Letters to Bishops: A Scandal of Cataclysmic Proportions

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The following letter was written a few years ago by yet another pained Catholic with a very urgent message for the local Bishop. It is reprinted with permission and with minor changes to protect the identities  of those concerned.
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Your Grace,

Greetings in the name of Christ our Lord!

Perhaps Your Grace will already know that I regularly take part in pro-life protests including some outside our own local parishes. My protests have met with a number of upset parishioners as well as a couple of upset priests due to the graphic nature of some of the signs. On the other hand I have also had a show of support from some parishioners, although support for my protests—or lack thereof—is quite irrelevant.

I wish to let Your Grace know that I intend to continue my protests but would like to provide Your Grace with the necessary background and understanding related to those protests. It is hoped that the enclosed letter will provide that important information related to my heart felt convictions about the “legal” destruction of human life in our province and in our nation. I believe the failure of Catholic Bishops to stop the slaughter of innocent unborn children in Canada is a scandal of cataclysmic proportions, a much more shocking and grievous scandal than any priestly child abuse scandal. It has placed Canada on a trajectory to adversity and collapse.

As my letter will explain, I hold the Catholic Bishops of Canada fully responsible for the status quo on abortion in Canada and maintain that the judgment of God has been pronounced against the Bishops and against our once great nation for the failures and sins of Bishops which originally led to legalized abortion and for the ongoing spiritual paralysis of the Bishops which sustains the continued murder of God’s little children. I believe that the Catholic Bishops could, at will, bind the demon of abortion which they unleashed so many years ago through their disobedience to Magisterial and papal teaching on contraception and through capitulation to worldly powers.

Perhaps Your Grace has seen through God’s eyes your own part in this awful crime and if so I pray that Your Grace has repented for your own share of the blame. If such is the case I beg of Your Grace to make such repentance a public act and undertake a campaign immediately to have your brother Bishops throughout Canada make similar public acts of repentance and the requisite penance in order to completely purge Canada of the demonic powers robbing God of so many of His children and to fully satisfy the anger of God. The Lord your God will then help and guide all humble Bishops to bring about a full cleansing in Canada of this devastating plague and begin to heal and prosper our parishes and our nation.

However, if Your Grace has not already made such an act of contrition and repentance, I pray that God our Father might grant you and your fellow Bishops repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that as the Successors of the Apostles of Christ you might recover yourselves out of the snare of the devil, to the glory of God the Father and for the sake of the Church of Jesus Christ as well as for every human life divinely granted to mothers in this great nation.

Be assured, Your Grace, that although my words appear bold and brash I speak in the strength of the Lord and speak I must. I can no longer remain silent. St. Thomas Aquinas stated, “If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public.” He also referred to St. Augustine: “On the contrary, Augustine says in his Rule: ‘Show mercy not only to yourselves, but also to him who, being in the higher position among you, is therefore in greater danger.’ But fraternal correction is a work of mercy. Therefore even prelates ought to be corrected.” [Summa Theologica II, II, q. 33, a. 4, Sed Contra].

At this severe and aggravated stage of legalized child killing, any suggestion of a simple dialogue with me could accomplish nothing of substance. There is but one course of action for the Catholic Bishops of Canada and that is the course set forth. Furthermore, no campaign in the name of “social justice” can be counted as credible—let alone effective—nor bear any significant measure of God’s blessing while this atrocious evil continues, in the shadows and silence, to lay waste.

Be advised Your Grace that, although I do associate at times and in different places with other Catholic and pro-life groups, my actions in the formulation of this letter are purely my own, with no connection to any other group or individual, and I take full responsibility for them, God helping me.

Rest assured that I pray daily for the Pope, Catholic Bishops and Priests everywhere and throughout the Church of Christ.

God grant to you the wisdom and help of God that the scourge of legalized abortion in our land might be extinguished.

Faithfully yours
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Letters To Bishops: Turn Your Hearts Towards Christ

Another letter from a Catholic concerned for the souls of straying Bishops and those who are lead astray by them. Once again, I reprint it with permission and with very minor changes for the sake of readability.

