Bruce Tichbon says:
We were very grateful to get the following response from Bishop Dunn. We
pray it points to an ongoing and meaningful dialogue on all the issues.
Dear Bruce
Thanks for your letter of concern. The bishops have asked Bishop Drennan, as your own bishop, to meet with you to discus the matters you have raised.
As you have pointed out, this is a moment of great challenge for the Church.
But your letter does not take account of the fact that we are at a 'change of era' moment. Pope Francis and Pope Benedict have tried to draw our attention to the fact that the old 'Christendom' model of the Church is in a state of collapse in our culture. It has served us well for perhaps a thousand years but now no longer 'works' for our contemporaries. This is not the 'fault' of anyone: it is just a fact of history.
Pope Benedict spoke of the need for a New Evangelisation. Our secular society is the most challenging mission field for the Church in our time. We need to present the treasures and the truths of our beautiful Catholic Faith in new ways to speak to the new secularised culture of many parts of our contemporary world. It is the sort of work that St Paul did in his time, and St Thomas Aquinas in his time.
Every blessing for these beautiful Christmas days and the coming year.
+Patrick Dunn. [President NZCBC]
Thanks for your letter of concern. The bishops have asked Bishop Drennan, as your own bishop, to meet with you to discus the matters you have raised.
As you have pointed out, this is a moment of great challenge for the Church.
But your letter does not take account of the fact that we are at a 'change of era' moment. Pope Francis and Pope Benedict have tried to draw our attention to the fact that the old 'Christendom' model of the Church is in a state of collapse in our culture. It has served us well for perhaps a thousand years but now no longer 'works' for our contemporaries. This is not the 'fault' of anyone: it is just a fact of history.
Pope Benedict spoke of the need for a New Evangelisation. Our secular society is the most challenging mission field for the Church in our time. We need to present the treasures and the truths of our beautiful Catholic Faith in new ways to speak to the new secularised culture of many parts of our contemporary world. It is the sort of work that St Paul did in his time, and St Thomas Aquinas in his time.
Every blessing for these beautiful Christmas days and the coming year.
+Patrick Dunn. [President NZCBC]
I agree we are in a 'change of era' in a new secularised culture. I agree
with Julia it is a failing culture that we must not emulate. I believe we must
respond by building on the principles, Church and priesthood given to us by
Christ. I do not agree that we are talking about a thousand year model, it is
the model given by Christ that we change at our eternal peril.
Bruce Tichbon
If he is our best hope in NZ for any return to orthodoxy, then all I can say is 'God help us!' That was so disappointing. I felt quite let down and unprotected by this, our 'Leader'. The only place he is going to lead us is down the garden path.
Bishop Patrick Dunn , President, NZ Council of Catholic Bishops (NZCBC), has responded to Palmerston North's Bruce Tichbon's Letter to the NZ Bishops, posted recently on this blog (scroll down to 'AN OPEN LETTER TO THE LEADERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NZ: FIXING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH').
So in fairness to all the bishops I post Bishop Dunn's response, written on their behalf, interpolating my responses to his responses. (Sorry people, I couldn't help myself.)
Bishop Dunn's letter begins:
"The bishops have asked Bishop Drennan, as your own bishop, to meet with you to discus (sic) the matters you have raised.
As you have pointed out, this is a moment of great challenge for the Church."
I say:
It's hardly “a moment”. This crisis has been building for at least a century and accelerating since Vatican II, with rampant homosexuality in the priesthood exacerbated by the “disastrous” – to quote Cardinal Gerhard Muller – removal in 1983 from the Code of Canon Law of any mention of homosexual acts as an offence against the 6th Commandment incurring certain canonical penalties.
It's hardly “a moment”. This crisis has been building for at least a century and accelerating since Vatican II, with rampant homosexuality in the priesthood exacerbated by the “disastrous” – to quote Cardinal Gerhard Muller – removal in 1983 from the Code of Canon Law of any mention of homosexual acts as an offence against the 6th Commandment incurring certain canonical penalties.
