Pierre Mignard (1612-1695), “St. Charles Borromeo Ministering to Plague Victims”
“Be ready to abandon this mortal life rather than the people committed to your care. Go forward among the plague-stricken as to life, as to a reward, even if there is only one soul to be won to Christ.” —St. Charles Borromeo
“Bishops should not wait for a body without any jurisdiction to tell them what to do.
“It is up to each of them to decide how to act, with prudence and wisdom, in order to guarantee the Sacraments and the celebration of Mass to the faithful.
"And they can do so without having to ask either the Bishops’ Conference or the State, whose authority ends at the entrance to our churches, and there must stop.”
In an interview yesterday with The Remnant newspaper, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano implicitly upholds Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Kazakhstan as quoted below.
In an earlier interview two days ago, + Vigano had already stated that the Pope’s call for “obedience” to Italian “phase 2” restrictions that continue a ban on Mass is not only “undue, but is also a violation of conscience and harmful to the health of souls.”
"Be defenders of the rights of Christians! Protest when there is discrimination! We have to protest, we have to defend the rights of Christians."
Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Kazakhstan has also rebuked bishops who have closed churches and cancelled public Masses around the world, including New Zealand.
+Schneider stated that "Many governments' laws have followed what the bishops had to say. It is a grievous omission by the bishops.
"They should insist to the Government on at least the same rights for the Church as for stores, with the same prescriptions and observing the same safety measures. That should have been the method of the bishops and the Holy See.
"They should insist to the Government on at least the same rights for the Church as for stores, with the same prescriptions and observing the same safety measures. That should have been the method of the bishops and the Holy See.
"If a Government refuses the Church the same rights as stores have, that is implicit persecution of the Church. This is what we are witnessing," said Bishop Schneider.
And now Italy’s bishops’ conference is demanding the government lift its ban on public Masses now the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown is being eased.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a gradual resumption of normal life in Italy.
To date, COVID-19 has led over 26,000 deaths in Italy and infected almost 200,000.
For the meantime, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says up to 15 people will be allowed to attend funerals. These are likely to take place outside with attendees wearing masks and observing social distancing.
Gatherings for Masses and other larger liturgies such as weddings remain suspended.
“The Italian bishops cannot accept to see the exercise of freedom of worship compromised,” the bishops’ conference says.
“It should be clear to everyone that the commitment to serve to the poor, so significant during this emergency, arises from a faith that must be fed by its sources, in particular [the] sacramental life.”
The bishops say their letter to the government included proposals for how Masses could be safely celebrated.
Soon after the bishops made their views public, news reports said the government is planning to study guidelines on how to “allow the faithful to participate in liturgical celebrations as soon as possible under conditions of maximum safety.”
Today a woman with no religious affiliation as far as I know told me she can’t understand why the Church hasn't insisted to the Government that they're an essential service. I very much doubt that as a non-Catholic she has any idea of how essential the Mass really is, but she seems to have a better grasp of the situation than the NZ Bishops' Conference.
I’m sickened by our bishops’ inaction. It’s indefensible.
They need to be prised out of their palaces, and priests out of their presbyteries.
The bishops seem to take it for granted that the laity are a pushover. You know - we good Catholics have to be ‘humble’ and ‘obedient’.
They need to be prised out of their palaces, and priests out of their presbyteries.
The bishops seem to take it for granted that the laity are a pushover. You know - we good Catholics have to be ‘humble’ and ‘obedient’.
True humility is to know our place before God; that we are nothing and He is He who is.
"We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
"We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
Bob Gill says:
ReplyDeleteLet me share an experience I had yesterday while having to leave my region with my wife to visit Palmerston hospital; the kind of experience that boosted my spirits in this time of Church trial. On deciding to wait for my wife outside St Mary’s, which is opposite the hospital, I noticed a handful of people now and again entering and leaving the church. One of them, a woman, came out talking on her phone while standing next to my car. I eventually asked her how she was able to gain access to the church. To cut a long story short, she turned to someone, who happened to be a priest, and asked permission for me to enter the church. Permission granted!
Entering the church and gazing toward the Blessed Sacrament was one of the most wonderful and emotional experiences in my life, and one I will never forget in this Month of Mary 2020. I thank God for the experience.
On reflection today, I am struck with the fact that the Government allows churches to be open during Level 3. Is that why the priest at St Mary’s couldn’t deny my request to enter? Indeed, no public Masses are being said, for some reason, but what’s to stop us asking permission for entry into our local church simply to pray? I have, therefore, just contacted our local parishioner who looks after church matters when we don’t have a priest available to please advise Palmerston North hierarchy that I want to enter my local church at the earliest opportunity during Level 3.
I say:
Yes, thank God for that experience Bob; but I can't find any verification, in Jacinda's fatuous exposition of Level 3's fatuous regs, of churches being open. No mention of churches whatever. Are you just conjecturing? Knowing something about the priests and the people at St Mary's, I would think the priests have bowed to parishioner pressure. I'll ask my spies what's up.
Bob Gill says:
ReplyDeleteI base my assumption that churches can be open at certain times through what is written on our Ministry of Health website (below) and the way such guidelines are interpreted overseas. Today’s request for access to my local church as soon as possible will answer that – if the hierarchy is willing to answer!
"Small gatherings of up to 10 people for wedding ceremonies, civil union services, or funerals are allowed for the service only and food or drink can’t be served. The limit of 10 people includes any celebrant, organiser or other assistant."
I note the guidelines specifically mention funerals being allowed, but has anyone in the Palmerston North diocese who has died recently actually had a Catholic funeral service performed since Level 3 started? Just wondering how well organised the Church is beforehand in our diocese.
I say:
Thanks Bob. I took that to mean the Gummint allows our churches to be opened only for stated ceremonies. Of course you'll have to wait for an answer to your request until office hours... It's all preposterous.
Teresa Coles says:
Bob, yes we have had funerals in Taupo and both persons were cremated,no family in the church at all,so sad...No way I am being cremated,so they would have to put me in a freezer until the appropriate time..I have 4 daughters ,11 grandchildren and 1 husband so how will they choose 10 to be at my funeral lol
I say:
Like I said, it's preposterous.
Bob Gill says:
I see, Teresa. It makes me wonder if anyone has been married IN THE CHURCH too since Level 3 started nearly a week ago? It seems that regardless of what the Government allows, the NZ Church has its own agenda, though one or two priests show innovation at times and give us a watered down kind of service.
Has anyone had a response to letters sent to their bishop lately, or have they been completely ignored as I have?
I say:
I know one who's had a response from Cardinal Dew. I asked her to ask permission to share +Dew's email which he has given so I hope to share it with all and sundry on the blog this evening.
Bob Gill says:
At least the Anglican Church is doing some planning ahead and passing on their plans to their flock:
https://anglicanlife.org.nz/.../message-from-the-bishop.../
Message from the Bishop—29 April 2020 – Anglican Life
ANGLICANLIFE.ORG.NZ
Bob Gill says:
I have now seen it in writing from a number of NZ churches that the churches are closed during Level 3, but open for funerals and weddings: https://www.stpatricks.org.nz/ .
A shame we have to scour Google to get direct information that bishops should have put out to all parishes throughout the land before we entered Level 3. I hope the Church is better organised BEFORE we enter Level 2.
Cathedral of St. Patrick & St Joseph
STPATRICKS.ORG.NZ
Cathedral of St. Patrick & St Joseph