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“Dialogue”? Priest Who Wrote Letter to Pope Asked to Resign from USCCB

This morning we told you the story of Fr. Thomas Weinandy, a Capuchin friar who, after receiving what he believed was a sign from God, wrote a letter to Pope Francis — with obvious filial respect and love — in the hopes of bringing to his attention some of the more damaging effects of his papacy.

Father Weinandy is a current member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission, as well as the former chief of staff for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine. Apparently, he was still serving in the capacity of consultant to the USCCB, because today, after the publication of his letter, he was asked to resign. According to Carl E. Olson, Editor of Catholic World Report, Fr. Weinandy told him this morning that since the letter’s publication, he had “received many positive notes from theologians, priests, and lay people.” Nevertheless, “the USCCB asked him to resign from his current position as a consultant to the bishops,” and Fr. Weinandy has complied. As Olson notes, “In making such a request, the USCCB, it would appear, reinforces Fr. Weinandy’s very point about fearfulness and lack of transparency” as made in his letter.

One diocesan priest who spoke with 1P5 on condition of anonymity said that he was certain Fr. Weinandy’s letter “drew consternation from several US Cardinals and Bishops”, particularly where the letter addressed how “faithful Catholics can only be disconcerted” by the pope’s choice of some bishops, “men who seem not merely open to those who hold views counter to Christian belief but who support and even defend them,” causing scandal to the faithful and weakening the sensus fidei.

“There is no way” the priest told me, “that this remark didn’t directly sting Cardinal Cupich, Cardinal Tobin, Cardinal Ferrell, and Bishop McElroy in particular, as they have been busy supporting Father James Martin, S.J., and others like him. I would be very surprised if they were not directly behind Fr. Thomas Weinandy’s forced resignation.”

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, President of the USCCB, released a statement today about Fr. Weinandy — never once mentioning that he was asked to resign, but only speaking of his unexplained “departure” — under the auspices that the situation is an opportunity to reflect on “dialogue within the Church.” The statement reads:

“The departure today of Fr. Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap., as a consultant to the Committee on Doctrine and the publication of his letter to Pope Francis gives us an opportunity to reflect on the nature of dialogue within the Church.  Throughout the history of the Church, ministers, theologians and the laity all have debated and have held personal opinions on a variety of theological and pastoral issues. In more recent times, these debates have made their way into the popular press. That is to be expected and is often good.  However, these reports are often expressed in terms of opposition, as political – conservative vs. liberal, left vs. right, pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II.  These distinctions are not always very helpful.

Christian charity needs to be exercised by all involved. In saying this, we all must acknowledge that legitimate differences exist, and that it is the work of the Church, the entire body of Christ, to work towards an ever-growing understanding of God’s truth.

As Bishops, we recognize the need for honest and humble discussions around theological and pastoral issues. We must always keep in mind St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “presupposition” to his Spiritual Exercises: “…that it should be presumed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.” This presupposition should be afforded all the more to the teaching of Our Holy Father.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a collegial body of bishops working towards that goal. As Pastors and Teachers of the Faith, therefore, let me assert that we always stand in strong unity with and loyalty to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful” (LG, no. 23).”

The reader is left to wonder how “dialogue” has become a euphemism for “suppression of any views different than our own”. How is it that those who speak most forcefully in favor of “tolerance” are always the last to practice tolerance toward those with ideas they find inconvenient? How is it that the President of the USCCB lacks the courage to simply state that Fr. Weinandy was asked to resign for speaking an unpopular opinion, regardless of its merit, and without consideration given to the fact that it was voiced respectfully and in the exercise of his conscience on a matter of grave importance — and about which he has the requisite theological competency to comment?

For some time now, we have been using terms in our coverage like “The Dictatorship of Mercy” and “The Persecution of Orthodoxy” to help explain the reality orthodox Catholics face in the Church of 2017: if you stand up for the truths of the faith, you will suffer the consequences at the hands of those charged with defending those same truths. And as we have told you, there is no reason to expect we won’t see this reaction continue to escalate.

Our Church has become Orwellian indeed. One is reminded of Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s recent remarks, based on his experience growing up in the Soviet Union:

For decades it became within the Church politically correct and “good manners” to proclaim and to promote practically the freedom of theological speech, debate and research, so that freedom in thinking and speaking became a slogan. At the same time, one can now observe the paradox that this very freedom is denied to those in the Church who in our days raise their voices with respect and politeness in defense of the truth. This bizarre situation reminds me of a famous song which I had to sing in the Communist school in my childhood, and whose wording was, as follows: “The Soviet Union is my beloved homeland, and I do not know another country in the world where man can breathe so freely.”

 

 

197 thoughts on ““Dialogue”? Priest Who Wrote Letter to Pope Asked to Resign from USCCB”

  1. “… conservative vs. liberal, left vs. right, pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II. These distinctions are not always very helpful…”
    What does this have to do with Fr. Thomas letter????

    “We must always keep in mind St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “presupposition” to
    his Spiritual Exercises: “…that it should be presumed that every good
    Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a
    neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.” This presupposition should be
    afforded all the more to the teaching of Our Holy Father.”
    And why are you “presupposing” that Fr. Thomas is not “more eager to put a good interpreation on [Our Holy Father] than to condemn it”? This is pure calumny.

    Reply
      • He’s weak and always has been. I am not surprised at his pathetic response.
        To insinuate that this letter is based upon conservative vs Liberal or pre Vatican vs post Vatican is such b.s. and so
        manipulative in nature, besides harming this priest’s good name and reputation to suggest such.

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        • Can’t agree more cs!!!! There was nothing in Fr. Weinandy’s letter that was condescending of Bergoglio. These effeminate prelates only know how to ‘dialogue’ one way……their way!! How many of these ‘Bishops’ know how to stand up for Christ in His true Church?? They are pathetic and weak, and stand not for truth.

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        • It’s always been about traditional versus a non Catholic. We need to accept that so we can better fight the enemy in the Church.

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      • Cardinal DiNardo has an ear to the raging of ‘the god of surprises’ and knows what interpretation must be given to Father Weinady’s letter.

        Reply
    • Notung said, “what does this have to do with Fr. Thomas’ letter????
      Nothing. The Cardinal’s response demonstrates to me that when God is out of the picture/discussion then they are left with ‘politics’. The Cardinal sees this issue as a sociological thing and not from our Lord’s teaching. “Way to go Bishops!”

      Reply
  2. I think, if I were a bishop, I would disengage from the whole, incestuous bunch, and do so publicly.

    Shame on every one of them, if they do not speak to this.

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  3. Cardinal DiNardo, Cdl. Dolan, Cdl. Cupich, Cardinal Tobin, Cardinal Farrell, Bishop McElroy, Bishop Stowe and Bishop Chaput are behind this firing of Fr. Weinandy OFM Cap..
    They ‘re the church’s new “GANG OF EIGHT”
    These supporters of dissident James Martin S.J. will be the reason that Pope Francis resigns.

    Reply
        • While I would love to see Pope Francis resign, I Don’t understand why you think the Gang of Eight would want that? Cupich et Al are also heretics. I am not being srgumentstive; I am interested in understanding your point.

