Roman Catholic Blog

Baltimore Archbishop Puts Restrictions On Legion of Christ Activities

This is interesting (H/T to Catholic World News).  Archbishop Edmund O'Brien of Baltimore has asked the Legionaries of Christ for a full, detailed report of all their activities within the Archdiocese of Baltimore -- and has placed limits on Legion vocational recruitment activity within his jurisdiction.

Archbishop O'Brien wants the Legion to appoint a liaison priest to furnish him with the names, locations, meeting and activity schedules, membership of all Legion and Regnum Christi groups.

Also, O'Brien asks local Legionary/Regnum Christi members:

Ex-Papal Liturgist, Archbishop Piero Marini: Liturgical Renewal "Irreversible"

Christ Healing The Blind Bartimeus by Carl Heinrich Bloch

Here's the link: Vatican official calls liturgical renewal 'irreversible path'

Here's a section of the article:

Liturgical renewal launched by the Second Vatican Council is an "irreversible path" and has not been affected by Pope Benedict XVI's concession on wider use of the Tridentine rite, a Vatican official said.

"The pope's decision has so far not produced any change in the celebrative practice of our ecclesial communities. His gesture was only one of service to unity," Archbishop Piero Marini, who arranged papal liturgies for more than 20 years, said in an interview April 25 in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

"Therefore let's look ahead and let's continue with enthusiasm the path undertaken by the council," he said.

Late last year Archbishop Marini was named to head the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.

The archbishop remains involved in international liturgical issues, and he said a revision of the committee's statutes is giving it wider authority over eucharistic congresses at the national and regional level, too.

Asked if Pope Benedict's relaxation of restrictions on the use of the pre-Vatican II liturgy signaled a halt to the liturgical reform movement, Archbishop Marini said that was clearly not the pope's aim.

The pope's decree "does not intend to introduce modifications on the current Roman Missal or express a negative judgment on the liturgical reform desired by the council," he said.

He said the decree, which reached out to disaffected Catholics, should be seen as an effort to maintain unity in the church.

Archbishop Marini said his own experience in organizing papal liturgies in more than 100 countries has convinced him that the liturgical reform movement has brought overwhelmingly positive results.

"Everywhere, the liturgy desired by the council was celebrated with lively participation and enthusiasm. Everyone understood the liturgy as proper to the local church and at the same time as an expression of the universal church," he said.

Those liturgies also demonstrated that liturgical reform has solid theological foundations, he said.

"Therefore this is an irreversible path," he said.

Liturgical celebration cannot be separated from the life of the church, the archbishop said, and this means "the church of today, not the church of yesterday or of tomorrow."

At the same time, Archbishop Marini said celebrating the liturgy according to Vatican II is not an easy thing. It takes patience, perseverance and pastoral charity, he said.

One particular issue that has emerged during papal trips, he said, is the fact that some Masses are now attended by hundreds of thousands of the faithful. That raises practical considerations like the number of concelebrants, the distribution of Communion and the level of personal participation, he said.

Pope Benedict has already asked for reconsideration of the role of concelebrants, and Archbishop Marini said it makes sense to look at the question through a serious study and with eventual pastoral-liturgical guidelines.

My thoughts:

We'll see, Archbishop Marini. I suspect you're wrong, though. I certainly think it's wrong to claim that Summorum Pontificum was only issued in an effort to preserve unity and avoid schism. How does the allowance of a right Archbishop Marini clearly views as old and outdated alongside the Ordo Missae promulgated by Pope Paul VI signify a movement that preserves liturgical unity?

It's clear that the archbishop is not in agreement with Pope Benedict XVI with respect to the liturgy. That is probably why he's known as ex-papal liturgist, Archbishop Piero Marini.

Any thoughts?

Report: Pope Benedict XVI Considering Ways To Cleanse The Priesthood

Here is the link: Pope Celebrates Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC, Prays for Healing From Church Sex Scandal

Here is the key quote:

A top Vatican official now says the Roman Catholic Church is weighing a further change to clean up the clergy: revising church law so predators could be more easily removed.

