The Wrong One

“And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; that they may be one, as we also are.” (John 17:11)

What if the Church itself is a big reason why Christ’s followers are not “One”?

The schism in the Anglican Church has raised the possibility of a mass conversion to Roman Catholicism. However, experts in greater numbers are openly questioning whether certain elements in the Roman Church will try and prevent this unity. Syndicated columnist Rod Dreher points this out in his Beliefnet.com column, “Ex-Anglicans: The Wrong Kind of Catholics?” (http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2008/08/exanglicans-the-wrong-kind-of.html) The traditional, conservative bloc of the Anglican Church is in revolt over the American Anglican Church’s decision to ordinate homosexuals and women as bishops. Serious discussions are ongoing about this disaffected group uniting with Rome in some capacity. More priests, more Catholics, and more supporters for the Vatican . Why would anyone in the Roman Church object? “Some Catholic clergy don't want those traddie Episcopalians, presumably because they would be a force for Catholic orthodoxy.”

Bingo.

Dreher hits it on the head. The Roman Church, particularly the American branch, contains a strong liberal contingent among its clergy. The shift toward tradition already underway thanks to Pope Benedict is already marginalizing these liberal factions. What could be worse for their careers than an influx of religious conservatives who will diminish their influence even further?

Dreher relates a story “about a former Episcopal bishop of Fort Worth who wanted to convert to Rome but was sabotaged by Catholic clergy”. It’s worth reading.



Donald Tremblay

Downloading the Adversary

Anyone who grew-up during the 1980s crack epidemic knows that Satan exists. I was raised in a NYC neighborhood that lies on the border of Brooklyn and Queens . As a teenager I remember the horror and sadness I felt watching guys from the neighborhood become shells of themselves under the influence of drugs like crack cocaine, cocaine, angel dust, etc . . . People remember crack cocaine most because of the violent crimes people committed while under its influence, but the other drugs were just as bad in their own ways. It’s a heartbreaking sight watching a 20-year-old man obliviously staring off into space because his brains had been fried from too many hits of angel dust and acid. Heroin is another wonderful drug. A friend of mine who graduated third in his high school was living in an abandoned building within a few years of graduation. Daily he could be seen hurriedly pacing the streets wearing his NY Rangers hockey jersey begging for money. It might be 90-degrees and humid, but he was still wearing that jersey.

Whatever the drug, the proof of its evil was in the eyes of the user. The haunting look branded an impression into your mind. Instantly, you recognized that there was nothing this person wouldn’t do to get his next fix.

I raise this issue today because of an ABCnews.com article that appeared over the weekend entitled, “Web Delivers New Worry for Parents: Digital Drugs”. (http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5547519&page=1) According to the article, “websites are targeting your children with so-called digital drugs. These are audio files designed to induce drug-like effects. All your child needs is a music player and headphones.” I confess that I had never heard of digital drugs until I read this article. Apparently, they are based on something called binaural beats, which are “ambient sounds designed to affect your brain waves.”
The writer of the ABCnews.com article says she found sites on the web that “sell audio files (‘doses’) that supposedly mimic the effects of alcohol and marijuana. But it doesn't end there. You'll find doses that purportedly mimic the effects of LSD, crack, heroin and other hard drugs. There are also doses of a sexual nature. I even found ones that supposedly simulate heaven and hell.”

How appropriate that something which mimics drug use can simulate hell.

St. Paul warns us that “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” (Ephesians 6:12). Do not doubt for a moment that it is through mechanisms such as drugs, real and digital, that the Evil One attempts to destroy our young people. Protect your children by staying involved. Know the music they listen to, the friends they spend time with, and the websites they log onto. Don’t wait until that haunting look appears before you start asking questions.

Donald Tremblay

Freedom...Even to be a Disgrace

A few weeks ago a depraved man used his internet web show to desecrate the Eucharist. Determined to flaunt his contempt for religion, University of Minnesota biology professor Paul Zachary Myers hammered a nail through the Eucharist and then threw it in the garbage. Many Catholics demanded that the university fire the self-proclaimed 'godless liberal'. (National Catholic Register, August 10, 2008) They argued that if he had used a swastika as the backdrop for his program or had walked around the set wearing a Klan hood, the university would have fired him instantly. And they are right. In today's politically correct climate certain groups are protected, while others can be denigrated without anyone raising an eyebrow. So I guess I am among those who want Myers fired, correct?

