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"It's too political." So said Father yesterday morning, when asked for permission to place Family First's "Abortion, Euthanasia, Cannabis - What's Next?" pamphlet in our parish church foyers.
He refused point-blank.
"It's too political," he said. He wouldn't look at me.
It took my breath away. I couldn't believe that a Catholic priest would refuse to offer information to his parishioners on the two issues we're asked to vote on in conjunction with the elections - euthanasia and recreational cannabis, or give them the facts on which of our MPs' views accord with the teaching of the Catholic Church.
"'Research proves", says Bob McCoskrie of Family First in his introduction to the pamphlet, " that the strength of marriage and family, along with respect for life and the protection of our most vulnerable, has a major impact on the strength of a nation: lowering the rates of child poverty, child abuse, imprisonment, mental health and the costs of welfare - and producing an ordered, civil society.
Over the past two decades ... (M)arriage and the role of parents have been increasingly devalued, and the respect for life and health has never been more at risk. This brochure ... allows you to see how each MP has voted on important social issues. Many are conscience votes ... however in many cases there seems to be a 'party conscience.
It explains the reasons why a NO-vote in the referendum on cannabis and on euthanasia is the only option ... Family First does not endorse or oppose candidates or parties for elective office. This record should not take the place of your own effort to evaluate parties and candidates."
The pamphlet gives the voting record of all Members of Parliament on:
- Same-sex marriage
- Euthanasia
- Marijuana and other drugs
- Abortion (the horrific Abortion Legislation Act)
- The role of parents (parental notifications for teenagers' abortions)
- Anti-smacking law
- Decriminalising prostitution
- Raising the drinking (purchase) age
- Easter trading
- Taxation of families (income-splitting for parents, paid parental leave)
- Three strikes legislation
"I wonder why the clergy are not speaking against abortion, euthanasia and the violations of people's freedom and civil rights? Maybe they fear the loss of their tax free status if they upset the people that control our political system?"
And another reader explains:
"They are strongly aligned with the left through the ‘social justice’ committees and agitators in the parishes. It’s too much of a mind-flip for them to imagine they may have spent the last 4 decades supporting Satan. Easier to keep going than go back."And another:
"This priest (my PP) has been led astray by Bishop Peter Cullinane."
I replied to the last: "You've nailed it."
And we've all - except the strong-minded supporters of the Society of St Pius X - been led astray by the 'New Mass'. It is absolutely inconceivable that a parish priest 50 years ago would have refused to let his flock read information given from a Christian standpoint on the danger of drugs and euthanasia. He'd have been thumping the pulpit and denouncing a Government such as New Zealand's is now, not just as socialist but as evil.
Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine (2 Tim 4:2).
As Pope Benedict XVI said, before his elevation to the papacy, "the ecclesial crisis" (of which my PP's action is a classical symptom) "in which we find ourselves today is to a large extent due to the collapse of the liturgy." The then-Cardinal Ratzinger continued to lament the exchange of the old rite for the new "introduced a breach into the history of the liturgy whose consequences could only be tragic ... the old building was demolishe, and another was built ... this has caused us great harm."
"In place of liturgy as the fruit of development came fabricated liturgy. We abandoned the organic, living process of growth and development over centuries, and replaced it - as in a manufacturing process - with a fabrication, a banal on-the-spot product."
Lex orandi, lex credendi - the way we worship determines the way we believe. When we stopped worshipping - kneeling and receiving Our Eucharistic Lord humbly, on the tongue - we stopped believing.
Cardinal Josef Ratzinger
Once reigning as Benedict XVI, Cardinal Ratzinger mandated that:
"Usages universally handed down by apostolic and unbroken tradition be maintained, not only so that errors may be avoided, but also that the faith may be passed on in its integrity, since the Church's rule of prayer (lex orandi) corresponds to her rule of belief (lex credendi).
Adelie Reid says:
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Teresa Coles says:
I am lost to learn this..Bishops are suppose to put something out soon.about the Election if there is one....We are back to level 2 and I suppose we will only be allowed 100 at Mass yet again...
Stella McLeod says:
They’re in our church as is a Family First presentation on the referenda issues next week.
I say:
Thank God for some sanity somewhere in the Church. Your diocese, of course, is not under the baleful influence of +Peter Cullinane.
Stella McLeod adds:
Well I guess whether the Family First presentation is going to go ahead depends on whether the Auckland lockdown gets extended.
I say:
That would be evidence, wouldn't it, that Ardern's intentions for her Reign of Terror Phase Two are being achieved.
Philippa O'Neill says:
Pretty much same here.. well was last election. Not bothering to ask this election.
Julia, why not just hand out the Family First material to your fellow congregants ? What have you got to lose ? What punishment can your parish “priest” impose upon you ? Does he have any prisons ?
ReplyDeleteSome time ago, prompted by the behaviour of my parish “priest” and his cohort, I began to produce a weekly “news-sheet”. I called it Parish Pump. I handed it out to parishioners as they arrived for Sunday Mass. I produced three and a half Parish Pumps, handing out numbers 1, 2 and 3 over a period of three weeks. While I was writing number 4, I received a letter from Protestant Pete instructing me to cease and desist.
Although I had no more respect for Protestant Pete then than I do now, I believed it was Catholic to obey an episcopal order. So, I desisted. I probably wouldn’t obey such a faux bishop today.
The parish “priest” and his cohort were furious, of course, when I began to distribute my Parish Pumps. The parish “priest” actually physically assaulted me on one occasion, and attempted to seize my Parish Pumps. Others of the cohort became aggressive. I engaged a son to watch my back, and he had to warn a few off.
Nonetheless, other than physical assault, there was nothing that the parish “priest” and his cohort could do to stop me or to punish me. I expect that you would not suffer assault if you were to hand out your Family First material. What have you got to lose ?
'The Benneydale Kid in Pukenui says:
Julia, why not just hand out the Family First material to your fellow congregants ? What have you got to lose ? What punishment can your parish “priest” impose upon you ? Does he have any prisons ?
Some time ago, prompted by the behaviour of my parish “priest” and his cohort, I began to produce a weekly “news-sheet”. I called it Parish Pump. I handed it out to parishioners as they arrived for Sunday Mass. I produced three and a half Parish Pumps, handing out numbers 1, 2 and 3 over a period of three weeks. While I was writing number 4, I received a letter from Protestant Pete instructing me to cease and desist.
Although I had no more respect for Protestant Pete then than I do now, I believed it was Catholic to obey an episcopal order. So, I desisted. I probably wouldn’t obey such a faux bishop today.
The parish “priest” and his cohort were furious, of course, when I began to distribute my Parish Pumps. The parish “priest” actually physically assaulted me on one occasion, and attempted to seize my Parish Pumps. Others of the cohort became aggressive. I engaged a son to watch my back, and he had to warn a few off.
Nonetheless, other than physical assault, there was nothing that the parish “priest” and his cohort could do to stop me or to punish me. I expect that you would not suffer assault if you were to hand out your Family First material. What have you got to lose ?
So, did you hand the material out ?
ReplyDeleteLast Sunday afternoon, I was dropping New Conservative brochures into Kaitaia letterboxes. I came across the Cornerstone Christian church, and offered them some brochures. They were happy to take them, and I noticed that they had Family First material in their foyer.
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