"It's possible," said Cardinal William Levada, head of the Vatican office that reviews abuse claims against priests worldwide.

"There are some things under consideration that I'm not able to say," Levada told reporters Friday, in a meeting at Time magazine's offices. A Vatican spokesman stressed Saturday that no immediate changes are planned.

It is the latest signal during Benedict's first papal visit to America that he is intent on purifying the priesthood as he affirms traditional Catholic practices and teaching.

My thoughts: Working to prevent men with homosexual tendencies from receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders or entering religious life would be a great start!

See also: Bill Maher Makes Excuses For Michael Jackson, But Attacks The Catholic Church [Language Warning]

Text Of Pope Benedict XVI's Speech To Bishops

Text Of Pope Benedict XVI's Speech To Bishops (after the jump)...

You Decide: Has "The Cafeteria Is Closed" Blog Reopened The Cafeteria Over The Issue Of Legal Recognition For Homosexual Unions?

Tab Hunter & Roddy McDowall have their cake and sausage, and eat it too.

The Cafeteria is Closed blog has a post which appears to promote the legal recognition of homosexual unions and accept notions about the nature of homosexual activity that have caused some controversy. There are currently over 400 comments on the post.

Here's the link: Homosexuality

After the jump, I will respond to what I read in Gerald's post and in some of the comments. Some of what I say, I will have said before, but I went through and edited things, updated links, and made an effort to tighten what is intended to be a fairly thorough response to the thoughts expressed by Gerald and others commenting at The Cafeteria is Closed blog.

Although the response is lengthy, it isn't just an articulation of my unsupported opinions, hence the links and the length.

One of the reasons error is so widespread in society is that it takes effort to come to know the truth, and refuting errors can involve writing a whole book-length response to properly refute errors that can be rattled off in a few sentences. Many people aren't interested in the work entailed in learning the truth or refuting error, and this is especially so when the errors appeal to them because of an attachment to sin.

I'm not suggesting those things of Gerald, but I do contend that Gerald has sort of gone off the deep end on this issue.

My response to Gerald is after the jump. Please add your comments at the end.

The American Life League Welcomes Pope Benedict XVI

Here's the link to the advertisement welcoming Pope Benedict XVI: The American Life League Welcomes Pope Benedict XVI

Any thoughts?

Matt C. Abbott: California Priest In 'State Of Crisis'

Here's the background story: Fresno Priest Still In Exile

Quote:

In 2003, Father Joe Baca, of the Fresno, Calif., diocese — and who, for a time, was permitted to celebrate the Tridentine Mass at St. Agnes Mission Church in Pinedale, Calif. — was removed from public ministry by Bishop John Steinbock.

Father Baca's story, along with that of Father Jean-Michael Lastiri, can be found in this 2004 article from Los Angeles Lay Catholic Mission.

Father Lastiri is still in public ministry. In June 2006, he was named Diocesan Director of Liturgy and Worship and Evangelization. On March 5, 2007, he was named administrator of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in downtown Fresno, and he currently heads the diocese's (newly-renamed) Office of Justice, Liturgy, and Worship.

Meanwhile, Father Baca's situation, like that of Arlington, Va., priest Father James Haley, remains in a sort of limbo.

Here's the update: Help Us, Pope Benedict... California Priest In 'State Of Crisis'

Quote:

Readers might recall my coverage of Father Joe Baca, of the Fresno, Calif., Catholic diocese. Father Baca contacted me in recent days and seemed distraught. I was, and still am, concerned for his well-being.