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Date: October 2, 2015

To: His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Collins, Your Graces, Archbishop Prendergast, Archbishop Durocher, Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi

Subject: YOUR FLOCK CALLS UPON YOU! A LACK OF RESPONSE WE WILL ASSUME INDICATES THIS LETTER WAS DELETED AND THAT YOU LACK CHARITY AND CONCERN TOWARDS YOUR FAITHFUL

Dear Fathers,

It is with heavy hearts that we yet again write to you. We implore you to deeply contemplate our concerns, most of which we have already addressed on several previous occasions, with no response, no acknowledgement (which is very [un]Christ-like I may add) on your parts.

The faithful—and I stress the faithful—as we are surrounded by many unfaithful lay and clergy alike, are disheartened, discouraged and frankly fed up with your lack of shepherding.

Dear Cardinal I echo your recent words "...we should be disturbed and ashamed...at the images we have seen."  You are correct you should be disturbed and ashamed and so should every 'Catholic' who has not seen, stood up for and defended the refugees right under their noses. How about the aborted child?  Where do you get off telling people to be ashamed and disturbed; where was your public statement when the horrific Planned Parenthood practices were exposed? Planned Parenthood is listed as one of the resources for the sex-ed curriculum which you, dear Cardinal, endorsed and to which your clergy in the Archdiocese of Toronto capitulated. 

Where is your shame?  Your flock has been knocking on your door since February after your gracious acceptance of an illicit, immoral, sexually indoctrinating piece of garbage called the Updated 2015 Health and Physical Education curriculum. You ask your flock now for money for your 'Faith Campaign', and for the migrant crisis. Where were you when your flock needed you; where were you when your flock asked for your help?

You did not need to accept this illicit garbage and what is worse you have sold it off as morally acceptable through a 'Catholic Lens'.  ICE is not qualified to teach anything moral and true to Church Teaching.  They have proven this time and again.  Your Fully Alive program, particularly theme three, contradicts all Church teaching on Human Sexuality, by the simple fact that it introduces before the age of puberty unnecessary sexual information. It is immoral before puberty [to do so].  Yet, under the parent resource, under the guidance of bishops, in grade 3 (age 7-8) parents are encouraged if they have not done so already, to explain in detail the act of sexual intercourse. What is on the mind of Bishops today?  What in heaven's name are we to say to this?

Where is your faith dear Fathers?  The bishops in Canada do not promote Faith but are rather responsible for killing it:  Irreverence, false mercy, calling evil good and good evil, acceptance of open homosexuals into the seminaries, scandal after scandal.  You have no faith therefore you cannot promote a faith campaign.  Communion on the hand was implemented falsely, with lies; yes we do know about it. And yes it is irreverent, no matter what you or any other cafeteria Catholic states. Particles of our Lord's precious Body and Blood wiped, washed away with disregard; YOU are responsible for allowing this, YOU are responsible for promoting disregard, irreverence, mockery, and sacrilege of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s precious Body and Blood.  It is because you don't believe in the Real Presence!  You are called Fathers for a reason; the flock are yours whom  YOU are to lead to Jesus Christ. Yet you mock Our Lord at every chance you get; our loving Lord who waits for you, who loves you regardless of your actions. You mock your vocation, YOU are consecrated souls and are to lead TRUTHFULLY, but you lead falsely; falsely to 'attract' more people to even out your bottom line. 

Where are our patens dear bishops, where are our Tabernacles in the centre of our Churches?  Christ is the center of every church, why is He shunned to the sidelines? Why are our Catholic Churches not Christ centered? They are world centered. THIS IS FALSE, THIS IS NOT THE CHURCH CHRIST INTENDED.

