reign. Wow!

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 6:16 PM By Catherine
k, Why would you want CCD to print the Latin prayer against persecutors when it is your posts that have been persecuting Father Michael Rodriguez? You wrote at 11:13 AM to the poster named dismas who is familiar with what has happened in Texas and who has been defending Father Rodriguez, these words. “I sent you the prayer against persecutors in Latin at the end of my last post but CCD didn’t post it. I’m sure you have already been praying it.” On Feb. 01, 11:12 AM you wrote on this same thread this persecuting comment about Father Michael Rodriguez, “he seems to be so taken with the EF that he has forgotten the infinite merits of each and every Mass. Very disturbing writing. He says he is being obedient to the bishop while he is trashing him all over the internet.” k, Why you are persecuting and mocking Father Rodriguez for his attachment to the EF. and then telling another Catholic poster who is also attached to the EF. “I tried to send you a prayer against persecutors in Latin in my last post but CCD didn’t post it. I’m sure you have already been praying it.” Once again, why would you persecute Father Rodriguez then ask CCD to print the Latin prayer against persecutors? This is a taunting and a mocking. The black mass also mocks God using latin phrases. The main objective is profanation of the host. When you mock a faithful holy priest simply because of the priest’s love of the EF, you are also mocking Christ. The devil is making devastating inroads within the Church and in society by using homosexuality to mock God’s Natural Law. When a faithful priest upholds the Church’s teaching on the topic of homosexuality, he will be viciously attacked. That attack is coming directly from you.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 6:37 PM By k
Catherine, your game won’t work.

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 6:46 PM By Catherine
Thank you CCD editors!

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 10:43 PM By Abeca Christian
God bless Father Rodriguez and God bless Catherine for defending such a good priest! May our Lord bless us with more good priests like Father Rodriguez, many more! His goodness will flourish, even when the evil one keeps attacking, God still reigns!

Posted Friday, February 10, 2012 10:48 PM By Abeca Christian
k is that all you come up in the name of dialogue with falsely stating that Catherine is playing a game? No she is not! Dialogue with clarity but stop acting like a victim. If you can’t stand the heat, then stop dialoguing with those you can not dialogue reasonably. That is my suggestion. Catherine is not playing here, she is serious!

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 10:38 AM By Catherine
Abeca Christian, Thank you for supporting Father Michael Rodriguez. Can we even begin to imagine the battle that our very faithful priests are facing when they uphold *all* of what the Catholic Church teaches in the Catechism? A poster can tell others off the cuff that they accept Church teaching but when you read their own written words that taunt and mock a faithful priest, it’s a red flag. When they mock and taunt the priest by criticizing the priest’s “love for the traditional Mass*, calling it “very disturbing writing ” their own hidden agenda then speaks much louder than all of their other faithful sounding words. May God bless Father Michael Rodriguez and all priests who courageously uphold all of the teachings in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These faithful priests understand John 15:20 – “Remember my word that I say to you: The servant is not greater than the master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also.”

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:07 PM By k
abeca and Catherine, I never mocked or persecuted Father Rodriguez. I will not talk about him anymore. It is not fair to him to get caught up in this latest episode of Catherine’s. I understand that certain words or phrases trigger these things.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:45 PM By JLS
k, Catherine is coherent, consistent, steady, clear, informed, balanced, factual and logical.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:50 PM By JLS
Dismas, “speculation”, as related to what the Church teaches against, is not the same as evaluation, discernment, analysis, discussion. This thread is not speculating on spiritual mysteries, but discussing the news concerning a priest, a diocese and its community, and a bishop. This is necessary and is called for by Jesus … you might want to look into the Church teachings sufficiently to find where.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:50 PM By Catherine
k, says, “I never mocked or persecuted Father Rodriguez” Yes, you certainly did k, and if exposing your taunts makes you stop persecuting Father Michael Rodriguez, then that will be a good thing.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 2:43 PM By k
Catherine, I have rebuked you before and you have never apologized. You are showing obstinacy in your sins. You pretend to have knowledge that you do not have. You do not know Father Rodriguez and you do not know why he took that money. For you to say that he is being persecuted for speaking the Catholic Truth is a lie. You would not correct his error and write the authentic Catholic Truth when I asked you to. Most of the people who promote the theory that the Catholic Church persecutes people for being Catholic are making their money from traditional Catholics. Are you one of them? So you own or are you employed by one of them?

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:10 PM By Catherine
JLS, Thank you!