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          • It seems every day there is controversy regarding the Catholic Church and it was all started by liberalism, especially in 1965 after Vatican ll. We now have baby boomers becoming bishops and cardinals. Some of them are oblivious to the destruction caused by the modernism of Vatican ll. Just today a former Roman Catholic priest who served on Staten Island has received a $500,000 settlement from the Archdiocese of New York to resolve a sexual abuse claim, according to the New York Times.
            Stephen Ryan-Vuotto was known as the Rev. Stephen Ryan when he served as pastor of St. Rita’s R.C. Church in Meiers Corners.
            Ryan-Vuotto claimed that he was violated more than 50 times beginning at age 14 with sex acts that ranged from fondling to sodomy between 1975 and 1985 by the Rev. Robert V. Lott, according to the report. This was reported in si live . com on Oct. 30,2017.
            Does Cardinal Dolan , have you anything to say about this?
            I guess this Fr. Ryan married his boyfriend.
            .
            How sick can this get?

            None of this is ever reported by EWTN. The N.Y. Times does a better job reporting on what is going on in today’s church. EWTN has rose colored glasses and they won’t tell us the ‘real news’.
            I thought this sex abuse scandal was over in 2003?
            This is definitely something that divides the Catholic Church from the other Christian denominations.

    • I’m going to look at the bright side; that is all the names of bishops whose names aren’t listed. I’m even going to go brighter and hope that they, the nameless, are praying for courage, holiness, strength and fidelity! (I’m a good “hoper”.)

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  4. “The reader is left to wonder how “dialogue” has become a euphemism for “suppression of any views different than our own”.”

    During the ’80’s I studied Communist systems and then in ’89 the collapse of European Communism left me with a feeling I’d wasted all that time.

    Then I converted to the Catholic Church and realized….

    Nope.

    Just prepared me for recognizing the war that is being fought inside the Church today and especially in statements of the USCCB.

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  5. The supposedly harsh Catholic Church modern Popes and Bishops apologize for treated Luther in his rank heresy with more decency and mercy than the modern Pope of (False) Mercy and his gutless, cowardly, sodomy-supporting Bishops treat orthodox lovers and defenders of Holy Mother Church.

    God bless you Father Weinandy.

    Reply
    • Why can’ t these bishops stick to the truths that the church teaches. Bishops teaching the lies of Satan is just plain heresy.
      This is from Roman Franciscan Liturgy of Hours:
      A letter to the Corinthians by Pope St Clement I
      God is faithful in his promises
      Consider, beloved, how the Lord keeps reminding us of the resurrection that is to come, of which he has made the Lord Jesus Christ the first fruits by raising him from the dead. Let us look, beloved, at the resurrection that occurs at its appointed time. Day and night show us a resurrection; the night lies in sleep, day rises again; the day departs, night takes its place. Let us think about the harvest; how does the sowing take place, and in what manner? The sower goes out and casts each seed onto the ground. Dry and bare, they fall into the earth and decay. Then the greatness of the Lord’s providence raises them up again from decay, and out of one many are produced and yield fruit.
      In this hope, then, let our hearts be bound fast to him who is faithful in his promises and just in his judgements. He forbade us to tell lies; still less will he himself tell a lie.

      Nothing is impossible for God except to tell a lie. Then let our faith in him be awakened; let us reflect that everything is close to him.
      By the word of his power he established all things, and by his word he can reduce them to ruin. Who shall say to him: What have you done? Who shall stand up against the power of his might? He will accomplish everything when he wills and as he wills, and nothing that he has decreed shall pass away. All things stand in his presence, and nothing lies hidden from his counsel, if the heavens tell forth the glory of God, the firmament reveals the work of his hands, day speaks to day, and night shares knowledge with night; there are no words, no speeches, and their voices are not heard.
      Since all things lie open to his eyes and ears, let us hold him in awe and rid ourselves of impure desires to do works of evil, so that we may be protected by his mercy from the judgement that is to come. Which of us can escape his mighty hand? What world will give asylum to one who deserts him? Where will I go, where will I hide from your face? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go to the limits of the earth, your right hand is there; if I lie down in the deep, your spirit is there. Where, then, can one go, where can one escape to, from the presence of him whose hands embrace the universe?
      Let us then approach him in holiness of soul, raising up to him hands pure and undefiled, out of love for our good and merciful Father who made us a chosen portion for himself.

      Reply
      • Why can’ t these bishops stick to the truths that the church teaches

        Simple. They are the disciples of the father or lies.

        Reply
  6. Not surprised. This is indeed Orwellian. We are led by sheep, not shepherds, who are afraid to call a spade a spade.

    Reply
  7. What then when “the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful” is himself the cause of disunity?

    Reply
  8. It is ironic, with all the praises being heaped on Luther, who called the Pope the spawn of the devil, that this priest is not allowed to criticize the Pope in a charitable way.

    Reply
  9. “Mercy” under Pope Francis has been solely reserved for unrepentant homosexuals and adulterers – not holy people that question why 2000 years of doctrine is being upended.

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    • I am not sure how mercy can be applied. One can only ask for mercy if one acknowledges his/her sinfulness. If the action is not sinful, or simply not ideal, or simply a diversity, then there is no need for mercy……..then…..one won’t get any.

      Reply
      • That is why it is a twisted notion of mercy. They can’t even get that right, amidst all the other pretzels they’re making in Rome.

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      • This doesn’t make sense. Mercy is “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” Francis and his comrades have power. They exercise this power to harm those that disagree with them. However, they got out of their way not to exercise their power when unrepentant homosexuals or adulterers are at issue. They show no mercy to anyone that questions their commitment to settled doctrine if not the Gospel itself.

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        • As much as anyone who wanted Mercy on those unrepentant, it’ll only work if they acknowledge their wrongs. What is there to forgive if no sins are committed?
          Mercy is reserved for sinners, not for those who are well (or think that they are well).

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  10. Anti-Pope Francis never responds to Dubia Cardinals or others-he only demotes or eliminates all opposition like the mafia would do. His 7 heretical propositions in his last encyclical will go down in history as major apostasy fulfilling even more Our Lady’s prediction of this time-apostasy from the top!!!

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  11. Anyone who gives money to any diocesan campaign in which the USCCB garners a “cut” is contributing to the oppression of the faithful. Why risk it? Give your money to known orthodoxy promoters. The USCCB has lost its way.

    Reply
  12. Dialogue. Like the dialogue the traitors inside the Church had with Henry while St John Fisher languished in the Tower. St Athanasius suffered at the hands of traitorous bishops, as well.

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  13. I’m filled with disgust.

    Father Weinandy did nothing wrong and now he is being calumniated by the very men he has assisted for so long. There are those in the Episcopate who have been put to shame do to this priests simple and straight forward letter because they themselves knew that they should have done long ago what he did in fear and trepidation but out of obedience to Our Blessed Lord. And there are those in the Episcopacy who are filled with rage, because he exposed them for what they are, conniving or complacent yes men with an agenda of adulterating the Doctrine of the Church to suit their worldly agenda.