No.

I am incensed by what Myers did, but my reason for objecting to his dismissal has a lot to do with Matthew 5:25:

"Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison."

In this passage Jesus warns that we shouldn't assume that a third-party will side with us in our disagreements with others. We may confidently approach a judge believing that our case is guaranteed, only to walk away on the losing end of the judgment.

Our Lord’s instruction applies in this case. Sure what Myers did was offensive and his firing would elicit little sympathy from anyone. But if we as a society allow the “powers-that-be” to dismiss others because of their unpopular views, what is to stop others from applying that same litmus test against us when it is our views that are unpopular? And let's face it: the Church's views are hardly popular. As Jesus warns in Matthew, we may be the ones delivered to the judge and cast into prison. For example, a Myers dismissal would open the doors to many anti-Church groups who view the Church’s teachings as offensive, such as the homosexual lobby. What would prevent the homosexual lobby from demanding that the university dismiss Catholic professors because gays and lesbians find the Church’s views offensive?

A better approach than firing Myers would be to let the Law of Supply and Demand run its course. Catholics should widen the publicity net exposing Myers’ views and actions. As more people learn about his wickedness, fewer students will register for his courses and overall enrollment at the university may even suffer as parents opt to send their children elsewhere. Eventually, Myers will either realize that his own atheism doesn’t give him carte blanche to denigrate the faith of others, or he will be forced to slither away to his burrow, shamed into obscurity.


Donald Tremblay

Cohabitation vs. Marriage

We’ve all heard it before: “Marriage is just a piece of paper. We don’t need a piece of paper to prove our love.” Or, “We’ve lived together for x years. It’s like we’re married.”

Wrong. No, it’s not.

Cohabitation is not marriage. There is a huge difference. Anyone who has stood at the altar and pledged his/her vows under the eyes of God, family and friends, and the Church can tell you that it is a commitment like no other in life.

It’s understandable why young people today would wish cohabitation and marriage were the same. In today’s world the chances of a new marriage ending in divorce are better than the betting odds you’d get from a Vegas Sports Book. And the financial strain on married couples who divorce can leave people in debt for years to come. Plus, theoretically, it seems logical that if you live with someone to confirm compatibility there’s a better chance of your relationship surviving. Well, as with many things in life, theories that sound great on paper often don’t survive the reality test. The New Oxford Review’s website has re-posted an article they ran in Sep 2007 entitled, “Cohabitation: Ten Facts”. (http://www.newoxfordreview.org/article.jsp?did=0907-schneider) It was written by Patrick Schneider II, M.D., M.P.H., who holds boards in family and geriatric medicine and who received a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University .

Here are some of the facts listed:

· One in ten [cohabitating couples] survives five or more years

· The rate of divorce among those who cohabit prior to marriage is nearly double (39 percent vs. 21 percent) that of couples who marry without prior cohabitation

· Cohabiting women often end up with the responsibilities of marriage -- particularly when it comes to caring for children -- without the legal protection (ibid.), while contributing more than 70 percent of the relationship's income

· A UCLA survey of 130 published studies found that marriages preceded by cohabitation were more prone to drug and alcohol problems

· Three-fourths of children involved in criminal activity were from cohabiting households


Marriage supporters are not surprised. There is a reason why the family, led by a married man and woman, has been the basic building block of every human society since the dawn of civilization. Why is marriage so much better than cohabitation, with or without the addition of children?

People cohabit because they fear commitment. Both sides enter the living arrangement with a (usually) unspoken agreement that they’ll “try it out”, and if it doesn’t work they’ll go their separate ways, no questions asked. The problem with this plan is that both partners live with one foot pointing to the exit. At the first sign of trouble their thought is, “How do I get out of this?” and not, “How do we get through this?”