Where are your exhortations calling Catholics of your Archdiocese to stand up for their Faith in the face of ongoing attacks?  Where are your pastoral letters calling people to repentance and confession?  Where are your catechists from the Archdiocese telling people it is a mortal sin to miss THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF MASS ON Sundays? Do you know how many people attend Mass when it is convenient for them and yet receive Holy Communion? Is this a way for you to clear your conscience before God: “If my faithful don't know it is a mortal sin then it isn't.” Is this what you call pastoral care?  God have mercy on you ! It should be imbedded in the hearts of every Catholic to seek their Maker, to have an intimate relationship with their Redeemer; they would flock to Holy Mass.  But it needs to be taught; this needs to be shouted from each and every pulpit by FAITHFUL clergy!

Where dear Bishops is your defence of human life from conception—of human life in the womb?  Do you think a five minute speech at the pro-life rally in Ottawa is enough? The bishops could not even bring themselves in their PATHETIC election guide to call the unborn a human, no, instead a fetus: do you think Jesus would call a child in a womb a fetus?  Was Jesus, when in the womb of His holy Mother Mary, just a fetus according to you? 

Your words were so correct that we should be ashamed and disturbed: so ashamed and DEEPLY disturbed at the lack of preaching by our Bishops and clergy.  YOU should be ashamed that you do not have enough faith in Christ to openly say: do not vote for the party that forces its members to be pro-abortion, [thus] you solicit what is evil! What good is social and economic justice if there is no justice for the most vulnerable of our society?  That applies to only the unborn because the elderly, although vulnerable and in need of protection, were [at least] given a chance to live, so there is no comparison to the child killed before they had the chance to see the light of day. 

Dear Bishops you are seeing the rotten fruits of the horrid and erroneous Winnipeg Statement of 1968, which was formed in open defiance of the Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ: decline in vocations, decline in Mass attendance, people outright leaving the Faith.  "…a healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit...ANY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND THROWN IN THE FIRE..." Math.7:17-20

How can the President of the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops [bother to] state ‘How Catholics can better understand Islam’?  Do you Bishops even believe in God?  I ask because you seem to have NO FEAR OF GOD! Do we have to better understand Islam? By that very statement Bishop you are acknowledging a heretic, blasphemous 'religion'. Two waves of attacks by the Muslims in our history threatened to wipe out Christianity.  Thanks again to brave, faithful laity, willing to die for their Faith, willing to die for Christ, by the Grace of God, we were saved.

Here is an idea: why don't you write a pastoral letter telling Catholics how they can better understand Catholicism, from the lives of the Saints and from Holy Scripture?  Better yet, just focus on the life of Jesus Christ, 'ECCE HOMO…' BEHOLD THE MAN WHO IS OUR GREATEST EXAMPLE.' Is He not THE EPITOMY OF WHAT EVERY MAN AND WOMAN, EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD BE?  Wait, that would make you unpopular, would it?  "...if the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first." John.15:18-27  Who then are you followers of? Surely it is not Christ and His Teaching!

With regards to your appeal for the 'refugee crisis', where was your appeal to stop the massacres in Nigeria, where in one day 2000 Christians were butchered? Where was your distress? What about the people in distress in your own Archdiocese? We have a need to take care of the people under our noses first. Where is your care for the homeless and poor in your Archdiocese Cardinal? Oh I know you have soup kitchens, and I know every Church holds Christmas campaigns, which is all good and holy, but what about the rest of the year?  These people do not hibernate all year and all of a sudden wake up each Christmas, they need help throughout the year.  How much money is collected in the 'poor box' at the back of every Church?  

How many priests implore their parishioners, hundreds in some parishes, thousands in others, to put a measly quarter into the poor box, at the end of each Mass? One quarter, do you know what that would mean multiplied by hundreds, by thousands?  Selfishness, greed, pride, lack of concern for others: it is never addressed in our parishes. Are priests worried about backlash if they asked people to give up ONE Tim Hortons coffee per week and offer it to the 'poor box' as a sacrifice?  

Of course they are, and why?  Because of YOU dear Bishops. Because at the whim of one greedy, proud, rich and affluent parishioner who would disagree or be OFFENDED by a priest’s TRUE shepherding; you would suspend such a priest or threaten him to the point that all he will speak of is GARBAGE, NONSENSE AND 'FALSE CHARITY' from his pulpit. 

  

What price are our souls to you dear Bishops: the price of public funding for our 'not so Catholic' schools?  What price? 

