Father Tom Euteneuer: "No Deal, Father Rosica"
No Deal, Fr. Rosica
Fr. Thomas Rosica, director of the Salt and Light Catholic Television Network in Canada, recently wrote a shameless condemnation of pro-life people who objected to the August 28th Canonization in Boston, more commonly known as the funeral of Senator Edward Kennedy. Fr. Rosica had a problem with good Catholics being scandalized by the public funeral of a man who lived his life utterly rejecting the Church's core principles. There was absolutely no recognition of the heroism of the thousands of faithful Catholics who have stood on the front lines of this battle for many decades or of the marvelous contribution that we have made to saving babies and witnessing to the Truth of Christ. Unfortunately, Father's criticism simply feeds the flames of anti-life sentiment against pro-lifers and ultimately against the sanctity of human life.
Now, the first of his many ironies was that, in condemning pro-lifers, Father was attempting to convince his readers not to condemn anyone. He reads the Scripture passage, "judge not lest ye be judged" with a bit of jaundice. He called pro-lifers all kinds of names that could have come right out of Planned Parenthood's verbiage for us, and he even insinuated in a subsequent interview that, of all people, EWTN's Raymond Arroyo was somehow part of this "uncharitable" problem in the Church because Raymond spoke out forcefully against the Kennedy scandal. Then he attacked the best pro-life news organization in the business, LifeSiteNews, saying that they were doing "the work of the devil" in shining the spotlight on this travesty. If this is the Gospel model of non-judgmentalism, I am reading the Good Book wrong.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Luther pastor who was killed in the Nazi Holocaust, called this kind of sell-out "cheap grace" because it costs the pious churchman absolutely nothing to say it. In fact it must apparently feel real good because so many of them indulge in it. Let these churchmen try disciplining "Catholic" dissenters who scandalize Christ's faithful, and they would see the value of their grace increase in proportion to their suffering at the hands of these renegades.
Worst of all is that people with this strange ethic of non-judgmentalism apply a standard of mercy to public Catholic reprobates that is never applied to the aborted children who will not get a funeral or graveside service offered by prelates reading pious sentiments from a very strange gospel book. What Fr. Rosica's denunciations have thus highlighted for us is the extent to which the "judge not lest ye be judged" ethic reigns in ecclesiastical circles, and for that reason our Church is in trouble. Those who come out of a non-judgmentalism Gospel ethic, lay and cleric alike, will have nothing to offer our suffering souls in the darkness that is even now hovering over our Church like a black shroud. The pagan world is already coming after all that we hold dear and sacred, and if the murder of pro-lifer James Pouillon last week is any indication, they will soon be doing so with a vehemence that we have not experienced in our land since the days of the North American Martyrs.
To the ethic of hypocritical diatribes that defame pro-lifers, I can only say, "No deal, Father Rosica." Anyone who will use "non-judgmentalism" against faithful Catholics needs to wake up and smell the gunpowder on Jim Pouillon's pro-life t-shirt. The Church stands with all men and women of good will against the increasingly pagan and violent culture that militates against us and our values. Those who use this ethic to keep the Church totally unprepared for battle need more than a re-reading of Scripture. They need a good kick in the back end and a refresher course on Catholic bravery which St. Paul tells us makes us "strong, loving and wise." (2 Tim 1:7-8)
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
Now, the first of his many ironies was that, in condemning pro-lifers, Father was attempting to convince his readers not to condemn anyone. He reads the Scripture passage, "judge not lest ye be judged" with a bit of jaundice. He called pro-lifers all kinds of names that could have come right out of Planned Parenthood's verbiage for us, and he even insinuated in a subsequent interview that, of all people, EWTN's Raymond Arroyo was somehow part of this "uncharitable" problem in the Church because Raymond spoke out forcefully against the Kennedy scandal. Then he attacked the best pro-life news organization in the business, LifeSiteNews, saying that they were doing "the work of the devil" in shining the spotlight on this travesty. If this is the Gospel model of non-judgmentalism, I am reading the Good Book wrong.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Luther pastor who was killed in the Nazi Holocaust, called this kind of sell-out "cheap grace" because it costs the pious churchman absolutely nothing to say it. In fact it must apparently feel real good because so many of them indulge in it. Let these churchmen try disciplining "Catholic" dissenters who scandalize Christ's faithful, and they would see the value of their grace increase in proportion to their suffering at the hands of these renegades.