Thankfully, Father Baca is working with Joe Maher, president of Opus Bono Sacerdotii ("Work for the Good of the Priesthood"), who has issued the following update to Father Baca's unsettling situation:

'I just talked to Father Joe Baca at length. He assured me that he was not suicidal; however, he is utterly exhausted and has lost just about all hope. He received a letter from his bishop via e-mail on Monday which I believe threw him into a state of emotional and physical shock. I cannot say more than this due to the confidential nature of canonical cases. I asked Father Joe to send me a copy of the letter and I may talk to his bishop personally to see what can be done to ease his pain and bring some justice to this situation. I don't want to give anyone false hope because bishops often act at their own discretion regardless of canon law. We shall see.

'All that being said, and based on the thousands of priests' cases we deal with, and one new priest a day on average contacting us for help, Father Joe is in a state of crisis. Now more than ever, he needs the kind of love and support you are giving him here. Very few priests have such a network. When I can give a further update, I will.

'May Our Lady of Priests be Father Joe's, and your, health and protection.'

Please pray for all priests, particularly those who are suffering for the cause of the Faith!

San Francisco Archbishop George Niederaurer's Double Standards

Via Barbara Kralis:

San Francisco Archbishop George Niederaurer is scheduled to give an address about pornography and its effect on human dignity and sexuality during the annual Charles E. Miller, C.M. Symposium March 11 at St. John's Seminary, Camarillo. (Here's the article: Archbishop to address 'Assaulting Human Dignity' in seminary talk.)

However, Niederaurer has done nothing substantive to clean up the homosexual pornography that is occurring right in his own archdiocese and even in one of his own parishes, Most Holy Redeemer, where last October he gave our Lord Jesus in Holy Communion to two sodomite drag queens dressed up as "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence." MHR has a long history of pro-homosexual activism, including having held bingo games where prizes included porn DVDs and sex toys.

During the West Coast Walk for Life in January, president Anthony Gonzales of the St. Joseph's Men Society asked the archbishop if he would excommunicate the twisted Sisters or at least put an interdict on them. Archbishop Niederaurer gave this non-response: "I'm planning on walking for life." (To watch the video, go to St. Joseph's Men's Society and scroll about 1/3 of the way down the page to "The Refusal of Archbishop Niederauer.")

So, it is truly ironic that Archbishop Niederaurer would give a talk to seminarians on pornography, while at the same time he does nothing to address the pornography in his own diocese.

My thoughts:

The Archdiocese has known about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for a long time and knew of their involvement at Most Holy Redeemer Parish prior to Niederauer's decision to give the Blessed Sacraments to drag queens. Most Holy Redeemer Parish is known for its homosexual-friendly atmosphere and involvement in homosexual activism.

Here's evidence:

The "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence" Lead "Revival Bingo" at Most Holy Redeemer Parish Hall

Background on homosexual-friendly Catholic Parish, Most Holy Redeemer (MHR), in the Castro District of San Francisco, where the San Francisco Sacrilege occurred.

Most Holy Redeemer Parish had a booth at the Folsom Street Fair and has participated in "gay pride" events for many years.

Here's evidence:

Catholic ‘Drag Nun Bingo’ Parish, Most Holy Redeemer, Participates in San Francisco Pride Parade 2007

Life and Death in a “Gay” Parish - The Story of Most Holy Redeemer Church, San Francisco

MHR & How It Got That Way

Holy Redeemer Parish Marches in "Gay Parade"

I must warn you that parts of this linked YouTube video detailing Most Holy Redeemer Parish involvement in a "pride" parade are obscene. (Note: Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco, makes an appearance): "Gay Pride" in the Archdiocese of San Francisco

Where Is Archbishop Niederauer?: BBC To Broadcast "Gay" Mass From San Francisco

Scandalous San Francisco 'Gay Pride' Pastor and Chancellor Back in Saddle after "Leave"

Archbishop Niederauer is a progressive, "gay-friendly", Catholic bishop. Here's evidence:

Scandal & Sacrilege In San Francisco [Warning: Graphic]

New San Francisco Archbishop Thinks Gay Propaganda Film Brokeback Mountain is "Very Powerful"

"San Fran. Archbishop "very happy" about plan regarding homosexual adoptions"

"San Francisco Archbishop Niederauer Says He Doesn't Know Nancy Pelosi Stand on Abortion"

Homosexual Activists Cheer Appointment of New San Francisco Archbishop

Current San Francisco Archbishop Niederauer Defended Molesting Priest

Any thoughts?