All we hear from the pulpits are ‘We need money for this, we need money for that’! It is true we must support our Church financially, yes, for the needs of their maintenance and care. However, you speak of money; you speak of 'false mercy', 'false charity', and ‘welcoming all’: all this to gain more goats to milk their pockets FOR YOUR NEEDS, not those of the Church!

Are we really to welcome all: such as St. Joseph's parish in Ottawa…welcoming homosexuals openly and proudly living a homosexual lifestyle? Really?  Can you find for me—perhaps I am in grave error—where our Lord said, “Welcome sinner, come and sin some more!”  Clearly you will not find that. We are [instead] to welcome sinners (which we all are) to REPENTANCE ! We do not, out of ‘false mercy and charity,’ endorse or encourage, illicit, immoral, depraved lifestyles. A lector at St. Joseph’s parish is a married lesbian. ONE OF THE CHURCH'S MINISTRIES IS A GSA, IN A CHURCH!! THE ST. JOE'S COMMUNITY MARCHES IN AN IMMORAL, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, BLASPHEMOUS PRIDE PARADE where just this year a homosexual was dressed up as a gay Jesus.  THIS IS YOUR WAY TO EVANGELIZE??? How utterly sad and pathetic! 

Would you dear Archbishop Prendergast allow a woman to come to the pulpit and openly announce "I am a devout Catholic and regular parishioner, living with my boyfriend in an unholy union. I am pregnant and with joy I will abort my 7 month baby tomorrow." Would you allow anyone to make such a statement from the pulpit?  Well, we know you would, since you allow a practicing homosexual, living in an unholy, depraved-of-love, depraved-of-any-sense-of-the-creation-of-God (man and woman), who attends HOLY MASS with her lesbian" wife”. You are not only allowing the same, but endorsing it and encouraging it! Where is your defence of God's creation, the union of man and woman? 

MAYBE WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE LEAD OF DEAR FATHER ROSICA, WHO RECENTLY CALLED REGULAR MASS ATTENDEES AND FOLLOWERS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ‘MODERN DAY PHARISEES’! WHO ALSO STATED THAT DEFENCE OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN IS NOT THE VIEW OF THE CHURCH! HERE [RATHER] IS THE MODERN PHARISEE: "So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the Kingdom of heaven" Matt.5:17-20.

Charity, Mercy, REPENTANCE: start to preach it as Jesus Christ preached it. Please, for the sake of not only your own souls—consecrated souls who VOWED to bring people to Christ…to CHRIST, not to your wallets!  Please wake up Bishops and we do beg you—this, out of true charity towards you—because we do care about you and about everyone whom YOU are supposed to shepherd!

In union with the suffering and sacrifice of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, we offer you our prayers and sacrifices. We implore the Lord to have mercy on all of you. We implore you to turn your hearts towards Christ and away from the world!

Signed  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

P.S. PLEASE READ AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS THE DUTY OF A BISHOP, ONE WHO WILL

BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE LORD, 'LORD I SERVED YOU FIRST'.

http://www.intothebreach.net/into-the-breach/

"If your brother sins against you, go to him and show him his fault. But do it privately, just between yourselves. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back. But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other persons with you, so that 'every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,' as the scripture says. And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church, treat him as though he were a pagan or tax collector." Matt. 18:15-18

Tormented Catholic Writes to Ottawa Archbishop Prendergast

Cardinal Raymond Burke

In a posting entitled  Gay Apostasy Subverts and Paralyzes the Canadian Catholic Church dated July 1, 2015 I republished an article from the 90’s dealing with the treason of Canada’s clerics. The trigger for the posting was a scandal emanating from Archbishop Prendergast’s archdiocese, specifically that of an openly homosexual Ottawa priest, Andre Samson, who had scathing, public criticism for Cardinal Raymond Burke who was visiting Canada and ironically was being hosted by Archbishop Prendergast himself. In a recent post of weighty import I expressed dismay that the Archbishop did not publicly rebuke his own “openly homosexual” priest for his outrageous insults.