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:25 PM By k
Catherine, what was disturbing in the articles was not Father Rodriguez love for the traditional Mass. You take words and stick them together to make it seem as if I said something that I did not say. It is dishonest and sinful.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:45 PM By Abeca Christian
k you do not know Father as well, why did you say “You do not know Father Rodriguez and you do not know why he took that money.”. What evidence do you have that says he took it? Sounds like you have made a harsh judgement against him already. The fact is he is a good priest, the rest of accusations are still under investigation, for you to overlook his work on accounts of what K? I don’t trust that you will be honest here. k Catherine is right about you, your last post demonstrated that. You have already judged this good priest! Now don’t ask me to prove it, because it’s too much work. You figure it out. k stop before you dig yourself deeper. Catherine my advice to you is to keep away from from k, she goes back and forth and sometimes acts like a friend and then somewhat of a foe.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:52 PM By Catherine
I:07PM… “I will not talk about him anymore.” …2:43 PM Talking about Father Rodriguez again. Obstinacy in sin? It didn’t take long. Only 1 hour an 36 minutes. Keep your word. Please stick with your original statement.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 4:18 PM By k
abeca, the article above is about how the parishioners that gave Father Rodriguez the money are suing the diocese to get it back. That is the evidence that he took it, along with every one of the parishioners who have gotten on the web and commented “I gave the money to Father Rodriguez and not to the parish and not to the diocese.” This is not under investigation. Father Rodriguez turned the money over to the diocese. The lawsuit against Father Rodriguez is about the money that they cannot account for. The issue of whether he is a good priest is not even relevant. Catherine is saying that Father Rodriguez is being persecuted for teaching Catholic Truth. Bunk! He was disciplined for doing things that no priest is allowed to do. What do you think Bishop Bruskewitz or Cardinal Burke would do to a priest who did these things? They would discipline him. Cardinal Burke had to deal with the issue of a group of parishioners who decided that the parish was theirs and did not have to obey the diocese or him. Those parishioners were put under interdict. All of Cardinal Burke’s priest obeyed him. Another priest from different diocese came to say Mass for them against his bishops orders. He has been excommunicated. They still continue to have Mass and take communion because “It’s their Church.”

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 4:46 PM By k
Catherine, it’s a little hard not to talk about him when he is the subject of the conversation. I had to talk about him with abeca because she did not understand the situation. But I guess it’s a news story. Like JLS said “It is necessary and called for by Jesus.”

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 5:21 PM By JLS
k, go to your room, and do not bang on the wall, and keep your stereo down. You’re grounded for two hours.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 5:43 PM By k
JLS, I don’t have to clean the room, do I?

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 7:18 PM By JLS
k, so you admit your room needs to be cleaned! If I might make a suggestion, first put away the roller coaster. Next remove the dvd of Harpo Marx’s greatest scenes. Third, turn on your computer and tune into CCD.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 8:08 PM By k
JLS, we had a priest who changed the Mass. When I complained about him removing the Creed from the Mass, I was told by one woman, “If Father removes it, then it must be optional.” This is the level of trust that people have in priests. People form images in their minds and they have a hard time when information is contrary to their image. It is called cognitive dissonance and it can be very unsettling to some people. Different people incorporate new information at different rates. Some people become antagonistic to those who provide them with the information that they cannot process. Certain people have trigger words or phrases that as soom as they hear or read them will trigger episodes of dissonance and they launch into a tirade against whoever or whatever it is. Trigger words that occur here frequently are: homosexuality, abortion, USCCB, Novus Ordo, Saul Alinsky. When a high degree of emotion accompanies the cognition, it is volatile. It happens everyday on CCD-probably on most other websites, too. I am going to stay out of things. I have learned that while everyone holds the Catholic Faith here, not everyone has the same beliefs about everything and they are tenacious about fighting for their other beliefs. I don’t come here to fight.

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 8:15 PM By barb
a few things to consider about this “holy priest” who his parishoniers say is headed for sainthood…. why did Fr.Rodriguez have parishoners write check to him personally? why did he have CD’s in his own personal name and his mother a beneficiary? gave family members large amounts of cash! has anyone asked about his personal trips each year to run marathons…no saint I have ever heard of ran in 4-5 marathons a year…where in the world does a parish administrator have the money to take trips like this? and not just a short drive away, how about Brazil, Alaska and Germany? with family members in tow. there are rules about obedience to the church and Rome, why be a diocesan priest if you have no intention of being obedient to the diocese? come on let’s be real!! read the lawsuit (public record) carefully and find out why the suit was filed! Fr. Rodriguez would not turn over any information to the dioese..why wouldn’t he if is there was nothing to hide?? why use a ruse of St Vincent de Paul because he knew it would not get audited thru the diocese. I’m so tired of people painting this man who has only one agenda….himself and the homosexual issue..what about marriage, abortion, caring for the hungry,poor and sick??….as a saint…he is a fallen Priest and we must pray for him!

Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 8:26 PM By JLS
k, upon deep reflection especially over my request that you put away your roller coaster … well, I have to admit that I noticed a roller coaster in my workshop. For example, last evening I was youtubing various versions of “jump style shuffling”; whereas, tonight I’ve rounded the rail to the various youtube sites of holy music from actual monasteries and whatever the places are called where the nuns live. I don’t know at this point whether I’ll spring back to the shuffle before the night is over … maybe. I’d call this a roller coaster. It’s a very strange roller coaster at times. Recently I rounded a curve and ran right through a cat fight, and right after that found the car to be climbing slowly through a gaggle of cackling hens. But then it crested and is running fast straight away down yet with one heck of a curve coming up in the distance. People in the other cars are screaming … hopefully not over anything I’ve posted.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 12:01 AM By Abeca Christian
k thinks me ignorant. That is fine, people thought Saint Thomas was a dumb ox. Little did they know, I am not like Saint Thomas at all, but I trust in the Holy Ghost to help me discern. I know spiritual warfare very well. Better that k thinks me ignorant, as long as the Lord thinks better of me and lifts me up to His daily love and graces, that is far more greater for me!