    Sorry for the bluntness, but I am filled with disgust. Perhaps they can now replace the consultancy of Fr. Weinandy with Fr. James Martin who appears to be much more to their liking.

    Reply
    • Fr James Martin came to mind to me as I read this guy’s letter. That is, the contrast between the two.

      The leadership of the Catholic Church is so befouled I believe their eyes are scaled over with the scales of sodomy no doubt, and just as St Paul noted, God has given them over to the gravest of evil.

      What else explains this, when the doctrines and practices protected by our leaders are so far removed from righteousness?

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      • RodH, remember the old saying, “Sin makes you stupid.” The more they embrace Modernists errors and deviant sexual sins, the expotentially stupider they become.

        RC

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    • Father, can you advise on a dilemma I’ve been having? They passed the collections baskets at church this Sunday, and my wife reached into her wallet. I stopped, and said out loud (probably louder than I should have, as it is possible some nearby heard me) “I’ll be dead before I give another dollar to the Catholic Church.”

      I know my tithing money is going towards evil. It is being abused. And yet, we’re commanded to tithe. And every time I do so, I get more upset, and more angry, and have less love in my heart.

      What exactly are we to do? Catholic Charities is an abomination, and yet money from our tithe still goes to that too.

      Reply
      • I can give you a suggestion which is to give it to organizations and religious orders that are doing God’s work and stop giving to your local parish. Think of groups like the Franciscans of the Immaculate, Clear Creek, the Carmelites in Nebraska (the nuns), and other great communities.

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      • Catholics are not expected to “tithe” in the literal sense of giving a tenth.

        Give nothing to anything connected with the pope or the USCCB. Give enough to your parish to help with hosts, wine, and lights. Give more to charities.

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      • You have stones. God reward you.
        No more money for faithless Bergoglian bishops or parishes. Only give to parishes where there is faithful and orthodox practice. For the diocesan annual appeal give to unassuming faithful Catholic enterprises. Do not publicise their names. Let the diocese know you have withdrawn your contribution. Withhold your name and tell them why you are anonymous. In all likelihood they cannot exercise a vendetta against you, but they can against your parish priest — or someone else.
        They are vipers.

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      • I don’t ‘tithe’ to local N.O. parishes any more. I give very, VERY little…the bulk goes to the true people of God…traditional orders, food pantries, and sites like this one which I give monthly. Our Lord knows what’s going on and that we should not give to the vultures who are in the process of burning His Church to the ground!! I give to His real Church.

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      • I’d also like better information about how to best determine where to give. Another complexity I wonder about is whether there is a way to support good clergyman within N.O. areas but without at the same time having any of that money go towards their questionable hierarchy. Is their a way to deny funding to untrustworthy prelates and organizations without also abandoning good priests and bishops under/within them?

        Reply
        • Recently I learned that some of the local retired diocesan priests (the worthy) would gratefully accept stipends to say Mass for private intentions. I’ve done this myself recently; the priests in question live in their own apartments and survive on a pension from the diocese and Social Security (I don’t know what else if anything) but they are grateful for the small additional income.

          Reply
      • There are many roads here, Cetera, that you can take. Give to Foor for the Poor, for example. They have a stellar record for devoting 95% of what is donated to those in need. Give to FSSP and pray they send priests to your diocese to fill the churches lacking a priest thanks to the brilliant renewal that followed Vatican II. Find people in your local newspaper who have lost a house, for example, from a fire; they need help immediately. Donate to nuns who wear a full habit like the Benedictines of Mary in Gower, MO (notice in their flyers how many of them are astonishingly young and how happy are their smiles!). There are a lot of paths you can take to get around the official and rotten Church establishment.

        Reply
        • Wonderful Johnny! I’ve met those Benedictines, they are indeed young and happy. And the FSSP are growing. They need more money to grow more. Bless you for this
          ,

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          • Let’s all make a promise to ourselves, Chloe: The more angry we get, the more money we’ll send to these faithful Catholic groups. I’ve never had the privilege of meeting the Sisters, but I look forward to their newsletter as does my wife. It’s a peek into what life could and should be.

          • Great idea Johnny. I hope you get to meet them one day. You’ll never forget them. And we need to keep supporting sites like this and the Remnant.

      • You can make alms giving, give to the poor, or take up the poorest children to train or family to care for. You can even hospital bills for thise unable to meet it. That is pure offering that goes directly to the one needing it.

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      • A precept of the Church is that you must support the Church!!

        As others have said, give to a worthy parish near you, or give to the FSSP or the ICKSP or the good apostolates.

        I won’t give another dime to the diocese either, as I have no trust where it is going.

        STARVE THE BUREAUCRAT SECULARISTS. STARVE THEM.

        St Paul says in 2 Thess 3:10; If you don’t work, you don’t eat! Well, if they aren’t doing the work of God, so STARVE THEM.

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      • From what I understand – you will be judged by your actions, you will not be judged for others’ actions. Our duty as Catholics is to tithe to our parishes, so tithe because Jesus is going to judge your obedience to tithing – not what they do with money – unless of course, you are also on the financial counsel of the parish.

        Reply
        • Really? I reject that utterly. If you know that someone intends to do something evil, and you give that persons the means to do that evil, even when giving them the means is theoretically legal or even desired in normal circumstances, how can you then hold yourself blameless for the evil done? That is unethical to the extreme.

          If you fear someone is going to harm others, or himself, and you are trying to talk that person out of it, and you in possession of his weapon which you are depriving him of for fear of that violence, and then he demands it to be turned over as it is his property, and you do so, and then he uses that weapon to kill others or himself, are you blameless?

          I don’t really think so. Ultimately God is the judge, but I certainly wouldn’t be risking that. It is not theft to deny the evildoer his weapon to harm others. It is not murder to utilize lethal force in the defense of the innocent. It is not charitable to give to a church who is being run by individuals who will use that money to desecrate our Lord.

          If your friend calls and asks for a ride, and when you pick him up he’s wearing a ski mask and a tactical vest, and he asks you to drop him off at the bank, are you innocent of the robbery simply because you couldn’t prove for certain that he was going to rob the bank?

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    • Dear Fr RP,
      I pray that your identity will remain well hidden.
      The witches hunt in the Church is open. May St Michael and our Blessed Mother protect you.

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    • Christ will acknowledge Fr Weinandy before his Father because Fr. Weinandy acknowledged Christ before the forces of evil. Fr. Weinandy is a holy man. By his action he serves the Lord the best way He be served by fighting the deadly decay of heresy in His Church.

      Reply
      • I think Father Weinandy could be declared a saint for his persecution and defense
        of the faith. To be sacked on the Feast of All Saints, no less………What is a saint?
        A sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot:
        Let us make haste to our brethren who are awaiting us
        Why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honours when their heavenly Father honours them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son? What does our commendation mean to them? The saints have no need of honour from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them, I feel myself inflamed by a tremendous yearning.

        Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the choir of virgins. In short, we long to be united in happiness with all the saints. But our dispositions change. The Church of all the first followers of Christ awaits us, but we do nothing about it. The saints want us to be with them, and we are indifferent. The souls of the just await us, and we ignore them.
        Come, brothers, let us at length spur ourselves on. We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and set our mind on the things of heaven. Let us long for those who are longing for us, hasten to those who are waiting for us, and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us. We should not only want to be with the saints, we should also hope to possess their happiness. While we desire to be in their company, we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory. Do not imagine that there is anything harmful in such an ambition as this; there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory.
        When we commemorate the saints we are inflamed with another yearning: that Christ our life may also appear to us as he appeared to them and that we may one day share in his glory. Until then we see him, not as he is, but as he became for our sake. He is our head, crowned, not with glory, but with the thorns of our sins. As members of that head, crowned with thorns, we should be ashamed to live in luxury; his purple robes are a mockery rather than an honour. When Christ comes again, his death shall no longer be proclaimed, and we shall know that we also have died, and that our life is hidden with him. The glorious head of the Church will appear and his glorified members will shine in splendour with him, when he forms this lowly body anew into such glory as belongs to himself, its head.
        Therefore, we should aim at attaining this glory with a wholehearted and prudent desire. That we may rightly hope and strive for such blessedness, we must above all seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession.
        (From the Franciscan Roman Breviary…….. Feast of All Saints)

        Reply
    • With you Father. I have experienced firsthand hate and threats from priests and bishops for similar actions, and I’m sure you and others here have as well. The pain, sadness, incredulity are immense but I must think about the Lord’s words “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, hate you and speak all manner of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice! and be glad, for great will be your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:11. So technically, I rejoice for this Father Weinandy, and he should rejoice. I am happy for him and inspired by his rare witness. As for his persecutors and calumniators, well, they will apparently receive the opposite for their behavior and decisions. Most of us likely never believed our greatest enemies would be inside our Church, people charged with serving us, people we should trust the most, but the devil has clearly infiltrated. The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, knew this would happen, and His words are perfectly reassuring and inspirational, His guidance could not be any better. It was all predicted and the Lord showed us the Way, and it involves the Cross. All this confusion and hate in our Church hierarchy actually, unintentionally, increases my faith.

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      • Both of you will be blessed.
        Jessica Garrels, program quality coordinator for Catholic Relief Services, had strongly supported and promoted Planned Parenthood. She keeps her job but the good Franciscan is sacked. There is no justice or peace with the USCCB.

        Reply
    • It must be liberating to not care about power, position, reputation, popular opinion.

      Father Weinandy cares about Jesus, Truth. Let the other stuff fall where it may.

      Reply
  14. There is no more craven and self-centered (narcissistic actually ) a creature than the male homosexual. This is what you are dealing with in the case of some of these so-called bishops. They are loyal to no one.

    Reply
    • They’re BADGERS (a heavily built omnivorous nocturnal mammal of the weasel family, typically having a gray and black coat. }
      “Badges, we don’t need no stinkin’ badges”. Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

      Reply
      • “I’ll take what’s in the box!”

        “She chose the box! Let’s see what’s in the box!… NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! STUPID!”

        Sorry… I couldn’t help myself. I love UHF and have never met anyone else who’s seen it!

        Reply
    • Usually, though, we only have an open confession of same once the pervert prelate is out of office, e.g. Weakland in 2002 when his “boy pal” blew the whistle on him. Of course, the suspicion hangs over many prelates who are eager to defend sodomy and sodomites, but they maintain their cover to protect their ability to undermine Church teaching among the unwary and gullible.

      Reply
  15. I wonder if the ‘GANG OF EIGHT’ ever heard of Blessed Micheli?
    In 1883, Sister Maria Serafina Micheli (1849-1911) (who was beatified in Faicchio in the province of Benevento in the diocese of Cerreto Sannita 28 May 2011), the foundress of the Sisters of the Angels, was going to Eisleben, Saxony, the birthplace of Luther. The fourth centenary of the birth of the great heretic (10 November 1483) was celebrated on that day.

    The streets were crowded, balconies included. Among the many personalities were expected at any time, with the arrival of Emperor Wilhelm I, who presided over the solemn celebrations.

    The future Blessed, noting the great hoopla was not interested in knowing the reason for this unusual animation, wanted to find a church and pray to be able to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. After walking for a while, she finally found one, but the doors were closed. She knelt on the steps for serenity prayer. As it was in the evening, she had not noticed that it was not a Catholic church, but Protestant. While praying, the angel appeared, who said to her. “Arise, because it is a Protestant church” Then he added: “But I want you to see where Martin Luther was condemned and the pain he suffered as a punishment for his pride.”

    After these words, she saw a terrible abyss of fire, where they were cruelly tortured countless souls. In the bottom of this hole there was a man, Martin Luther, which differed from the other: it was surrounded by demons that forced him to kneel, and all armed with hammers, they tried in vain , to shove a big nail in the head. Religious thought, if some of the people had seen this dramatic scene, they would not have made honors and other commemorations and celebrations for such a character.

    Later, when the opportunity arose to remind her sisters live in humility and in secret,she was convinced that Martin Luther was punished in hell especially for the first deadly sin of pride. Pride is a deadly sin, brought him open rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church. His behavior, his attitude towards the Church, and his preaching were crucial to encourage and bring many souls to eternal ruin

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  16. He should have refused to resign. He is right and needed to stand on principle. If they wanted him gone, let them fire him. Better to be terminated than to resign. Resignation is an acknowledgement of guilt.

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    • Depends on the circumstance, and it isn’t always the case. Particularly in this case, I think he did the right thing:

      1.) He’s being respectful. He was asked to resign. He did so. He didn’t pick a fight. He was being generous and respectful in his letter, too, and this mirrors and reinforces that.
      2.) Any organization that treats the truth like this, that specifically uses eloquent lies praising dialogue and presuppositions of charity while actually exhibiting the opposite, in public, for all to see, is not an organization that anyone of any moral fiber or character should desire to be a part of. Why wouldn’t he want to distance himself immediately from that Satanic behavior? Again, his resigning speaks to his character, and reinforces it.

      Generally speaking, if you’re asked to resign from a job, and there are financial considerations at stake, you’re much better off forcing them to fire you, and getting attorneys involved. In this case, the primary consideration is something different. Truth, salvation of souls, essence of character, fundamentals of free speech, and charity. He improved his standing on all of them with his resignation. That’s better than a walk-off grand-slam home-run. It adds a mic drop, and maybe a tsar bomba explosion to it too.

      I think there are some that would term this sort of thing, “Winning!”

      Reply
      • “He’s being respectful. He was asked to resign. He did so. He didn’t pick a fight. He was being generous and respectful in his letter, too,
        and this mirrors and reinforces that.”

        Those who practice the kind of tactics that were used against Father Weinandy are corrupt prelates who have long ago defiantly jettisoned their integrity. They have no more right than the demons to any respect. I see no merit in his resigning.

        That is what evil counts on: good people mistaking unjustly demanded compliance with humility. Without intending to second guess Father
        Weinandy’s decision—for which I can’t know the relevant details—I will venture to say that a respectful demeanor, while firmly refusing
        the request, might have been the better course.

        Reply
        • I don’t know that I’ve encountered anyone who preaches more than myself on the topic of evil winning because good men do nothing.

          However, when deciding when and where to commit your forces to battle, you have to take into account what your forces are capable of, their strengths and weaknesses, and the enemy’s abilities as well.