A fellow Catholic, also tormented by this incident and others, wrote the following letter to Archbishop Prendergast on June 11, 2015 and I reprint it with that person’s permission and with very minor changes for the sake of readability.

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Subject: Another serpent in the church

RE: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/priest-defends-attack-on-cardinal-burke-says-church-should-welcome-gay-cler

When is the hierarchy of the Church going to step up and take care of clergy who defy Church teaching instituted by God? They defile other clergy for standing firm in Church Teaching; they are like serpents spreading vile and foul poison and trying to brainwash people to accept evil. 

Sodomy can never be accepted; it always was, is and always will be evil; it deserves no compassion, mercy or tolerance.  People who are prone to sodomy need therapy first to deal with their evil behaviour, and then they need to repent. 

Why is the church spreading false mercy?  The faithful are getting sick and tired of what is happening. We have a wishy-washy version of Truth being spread everywhere in the name of a false 'mercy and compassion.'  When will this stop and when will the Church leaders finally start leading? We are crying out to God for help every day at the lack of true compassion, mercy from our clergy.  Does no one fear God anymore?

How dare this 'Father' insult in a disgusting way, Cardinal Burke, who stands firm for God, for the Church and Her Teaching?  Thank God for Cardinal Burke, Archbishop Cordileone; if it was not for clergy like them, many people would be leaving the church.

When will the hierarchy start hearing their people?  We are abandoned by our shepherds, why are you all wearing blindfolds and earplugs???

We are crying out to God every day to intervene; our churches are full of dissident Catholics who in the wink of an eye will turn on us. The Holy Eucharist is exposed to blasphemy and sacrilege at almost every Mass.  What is wrong with you people, do you even believe in God or is this just a job for you?

We the faithful Catholics INSIST that Fr. Samson be defrocked and every clergy like him.   How is it even possible for a priest to have a sexual orientation; do you no longer take a vow of celibacy?  If so, then there is no orientation except celibacy!!! 

The Church is crumbling from within and unless our clergy step up to their vocations we will see a disaster. Thank God we have our Lord's eternal words to sustain us and give us strength, "the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church." If we did not have these words we would have all given up as we see hell within our churches already.

Signed   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Letter to Canadian Archbishop: Why Don`t Bishops, Priests Heed Canon 915?

Recently I posted a letter written to an Archbishop prior to the legalization of same sex marriage in Canada in 2005. Other letters were exchanged at the same time on related subjects. The following is one such letter, dealing primarily with Canon 915, and has been edited only slightly, with some personal details removed, in order to make it suitable for this posting.

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May 2005

Dear Archbishop,

I appreciate your response to my two previous letters of concern. I can only say that I am deeply disappointed to hear that your continued approach with Prime Minister Paul Martin and other scandal generating Catholic politicians is simply one of ‘patient dialogue.’

Much could be said about Church teaching on this matter and I am quite confident that you are fully informed on these matters. You referred to the means of ‘canonical sanctions’ yet you did not respond to the more basic issue of defense of the Holy Eucharist. As a Catholic I am realizing more and more the central importance and significance of the Holy Eucharist to the life of the Catholic. As John Paul II reminded Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian experience. Could it not be said then that the unworthy reception of the same is the basest and most defiling action the Christian can take? Who will defend Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist from such defilement (and the sinner from further condemnation)?

Canon 915 is a sacramental law that refers to the Eucharist and how not to suffer scandal; it is not a penal law. Bishops are called to govern and correct and an unworthy act of Holy Communion, willfully chosen by an obstinate, persistent sinner, is a most grave matter. A conscientious faithful bishop in such a situation would not be putting 'sanction' on the person in question; the offender has, in fact, fallen under the canon 915 sacramental prohibition themselves.

Paul Martin is an aggressively pro-abortion, pro-gay ‘marriage’ Catholic politician who continues to scandalize the Catholic community in a most acute persistent manner. The Vatican has spoken repeatedly on who may or may not be admitted to Holy Communion:

“there should be no such refusal to any Catholic who presents himself for Holy Communion at Mass, except in cases presenting a danger of grave scandal to other believers arising out of the person's unrepented public sin or obstinate heresy or schism, publicly professed or declared."