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 3:07 AM By Traditional Angelo
I admire the faithfulness to the Catholic faith by Catherine. But I believe that Catherine has committed a major blunder against k. k merely asked a question, I don’t believe she was attacking anyone. From these posts I’ve learned that Fr. Rodriguez committed some financial blunders, which I believe were innocent mistakes on his part, mistakes nevertheless. He spoke out against Homosexuality, his Bishop was angered, Fr Rodriguez says the TLM. I have no doubt that the Bishops civil lawsuit was an act of double revenge. Not worthy of a Catholic much less a Bishop. Okay now shoot me!

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 8:29 AM By JLS
People were handing money to Fr Rodriquez for local purposes, and did not want it going to the diocese. How else was Fr R to store this money? Notice that the money in question was returned? How could that have been done if it had been misappropriated? As for Fr. R running marathons … wow what a breath of fresh air as opposed to so many priests who follow the book “Imitation of a Potato”. How is a potato going to go into all corners of the world and preach and teach the Gospel? Yet Fr Rodriquez manages to reach out and run next to someone in a corner of the world not often populated by clergy.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 8:32 AM By JLS
Angelo, what is the source of your angst over criticism of bishops? Is there a legitimate reason that laity have to keep their mouths shut when they suspect bad behavior from bishops or popes?

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 8:41 AM By JLS
barb, you’re claiming the case is a certain way based on your reading of the court case. Evidently you were absent that day in grammar school when the lesson was on critical thinking. I ran into numerous university kids when I went to college, and many of the Catholic school trained kids had a zero knowledge or understanding of thinking things out rationally. Imagine finding a court case where the party in question was not painted like a schmuck! I hope most readers will realize the absurdity of barb’s position. In other words, how can a case be brought to court if the defendant is not made to look bad? Also, hasn’t barb read all the other material bearing on the situation? What is barb’s stake in this issue? Could she prefer bishops who like to bully whomever they can? The mentality displayed by barb in her post reflects some deep issues … not so uncommon today in the world of scandal. The priest attacked the most extreme evil of sodomy and the Bishop attacked the priest over it. That is clear. The money issue is also fairly clear in that it has not been found missing … and that donors have now sued the Bishop for absconding with their donations … so, barb, have you read the court case against the Bishop?

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 9:03 AM By Catherine
Abeca, Your 12:01 AM post is a very good reflection!

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 10:15 AM By Catherine
Traditional Angelo, You write, “I admire the faithfulness to the Catholic faith by Catherine. But I believe that Catherine has committed a “major blunder” against k. k, merely asked a question.” TA in order to truthfully evaluate your last statement we must revisit some past posts of yours. Will you publicly admit that you took the name “Traditional” Angelo because I once challenged you? Did I also once challenge you for treating Abeca unfairly? Yes you did treat Abeca cruelly and unfairly without just cause and you later did apologize to Abeca. It is right that we should all challenge each other. No one is above being asked to explain or defend why they believe in something. That being said, I would like to address something that ties into this thread. Homosexuality. TA, Did you once write that Mark from PA was one of the wisest posters on CCD? This will take honesty on your part but it will explain your interesting choice of the words *major blunder* after just announcing that you admire me. You never clarified why you posted that Mark fromPA was the wisest. Mark has been the most prolific dodge ball player in CCD’s history. That was a red flag when you slipped in a post commending Mark from PA that cannot be dismissed as easily if we are interested in the truth. Abeca is correct. This IS spiritual warfare. TA, Go back and reread k’s posts, that is, if you need to. k is not asking questions, she is criticizing Father Rodriguez love for the EF, that has nothing to do with the money issue. Now for the money issue. A priest already posted on this website that this is why priests have to be squeaky clean in handling all aspects of parish life. I agree with that priest’s statement. This is how a faithful Catholic should address the money issue. k, is doing something quite different. No TA, the “MAJOR BLUNDER” was when you posted that Mark from PA was one the wisest posters on CCD. I do admire your ability to be creative though! Yes, this is spiritual warfare.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 2:02 PM By Barb
excuse me …JLS…have you read the case filed from the Bishop to Father Michael Rodriguez? Cash gifts to family members, CD’s in his personal name, using a defunct Vincent de Paul account to stashmoney away? Just an FYI, the money was returned because he got caught, not because he had a light bulb moment and knew that what he was doing was wrong. There is is still more money that is not accounted for! This is just the tip of the iceberg because he hasn’t turned over the records yet…thus the lawsuit….. let’s talk after the whole truth is out about what was happening in his parish in El Paso. The people involved of course have a right to have their money returned, no question about that, because it was not used the way they had intended. I have no personal stake in this issue..I only see that this has weakened our Catholic church again with lies and not being truthful to the faithful.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 4:57 PM By k
I never criticized Father rodriguez’ love for the EF. Catherine, when I wrote that he seemed to have forgotten that infinite value of every Mass, I assumed that you had read the interview in The Remnant. I guess you haven’t. He said he might be “forced” to say the OF. Also, I thought your post of February 1 9:11 AM was about those articles in the Remnant.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 6:05 PM By Traditional Angelo
Catherine, I posted what I did, not to offend you but in justice. I read and reread all the posts. I have known k to ask sincere questions because she is sincerely interested in the answers. She asked a simple question and you demonized her. As for changing my user name from Angelo to Traditional Angelo it was because TheTruthHurts called me that in addressing one of my posts, and I liked it, so I kept it. As for Abeca Christian I did in fact make a blunder and I apoligized to her. She accepted my apoligy. She is now one of the posters I respect the most. As for MarkfromPA, I did in fact praise much of what he said, because on alot of issues he made perfect sense.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 6:25 PM By JLS
barb, the money was not “returned” since it had never been “there” in the first place. It did not get spent, did it? The bishop is being sued also. It is not a counter suit, but a suit to return the money he yanked fraudulently from the accounts of several donors. When people steal money, barb, they spend it. It was not spent. It was stored or informally banked. None was missing, which demonstrates that each holder of that money was honest. The bishop resorted to the secular court because he had no handle through the Church. He will lose in secular court. Not only that, but he has now exposed himself to the media which will begin to jump on the sodomite advocacy of his rule. His move to Fresno may have been made to put him into an episcopal group that is better able to protect him and other leftwing bishops.

