Published today to SignOfContradiction.Blogspot.caWe expect so little of Catholic Bishops.
Yet God entrusts them with the most urgent and consequential of tasks, really the gravest mission in the world.
Think about that for a moment. Why then do we expect so
little?
Obviously Catholics are in the forefront of my thoughts at
this moment. I’m sure non-Catholics as a whole have even less reason to expect
much from Catholic Bishops, even from the Pope.
In short, I’m steamed and dismayed at the recent dust up
between two Catholics: Cardinal Collins and Justin Trudeau.
In our society, nobody forces somebody else to be a part of a
club or organization; still less, a part of a church. Likewise nobody forces
Justin Trudeau to be a part of the Catholic Church. It can, and has, been
clearly shown by many competent authorities that he is a renegade and a traitor
to the Catholic Church. His own words place him directly at odds with the weightier
moral tenets of the Catholic faith and condemn him unequivocally. This
rejection of basic teachings places him prima
facie outside the Church; however, he continues to claim publicly that he
is a Catholic in good standing. Such a contradiction provokes scandal in the
public arena by bringing into question the good conduct of faithful Catholics
and by encouraging social structures that lead to moral decay and corruption.
The Canadian public is justifiably confused by Trudeau’s
actions and this confusion gives rise to much controversy and even a misrepresentation
of the Catholic faith, both of which can further scandalize the nation.
May this predicament, which threatens the souls of those
touched by the scandal, be resolved? Indeed, yes, and with immediate and powerful
effect through a clear, comprehensive statement from the competent Church
authority, i.e. a Bishop. However, to date no Church authority has issued a legal
decree formalizing a judgment against Justin Trudeau, even though Church law
mandates that for the sake of the soul of an obstinate sinner, appropriate steps
MUST be taken.
But make no mistake about it; Cardinal Collins’ letter to
Justin Trudeau was
not a pastoral one at all. It did not address him as a Catholic nor did it
make any official Catholic judgment against his behaviour, let alone prescribe
any discipline.
Furthermore, the Canadian Bishops have taken no such Church-mandated
steps EVER with regard to the highest level politicians of our land.
Up until PM Harper’s election, except for a five month break in 38
years, "Catholic" Prime Ministers have managed the affairs of Canada.
Every one of them without exception has flouted Catholic teaching on sexuality
through their pro-contraception, pro-abortion, pro-sodomy agendas. And every
one of them considered themselves good Catholics and regularly presented
themselves for Holy Communion. During that 38 year reign of social devastation
and spiritual ruin too many Catholic Bishops failed to take steps to deal with
this epic scandal. Despite the fierce defiance of Catholic teaching exhibited
by the Prime Ministers there is no record of even one single occasion when a
Catholic Prime Minister was denied Communion.
Through their decades old inaction, and their continued
inaction in this Justin Trudeau debacle, they actually sustain the scandal
taking place in Canadian society and they fuel the killing of innocent children
growing in their mothers’ wombs.
What do the Catholic Bishops imagine that Justin Trudeau will do if he rules over Canada some day as our Prime Minister? Will he do better than the last pseudo-catholic Prime Minister? Isn't it time now to help reform the man's soul and try to salvage our nation from the ever expanding culture of death?
Yet it appears to me that very few individuals in Canada
grasp the connection between the cowardly actions of our Bishops and the
sustained mass murder taking place in our nation. Even when a controversy arises
such as the one described herein between Cardinal Collins and Justin Trudeau, media
and even
religious reporters are quick to characterize the Cardinal’s letter as some
sort of a pastoral letter of correction. Again, how little we expect of
Catholic Bishops! Apparently this is the best our prelates can do according to
the vast majority of Catholics who have drunk the Kool-Aide, so to speak.
[Although, to be fair, Faith Goldy is one of the finest and boldest
reporters on the Canadian television scene and seems to be doing most of the
heavy lifting on this news story.]
Even pro-lifers rush to praise (but only because they hear
so little from the Church hierarchy when these three tags collide: abortion,
politician, Catholic Bishop). Some, though, are in the know.
Really, I can’t blame the average Canadian too much, even
the pro-life
ones. We are a culture so far disengaged
from God in the public square for so long that we have lost sight of how [or
even if] the mind of God can touch and transform the kingdom of man. One
wonders what we as Christians really envision when we pray, “Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
A friend sent me the [satirical] comments of a fellow
Catholic on the Cardinal Collins affair. It helps to bring much needed focus to
the conversation.
Cardinal Collins was saddened by Adolf Hitler's decision to murder all
the Jews in Europe. "It's a regrettable
decision on his part", said the Cardinal.
"I pray that he reconsider this.
I regret his decision very much.
I urge him to consider dialogue with the Jews instead, avoiding all
polemics", said the Cardinal. When
asked if faithful in Germany should regard it as a sin to vote for Adolf, the
Cardinal replied, "Absolutely not!
One must consider all the issues when casting a vote", said the
Cardinal. "One candidate might
regrettably favour mass murder while another one is just as bad owing to his
refusal to enact the Guaranteed National Income or his refusal to reduce carbon
emissions by two per cent". When
asked if Adolf should consider himself excommunicated for these murders, the
Cardinal said that the Code of Canons did not impose* an automatic
excommunication for mass murder, and the bishops would not consider imposing
such penalties on his Nazi supporters.
"Excommunication is such a harsh and extreme penalty", said
the Cardinal, "and refusing to allow them to receive Holy Communion would
be counter-productive. Instead, we are
praying that they will accept our invitation to dialogue with them.”
Last week, when several Nazis escorted some religious to the gas
chambers, the religious proposed that the guards engage in dialogue with them
instead. To their surprise, the guards
'declined' the invitation and slit their throats on the spot. "Do you think that dialogue is working
on these Nazis?", the Cardinal was asked.
"It's too early to say", replied the Cardinal. "More time is needed to assess the process. I am saddened by this incident with the
religious, and I equally regret the decision taken yesterday to arrest and
exterminate all the religious in Germany.
The bishops both here and in Germany will implore that the Nazis
consider alternate policies but we urge the faithful not to regard them as
unelectable owing to these incidents.
Now is not the time for rash decisions", said the Cardinal.
* well, actually, in fact, there
is (Canon 1397)
