The bad news is that the lunatic fringe of the Catholic Church is no longer on the fringes. Each new day brings more evidence that the lunatics are in charge.
Some examples? A drag queen activist lectures parishioners from a church pulpit during Sunday Mass. A priest-psychologist recommends pornography and masturbation to fellow priests for the relief of stress. The Pope appoints pro-abortionists to the Pontifical Academy for Life. LGBT-friendly cardinals hold most of the plum posts in the Vatican. And “pride” liturgies abound.
The good news is that the extremists may be provoking a healthy response in some Church leaders. A good example can be found in the election results of the November meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The liberal candidates didn’t fare well, and the more traditional prelates took most of the key leadership positions.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services won the election for president. A strong advocate for religious-freedom protection in the military, Broglio has spoken out against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations, and has also resisted the homosexualization of the military. Moreover, he has stated that “the crisis of sexual abuse by priests in the U.S. is directly related to homosexuality.” To most people that might seem like a common-sense observation. But the suggestion that there is a connection between priestly sex abuse and homosexuality is considered taboo among most Catholic clergy. Broglio, however, seems willing to contradict the party line.
Meanwhile, the contest for Broglio’s previous office—Secretary of the USCCB—was won by Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley who beat out Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, a favorite of the pope.
Because of his strong support for the LGBT movement, Tobin has been assigned by Francis to several influential posts. Most recently he was appointed to the Congregation for Bishops, the Vatican body in charge of choosing new bishops. This promotion came despite Tobin’s “nighty-night, baby” scandal—a Twitter message he allegedly sent to a homosexual lover.
Archbishop Coakley, on the other hand, is a strong opponent of the LGBT agenda. According to LifeSite News, “Coakley…has a history of supporting Church doctrine on life and sexuality and has said that politicians who support abortion and same-sex ‘marriage’ should be denied the Eucharist.”
Moreover, Coakley has called the motivation behind the transgender movement “demonic”. “It seems clear to me,” he said, “that battle lines are being drawn very clear…this is a spiritual battle between Light and darkness.”
It would be premature to conclude that Coakley’s victory spells “nighty-night baby” for Tobin and all he stands for, but it could be a step in that direction.
Another step in the right direction was the bishops vote to elect Bishop Michael Burbidge as chair of the USCCB’s pro-life committee.
When Nancy Pelosi was barred in May from receiving Communion by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Burbidge upheld the ban in his own diocese of Arlington. Moreover, according to LifeSite News, he “publicly condemned President Joe Biden’s plan to codify a national right to abortion.” Burbidge has also spoken out strongly against gender ideology, warning of the “great danger of a misguided charity and false compassion.”
Now, up until the day before yesterday, it would have seemed obvious that any given bishop would strongly support the pro-life position, but that assumption can no longer be made. For example, Archbishop Robert McElroy, another one of the “Pope’s men” in America, has made it known that abortion is a low priority issue for him. As a reward for his pragmatic views, McElroy was made a Cardinal. In doing so, Francis passed over Archbishop Cordileone—the next in line–presumably as a punishment for his having barred Pelosi from Communion because of her obstinate support of abortion. Thankfully, McElroy wasn’t nominated for any position in the USCCB leadership. But as a favorite of Francis, that won’t prevent him from climbing the ecclesiastical ladder. He is, as you might guess, pro-LGBT. That may be a plus with Francis, but it may no longer count for much at the USCCB.
Another win for conservative Catholics came with the election of Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois to the USCCB’s office of Canonical Affairs and Church Government. Paprocki defeated pro-LGBT Bishop Alfred Schlert of Allentown, Pennsylvania in a 147-91 vote.
Paprocki has a solid record of defending Church teachings. In 2018, he prohibited pro-abortion Senator Dick Durbin from receiving Holy Communion “until he repents of his sin” [support for abortion]. And, according to a LifeSite News report, “In 2013, on the same day same-sex marriage was legalized in Illinois, Paprocki held a special holy hour of ‘supplication and exorcism in reparation for the sin of same-sex marriage’ in the state capital. Paprocki stated that the event was intended to “call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture.”
Paprocki may seem overly concerned with the devil, but he has good reason to be concerned. The devil seems to have singled out Springfield for special attention. In December 2021, The Satanic Temple of Illinois was given permission to install a holiday display inside the Statehouse rotunda in Springfield. Located next to the traditional Christian Nativity scene, the display featured a sculpture of “Baby Baphomet”, a goat-like Satanic deity wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a crib. Similar displays mocking Christian beliefs had appeared in the Statehouse on previous occasions. On this occasion, Bishop Paprocki said that such installations “should have no place in this Capitol or any other place.”
As the leadership of the Church in Rome and Brussels edges closer to the establishment of a hybrid Church—half-humanist and half-pagan– it’s refreshing to note that the Church Militant still has some impressive fighters on its side.
Of course, it would be premature to break out the champagne at this point, but there are signs that the tide may, at last, be turning.
“ But the suggestion that there is a connection between priestly sex abuse and homosexuality is considered taboo among most Catholic clergy. ”
I wonder why?
The satanic catholic fake church believes all authority from heaven has been passed unto them…
But yet… the satanic catholic fake church can’t ever get things right…
I don’t recall God ever making mistakes… thus… all authority couldn’t have passed to the satanic catholic fake church…
DENOUNCE the satanic catholic fake church!