          1. This priest refused to support the dubia or the filial correction, because he thought it was too disrespectful, not helpful theologically, or presented effectively.
          2. It took a near-miracle to get him to say anything at all to Pope Francis. He didn’t want to, prayed about it, and God gave him his asked for sign explicitly.
          3. He took that sign, and crafted a very respectful, well written, almost humble letter to the Pope. He did so acting in accordance with the explicit will of God as revealed directly to him in #2.
          4. He is immediately asked to resign.

          It wasn’t in his nature to fight. If he had fought, it wasn’t going to be something he was comfortable with, and may not have helped very much. However, it is certain at that point he would have been sacked for insubordination, which is very easy for the enemy to use to sow doubt and distrust in those who are looking for flags to rally around.

          In resigning, he is confirming his “martyrdom.” He was sacked for doing the Lord’s will, and doing it very well. There can be no one on our side who will argue or disagree with this. He strengthened his position by acquiescing to their unjust response, and in doing so imitates Christ, who also acquiesced to his unjust Crucifixion.

          The USCCB could not have done worse when it comes to PR. They could not have done worse in their efforts to remain cloaked and in the shadows. Father Weinandy, desiring to or not, just forced them to step into the light, reveal themselves, and clarify the situation for all of us. And he did it by not fighting, but by accepting his cross.

          On such events does history pivot, movements suddenly surge, and tides turn. This is a very, very good thing. He could have accomplished nothing more by fighting other than muddying the waters. Instead, they are crystal clear, and the reflection reveals the true nature of the beast who has come to poison the water.

          Reply
          • Maybe it’s a distinction without a difference but while Christ, as you say, “acquiesced in his unjust Crucifixion,” would he have complied with a “request” that he cease and desist any of his actions?

            Our Lord’s signal response before Pilate was silence. Some might call that a passive-aggressive refusal to comply by way of answering dishonest, insincere and treacherous questions.

            You may be right that the USCCB has revealed the dastardly hearts of its members simply by making such a cowardly request of Father Weinandy. Yet I can’t help thinking that that revelation might have been even more emphatic had he politely and respectfully declined to respond to that request.

            Forcing their hand to fire him might have had the salutary effect of awakening the bishops to their own dishonesty.

            I confess that I had never heard of Father Weinandy before this article. You do convince me, though, that it was probably not in his nature to do other than he did.

  17. “Dialogue” is being used in an ideologically loaded way by modernists. I think its meaning is rooted in the cultural Marxist (Herbert Marcuse) concept of “repressive tolerance”.

    Under repressive tolerance leftists encourage freedom of speech for dissenting groups who advance their ideological agenda but aggressively withdraw it from their enemies to the right. We should not be at all surprised by what has happened to Father Weinandy.

    This papacy has made the nature and scope of the crisis in the Church entirely clear..

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  18. St. Ignatius of Loyola: “It should be presumed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.” This presupposition should be afforded all the more to the letter Fr. Weinandy wrote to our Holy Father”

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  19. Brood of vipers. But at least the battle lines are becoming ever clearer which simply affirms how far the apostasy has gone. The pace is frightening and we should all have our eyes fully open. At least this self selection approach might save Our Lord some time with the separation of sheep and goats.

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  20. Luther, whom Francis praises almost everyday in these times of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, referred to the Pope as “an Antichrist”.
    I respectfully ask our Holy Father if Luther was not sometimes given the gift of prophecy.

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  21. Four good arguments against Pope Francis and his diabolical undermining of Catholic doctrine. And four strikes and you’re out—outof a job that is–for Fr Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap. This is what happens when the Truth is spoken about Pope Francis. Pope Francis can’t handle the truth or priests who speak it. nor can the Devil most especially.

    It should be an honor and a mark of holiness for priests and Bishops to be fired by Pope Francis. Surely Fr. Weinandy will be acknowledged by Jesus before his Father. And just as surely Pope Francis and his followers will not.

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  22. How many of these pathetic excuses for bishops have just “celebrated” the 500th anniversary of Luther’s rebellion? And they have the nerve to castiigate Fr Weinandy for simply asking the pope to act like a Catholic and teach the full Catholic Faith.

    It couldn’t have come at a more ironic time and yet these eunuchs will be oblivious to it.

    Reply
      • Besides canonizing Luther and firing orthodox Catholics what else do some U.S. bishops do for a living?

        From the O. C. diocesan newspaper:

        Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange is cast in Santa Margarita Catholic High School’s fall musical production, “Godspell.” Vann plays the role of a member of the homeless community and has been attending rehearsals on campus to prepare for the production. This is not Vann’s first performance in an SMCHS production. In the spring of 2017, Vann played a Russian Orthodox priest and a Jewish villager in “Fiddler on the Roof.” In 2016, Vann played a crap shooter in the Talon Theatre production of “Guys and Dolls” and performed in the musical number “Sit Down, You’re Rockin the Boat” with Nicely-Nicely and The Company.
        http://occatholic.com/bishop-vann-joins-smchs-godspell-cast/

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  23. Fr Weinandy is a courageous and holy priest. His words reflect my thoughts. Of course, Pope Francis, true to form, has acted more like a frightened dictator than a father of souls. Pope Francis ultimately hates orthodoxy and wants to replace it with his own thoughts and opinions. This is exactly what every heretic in history has done. Rather than being the Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis acts more like the Vicar of Kasper and all the other German heretics who have brought ruination upon their own church. Pope Francis’ Pontificate will ultimately be just as ruinous. His persecuting revolution will reap only bitter fruits of self-destruction. Honest and holy men in the future will write the history of this Pontificate under the title of “Pope Francis the Destroyer.”

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  24. Is it possible to see the consequence of Father Weinandy’s intervention as anything other than a
    bold display of episcopal hubris, a bold abuse of authority, a huge middle finger in the face of all who reasonably, respectfully and conscientiously question the orthodoxy of what transpires before our face?
    The episcopate paints itself in nefarious clown makeup with such behavior.
    We have endured the humiliation of a post-conciliar era which has found our global hierarchy
    unable to comport itself with theological reason or emotional balance – ready to chase any new notion that comes down the pike like a crew of adolescent girls. We have watched as they nourished a faith crisis which eviscerated vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We were privileged to play the shocked audience to the media reveal of a clerical sexual abuse scandal that manifested the episcopate criminally negligent of the faith, the faithful and their priests out of a shame rooted in pride and greed.
    The great ecclesiastical scandal of our day is not sexual in nature. Human weakness will always be what it be. The great scandal in the Church and in Christian society is the abuse of the Person and the Gospel of Jesus Christ – in Himself and in His faithful. That the USCCB would shamelessly provide the retribution it has inflicted on Father Weinandy lifts the veil on the pathological hubris of a clerical class gone drunk on its own unaccountability. That this foul behavior is modeled in Rome and is nothing less than nauseating.
    Without exception every one of these men need be poured through a sieve to determine their moral and intellectual suitability to man a grocery check-out.
    Doubtlessly the results would not be edifying.

