Parishioners of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North: you would do well to confess your sins immediately.
Be prepared for death, because today the Cathedral announced its decision to administer the Last Rites to the dying by telephone.
Yes, you read that right. The Last Rites, (formerly known as Extreme Unction) will be given, presumably by the cathedral's priests - both Monsignors - over the phone.
(Having checked the cathedral website for the lowdown on the staff, and been informed by same that the PP is Fr Peter Fahey, assisted by Fr Kevin Neal - info that even I, in my far-flung corner of the diocese, know is way out of date - I overlooked the fact that lurking at the cathedral is none other than Fr Joseph Grayland, incomprehensibly named as Parish Priest. Yes, the very same Fr Grayland who chased Sharon Crooks off the premises at Our Lady of Lourdes and locked the gates behind her.)
So Fr Grayland is, not surprisingly, also implicated in the decision to minister to the dying of the cathedral parish by phone.
He it must have been, along with Vicar-General Monsignor Brian Walsh - who stands in for the bishop because we haven't got a bishop because +Charles Drennan resigned last year because of sex abuse - and Monsignor David Bell (that's 'Dave' or 'Davy', to you) assigned a catechist to the delicate task of informing parishioners of the prelates' departure from precedent, canon law and the Magisterium.
Given their obvious predilection for the instrument, and their enforced idleness during The Lockdown, one has to wonder why the Monsignori would have passed the phone over to Ms Kate Bell. "Give us a Bell", perhaps? Have the Reverends gone stir crazy?
Even in California, where the crazies go to die, even with Covid-19 rampant, priests don't just reach for the phone. The Last Rites there involve an i-phone and Facetime.
But although the cleric in an LA Times story cited Pope Francis and his "special dispensation' to those suffering from the coronavirus, that the prayers he delivered over the video chat would have the same spiritual effect as if he were to perform the normal anointing with holy oil, a full pardon of all sins", I smell a rat. A big, yellow rat.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-11/last-rites-coronavirus-pandemic-catholics
The Vatican has stated by decree that a plenary indulgence is granted to coronavirus patients quarantined by health authorities in hospitals and in their homes if, “with a spirit detached from any sin, they unite themselves spiritually through the media to the celebration of the Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/vatican-decrees-plenary-indulgence-for-all-catholics-dealing-with-coronavirus-1.4209681
Nothing there about i-phones and Facetime and special dispensations.
Even in the Chicago Archdiocese, ruled by Cardinal Blase Cupich, recently ranked as "The Worst Bishop in the United States" they don't do the Last Rites by phone.
The archdiocese has recruited a group of volunteer priests to visit and give last rites to terminally ill coronavirus patients. They contacted only priests under 60 years old who didn't have a chronic illness.
The archdiocese, with the help of medical professionals, offered the priests a two-and-a-half-hour training session. They learned the proper protocols to visit coronavirus patients and received all the necessary protective equipment. Now the archdiocese has a team of 24 priests ministering to coronavirus patients.
More to our point, in reporting the story The Tablet states that, "During this pandemic, Catholic patients often talk with their priest by phone to pray together, but sacraments can’t be administered over the phone."
https://thetablet.org/chicago-priests-volunteer-and-train-to-give-last-rites-to-covid-19-patients/
Ominously, the Vatican has now issued new guidelines on “general absolution”, offering forgiveness of sins to groups of people without them having to confess individually to a priest.
The Apostolic Penitentiary ruled that in places hard hit by the virus a blanket absolution can be offered: for example, a priest or bishop who is unable to enter a hospital. They should, the guidelines added, use an “amplification of the voice, so that the absolution may be heard”.
Church rules allow for general absolution to be offered in times of “grave need” although in the years following the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council the penitential services where general absolution was offered were more widespread.
Anecdotal evidence suggested it led to a rise in individual confessions." ("Rubbish!" as the Goons would say.)
"But during the 1980s and 1990s the Holy See clamped down on the use of general absolution and sought to heavily restrict its use.
"Along with the absolution guidelines, the apostolic penitentiary also offered plenary indulgences to those “suffering from the Coronavirus, subject to quarantine by order of the health authority, or in their own homes.” According to Catholic teaching indulgences remove all "punishment” in this life or the next for sins that have been confessed and forgiven.
The conditions for the indulgence for those “with a spirit detached from any sin”, “unite themselves spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, to the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion, or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
But the new ruling waives the normal requirement to also attend Mass in person and make a personal confession in order to receive the indulgence. It simply says that penitents should have “the will” to fulfil these conditions."
Behold the thin end of another wedge out of the Vatican tool basket! They are bent on exterminating the Sacrament of Penance altogether.
