Dear OnePeterFive donors, supporters and readers,
Recently on the OnePeterFive Podcast, I tried to unpack the inner spiritual realities at work in the question of Eastern Orthodoxy, to which Catholics are especially susceptible. I made mention of this in my first article introducing the series “Against the Greek Schisms.” Eric Sammons over at our sister publication made a similar point about the most recent directives from the Vatican. The reality is that not only Pope Francis, but a whole host of hierarchy have been abusive spiritual fathers, which has wounded us.
It is my firm belief that if we don’t address these things, we are missing the very heart of the issue which draws Catholics in our time to one of the Greek schisms to escape an abusive father.
Wounds from spiritual abuse run deep and gnaw at our faith and hope in the Roman Church. They darken our understanding, weigh down our wills, and then get rooted down in our hearts. There is a lasting impact from this spiritual abuse, and we have to face it, or else we will be lost. But the Sacred Heart of Jesus is our refuge. He is the consoler of wounded hearts Whose grace alone can heal us.
Let us not turn to the Greek schisms or some other fantasy, but rather to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He endured the abuse of spiritual fathers who sought to torture Him into submission and destroy Him. But the Sacred Heart could not be overcome by their malice.
Unless we find refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we will be overcome by the malice of abusive spiritual fathers.
Then, and only then, can we look objectively at the historical, dogmatic, and intellectual factors at play in our own day, like the false spirit of Vatican One, of which we will have much to say very soon.
As always, please contact me with anything.
In Christ the King,
T. S. Flanders
Editor