Canon 915 places the responsibility on the minister should he unlawfully administer the sacrament with the consequent danger of scandal for the rest of the faithful.

Very soon now, if nothing is placed in his way, Martin intends to force same sex ‘marriage’ on all Canadians, persisting in his grave sin and risking what the Vatican states as “wide-reaching and profound influence”  and resulting  “in changes to the entire organization of society, contrary to the common good.”

Is the Church’s sacramental law simply words on a paper somewhere in the Vatican, and without substance or force? Does it apply at all to any other Catholic anywhere else outside the Vatican? If so, then it must surely apply to Paul Martin and other Catholic politicians (no doubt to scores of other Catholics living in mortal sin as well) who willfully sin by holding vital Church teachings in contempt, and then present themselves as “good” Catholics wishing to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the supreme price of His Life because of the sin of mankind. What an insufferable outrage!

If bishops and priests don’t respect and honour Church teaching, (and the Most Holy Eucharist) how can it be expected that Catholics in the pews or in politics will show respect? What a heartbreak it is to see all these offenses occurring with impunity in full view of Canadian bishops!

It makes my heart break further when I see at Sunday Mass the little children who are being greeted with smiles, prayers and words of good will and blessing just prior to being sent off for Christian catechesis. They will learn far more from the example and legacy of their leaders and teachers than they will from any formal catechesis. In a few short years they will be amongst the thousands (even millions) of victims of the corruption and evil that took root and flourished in Canadian society because Church leaders were too weak, faithless and disobedient to Church teaching to take every precaution possible to protect them and the rest of society. Is this not the gravest kind of offense to the little ones that Jesus spoke of?

While reading an article just this week I was struck by a startling statement made years ago by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, in an address to the Knights of Columbus, who said:

"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops like bishops and your religious act like religious."  

Startling, but also immensely sobering. What sort of actions can the ordinary Catholic undertake to accomplish such a task? God Himself must provide the answer individually for each one asking, but then rise to the task one must.  

The grace of God be with you. 

Letter to an Archbishop May 2005 Re Same Sex Marriage Canada

Background: (from Wikipedia)

On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world, and the first country outside Europe, to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition. Court decisions, starting in 2003, had already legalized same-sex marriage in eight out of ten provinces and one of three territories, whose residents comprised about 90% of Canada's population. Before passage of the Act, more than 3,000 same-sex couples had already married in those areas.[1] Most legal benefits commonly associated with marriage had been extended to cohabiting same-sex couples since 1999.

The Civil Marriage Act was introduced by Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal minority government in the Canadian House of Commons on February 1, 2005 as Bill C-38. It was passed by the House of Commons on June 28, 2005, by the Senate on July 19, 2005, and it received Royal Assent the following day. On December 7, 2006, the House of Commons effectively reaffirmed the legislation by a vote of 175 to 123, defeating a motion of the Conservative minority government to examine the matter again. This was the third vote supporting same-sex marriage taken by three Parliaments under three Prime Ministers in three different years.

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May 2005

Dear Archbishop,

I came across some news items last week that have captured my attention and my thoughts almost continually. The first was a quote attributed to Prime Minister Paul Martin: “If I have to choose between the Church and the Charter, I’ll choose the Charter.” The second was a headline stated: “Nearly four out of five Catholic politicians in Canada to vote in favour of gay marriage.”  The report further claimed that the majority of Canadian Catholic MPs will vote for same-sex 'marriage' despite the fact that the Vatican, in 2003, has stated categorically: "When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favour of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral." The most shocking statement in the news item was this one: “Of note, although that statement was issued by the Vatican in 2003 to date the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has not related it to Canadian politicians.”