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 7:51 PM By Catherine
Traditional Angelo, Do not worry about offending me. We should only worry about offending God. Since you did bring up the word justice please answer these questions. You wrote, “I did in fact praise much of what he (Mark fromPA) said, because on alot of issues he made perfect sense.” I find that response very troubling because it makes no sense. TA, So you are saying the word issues as in plural issues? Mark from PA voted for Barack Obama yet he calls himself pro-life. Mark from PA also praised different clergy members who strayed from Church teaching on homosexuality when CCD published stories that exposed the error. Mark from Pa has dodged questions on numerous occasions when he posts comments that are contrary to Church teaching on homosexuality. Many posters tried to have Mark clarify what he said. When Mark would not clarify, many clarified the (issues) teachings to Mark. MarkfromPA has consistently dodged every substantial question regarding homosexuality or sanctioned many errors by telling others that some rogue priest let him know that this is acceptable. Now YOU are letting everyone know that Mark makes perfect sense on many issues. Wow! That is breaking news TA! Which one of these issues (plural) or SPECIFICALLY which issues (plural) do you think demonstrates that Mark makes perfect sense? Do you think it made perfect Catholic sense to vote for Obama with Obama’s previous track record on promoting abortion? Mark said he thought Obama would lessen the amount of abortion even though Obama supported the murdering of babies that survived abortion. Does that make perfect sense to you still TA? Do you also agree with Mark on homosexual issues that he has posted about? Now TA an issue is an issue. What issues (plural) are you referring to where Mark from PA makes perfect sense? Remember TA, I am TTH and I did call you that honorable title so please honor us a response. Which issues? (plural) For the record TA am talking about specific important issues.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 4:36 AM By MRamirez
This post in largely in response to barb. I am a former parishioner of San Juan Bautista in El Paso, Texas, and I know Fr. Rodríguez well. Do you know Fr. Rodríguez personally? Do you realize how much he sacrificed for San Juan Bautista Church? Do you realize how much he is admired and loved throughout El Paso by faithful Catholics? I doubt you can find a priest of the spiritual caliber of Fr. Rodríguez. I doubt you can find a priest who is more honest and hard working than Fr. Rodríguez. I doubt you can find a priest who is a better steward of parish money than Fr. Rodríguez. JLS, another poster on CCD, was very astute when he wrote, “Imagine finding a court case where the party in question was not painted like a schmuck!” I can assure you that there are many “facts” which are deliberately misrepresented and misinterpreted in the bishop’s lawsuit. There are also many lies in that lawsuit. For example, Fr. Rodríguez never gave “cash donations” to any relatives. That’s hogwash. Why would the bishop’s lawsuit be untruthful, you might ask? Hello! Do you think Cardinal Mahony’s testimony in court was truthful? In case you are not familiar with the local hierarchy here in El Paso, it is corrupt! Do you really expect a corrupt hierarchy to be “truthful” against the one priest who is exposing their corruption? Bishop Ochoa did not follow Canon Law. The only alternative he had left at his disposal to attack Fr. Rodríguez was a “smear” campaign by filing a bogus lawsuit. Readers of CCD, this whole “San Juan Bautista affair” has nothing to do with finances. It is actually a tiny example of the fierce spiritual battle that is being waged within the Catholic Church. This “San Juan Bautista affair” is really a battle over authentic Catholicism where, in El Paso, you have one holy priest going up against a largely corrupt hierarchy. The odds are stacked terribly against Fr. Rodríguez. barb, when you find a priest who is as faithful to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church as Fr. Rodríguez of El Paso, TX, please let me know. Very credible sources confirm that (1) all parish financial records were turned over to the diocese back in September 2011, and (2