Fr. Z: Oblates Of The Virgin Mary Superiors Come Out Against Pope Benedict XVI & Summorum Pontificum

St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church

12001 East 214 Street Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716

Voice: 1 (562) 924-7591 Fax: 1 (562) 402-9411

St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California has rescinded their support for the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, in what can reasonably seen as defiance of Summorum Pontificum.

Here's the story: OMV and SJ superiors line up against Pope Benedict and Summorum Pontificum.

Quote:

At Saint Peter Chanel in Hawaiian Gardens, CA, USA, there was a older form low Mass for a few months. One day as Mass was ending the pastor announced that the head of his order had told OMV priests to stop saying the older form of Mass because providing the TLM was an "apostolate" that the OMV does not embrace. He also said that the 170 person average Sunday attendance was insufficient to justify the Mass there. Some parishioners expressed their dismay, but the pastor was adamant.

I wrote about this back on 13 February.

Some parishioners began writing to the superiors of the OMVs.

Here is an example of a response:

Dear Ms. _, I want to thank you for your email and the concerns you shared regarding the Tridentine Mass at St. Peter Chanel. I can understand how the news you have heard regarding the celebration of the extraordinary form is difficult. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify what has happened and to reaffirm our uncompromised fidelity to the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church.

The decision to no longer offer the extraordinary form was made by our Major Superior in Rome in consultation with his Council. He arrived at this decision after careful study of the Motu Proprio in light of our charism and the needs for the people we serve. Each Religious Community and Institute of Consecrated Life, under the direction of its Major Superior has the freedom to determine which apostolic works they wish to undertake according to their charism and spirit. This freedom is described in Article 3 of the "Motu Proprio" and is given to the Major Superior by the Holy Father.

The decision of our Major Superior for our religious community does not mean we not recognize the beauty and the validity of this extraordinary form permitted by our Holy Father, or the real need it provides for some of the Catholic faithful. It means simply this is not an apostolic work that our Major Superior wants us to undertake as a Congregation.

As stated in Article 7, the bishop has the responsibility to provide this form to the Catholic Faithful in his diocese to meet their spiritual needs. We have encouraged those who feel called to worship in the extraordinary form to pursue the options available by the diocese. For example, this extraordinary form continues to be offered in the diocese, and we have encouraged the faithful to attend this Mass if they are feel called to this particular form of worship.

We are grateful to God for the opportunity to offer the beauty of the liturgy to thousands each week. Like the extraordinary form, these liturgies are reverent, prayerful and spiritually nourishing. There have been and continue to be great miracles that take place at St. Peter Chanel parish. Whether it is the approximate 800 people who attend the four daily Masses, the 8,000 people who attend the 12 Sunday Masses or the many hours of confessions on a daily basis, God is working in and through Oblate priests and the parishioners in a powerful way. Our commitment to this spiritual work of mercy, along with the many good works at St. Peter Chanel we pray will only continue.

I thank you again for taking the time to write me. I hope I have helped to clarify your concerns.

With my prayers and warmest regards in Christ,

Fr. Bill Brown, OMV
Provincial
Oblates of the Virgin Mary

Fr. Z correctly concludes:

In a nutshell, must we conclude that the OMV’s have determined that they are somehow separate from the rest of the Church in regard to use of the fullness of the Roman Rite? That’s is what it looks like. They don’t have the "charism", a slippery term, to provide for the spiritual needs of people through the TLM. They have an apostolate that excludes such people.

Okay. That’s their choice. Too bad.