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  25. They quote St. Ignatius, “it should be presumed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.” It’s clear that Fr. Weinandy had already given the Pope the benefit of the doubt until remaining silent was nagging his conscience. I find the whole ordeal very consoling. It’s one of these moments where God reminds us that He is watching and acting even though it seems otherwise.

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  26. The good father did the unforgivable: he told the truth. The nancy-boy bishops reacted. Badly. Oh, they expose themselves and their empty theology! It is marvelous to behold.

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  27. Am PRAYING to use my righteous ANGER the correct way for Christ and His Church!! All of this scum oozing forth from our Prelates was not meant to lull us to sleep!! It was MEANT to wake us up as a motivational tool to fight for the true Church of Christ even if we have to fight those on the INSIDE. We just have to fight the right way.

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  28. Of course. As soon as I heard news about Father Weinandy’s letter, I said to myself “Well, he’s going to be sacked.” A schaden, as our Jewish friends would say.

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  29. Thank you Fr. Thomas, for being a shinning light in the spiritual darkness that has enveloped the Church! You are have joined other faithful prelates who have been demoted, expelled, rebuked for being a faithful servant of the persecuted Jesus Who warned his Apostolos that they too would suffer! I will pray for you.

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  30. The great irony here is that Cardinal DiNardo himself, and to his eternal credit, signed the 13 Cardinals’ Letter, explaining quite clearly how the synodal procedures adopted by the Pope and enforced with zeal by Cardinal Baldisseri “seem[] designed to facilitate predetermined results on important disputed questions.” In other words, a very clear accusation that the Pope is acting in bad faith. And, what’s more, bad faith exercised in the service of corrupting the faith. An arguably much more damning allegation than any contained in Fr. Weinandy’s letter. As the saying goes, “Good for me, but not for thee.”

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  31. There is a clear answer that we all must give the USCCB: Sever all our financial relations with this gang of leftist political hacks today. No more money for Catholic groups in any way associated with USCCB. Give instead to charities totally independent of the likes of Cupich, Tobin, Ferrell, McElroy, Martin, and others of their ilk. Inspect your parish’s envelopes carefully for any indication of connections to USCCB and, if you find one, tear it up and contribute the money to other legitimate charities.

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  32. How many times, over the years, have I had discussions and arguments (on several different continents) with members of the hierarchy over the scandal caused by clerical heretics, modernists and dissenters who were undermining the simple faith of pewsitters. When asked why these miscreants were allowed to run wild, the answer was always invariably “…..but Fr. X, (or Sister Y) is very sincere….he’s a good man, honestly trying to discern the truth….” (or words conveying that meaning).

    No longer young and naive, I now know that this shtick is a one-way street. When “sincere” faithful Catholics attempt to defend the faith, they cop it in the neck with a large, sharp axe. To your list of bishops who would have been stung by Fr. Weinandy’s words, you can add the names of Wuerl, O’ Malley and Dolan who are all worthless Francis fanbois. The word missing from your article Steve, is “hypocrites”. The apostles of “dialogue” are monstrous hypocrites.

    It’s time to cut off the money supply to these empty cassocks. I no longer give money to AmChurch ( a term which I prefer to USCCB). My contributions go directly to organizations like Aid to the Church in Need and others like it where I know it will be spent on supporting Catholicism.

    Reply
    • God bless the aid to the church in need.
      And God bless ‘the bacon priest’ that founded that org..
      https://acnuk.org/
      .
      Father Werenfried (Philipp) van Straaten O.Praem. (January 17, 1913 – January 31, 2003) who came to be known as the “Bacon Priest”, was a Premonstratensian priest known for his humanitarian work, particularly as founder of the international Catholic association Aid to the Church in Need. Born in Mijdrecht, Netherlands in 1913, he originally intended to become a teacher and enrolled at the University of Utrecht in 1932. By 1934, he had entered Tongerlo Abbey, of the Norbertine Order, (taking the religious name Werenfried, in honour of an early Medieval Germanic saint), where he became the abbot’s secretary, after a bout of tuberculosis that left him too weak for missionary work.
      He first rose to public attention at Christmas, 1947, when he wrote an article entitled “Peace on Earth? No Room at the Inn,” in which he appealed to all faithful to help the fourteen million German civilians displaced from the east at the end of World War II, six million of whom were Roman Catholics. These refugees and expellees resided in very primitive camps, mostly former Nazi concentration camps or Allied POW camps located in the western occupation zones of Germany and – for a minority – in the Netherlands and Belgium, and suffered from malnutrition and lack of medical care.
      The response to the article of Van Straaten was unexpectedly generous, proving charity still existed and hatred was lessening towards the former enemies.
      He earned his nickname, “Bacon Priest” (Dutch: Spekpater) due to his appeals to Flemish farmers for contributions of food for the German refugees, appeals which met with considerable amounts of meat being donated.
      This initial work led to the formation of Aid to the Church in Need (Kirche in Not), centered in Königstein, Germany. From 1950, he was active in Catholic relief work worldwide, through church appeals, public speaking, and his newsletter, The Mirror, which he began publishing in 1953. He also wrote a number of books (“They Call Me The Bacon Priest”, 1960).
      In later years he was active in demonstrating and speaking out against abortion in Western Europe and the United States.
      He died on January 31, 2003 at Bad Soden in Germany at the age of 90 years.

      Reply
    • Trying to discern the truth. The truth is easily discerned from the Bible and the Catechism. You know, we are rational and intelligent beings but we are not owed nor do we need an explanation for or of everything. At some point one either consents to faith and works to conform one’s thoughts and beliefs to the faith, adopting all teachings–even those which they may not understand–or one does not.

      Upon getting serious about faith, it took me approximately 20 minutes of reading to change my mind about a whole range of topics. The Church explains many concepts in very easy terms.

      Reply
  33. This is a test for other clergy to follow Father Weinandy and issue a similar letter. A single letter is a nuisance that is easily dismissed. A series of letters

    The posture of the magisterium on AL signals surprisingly brittle and weak.

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  34. Forsooth! The American bishops of today make Fat ‘Arry the 8’s bishop bench look like heroic martyrs in the Circus Maximus!

    A lot of people are saying, “No more pecunia to the Church” and that’s a good idea, for remember this: the only people who now, today, give money to the “AmChurch” are Trads who Conservative Magisterium Catholics. The Middle-Left and Farther-Left don’t donate money (just blacklisting, thuggery, and headaches).

    Give to the FSSP and Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, etc.