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 6:25 AM By MRamirez
Continuing my 4:36 a.m. post. (2) all parish monies were turned over to the diocese and parish back in September 2011. Furthermore, Fr. Rodríguez did not return money because he got “caught.” We, the donors, trust Fr. Rodríguez 100%. All monies for a specific project in favor of true Catholicism were tucked away safe, away from the corrupt and greedy hands of the Church’s real enemies. This money was destined to be used for a traditional high altar and sanctuary renovation, all for the glory of God and salvation of souls. I guarantee all the readers of CCD that it is Bishop Ochoa who has never been honest and sincere when dealing with Fr. Rodríguez. If Bishop Ochoa is so concerned about the truth, why did he refuse to follow the Church’s canonical procedures? It is a fact that Bishop Ochoa disregarded Canon Law in his persecution of Fr. Rodríguez. Appeals have been made to Rome. If you know some history, Barb, Bishop Ochoa has been persecuting Fr. Rodríguez for the past twelve years, and Fr. Rodríguez has persevered and remained obedient. Finally, it is Bishop Ochoa who is “misappropriating” funds by withholding money which does not rightfully belong to the diocese. It is the diocese that got “caught,” and they would never have returned over a quarter of a million dollars, pretty much “stolen” from us donors, had parishioners not filed a lawsuit. In justice and fairness, if CCD readers truly want to know what has taken place at San Juan Bautista in El Paso, TX, they need to do more research (not simply read a phony lawsuit as Barb proposes) and speak with the faithful Catholics of San Juan. No one, absolutely no one, who knows Fr. Rodríguez, will question his integrity and love for the Church.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 7:30 AM By k
MRamirez, the two main complaints of Bishop Ochea was that Father Rodriguez involved himself in a recall election and that he collected money without the authorization of the diocese and hid it. The advertisements in which he involved himself in the recall election are online. And you and other parishioners have verified the second charge. This is not a criminal matter, but a matter of obedience to church protocol. You say that he has been persecuted for 12 years. What kind of persecution do you mean? I read in an interview with him that he has only been saying the Latin Mass for 6 years and that he has been at San Juan Bautista for 9 1/2. What did he do to expose the corruption of the diocese of El Paso? What is the corruption? I’ve searched online and I can find no complaints about the bishop or the diocese that are not originating with Father Rodriguez or the parish of San Juan Bautista. What criteria are you using to say that the hierarchy is corrupt?

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 9:13 AM By Traditional Angelo
Catherine, I had wondered what happened to TheTruthHurts. So you are her, I thought TTH was male for some reason. Thank you for giving me that name “Traditional Angelo”, honorable it is, I’m proud of it, Thanks. As for MarkfromPA I praised him for his open mind, orthodoxy, defense of the faith from aggression by liberals, wise questions and answers. In my opinion he was an asset to this site. The other things you mention about Mark, I remember only that he was accused of holding previous wrong views, but never really read him defending such views. So for myself it was only hearsay. If I would have condemned him for sinning like others did it would have been a sin against Charity which could have landed me into hell. I hope this answers your questions. God Bless!

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 10:42 AM By Mark from PA
Thank you for your kind words Traditional Angelo.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 10:58 AM By Abeca Christian
Traditional Angelo I am saddened by your edification of Mark from PA. I thought you had changed in that support of him. With all due respect, from a person who has experience reaching out to homosexuals etc, I feel that your edification to PA is a disservice to him, enabling him to never let go of his gay activism. It’s a dangerous thing to dance with those who defend any gay agenda. Trad Angelo I hope to not upset you but I don’t understand your logic here. Catherine is wise.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 1:47 PM By Catherine
Dear Abeca, Thank you for your wisdom! : ) There is nothing to understand except the truth. TA’s post is completely illogical isn’t it? Yes, TA’s initial post of referring to MarkfromPA, as one of the wisest posters on CCD was very informative and it was a big warning sign. Someone was definitely sending up a trial ballon statement to the audience to see if anyone would notice. The poster who goes by the name k, has also run quite a bit of interference for MarkfromPA’s many posts that are contrary to the Teachings of the Catholic Church. You gave TA the benefit of the doubt. Now the doubt should be removed. You now have the words of edifying support for MarkfromPA, and these words are from TA himself. Do not be saddened. You have now been enlightened. This IS spiritual warfare and we have to be on guard, even more than before. Overflowing flattery in conversation is fleeting. Overflowing flattery in conversation can also be a powerful weapon of distraction. No amount of sugary coated words that flatter the heart is worth the price of one immortal soul. If TA thinks Mark is wise, then TA also thinks that others should embrace MarkfromPA’s same wisdom. Notice how TA completely failed to give specific issues. Have we seen the same pattern before in other posters? Yes, we have and it is deception. There is an very old expression, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Who then should faithful Catholics imitate? We should strive to imitate Christ. How do we strive to imitate Christ? We strive to imitate Christ when we follow the Commandments and also when we promote, support and adhere to all of the teachings in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The obvious is now even more obvious. I commend you for your faithfulness to God and your sweet charity and now you are all the wiser. You said it earlier and you were right. This is spiritual warfare.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 1:59 PM By JLS
Yes, Abeca, it seems that Angelo’s logic is in need of some clarification. PA, eg, has always argued in favor of sodomy and against the doctrines of the Church. Interesting also how Angelo tells Catherine that he thought she was a male. Angelo, there are actually highly educated and intelligent women “out there”, in case you were not aware of it. Just imagine what it would be like if the women religious as a norm were to once again in history foster understanding of Church doctrine instead of railing against it!