Apparently the parishioners are still writing and working to resolve this situation and the Provincial has been communicating with the Rector Major, Fr Patrice Veraquin, OMV.

I'm at a loss. What could these priests and superiors be thinking? The Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite is not only a treasure of the Church, it is also a right of the faithful. If the Oblates are claiming their charism is not to serve all Catholic parishioners in their parishes, then it would follow that they are essentially claiming that serving in parishes isn't their charism.

Any thoughts?

Custody Battle Threatens Health And Life Of Aging Priest

I've been following this story via e-mail for some time now. It's very sad. It does appear that the woman struggling to retain power over Fr. Gallagher (and his financial resources) is not considering Fr. Gallagher's own wishes or even his best interests. Since others are willing to help and Fr. Gallagher is willing to accept that help and clearly wants to end the control this woman is asserting over his life, it seems more than a little odd that she insists on continuing to try to retain power over Fr. Gallagher (and his financial resources).

One would think this woman would want to avoid the appearance of attempting to take advantage of an elderly, dying priest so as to gain access to his savings, but apparently she isn't interested in how some people may perceive the situation. She's clearly got other priorities, and Fr. Gallagher appears to feel his happiness and well-being are no longer among them. Although this woman may eventually be able to provide her own perspective and assist others in coming to see more benign motives for her current course of action, it would still seem best for all involved for all ties between Fr. Gallagher and this woman to end permanently. That way, Fr. Gallagher will apparently be happy and this woman's motives will no longer be the subject of further potential scrutiny, thereby avoiding further potential damage to her reputation (if it is already damaged).

Here's the story: Custody Battle Threatens Health and Life of Aging Priest - Family of priest claims woman seized temporary guardianship under false pretext, claiming priest's "mental incompetence"

Here's an extended quote:

A terminally ill Roman Catholic priest is the center of a tempestuous legal battle between a court-appointed temporary guardian - who has demanded his return to an Arizona care center - and family and friends - who believe such a move could kill him.

Fr. Bernard "Brian" Gallagher, 76, a retired priest from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yakima, Washington, is the focus of a custody struggle between his family and a woman acting as his legal emergency guardian. Imelda Guadalupe "Lupe" Kowalczyk has insisted to authorities that Fr. Gallagher is mentally incompetent and cannot make his own decisions, among which is Fr. Gallagher's well-documented desire to live with fellow religious in California and to finish his days with constant access to the Mass and the sacraments.

Earlier this week, Fr. Gallagher was taken, at his own urgent request, and over the objections of Kowalczyk, from a nursing home in Payson, Arizona to the well-equipped cancer care facilities at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. Once there it was discovered that Fr. Gallagher was suffering from an infected bladder, the beginnings of aspiration pneumonia from poor feeding tube treatment, as well as other symptoms. He had also lost a considerable amount of weight.

But sources say Arizona law enforcement is now exerting pressure to return Fr. Gallagher into the custody of Kowalczyk, who had deprived him of all contact with friends and family and the right to the Catholic Church's sacraments. Those who are close to the terminally ill priest say any move from the hospital could jeopardize his life.

An attorney representing Fr. Gallagher, has instructed the hospital that the priest "not be moved and certainly not be moved at the behest of the very person whose motives and legal actions we are questioning in the California courts."

Power of Attorney

In January, Fr. Gallagher was diagnosed with a stage IV brain tumor while undergoing treatment for a broken arm he suffered from a fall in Arizona. Fr. Gallagher, a California resident, had been visiting the Kowalczyk family in Arizona for a few days when he fell.

Family and friends close to Fr. Gallagher said Kowalczyk then took charge of his health care, while repeatedly deceiving those closest to him. Kowalczyk had power of attorney, which Fr. Gallagher had given to her and a friend, David Picella, in 2006. Kowalczyk, however, did not at any point notify Picella of Fr. Gallagher's condition and misled him as to the priest's whereabouts.