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice report (referred to in Bruce Tichbon's Open Letter) revealed in 2004 that since 1950 over
10,000 children, mostly boys, had been abused in the US by over 4000
priests. ) Fr Paul Sullins, in a new report for
the Ruth Institute, states that clergy sexual abuse peaked 35 years ago but
today is still comparable with the early 1970s. He concludes that “the
bishops have gotten complacent”.
And why have the bishop 'gotten' complacent? Perhaps because they know the Pope protects and promotes pro-homosexual priests and bishops. Under this pope, their careers are in no danger on that account.
And why have the bishop 'gotten' complacent? Perhaps because they know the Pope protects and promotes pro-homosexual priests and bishops. Under this pope, their careers are in no danger on that account.
A quarter of priests ordained in the
late ‘60s report a homosexual subculture in their seminary. In the 2002 Dallas
Charter, the US bishops stated the days of concealment of abuse were over, with
stringent new standards for dealing with priestly abuse; but
the bishops specifically excluded themselves from these standards, contending that only the
Pope had authority to discipline them (as if!), and that peer pressure or what they
referred to euphemistically as ‘fraternal correction’ would keep them in line.
It didn’t. Since then there have been claims of abuse or harassment against more
than 50 US bishops. Father Sullins says that "the (US) bishops, as a group, cannot be trusted to
solve this problem.”
And the NZ Church can’t get away with
saying, “oh but that’s the US”. A recently ordained priest has told me of an
overt pro-homosexual culture in the seminary here, and we lay people have been
hurt for long enough by NZ priests charged with sexual abuse and found
guilty.
+Dunn continues:
"But your letter does not take account of the fact that we are at a 'change of era' moment. Pope Francis and Pope Benedict have tried to draw our attention to the fact that the old 'Christendom' model of the Church is in a state of collapse in our culture. It has served us well for perhaps a thousand years but now no longer 'works' for our contemporaries. This is not the 'fault' of anyone: it is just a fact of history."
I say:
Most people noticed that 'Christendom’ began to collapse with the arrival of the heretical Protestant ‘Reformation’ (more aptly termed ‘Deformation’). The fact of history isn’t that Christendom "is in a state of collapse", but that Christendom no longer exists. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Church is in a state of collapse.
It's our secular culture which is in a state of collapse, and the Church endangers herself by flirting with that culture and its values (that old whore, the world).
Most people noticed that 'Christendom’ began to collapse with the arrival of the heretical Protestant ‘Reformation’ (more aptly termed ‘Deformation’). The fact of history isn’t that Christendom "is in a state of collapse", but that Christendom no longer exists. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Church is in a state of collapse.
It's our secular culture which is in a state of collapse, and the Church endangers herself by flirting with that culture and its values (that old whore, the world).
"Pope Benedict", writes +Dunn, "spoke of the need for a New Evangelisation. Our secular society is the most challenging mission field for the Church in our time."
Amen to that. As Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope
Benedict stated that “to begin with, we (Catholics) will be numerically
reduced. We must continue to be an open Church. (But)
we cannot calmly accept the rest of
humanity falling back into paganism. ... We must find the way to take the Gospel
to nonbelievers.”
Exactly. For example, by speaking "to the new secularized culture and witnessing to our beautiful Catholic Faith” in the sanctity of life, by taking part with 1200 pro-lifers in the second National March for Life on Parliament.
This year the visible priestly attendance increased by 100 per cent, that is to say that - tragically - there was not just one priest present, but two. And they were both from the SSPX.
+Dunn goes on:
"It is the sort of work that St Paul did in his time, and St Thomas Aquinas in his time."
"It is the sort of work that St Paul did in his time, and St Thomas Aquinas in his time."
I say:
This may not be 'the sort of work' that +Dunn has in mind, but for example, St Paul publicly rebuked the first Pope (Gal 2:11), and St Thomas Aquinas, in support of St Paul, quotes Sir 4:27: Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall and refrain not to speak in the time of salvation.