Relationships do not work unless both parties are committed to one another. There will be many ups and downs in a relationship, and sometimes the downs can be very down. Standing on the altar and promising to remain “until death do us part” will be the single greatest commitment you will make in your life. I’ve heard cohabitants argue that they’ve bought a house together to show their commitment. It’s not the same thing. A house can be sold, proceeds split, with the partners going their separate ways as if the experience never happened. A “do-over” is not as easy when you’re married. Aside from the legal and financial ramifications of an ended marriage, there are emotional and spiritual ones as well. Even when there are legitimate reasons for a marriage to end, be it through infidelity or physical/mental abuse, both spouses will always remember that there was a time when, in front of God and their loved ones, they promised to stay united till death.

That’s an oath no individual can forget.

Donald Tremblay

False Saviors

In my junior year of high school I took a course in American History. Late in the semester our teacher discussed World War II and Nazi Germany. Many of the students sat dumbfounded as he explained how Germany fell under the spell of Adolf Hitler. We couldn’t understand how a nation could deify a man and follow him as if he were the return of Jesus Christ.

As I watch people embarrassingly fawn over Barack Obama I begin to understand how this can happen.

Do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting Obama is another Hitler. I am merely commenting on the ridiculous Messiah-like attention many Americans are showering the presidential candidate with. Think I’m exaggerating?

The July 27 edition of the Sunday NY Daily News published a story about former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Reggie Williams, who is trying to recover from multiple operations to replace his right knee. A photo of Williams walking in a leg brace accompanied the article. Written in marker across the straps of the brace is “Obama Heals”.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine’s Joe Klein jokingly explained what happened when two Obama supporters visited his house: “’When two activists rang my doorbell, I wondered whether they had taken Ecstasy. I was afraid that they might hug me.’"

· In a February 13, 2008 article entitled, “Obama-The Savior Superstar”, Le Monde journalist Corine Lesnes declared, “The United States is a country that prides itself on its insistence on the merits of individualism. Nothing is more embarrassing to this country than these great moments of collective obsession (shared, of course, with Super Bowl frenzy), where every critical faculty appears to have been abandoned in the service of a universal pursuit.

Mark Steyn, in his column for the blog Falling Panda, quotes Ezra Klein of The American Prospect: "Obama's finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don't even really inspire. They elevate. They enmesh you in a grander moment, as if history has stopped flowing passively by, and, just for an instant, contracted around you, made you aware of its presence, and your role in it. He is not the Word made flesh, but the triumph of word over flesh, over color, over despair."


And let’s not forget Oprah Winfrey who at a December 2007 campaign rally in Iowa referred to Obama as “The One”.


There are many, many other examples. These are just a few.

I suppose this was inevitable given the secular society we’ve become. A secular society will yearn for secular heroes and saviors. For years many have compartmentalized God in their lives—that is those who haven’t outright rejected God as irrelevant or non-existent. We have figuratively pushed God from His throne and installed Man in His place. Whether it has been through worshipping New Age spiritualities that promise to unlock your inner god, or through embracing pseudo-psychologies that preach self-empowerment and self-actualization, our society’s self-worship has risen to levels never before seen in our nation’s history.

And now we have reached a new plateau: American citizens looking to a politician to lead them to the Promised Land.

Unbelievable.

How many times does history need to repeat itself before people realize that salvation is not of this world and that it will not be brought by any human other than he who was both God and man, our Lord Jesus Christ. Americans need to be reacquainted with John’s Gospel:

But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and because he needed not that any should give testimony of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2: 24-25)


Donald Tremblay

Time to Clean House

The current issue of the New Oxford Review examines Leon Podles latest book, Sacrilege: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church. (http://www.newoxfordreview.org/reviews.jsp?did=0708-bower) Podles is also the author of The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity. Reviewer Paul Bower describes Sacrilege as “thoroughly researched and painstakingly detailed” and adds that it “inspires anger and disgust”. Among the more shocking allegations in the book is that there has been “networks of child-abusers in the priesthood, some of which spanned entire geographic regions and crossed several diocesan borders. The most notable of these were in New Mexico and Iowa .” According to Podles it is a desire for power, and not sexual gratification, that drives these abusers. They are classic narcissists in his view.

At 675 pgs Sacrilege should provide a wealth of information. I am eager to read the tome since Podles take on the sexual abuse crisis differs so widely from my own.