    RC

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  35. Not surprising from the U.S. Bishops. Remeber, it is this bench of bishops who misdirected the people of God by calling the sexual abuse crisis “pedophila” (sexual abuse of infants) when they all knew, as the John Jay Report details, that the problem was the sexual abuse of 80% males who were 80% near-teenaged or teenagers. In other words, active homosexuality amongst priests. Pope Francis has surrounded himself or promoted bishops who align themselves with homosexualists (those who are favorable to this subgroup which is estimated to affect 4% of the population —1.4% females and 2.6% males —estimated by some Catholic psychologists who work with Courage but is much higher among clergy.)
    What will happen next? Let me use an analogy: when I had to close my parish school, I was directed by the diocese not to say anything until mid-January. The reason was that teachers will transfer; as well as parents will pull their children out and transfer them while it is still early in the term.
    So what will Pope Francis do? He will never answer the dubia, and he will slow roll the people of God, by slowly placing bishops and redirecting institutions (e.g. Pope John Paul II Institute) to implementing Amoris Laetitia and allowing Holy Communion to the divorced and remarried and then to heterosexual couples living together outside of the sacrament of Marriage, and homosexual unions. He himself has mentioned that some of these couples are closer to God than most marriages which are not sacramental. (The Vatican has changed the word he used from “majority” of marriages to “part” or some marriages.). When I asked my bishop about AL in October of 2016, he at first asked me if that was the document on marriage, then said he didn’t want to write anything without consulting the diocesan Presbyterial council. I am still waiting for an answer. Right now different national bishop conferences and different bishops are already directing their clergy to do all this. What can faithful clergy do? Hang on as long as possible and then the St. Thomas More solution.
    —Signed Fr. Timothy Sauppé, S.T.L. (Pope John II Institute 1991), pastor of St. Mary’s, Westville, IL & St. Isaac Jogues, Georgetown, IL.
    (I’ll make this easy. The Diocese of Peoria)

    Reply
    • Would we could find more manliness of this genre across the spectrum of Catholic priests and prelates today. What a different, better world it would be if there were more real men like Fr. Sauppé and fewer duplicitous dissemblers like Jimmy Martin, SJ. Sadly, though, effeminacy is in vogue, and the disingenuous, the effete, and the outright heretical seem to control chanceries generally as well as the Vatican.

      Reply
    • Dear Father Sauppe,

      God be with you and may Mary protect you.

      Are you close in proximity to the priests in Springfield, Illinois of the the St. John Cantius order? About one year ago, our travels took us to Springfield, Il., and we met such a wonderful and faithful priest who was kind enough to do an exorcism blessing on St. Benedict Medal for my son. He welcomed us into his rectory and was so very gracious. He looked to tired and indirectly spoke of future concerns that are now being played out in the Church. He has been in my prayers since.
      And you shall be as well.

      Reply
      • Thank you for the kind words and prayers. Well, close, I suppose so. About 90 miles away. I am on the Illinois Indiana border.

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    • Praise God for a Name!!

      God bless you Father.

      If you need a place of retreat, just ask Steve for the contact info. You are welcome at my place any day!

      Reply
    • Pedophilia is sexual abuse of children. Prepubescent children. Infants are children under two years old. Pedophilia is a broader sexual abuse of children of different ages, not just infants.

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    • Father Timothy, I’ve added your name to my list of priests that I pray for by name during my weekly Hour of Adoration for priests only.

      May Our Lady cover you with her mantle of protection.

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  36. God bless you, Father Weinandy for your courageous defense of marriage, the family and the faith. May Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More
    inspire and protect and comfort you as you endure the aftermath of your witness to the truth.

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  37. I am not surprised. He went after several American bishops appointed by Pope Francis (Cupich, Tobin, McElroy) claiming that they preach a false Gospel. The USCCB can’t let one of its consultants do that. Circling the wagons to protect their own – even if they are on opposite ends of the theological spectrum. I assume Fr. Wienandy expected this. He is a very brave man. It will be interesting to see whether he is removed from the ITC by Pope Francis.

    Reply
    • They’re waiting for what? For a result like the one they got when they dithered for decades about disciplining criminal sodomites in their charge? How’d that turn out? (Ask Bernie Law, the fellow who fled to the Vatican to avoid prosecution in Massachusetts for criminal negligence.)

      Reply
  38. “However, these reports are often expressed in terms of opposition, as political – conservative vs. liberal, left vs. right, pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II. These distinctions are not always very helpful.” Ok, how about Catholic vs Anti-Catholic – is that a more helpful distinction?

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  39. I remember years ago a US Catholic Bishop stood up at one of their meetings and said something along the lines of that he didn’t recognize this body because it was not a canonical structure. Not sure who he was, but I agree. Follow the USCCB and see where the money goes. More $$’s for acorn or similar groups?
    A trip down memory lane and would this ever have been cut off without James O’Keefe exposing them?
    http://the-american-catholic.com/2008/11/05/usccb-investigates-1-million-church-funding-to-acorn/

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  40. As so many of us who were sacked from different pontifical councils and academies for defending the doctrine of the RC Church, fr Weinandy becomes a cornerstone (psalm 118). The self-proclaimed maffia Group of Sankt Gallen rules….

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  41. So, here we go again! The Franciscans at Vatican City go trophy hunting, while the guys at the field lodges hang up heads in case the Big Safari comes trekking past..

    And again. And again. And again. Until what? Until when?

    O.K., I’ll say the proper reply: leave all up to the Holy Spirit working upon Christ’s Church. But, doesn’t the Holy Spirit trail signs and inklings?

    Whose prophet enough to give us a word on that? I’m old. My eyesight’s going. Someone signal me a sign about the signs before I do – go.

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  42. Ah, yet another Catholic organization to avoid like the proverbial plague. Got this just now from the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement:

    THE INAUGURAL PAUL WATTSON LECTURE IN CHICAGO

    (There’s a photo accompanying the article about the address of “Bishop” Lizzie but I can’t seem to paste it here. You can find the photo of her manly features at –https://www.atonementfriars.org/october-32nd-future-ecumenical-relations/)

    “Final Reflections – On October 17, the Friars partnered with the Catholic Theological Union to offer the inaugural Paul Wattson Lecture as part of an annual lecture and study day on ecumenism in Chicago. This year’s lecture, entitled “October 32nd,” was given by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Five hundred years after Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany, Bishop Eaton discussed what Reformation and Christian reform means to various Christian denominations. She not only took a look at the history of ecumenism, but also — as the title infers — what happens next in the search for unity.”

    Clearly, the friars should spend some time studying proper English since they appear not to know the meaning of “infer.” My guess, though, is that they will choose instead to waste more time listening to heresy from phony “bishops” like Lizzie Eaton here.

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  43. Father Weinandy says the Filial Correction was not presented in an effective manner i.e. it will have no effect. What Fr W’s letter does is to suggest why it will not be effective. So far the Dubia and other statements have basically been asking for clarification on theological questions arising principally from Amoris Laetitiae. For many Catholics and certainly the world outside the Church the questions will seem to be pretty abstruse and esoteric. That is not to say that they are not of extreme importance; it is just that many will not understand their importance.

    Father W’s letter is quite different in that it questions the Pope not as to his theology but as to his manner and actions. Effectively he is asking some very personal questions as to the Pope’s conduct and suggesting that the Pope is wrong in his personal conduct. I think he is absolutely right to do so – it is not a fraternal correction of Pope Francis’s theology but of his personal conduct. It is written with great clarity and it conveys the concerns of many of us who are not theologians but are aghast at what Pope Francis seems to be doing. We are into a different ball game.

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    • Just so. Even before I had the important theological problems with Francis’ writing explained to me, I had concluded he was perhaps the worst pope in Catholic history. His actions and loose talk convinced me of this. The Argentine sodomic “couple” who met him with in the US; his smiling reception of a blasphemous crucifix from a Communist pol; his kind words for mass murderess Emma Bonino; his many scandalous interviews with the Italian atheist Scalfari; his several episcopal appointments of leftist hacks; his ostentatious humility from day one of his papacy; and the many outrageous statements he made at 30,000 ft. all told me something was rotten in Vatican City.