I was quite stunned when I read that and my first thought was that the writer was somehow mistaken. How could timely instruction from the Vatican on such a serious matter, instruction aimed at guiding and protecting a nation from a grave moral evil through its lawmakers, not be relayed to the very people it concerned and warned most? Such direction sounds to me a clear warning against grave (mortal) sin and unconfessed mortal sin can condemn a soul to hell. Is it possible that bishops, upon receipt of such crucial guidance from the Vatican could ignore their responsibility to inform Catholics of such a grave danger? What could be more important for the souls of these Catholic politicians than this warning? Without a clear confirmation by bishops of such warnings the counsel of Mother Church is frustrated, truth is maligned, evil will expand, and souls will be forever lost. Can it be that Canadian Catholic bishops doubt or ignore this? If so, once such a precedent is set, what other areas of grave sin will be faithful not be alerted to or reminded of in future, to the detriment and loss of thousands of souls? My thoughts along these lines disturb me tremendously because a further question emerges: Have Catholics en masse in Canada been denied the truth of the grave immorality of other actions and the severe consequences that accompany them?  Has there truly been forty years of virtual silence on marital moral sexual issues from the Canadian bishops? Is such a spiritual failure on the part of Canadian bishops to blame for the desperate moral state (to say nothing of the grim spiritual fate) of Canadian Catholics and Canadians in general?

Other questions have flooded my mind this week due to the distress caused by this subject. I wondered if maybe the failure to inform our Catholic politicians was a major reason the same sex ‘marriage’ issue has progressed to the stage that it has. After all, is it too much to believe that our Holy Mother Church sees by the Holy Spirit the correct time to intervene with vital instruction to the leaders of the Church for the good of the faithful and all of society? I wondered also what could possibly be the human line of reasoning which would prevent the Vatican instructions from being passed on. Maybe it was because the Conference did not think it would alter the actions of the Catholic politicians. I suppose that suggesting to them that it was gravely immoral would only curb their plans if there were some serious consequences associated with their disobedient and immoral actions. Would the bishops in unity follow through with serious consequences, specifically the withholding of Holy Communion if necessary, as is the Catholic Church’s policy in cases of clear obstinate mortal sin? 

Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has made clear forthright statements on this matter it seems to me. Again it was only this week that I read his statement “that as Catholics continue to speak out on life and family issues they will face persecution." It appears that Archbishop Burke speaks plainly the teaching of the Church on matters of crucial importance, even though he might be attacked or labeled politically incorrect. In regard to refusing Holy Communion the Archbishop said that "although the refusal by a pastor or bishop to distribute Holy Communion to anyone is a source of great sorrow . . . What would be profoundly more sorrowful would be the failure of a bishop to call a soul to conversion, the failure to protect the flock from scandal and the failure to safeguard the worthy reception of Communion." This seems to me to be a statement in full accord with the teaching tradition of the Church and when applied faithfully and consistently how could it not succeed to bring about the results that God desires in the life of any Catholic, whether politician or layperson.

Is it possible to imagine, ten or twenty years from now, a small association, perhaps called the Right to Free Christian Expression Association? Imagine this association faltering and in imminent danger of failing due to persecution, Church disinterest and lack of financial support; an association reeling from the constant bombardment by a tyrannical state controlled by homosexual activists seeking to extinguish every expression of authentic Christianity. And further imagine only one or two solitary priests, perhaps even the local bishop only, encouraging the few faithful heroes remaining to keep up the fight because without them the truth would be forgotten. Now multiply this scenario throughout the entire land of Canada and mourn the loss of free Christian expression and testimony in Canada.  And consider now, how different from the Right to Life Association is the above described association?

How likely is such a thing to happen? Is it possible that it already has happened once when the Canadian bishops held back their full authority and duty to Canadian society by dissenting from the truth of Humanae Vitae; did it happen again when Canadian bishops failed to discipline Canadian politicians endorsing abortion in the years before abortion was legal? And is it happening in these days again, as Canadian society is under extreme attack and radical surgery to remove its Christian heart altogether, leading to its ultimate corruption and death? Perhaps today the only obstacle that stands in the way of preventing the formation (and failure) of the Right to Free Christian Expression Association is a courageous bishop, the spark that ignites a great fire of genuine Catholic faith and life in Canada.

Yours sincerely, in Christ.