If you don't fancy the idea of the Last Rites by phone, and if you're 'vulnerable' (the nerdish Dr Bloomfield's fave adjective) sort out a priest now who will hear your confession. If I were you, if you've already contracted the virus I'd go looking for an orthodox priest or an SSPX. That's what the son of a 78 year-old woman who died of Covid-19 in a hospital in Georgia US did, and he's worked out a plan for you to follow. He's covered all the bases.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/heres-how-to-obtain-last-rites-for-a-hospitalized-covid-19-patient
To be fair, such has been the craven response of this government to the 'panic-emic' that our PN Monsignori might have had trouble getting to the bedside of Covid-19 patients. A nurse might have barred their way.
Even so, if the Monsignori and Catechist Kate Bell have left a nasty taste in your mouth (no, it's not a symptom of incipient Covid-19 but I'd still make that confession if I were you) here's a story to restore your faith in the priesthood:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/priest-describes-giving-last-rites-to-man-dying-in-hospital-of-covid-19
The Ritual for the Anointing states:
“The Lord Himself showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do likewise.”
(Ritual #5)
Hi Julia. I am a bit confused here coz Fr Jo is actually the Parish Priest of the Cathedral, so I have 3 questions:
ReplyDeleteIs Fr Jo sanctioning the annointing?
Did the Vicar General and Mons Bell assign Kate Bell the task of letting people know by phone or is her phone calls part of a trend we have seen for years, where the cathedral lay people appear to enact bright ideas independently!?
Do we know if the Vicar General is authorising a stop and Mons Bell (with his authority as a Mons) offering any resistance, to annointing by phone, if in fact they do not agree?
God bless, Stephanie
Helen Carver says:
ReplyDeleteYes I agree if the priest is wearing appropriate PPE people should be able to receive the last rites in person but to call it a 'panicemic' is to trivialise the pain and suffering of all those who have lost loved ones in this terrible epidemic. We have been protected from suffering a similar fate to other countries by our government's timely response Dr Ashley Bloomfield a nerd?? How insulting to a wonderful learned man.
Also I find it reprehensible to insult a monseigneur even if you don't like him.
To fall in love with a woman who rats on you when it all turns sour is not sexual abuse - it is, sadly, a terrible mistake by an otherwise talented intelligent and compassionate man. Charles Drennan has not broken the law. 'Let she who is without sin cast the first stone...'
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I really do sympathise with your point of view but which is more valuable the body or the soul? Which law is more valid, God's or man's? Because this is what this whole epidemic is highlighting isn't it? The great drafting of consciences.. Who will go this way, who will go that way..
ReplyDeleteNo doubt we have all lost someone very dear to us through death during our lives. Is it our own personal grief in missing them that matters? Or the state they may find themselves in on the other side of the veil? How were they disposed to face eternity? Were they able to depart this tired exile with Sacramental hope? Or alone in spirit and perhaps separate from God..? Are they forever separated? Or do they need more prayers?
That is why we are grieving the loss of our Sacraments. We can't live (spiritually) without them! Our bodies all have an expiry date, some of us past due! By the grace of God we have time to make up for our inconstancies in faith.
To take our direct point of contact with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus, Emmanuel, away from us is the most terrible persecution! Who is willing this? Who will fight to change this? Our earthly bodies are only rags discarded when we die, and we shouldn't grieve for them. But for the danger we are placed in when our priests and Bishops leave us to our own devices..
Bob Gill says:
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t feel comfortable having Confession over the phone – especially through the aforementioned names from Palmerston North Cathedral. Let’s hope such practice never becomes commonplace in New Zealand.
Also, with today’s announcement saying funerals will be able to go ahead should we move to level 3, but limited to 10 people gathering, it will be interesting to see if the New Zealand Novus Ordo Church takes advantage of that and allows a priest at such a gathering.
Bob, Confession wouldn't work over the phone. No graces conferred whatsoever, because it's not in accord with Canon Law. That's why you wouldn't feel comfortable.
DeleteHelen Carver says:
ReplyDeleteInstead of endlessly slagging off priests bishops monseigneurs (sic) politicians doctors et al how about doing something positive like the 99- year-old British man who has raised £10 million for the NHS walking up and down outside his house saying absolutely nothing and doing absolutely everything???
Bob Gill says:
ReplyDeleteAnd here’s me thinking we were doing something positive these last couple of weeks or so!
• Supporting lone parishioners praying outside closed churches, not raising money, admittedly, but consoling our Master and apologising for closing His churches.
• Attending online Masses and Rosaries.
• Acting like parishioners should act in reprimanding bishops/priests when they fail to support their flock when dying or when they need spiritual support… and much more.
Teresa Coles says:
ReplyDeleteJulia have you seen Michael Matt’s latest video on the coronavirus April 2020.
I say: Not sure, thanks Teresa. I try to keep up with MM! Will check.
Philippa O'Neill says:
That comment from Cuomo of New York was a shocker.
Bob Gill says:
Here’s something NZ bishops could initiate for us to participate in via a streaming service, so we could get some of God’s much needed heavenly blessings at this time:
https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/39246
Over half a million people join Rededication of England to Mary