      Reply
    • I agree with you.

      Due to the different approach, I foresee some sort of criticism of Weinandy’s letter as a “personal attack” or “character assassination” of the Pope. Thus marginalizing its content by reducing its meaning to mere rudeness, disrespect and shameful namecalling.

      The fact that the Pope has demonstrated all of the characteristics Weinandy describes will be ignored.

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      • Yes his supporters will take that line. However his accusations are very specific and what it boils down to is whether those accusations are true or not. They involve questions of fact which are much easier to prove or disprove than the esoteric theological arguments. These issues need to be given the widest possible publicity and discussed in the hope that the truth will come out and be recognised.

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  44. Vatican 2 is not Catholic church it is satanic counter church. Any true Catholic knows it. What Francis Freemason and his gang is preaching is not of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Francis leads many to hell by this false dogmas. Stop going to false mass of Vatican 2 which is abominable to God. Vatican 2 is a diabolic sect !

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  45. A year ago, on September 21, 2016, the Vatican’s Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue
    between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church issued a ground-breaking document, Synodality and Primacy During the First Millennium (“Chieti document” for short, because produced in Chieti, Italy), that explained the role played by the Pope during the first 1000 years of Christianity. It was written in hopes of clarifying the Pope’s actual role with an eye to hoped-for future reunification with Orthodox Christians. ALL the bishops East and West on the council signed off on it, with only a few objections regarding a couple paragraphs from the Bishop of Georgia, which were included in footnotes. It is considered a major breakthrough in East-West Church relations, and is a great read, not long and not hard. Just Google “Chieti document” to read it and read many articles about it.

    It pretty much makes clear that major doctrinal decisions were made only in full ecumenical council of bishops East and West, which (implied but not explicitly stated in the document, but I know to be true from other sources) the bishops had to unanimously agree on, and then the Pope also had to agree and ratify. Otherwise no decision was considered infallible and binding on the Church. At no point in the first 1000 years did the Pope attempt to develop (or change) a doctrine apart from a council and impose it on the rest of the Church. The filioque was the first such attempt, rejected by the East because a departure from council tradition, and attempting a change in the Nicene Creed that HAD been developed and fully approved in full ecumenical council.

    So it appears the Roman Catholic practice of Popes having the authority to develop and impose doctrine on the rest of the Church apart from a council is a departure from tradition, a unique Western development due to the very different situation of the Western Church in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire. The Church in the West was the only authority left, stepped into the gap, and the Pope and bishops became accustomed to a much greater degree of political authority. It was a development not shared by the East, and led to schism when the Pope tried to impose it there.

    Frankly, as a Catholic, in light of how Pope Francis is abusing even the basic doctrine of Papal Infallibility (which is only supposed to be exercised ex cathedra), I think maybe it’s time we go back to the original tradition of making major changes only in full ecumenical council. And invite the bishops of the East to fully participate, not just observe. It would reunify the Church and immediately solve the problem of wayward Popes and bishops trying to change fundamental doctrine and practice, because they’re NEVER going to get all the bishops to unanimously agree to a major departure from tradition.

    Of course it would take a major act of humility and courage on the part of our Popes and bishops to do so….. not sure our current Pope and his cronies would be up to that at all…….

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      • It would demand a council of bishops East and West regarding the sacrament of marriage. The Orthodox do have a process for marriage after divorce which is based on the power of binding and loosing granted by Christ to the Apostles, different from the annulment process that developed in the West AFTER the schism, which allows the vast majority of Catholics to marry in the Church after a divorce. To compare the two is to compare apples to oranges.

        Frankly, having been through the annulment process myself, it doesn’t look all that different, as in the East I would have to write to the bishop in my own hand explaining the reason for my divorce before being allowed to marry in the Church – and the bishop would likely require me to go through a minimum of three year’s penance before being allowed to marry in the Church. This is IF I were allowed to marry in the Church. It would be harder if I were found to be at fault in the divorce, say due to adultery. At least that is how an Orthodox pastor I know explained it to me.

        The problem between the Eastern and Western understanding of marriage and divorce is due to the sinful division between us and different practices that developed as a result of schism, not because the East just decide divorce and remarriage were fine and dandy. Frankly the Orthodox are appalled at what Pope Francis is trying to do, because he wants to admit divorced and remarried Catholics to communion without any process or penance at all!

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        • They also talk about or second and third marriages following divorce. Let’s say we buy the fist marriage arose in ignorance or whatever. The third marriage? Really?

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          • That’s why we need a REAL ecumenical council of bishops East and West. And btw, I know people who’ve had as many as five annulments. It’s hard to criticize the East when the West does essentially the same thing in practice – and even sometimes when a rejected former spouse objects to the remarriage of their abandoning spouse. We need to clean house!

          • The Catholic Church was also influenced by secular rulers, for example from within it’s own ranks during the investiture controversy, a big contributor to the decadence that led to the Protestant Reformation. And today the “pontifical secret” and practice of mental reservation sanctions lying in order to protect sexually abusive priests.

            I am not defending the Orthodox practice, I am suggesting that a return to the original conciliar tradition for resolving difficult theological issues would solve a lot of problems both worlds currently face. Does the Catholic Church not claim to be the upholder and defender of Tradition? Let the bishops East and West get together and duke it out until they reach unanimity and the Pope agrees. No more of this dictatorship of false mercy and suppression of brother bishops’ voices!

  46. During this pontificate many good men will be taken down.
    It makes me wonder that there is something very wrong with a system that cannot remove a tyrant such as this man in the Vatican.
    The faithful cardinals and bishops should have protested en masse instead of one at a time. The man in the Vatican is an impostor.

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  47. The Bishops flaunt Ignatius of Loyola’s ‘presupposition’ but fail to even see that they themselves have hypocritically let down their fellow confrere by not giving HIM the benefit of the doubt in the truly charitable motive in his letter. It reminds me of the Pharisees seething when Christ spoke the truth about them. There are active homosexual priests in dioceses across the nation, flaunting their sin and the bishops do nothing to clean out the filth, but a holy priest states his grave concerns of this pontificate and the effect the confusion is having on the flock and he is immediately a leper to them!

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  48. Only when priests and higher write letters agreeing with Fr Weinany to him, the Holy Father and the head of USCCB will the point sink into the Pope’ s head…..those who profess tbe Catholic doctrines must act that way. Funny, not so, that one denomination wants Catholic Holy Communion with and they do not believe what we do as Catholics. They must be friends of the Pope!!!!!

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  49. We often forget to do this but…..

    Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you, Fr Weinandy for serving the Church ! Whatever you do in the future, we will pray for you !

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  50. I have to say I’m impressed with the chorus of bishops who’ve spoken up in support of Weinandy, condemning his forced resignation. Oh, wait.

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  51. When I read the words of the song Bishop Athanasius Schneider was forced to sing in school as a child, I almost began to cry.

    Reply

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