Those family and friends who are now fighting to keep Fr. Gallagher in California claim that Kowalczyk gave them the impression that the priest had been airlifted to Phoenix to undergo major brain surgery, but that doctors were unable to remove successfully the cancerous tumor.

However, when family members and friends made a surprise visit to the priest at the Payson Care Center, where Kowalczyk's had had him moved, they found Fr. Gallagher had a full head of hair, with no sign of major brain surgery. The priest's right to access the Catholic sacraments also had not been respected.

At the time of their visit friends and family were unable to convince Kowalczyk to let Fr. Gallagher go home to California for treatment. Instead they were informed that she planned to take care of Fr. Gallagher until he died and that she would receive caregiver money. She told Nicolas Gallagher, the priest's brother in Ireland, that she was building an extension in her house for the priest, using the caregiver monies.

"It looked like the nurses weren't paying close enough attention to take care of things," Marian Bower, Fr. Gallagher's cousin told LifeSiteNews. "He didn't have any clothes, just a blanket over him. They didn't want to help him up to go to the bathroom, they just told him to use the bedpan."

LifeSiteNews attempted to contact the Payson Care Center, but was told, "We have no comment. Thank you."

Power of Attorney Revoked, Emergency Guardianship Seized

Documents obtained by LifeSiteNews.com show that Kowalczyk seized emergency legal guardianship of Fr. Gallagher shortly after learning that the priest, dissatisfied with her unwillingness to return him to California, relieved her of her power of attorney and reassigned any health-care directive and legal control over his finances to his cousin James Logsdon.

"I, Father Brian T. Gallagher, fully revoke the Power of Attorney from Lupe Kowalczyk from St. John's, AZ as having power of attorney over my affairs," reads the letter, signed by Fr. Gallagher and also signed by witnesses on February 16, 2008. Again on February 19, Fr. Gallagher repeated this instruction before witnesses, which was recorded by friend Denise Riggio. (Listen to the recording: Fr. Gallagher Audio)

The priest also expressed his wish to return to San Juan Capistrano or live in a religious institute, "so that I may be with the Blessed Sacrament daily as well as receive the sacraments daily till the end of my days."

Kowalczyk, however, sought and obtained Temporary Guardianship and Temporary Conservator over Fr. Gallagher after she asserted that the priest was mentally incompetent. A hearing to review guardianship is scheduled for March 13 in Apache County, Arizona, where she resides. The same day that she obtained emergency guardianship, Kowalczyk ordered Payson Care Center staff to cut off Fr. Gallagher from all visitors and all means of communication, including reception of the sacraments.

Several of Fr. Gallagher's friends had traveled from California to visit him on February 23, but were abruptly turned away by several nurses following Kowalczyk's "no visitor" orders. The visitors observed other signs of neglect, including a mattress on the floor to catch the priest if he fell off the bed, lack of bed sheets, insufficient clothing on his body, and the fact that he was lying flat on his back with his feeding tube installed, which can cause aspiration pneumonia.

Those closest to the priest claim that Fr. Gallagher is by no means mentally incompetent. Friend Eileen Querubin, a social worker for over 18 years, faxed a letter to Payson Care Center administrators stating that the priest's patient rights were being violated. She related the many conversations he had with her and other visitors, saying, "Based on my professional judgment, Father Gallagher is not incompetent," adding that she feared for the priest's "safety and best interest."

Priest's Wishes Finally Honored Above Temporary Guardian

Kowalczyk is now fighting with the help of Arizona law enforcement to return Fr. Gallagher to her custody, but Fr. Gallagher's legal counsel say they intend to protect the priest and expose the fraudulent grounds of her guardianship status.

LifeSiteNews contacted Kowalczyk for comment on February 25, but she denied any knowledge of Fr. Gallagher and hung up on our reporter. She declined to comment when called again on February 28, instead directing reporters to contact her lawyer. She did not provide a name or phone number for her legal counsel.

Any thoughts?