Worst of all is that people with this strange ethic of non-judgmentalism apply a standard of mercy to public Catholic reprobates that is never applied to the aborted children who will not get a funeral or graveside service offered by prelates reading pious sentiments from a very strange gospel book. What Fr. Rosica's denunciations have thus highlighted for us is the extent to which the "judge not lest ye be judged" ethic reigns in ecclesiastical circles, and for that reason our Church is in trouble. Those who come out of a non-judgmentalism Gospel ethic, lay and cleric alike, will have nothing to offer our suffering souls in the darkness that is even now hovering over our Church like a black shroud. The pagan world is already coming after all that we hold dear and sacred, and if the murder of pro-lifer James Pouillon last week is any indication, they will soon be doing so with a vehemence that we have not experienced in our land since the days of the North American Martyrs.
To the ethic of hypocritical diatribes that defame pro-lifers, I can only say, "No deal, Father Rosica." Anyone who will use "non-judgmentalism" against faithful Catholics needs to wake up and smell the gunpowder on Jim Pouillon's pro-life t-shirt. The Church stands with all men and women of good will against the increasingly pagan and violent culture that militates against us and our values. Those who use this ethic to keep the Church totally unprepared for battle need more than a re-reading of Scripture. They need a good kick in the back end and a refresher course on Catholic bravery which St. Paul tells us makes us "strong, loving and wise." (2 Tim 1:7-8)
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
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posted by Chris Dickson, F.L.A. at
5:19 PM
2 Comments:
Dear Father Thomas, thank you for speaking out in defense of the unborn and pro-lifers. Pro-Lifers have been moved to speak up against the crime of the murder of innocent children created by God. We, the Catholic faithful are members of the Church militant here on earth. We have an obligation to stand up to defend all the teachings of the Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ. We are also acutely aware that Truth and Charity cannot be separated.
One does not need to be a theologian or study in Rome to know when something is terribly wrong. As Catholics we are aware of our own sinfulness. We struggle daily with life’s choices in obedience to all the teachings of our Catholic faith. We fall many a time and keep getting up. The Holy Spirit infuses into our souls the grace received in Baptism, Confirmation and the graces received in the Holy Eucharist which grows as we strive to be holy. This grace sears into our hearts, minds and conscience what is truth and false. We then know in our bones, in the depths of our being what is intrinsically sinful and wrong and what is innately good and beautiful.
As always, this scandal was caused not by Ted Kennedy or his family but by the Bishop or bishops and priests who should have known better, yet permitted this man to have a fully televised, Catholic Requiem Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Bishops and priests do not own the sacraments to do as they please. They are the guardians, defenders and administrators of the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist.
Ted Kennedy came from a very prominent so called Catholic Family whose many members have openly defied the teachings and laws of the Catholic Church through their actions such as divorce, infidelity, support of abortion, euthanasia and open rebellion to the magisterium of the Catholic Church. Under the pretext of civil liberties and protecting women’s rights, this man helped enact laws which have disastrous repercussions and continuity for years to come. Ted Kennedy facilitated and promoted killing of the innocent unborn among other things.
He was a prominent public sinner and as such his repentance should have been public. Instead of writing to the Pope he should have written a note to be read at his funeral Mass (which is reported that he and his second wife planned together), where he admitted that he had sinned and what he did was morally and ethically sinful.
The sacrament of penance is between the sinner, the priest and God. God is merciful and welcomes the repentant sinner. I have no problem with Ted Kennedy having a private Requiem Mass. However, as a well informed Catholic myself, I know that for a valid confession, one has to admit that one’s sins were willfully committed with full knowledge that they were sinful and evil; that one detests them; and will with the grace of God give up and not repeat them. Contd.
contd. To all politicians who call themselves Roman Catholic, and to those who sing the praises of Ted Kennedy, remember, in the end Ted Kennedy had to admit that he was wrong; that he abhorred all that he stood for, advocated, promoted and enacted by using his earthly power to commit sins against God and man. He had to retract what he said and did so publicly against life itself acknowledging that they were wrong. What an example he could have been. An opportunity missed. He should have been looking at St. Thomas Moore the patron saint of politicians.
It is not too late for living politicians who call themselves Catholic and will want a public demonstration of pomp and splendour in a Catholic cathedral or basilica when the time comes. They should take a hard look at their own lifestyles, examples they set and Catholic morals, values and teachings of the Catholic Church. It’s not too late for them while they still have the gift of life which some of them have denied to others. One can deceive oneself and others but one cannot deceive GOD.
As for some cardinals, bishops and priests, I wonder if you even believe in the Church that Jesus founded or Jesus Himself. Many a time your actions, words and behaviour is scandalous. Your responsibility is very grave and you will have to answer to the Judge Who is not only merciful but also JUST. To whom much is given, much is required.
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