A Feb 2007 article in the National Catholic Register (http://ncregister.com/site/article/1876) states that “between 75% and 80% of the abuse involved adolescent male victims”. Some argue that the reason so many of the victims are males is because the abusers had greater access to boys than to girls. Possibly. But I tend to agree with the analysis of Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital , who argues that “the abuse crisis wasn’t pedophilia but ‘homosexual predation on American Catholic youth.’” Why homosexual predation and not pedophilia? The overwhelming majority of the victims were adolescent males, not prepubescent children of both sexes. There is a major psychological difference between the two. Acknowledging this distinction is essential because only by properly defining a problem can you expect to solve it.

So what should the Church do to prevent this disgrace from happening again?

Pope Benedict’s apology on behalf of the Church and his willingness to confront the issue is an excellent first step. In addition, the standards spelled out in 2005 by the Congregation for Catholic Education are a very important step in preventing future abusers from entering the clergy:

“In light of this teaching, this department, in agreement with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, holds it necessary clearly to affirm that the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, may not admit to the seminary and Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, show profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture.” (http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=40891)

But the cleansing of the seminaries should not end here. The Church needs to purge the seminaries of those ecclesiastics who have allowed or encouraged the gay subculture to exist in seminaries. Numerous articles and books have been written about this subculture. Goodbye, Good Men by Michael Rose is probably the most recognizable. Among the sickening tidbits exposed by Rose are the nicknames given to some American seminaries: “Notre Flame” for the Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans ; “Theological Closet” for Theological College at the Catholic University of America in Washington , D.C. ; and the “ Pink Palace ” for St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore .

After classifying the church sexual abuse crisis as “homosexual predation on American Catholic youth,” Dr. McHugh added, “’I’m astonished that people throughout America are not talking about it, thinking about it, and wondering about what the mechanisms were that set this alight.’” We the laity need to assume this responsibility. Stiff resistance can be expected from entrenched ecclesiastics who favor the status quo, so we need to actively and zealously support the clergy who want to enforce these “changes”. In a society where Catholic doctrine and dogma is anathema, reform-minded clergy desperately need our reinforcements.

“Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Although we may take comfort in knowing that the Lord is protecting His Church, we cannot use this knowledge to absolve ourselves of responsibility. We are soldiers of Christ and we are called to defend His Church against the gates of hell.


Donald Tremblay

Click here to hear what the Pope is talking about

Who Are You?

A disturbing article has been posted on the Christian Newswire (http://christiannewswire.com/news/568387358.html) There is a group called the Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc (CRCOA) who are accusing the Knights of Columbus of failing to “to expel pro-abortion and pro-homosexual politicians” from their midst. Boston CRCOA member John O'Gorman accuses the Knights of Columbus of the following:

“On June 14, 2007, at least 16 members of the K of C in the legislature defeated the efforts of 170,000 signatories to put traditional marriage on the 2008 ballot. 170,000 signatures far exceeded the required number to place the question on the ballot! Seven of these K of C politicians have the highest ratings from the USA 's biggest abortionists, Planned Parenthood, who performed 289,000 abortions in 2006. On 4/May/08, Supreme Advocate (lawyer) Paul Devin, who gave money to Pro-Abortion politicians Ted and Joe Kennedy (OpenSecrets.org), ruled that a State Convention resolution by Grand Knight Joe Craven to suspend pro-abortion and pro-gay politicians was 'unconstitutional'."

This is a disgrace should any of it be true; though, I am hardly surprised by it. Groups like the Knights of Columbus may have been relevant in the 1950s and 1960s, but by the late 1970s and the 1980s they were virtually non-existent in many neighborhoods. The people of my generation probably knew more about Ralph Kramden’s raccoon lodge then we did about Catholic men’s clubs like the K of C. In fact, despite being a loyal Sunday churchgoer, I wasn’t even aware that the Knights of Columbus was a Catholic organization until I was in my late teens. What does that tell you about how it promotes itself as a Catholic organization?

Come to think of it I cannot remember a single time when the words “Knights of Columbus” were ever uttered by a priest before, during, or after Mass.


Donald Tremblay