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 2:05 PM By k
Please pray for Mrk from PAs wife. She is very sick; also for Mark and his son as they take care of her.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 2:06 PM By k
Traditional Angelo, thanks for the support.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 2:29 PM By k
I believe that Cardinal Burke is right. “Morality has ceased to exist.” We must pray the Rosary, assist at Mass, read the Scriptures, pray the Divine Office, adore the Blessed Sacrament, fast, mortify ourselves, make sacrifices for sinners. There are also many prayers, chaplet, litanies that can be found in Catholic prayerbooks.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 4:30 PM By Catherine
Yes, k certainly knows how to cite Cardinal Burkes words but posting actions speak much louder. Francis Cardinal George of Chicago was also warning us to be on guard for the truth when he spoke to a room of his brother bishops when he said ‘”orthodoxy is necessary but not enough. The devil is orthodox. He knows the catechism better than anyone in this room! But he will not serve and he will not obey.” Cardinal George went on to say, “The voice of Christ speaks always from a *consistent concern for the gift of human life*, from the use of artificial contraception, to the destruction of the human embryo in a Petri dish to genetic profiling, to the killing of unwanted children.” Catholics who voted for Barack Obama and Catholics who promote, edify and support those who voted for Obama are not demonstrating that consistent voice of Christ. Catholics who rebel against the teachings of the Church on sexual immorality are actually telling Christ, I will not serve and I will not obey. Edifying disobedience by calling disobedience wise is another way of announcing , “I will not serve. I will not obey” Remove the orthodox trappings of conversation. Lift up the rock. Shine the bright light of Christ on the ever present darkness that seeks to destroy the Catholic Church from within.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 5:29 PM By Mark from PA
Thank you again, Kay. She is doing better. She is a fighter for sure. I wonder if people noticed that I really didn’t comment on this story. In a way I feel like the homely kid from the other side of the tracks in high school. The kids that are nice to me are admonished by the class leaders. That is what I see here at times and with all the stress in my life I don’t need some of the negative hits that can come my way when I share my opinions. People bring Christ to others by sharing their kindness and His light.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 5:41 PM By k
Catherine quotes from Cardinal George’s farewell address and it is really must reading. I appreciate your posting it Catherine. It is truly inspiring.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 6:36 PM By k
Traditional Angelo, are you feeling any better, physically? I’m remembering to pray for you, too.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 8:31 PM By Maryanne Leonard
Mark, I have been feeling badly about the Mark-bashing I’ve been reading on this forum and wanted to reach out to you to support you. You know full well that I am opposed to same sex marriage and other issues related to homosexual behavior, but I see no reason to bash you personally and in fact condemn that. I have seen a good many reasons to ditto many things you share with us as being of laudable Christian thinking. I’m sure you know I pray for your freedom from SSA someday. I pray also for your wife’s full recovery, and I also pray for your freedom from being hurt unnecessarily by my fellow Catholics on this site. I know you’ve been stung by my denouncement of homosexual behavior, but perhaps you’ve noted that I do not denounce you personally and always wish the best for you, including the ultimate salvation of your eternal soul. Know I truly mean that and wish to send you agape love and thanks for being such a kind Catholic man. Please know I’m praying for you and would ask if you would please pray for me too. I too am often stung by negative comments addressed to me, and I see myself as about as straight a Catholic as they make! But that is no shield, Mark. People can be scathing hiding behind anonymity on websites, and we just have to search our souls to see if we gave offense or if we are wrong, and turn to Jesus for solace. He is our refuge through all storms, and if we follow His teachings, He can be our refuge for eternity.

Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 11:26 PM By k
Mark from PA, God sees everything.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 7:09 AM By Catherine
Maryanne Leonard, Did you not write once that you were a gullible person? The essence of agape love is *self sacrifice.* An individual who presents themselves as more than one individual to consistently undermine the teachings of the Catholic Church on a Catholic website is not interested in self sacrifice. They are interested in selling confusion along with the London Bridge. History has shown, there will always be buyers too! Don’t be hurt or disappointed that there are those who do love you enough and for that matter the lost individual who cleverly tries to promote an agenda contrary to Church teaching. There is no dignity involved when we choose to deceive others. You can also lead a horse to water but you cannot make the horse drink it. Especially if they refuse to drink it because of their own personal preference of still wearing their old broken down leather saddle commonly known as stubborn pride. Read # 1731 Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Dignity of the Human Person – “Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. By free will, one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in goodness, it attains it’s perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude.” Once again Maryanne, “free will attains it’s perfection when directed toward God.” There will always be those who can fool some of the people, some of the time. The Catholic goal for an individual is to not use their free will to fool gullible people all of the time. Agape love does not coddle pitchforks of deception aimed right at the Body of Christ. Agape love does not give the father of lies occasional back massages either. Good ol’ Will Rogers once said, “Even if you are on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit back.”