I realize,, sumsrent, that you mean the real Catholic Church, founded in May, Ad 33. Your teahers have skipped a few things in teaching you. The Catholic Church converted all Europe to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The very Bible you read was gathered, saved, separated from the bogus Gnostic nonsense masquerading as gospels, acts, epistles and revelatioins, published and guaranteed to be the inspired Word of God in 382, when your sect was more than a millennium from being started.
Mistakes? Moses was a murderer. Peter turned his back on Christ, Paul hunted down and turned Christians over for incarceration and execution.
We were warned that a sham Catholic Church wd come around. Bishop Sheen said it wd be “the ape of the Church,: pretending to be the Church Christ founded but is really the diabolical product of the Evil One who hopes to destroy the Church. Fanatics like you have been deluded to doing his bidding directing their anger not at the sham but at the work of Jesus Christ.
I’ll be expecting your card tricks and Scriptural tapdancing in an attempt to prove Christ’s Church is demonic. In so doing you aid the enemies of God by spreading division.
Think long and hard, sumsrent. You can’t win against Our Lord.
I watched waited and listened to the destruction of the Catholic church FOLLOWING Vat11. The church is now ruled by secular individual beliefs. The latin mass was the final destruction (A common form of communication) and religious Unity. ( Abortion the final insult to God ) Look at what it has cost us . THINK!
Having spent twelve years in Catholic Schools without a Bible I was stunned when
I received one and saw what Christian reality was in the Word of God. A personal
relationship with Jesus Christ and accepting His death and resurrection to receive
by faith salvation, grace and mercy being covered by the Blood is the highest
and greatest need of every person. Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the
life, no one comes to the Father except by me”, pray continually.
I converted to Catholism at 17 and raised my five children in the Faith.. However, none of them stayed in the Church. At 87, I feel that the Church is in crisis, and has been since Francis was made Pope. I, too, am in crisis in regard to my faith in the Church, but not in God or Jesus, my Savior. I had to take part in the Mass on TV when Covid-19 forced shutdowns, but recently started attending in person. I have followed much of the history of the Fall here on Front Page, and started sharing some of the Posts with the priest at my church over the past three months. I think he is in denial, at least in his response. What can lay Catholics do to save our Church?
Ms. Edie B.
Ms Edie… I’m sorry to say… but catholicism has never been Christian. It is a fake church… built upon lies.
Where catholicism literally changed the wording in Ancient Christian documents of Polycarp & Ignatius… from “Church of God” to “Universal Church”… <<< Universal… from what is derived from catholic in the Greek.
The Popes are fake Jesus's on earth… and your catechism literally teaches that catholics worship the fake god allah of satanic islam…
Unless you believe islam's murdering, terrorist fake god allah is your god… you need to denounce catholicism.
P.S. to Edie:
Ignore the unintelligent bigotry of people like the commenter sumsrent, and simply offer a prayer for them for much needed humility and some objective wisdom, but do not concern yourself with their massive ignorance they pretend is knowledge.
Hi, Edie:
In addition to ongoing prayer for the Church, doing some acts of penance, and reaching out to others as you have, you might want to see if you can find another Catholic church close enough to your home that is known to be more traditional in its worship, and you might find a better fit at that church that will provide more ways for you to aid the Church.
Also, since you can now attend Mass in person, you must continue to do so, of course, and if you must also stick with your current church, also take advantage of some excellent Masses you can find on YouTube, and also view them for some better nourishment you may not get in your “home” church. For instance, check out St. Mary of Pine Bluff Catholic Church at https://www.youtube.com/@StMaryPineBluff.
Fr. Heilman is the impressive Pastor of St Mary of Pine Bluff, and he records most of his masses. You can also watch just his sermons or homilies if you choose to do so, and many of them will provide you with not only spiritual nourishment, but also practical advice along the lines of what you are looking for to help the church as a lay person.
Above all, have faith in the Lord and His promise to be with the Church forever no matter how bad it gets or how many leaders fail to lead properly. It is indeed His One True Church, so faithfully serving Him automatically works toward the betterment of the Church even when things look bleak.
Good luck and God Bless!
DV
Nonsense, and yet another false myth people love to hold onto due to ignorant bigotry. In 1932, Fr. John Laux published “An Introduction to the Bible” for Catholic High School students, and that book along with the Bible has been used in Catholic Schools throughout the country since at least that time. Grade schoolers also receive similar schooling, but of course it is more age appropriate. Such teaching and use of the Bible became even more widespread after WWII, and I still possess a copy of the Bible used by much older relatives in the 1950s and 1960s as required by their Catholic schools to aid their biblical study in school at that time.
Moving forward in time as I began teaching at the collegiate level, I also helped a local Catholic Junior High School and High School in the mid-late 1990s, and the Bible was used, read from, discussed, and studied. In fact, in one quarter we read through and discussed the complete gospel of John in a way beyond what most Protestants or non-denominational “wizards” could even understand. If the Catholic School you went to did not do any of this, it is the fault of that school alone, not the Church, since such was widespread since at least the 1950s as set forth above.
Moreover, most Catholic Schools still require daily Mass, and during the Mass are readings from both the Old and New Testaments, and many homilies add more insights into the Word of God.
My comment that begins with “Nonsense, and yet….” is addressed to the comments by William James Ward.
The author is far too optimistic in his praise of the election of Bishop Michael Burbidge. He does talk a great game but don’t expect him to do much. He hasn’t done anything effective to advance the anti-abortion culture and politics in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia in the 4 or 5 years he has been here.