St Thomas continues: “Or to his face, i.e. not in secret as though detracting him and fearing him, but publicly and as his equal: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him (Lev 19:17).
"This he did" writes St Paul, "because he (Cephas, Peter) was to be blamed … subjects have an example of zeal and freedom, that they fear not to correct their prelates, particularly if their crime is public and verges upon danger to the multitude ... where danger is imminent, the truth must be preached openly and the opposite never condoned through fear of scandalizing others: That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light (Mt 10:27) ... Them that sin, reprove before all (1 Tim 5:20). This is to be understood of public sins, and not of private ones.”
“Some bishops,” says Cardinal Muller, “unsettle the faithful because, in their statements, they follow only the mainstream. They allow themselves to be placed in the strait-jackets of political correctness, in which they can only move awkwardly and make fools of themselves.” Bishops should not “foremost act and think politically” because they are actually “servants of the Word of God, shepherds of their flock”.... We should risk and venture the new evangelisation instead of jumping on the train of demoralization and deChristianisation of the Western societies”.
Such a renewal, says Cardinal Muller, would include “a renewal of the ethical conduct ... There are high-ranking representatives of the Catholic Church who, beyond measure, defend and promote people with such a (pro-homosexual) tendency. But when it is about questioning aspects of the Catholic faith, they are magnanimous and lack energy. He who follows their agenda may do what he wants. (But) he who does not participate in assisted thinking is being mercilessly persecuted, currently according to the motto ‘St Paul goodbye – Wucherpfennig, okay!’
This may not be 'the sort of work' that +Dunn has in mind, but for example, St Paul publicly rebuked the first Pope (Gal 2:11), and St Thomas Aquinas, in support of St Paul, quotes Sir 4:27: Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall and refrain not to speak in the time of salvation.
St Thomas continues: “Or to his face, i.e. not in secret as though detracting him and fearing him, but publicly and as his equal: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him (Lev 19:17).
"This he did" writes St Paul, "because he (Cephas, Peter) was to be blamed … subjects have an example of zeal and freedom, that they fear not to correct their prelates, particularly if their crime is public and verges upon danger to the multitude ... where danger is imminent, the truth must be preached openly and the opposite never condoned through fear of scandalizing others: That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light (Mt 10:27) ... Them that sin, reprove before all (1 Tim 5:20). This is to be understood of public sins, and not of private ones.”
“Some bishops,” says Cardinal Muller, “unsettle the faithful because, in their statements, they follow only the mainstream. They allow themselves to be placed in the strait-jackets of political correctness, in which they can only move awkwardly and make fools of themselves.” Bishops should not “foremost act and think politically” because they are actually “servants of the Word of God, shepherds of their flock”.... We should risk and venture the new evangelisation instead of jumping on the train of demoralization and deChristianisation of the Western societies”.
Such a renewal, says Cardinal Muller, would include “a renewal of the ethical conduct ... There are high-ranking representatives of the Catholic Church who, beyond measure, defend and promote people with such a (pro-homosexual) tendency. But when it is about questioning aspects of the Catholic faith, they are magnanimous and lack energy. He who follows their agenda may do what he wants. (But) he who does not participate in assisted thinking is being mercilessly persecuted, currently according to the motto ‘St Paul goodbye – Wucherpfennig, okay!’
Cardinal Muller is comparing St Paul’s public rebuke of St Peter, the first Pope, with the values of the pro-homosexual German Jesuit priest Ansgar Wucherpfennig.
Wucherpfennig has been reinstated by the Vatican as rector of the Jesuit St Georgen graduate school, in spite of his stated refusal to adhere to his declaration of faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Church.
Which, given the thorough revamping of the once-revered and mighty Order of Jesuits, and its impassioned embrace of the heresy of Modernism, is exactly what we'd expect from the Vatican and a Jesuit pope.
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