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 10:05 AM By Abeca Christian
False compassion by Fulton Sheen really explains it well too. When we are down ourselves, that is when we have this falsehood in which we gear our emotions on. It’s called being human, we are sinners, we can fall in error from time to time. I’ve had to catch myself many a times, I am probably my worst critic or I’m mostly a person who reflects and can be hard on myself more than those on the outside, but what I have found is that hormones, illness etc can sometimes be used against us, the evil one knows our weaknesses, although he has no power over us, but he does know how to play on our weaknesses. He knows what he can trigger in us to fall in error, fall in false compassion. He knows. Since lately I have been shaken a great deal spiritually, I have had to pray on my knees and ask our Lord to protect me from falling into error. I ask that many here do the same thing because we are creatures of habit, we are prideful and emotional. We can re-enact our childhood, we can be more childish as adults because of the unresolved childhood traumas. When we’ve been admonished, we seek to find others worst than us, to comfort them as if we finally can relate to them but in reality we are trying to fill a void within our own selves. Self pacify, a sign of low self esteem away from God. When we are in that phase, turn to God first before you open your mouth or post anything, because we may be having a sense of some sort of false compassion and may sometimes do an injustice on another soul who may need some hardships to bring them towards reflection and hopefully repentance.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 3:05 PM By Angelo
Mark from PA, Your welcome. I read here your wife is ill and that you and your son are taking care of her. You once promised to pray for me in my illness, your prayers are needed now more than ever. I will keep you and your wife and son in my prayers.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 3:15 PM By Angelo
Abeca Christian, I am surprised that you think that I am in some way edifieing alledged sin. Mark from PA was one of our major allies in the battle against error. He many times fought a good fight on what the Catholic Church teaches as error.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 3:21 PM By Mark from PA
Keep on praying for me and my family. Thanks, Maryanne.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 4:11 PM By Angelo
k, Thank you for your concern and prayers. My health is going downwards. I have Chronic Pancreatitis, which I have read has the exact same symptoms as Pancreatic Cancer. I don’t have cancer. But having the same symptoms is not fun. I want to make the best of this but trying to is the greatest suffering of this illness. My wife constantly reminds me that Christ suffered much more, and that gives me strenght. My Grandfather who suffered from much illness used to say, “Si Dios quien era Dios sufrio? Quien soy yo para no sufrir.” (If God who was God suffered? Who am I not to suffer.) I now constantly remind myself of this holy truth. God’s will be done! Your prayers and that of others certainly give me strenght as God hears them and grants me many Graces.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 5:50 PM By k
Angelo, I am sorry to hear of your worsening sufferings. May God lessen them and may He give you courage and strength. Having the good example of your grandfather is one of His blessings, I am sure. God bless you and your wife.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 7:15 PM By Mark from PA
My prayers go out for you Angelo. May God keep you in His care.

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:24 PM By Angelo
k, and Mark from PA, Thank you both. In my posts of the last month or so, I have suspected some incoherency on my part. Maybe the illness or the medication or both. I found this to be evident by calcathdaily editing some of my comments or not posting them at all. Now I will have more time for prayer and meditation. I will remember everyone in my prayers, especialy both of you. k continue being k. Mark from PA don’t give up the good fight for the truths of the Holy Catholic faith. Good luck to the both of you. Benedicamos Domino!

Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:45 PM By Abeca Christian
A lesbian couple plan to “get married”. As the interview went on, the mum of one of the lesbian couple, was making her a wedding dress, the mum had a tattoo, she was Catholic. Her daughter spoke so politely and before you knew it, she said that her mum’s dream was to make her daughter her wedding dress. They all seemed proud congratulating this couple, together sewing, fitting on the home made dress. In private as they asked her mum,”so you support this union?”, she looked surprised and said ” I’m surprised that anyone would think I was supporting this sinful union, in no way I am not.”. The interviewer looked dumbfounded. A new form of false compassion!

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:05 AM By Catherine
Abeca, Read between the lines. St. Augustine was right. The devil must deceive before he can destroy.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:50 AM By Abeca Christian
Catherine and JLS you are both right. Something is not right with Traditional Angelo. He even signed as Angelo not as Traditional Angelo? His edification of PA just made me dumbfounded. I don’t know what has happened here but it does not sound like the Traditional Angelo that I was conversing with when he defended traditions and explained them well. Now he is upholding in high admiration someone who has done some gay activism here, has even gone against the natural law. That is beyond words. I don’t know what is wrong with me, there has been many spiritual attacks and I was deceived. I’ll be praying for all today.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:56 AM By Abeca Christian
See how dysfunctional we are without God’s graces or when we fall away from them? Traditional Angelo is ill, the evil one uses his weakness which is his illness against him. We must pray for him. I hold no grudges against him. I only pray for His conversion. I recall when my papa was alive, I’ve seen moments in my papa when he was so ill, how sometimes even his med’s made him a little out there. It’s constant spiritual warfare. None of us are exempt from those spiritual battles. I appreciate St. Augustine’s teachings, he is right. Thank you Catherine.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:15 AM By Catherine
Abeca, This is not about holding grudges and by all means pray for the conversion of all who seek to confuse, disappoint, hurt or embarrass others for trusting their stories. Our beautiful Catholic faith is consistent and clear. Be on guard. It is often about one individual using different aliases.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:49 AM By Abeca Christian
Catherine yes that is true. I am disappointed. But never embarrassed. I am one who knows the face of spiritual attacks. But This is heart breaking. Catherine God is more merciful than we can imagine. I am one who always hold hope but this one just took the whole cake. Oh well, life goes on…I can’t help but feel sorry for our human condition and do not take for granted God’s graces to help us, I am thankful that Christ always protects us when we are faithful, at least seek to be faithful, Catherine, I knew something like this would come about, I’ve been praying daily asking God to protect me, I have been experiencing a lot of spiritual battles, I felt alone but God never left my side. Thank you Catherine. : )

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:32 PM By k
Mary, Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:39 PM By Abeca Christian
Let this be a lesson to us all and be reminded that we need to pray for Father Rodriguez. Just imagine how much deception he is faced with when he is fighting the good fight. I’m sure Father is going through spiritual battles of his own especially hurt by the actions of this Bishop. This thread tells us that we need to continue to pray for our Bishops and our Priests and all lay faithful because the evil one is out there trying to deceive us. God have mercy.

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:54 PM By Abeca Christian
From: Douay-Rheims Bible “Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword.” Matthew 10:34 AND this explains it well: Luke 12:51 from Douay-Rheims Bible “Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.”

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:34 PM By Angelo
Mark from pa and k. Thanks for your prayers. Angelo here will not give up on his health. Thank god it’s, the I feel sorry for me attitude is over. Thank you for your prayers.

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 10:55 AM By Abeca Christian
This is no different then when a few a years ago, our neighbors preached about how wonderful Obama was, he was very intelligent and he gave them hope especially since he would be the first black president. One of their children and their friends, vandalized our signs we had in our lawn promoting a Republican candidate. They loved Obama and said he was a good man who knew his stuff and they approved of his messages. These neighbors use to be Catholic. They left the church and joined one of those protestant mega churches. I knew then that they couldn’t never be real Christians, what Christian would speak so highly of Obama?

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 5:15 AM By Angelo
k, and Mark from PA, Thanks for the prayers. My doctor was treating me with some form of anti-biotic. It turns out I had a severe infection. Yesterday afternoon that infection adruptly ceased. Did’nt know about such infections until now. I’m back to defend our Faith. Deo Gratias!

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 9:55 AM By k
Angelo, praise and thanks to the Diviine Physician. I admire your zeal. After being sick, your thoughts are not what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for Our Lord. God bless you and pour His Grace on you.

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 10:42 AM By Abeca Christian
Some people just lose their creditability! Not Catherine and JLS, God bless you both, you both have been consistent in your true defense of the faith and you are more wise than I! I am probably not one who discerns well on the Character of folks, I use to think I did, I am a big fool because a lot of times I try to have hope that people do change. I am noticing that elders tend to go back to childish ways with their childish behavior and rebellious, defiant nature! Like tantrums some display.

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 5:05 PM By Mark from PA
That is good news, Angelo. God bless you and keep you in good health. I just said a prayer for you.

Posted Friday, February 17, 2012 6:33 PM By Angelo
k, May the Divine Physician be forever thanked and praised. I was saddened that I was unable to visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, not to be able to make the stations of the Cross, unable to pray the Rosary, I thought this was going to be permanent. Today I took my wife to do her shopping, We went out for lunch, she made laugh all day. I thank God for all who prayed for me, God heard you and answered you. Thanks!

Posted Saturday, February 18, 2012 7:57 PM By Angelo
Mark from PA, Thank you! Just when I thought God had disposed of me, friends come along and prayed for me. I have always believed in the power of prayer and now God has granted that I see it in a new light. God Bless you and k.

Posted Saturday, February 18, 2012 9:07 PM By JLS
Abeca, “from glory to glory, until then when we see Him face to face” (St Paul). So, even though St Paul was taken up to the Third Heaven and there instructed, and then returned to carry out his amazing mission of grace, which converted the pagan world to Christ, yet St Paul continued to journey “from glory to glory”, and tells us of coming out of the last turn and onto the stretch where he could see his crown in the distance. He was happy that soon he would see Jesus “face to face”. The faithful journey “from glory to glory”, each with unique graces.

Posted Saturday, February 18, 2012 9:17 PM By k
Inscrutable ways has the Lord! This exchange happened after I prayed tp Saint Michael!

Posted Saturday, February 18, 2012 9:20 PM By JLS
Angelo, you humbled yourself in preparation for receiving the graces given in answer to the prayers. And thus you have experienced the grace. There is a reason that twothousand years of Catholicism brings us guardian angels, prayer to Saints, to Jesus, to the other Members of the Holy Trinity, to one another to pray for us, and more.

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2012 11:53 AM By Angelo
JLS, Thanks! This morning at Mass I prayed with a greater confidence. I especialy prayed for everyone on calcathdaily. Talk about the “darkest hour being just before dawn”, that is exactly what happened in this case. I thank all for your prayers, I will continue praying for all of you. Deo Gratias!

Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 7:34 AM By Catherine
That is certainly clarifying things.

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 9:27 AM By Abeca Christian
How so?

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:40 PM By k
New video of interview with Father Rodriguez on youtube.

Posted Friday, February 24, 2012 10:59 AM By Angelo
k, Thanks for the information about videos on you tube about Fr. Rodriguez. Its a treasure of talks on all aspects of the Holy Catholic Church. I thought his videos were only about homosexuality. But he touches on every aspect of the true faith. With an unwavering obedience to the Holy Father. I wish he would have been our new Bishop.

Posted Saturday, February 25, 2012 1:30 PM By k
Angelo, he has a new commentary in The Remnant that you may like as well.

Posted Monday, February 27, 2012 4:13 AM By https://www.sportbook
Yeah� I read and I understand that I do not understand anything what it is about:D