Repent and resign

"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck."
–Mark 9:42

There is no question that the Catholic Church has done humanity great service over the last 2,000 years. The Petrine rock upon which it was constructed has been a strong redoubt of light, truth and blessing throughout the centuries, and from its intellectual ramparts have sallied forth some of mankind's greatest thinkers and philosophers.

But the public unveiling of a church wherein seminaries are infested by homosexuals, bishops protect pedophiles and sin is not only embraced – but celebrated – may well come to be seen as the death of the Catholic Church in America. As with the leadership of other dying denominations such as the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches, the Catholic priesthood sold its collective soul in order to accommodate the world, in the name of tolerance and love.

And while tolerance and love may sound well enough, they have little to do with Christianity as taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. The commandment to "love others as oneself" should never be misconstrued as an instruction to tolerate sin against the Most High God, because it is primarily an order to place the same priority on others' needs as on one's own. And the needs of others, it must be said, may be for material things such as food and shelter, or for spiritual things such as correction.

For when Jesus offered his famous advice about not casting the first stone, he also went on to tell the woman, "Go now and leave your life of sin." Note that in his own words, he was not condemning her by saying this. Correction is not condemnation.

Now, sin is sin, in the eyes of God, and so it is no more fundamentally evil to be a homosexual than to be an adulterer, a murderer, a thief or a gossip. However, even a repentant sinner still bears responsibility for his actions, and if he is in a position of responsibility in the church, he must resign it because he has lost his spiritual authority. This is why James wrote that few should presume to be teachers, because those who teach "will be judged more strictly."

Indeed, the ongoing Catholic nightmare should come as no surprise to those who are familiar with the Bible. The following passage, written almost 2,000 years ago, could just as easily have been penned yesterday.

"For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."
–Jude 1:4

The infiltration and subversion of Catholic seminaries by godless men was predictable. In like manner, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has been attacked in every mainline denomination and the same assault is currently underway in every evangelical, Pentecostal and charismatic church as well. Although the means are often different, the aim is always the same: to subvert and ultimately deny the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And once a church makes the fatal decision to befriend the world and seek its approval instead of that of the God whom it is called to serve, its fate is sealed.

But Catholics can take heart in remembering that as Christians, they do not serve an earthly organization and they do not worship fallible men. A shattered church does not mean a shattered faith. I am a Southern Baptist, not a Catholic, but if my church should ever choose to elevate the dogma of men above the teachings of the Bible, I will leave it without shedding a single tear or ever looking back.

As for the fallen priests, it seems they already face a worse fate than burial at sea. With regards to the Catholic hierarchy, it is certain that every bishop or cardinal who has abused his position by protecting a predator must resign. It is equally important for those who then remain in authority to return to obedience by barring homosexuals and all other unrepentants from the seminary and the priesthood.

This is a battle for the soul of the American Catholic church. But far more importantly, it is a battle for the souls which that church serves.

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This is a battle for the soul of the American Catholic church. But far more importantly, it is a battle for the souls which that church serves.

...I think the battle is intense for the soul of the Church, be it Catholic or Protestant.

A good article. It sums up the real problem.

Imagine this: a cadre of men spend years in seminary becoming experts on
the holy text...only to violate it and then be protected by the hierarchy
using funds cheerfully donated by the flock thinking the money would go for good works...
not to protect pedophiles/ephebophiles.

As I've said before, I pray the Catholics can clean house and put things right.
And I'm not Catholic...

As for the fallen priests, it seems they already face a worse fate than burial at sea.

At least in the next life they will (if they don't repent and do penance).

Unfortunately, on this plane, too many of them will skate.
I read in today's Los Angeles Times of a priest that molested, in order,
four boys in one family. As soon as one got "older", he simply moved to the next
younger one.

The parents have tried to be as constructive as possible in this situation; they serve
on a sex abuse board set up in the Los Angeles district (sorry, don't know if I can spell
diocesis...) and they have tried to help keep the offending priest in treatment and on
probation, saying "he'll just perfect his pedophilia in jail". (I fail to see how being
locked up with men mostly over the age of 18 is a training ground for pedophilia...)

All I can say is these folks are more forgiving that I could be.
Especially as the priest did get probation, moved to Maryland...and has failed to
register as a sex offender, as required by Maryland law. (He's being investigated now.)

This story in (IIRC) section B of today's LA Times.

The parents have tried to be as constructive as possible in this situation; they serve on a sex abuse board set up in the Los Angeles district (sorry, don't know if I can spell diocesis...) and they have tried to help keep the offending priest in treatment and on probation, saying "he'll just perfect his pedophilia in jail". (I fail to see how being locked up with men mostly over the age of 18 is a training ground for pedophilia...)

Why didn't the Dad just go down to Big 5, purchase himself a pump action 12 gauge, and blow the bastard away? I mean, hell, it doesn't even require a waiting period.

Why didn't the Dad just go down to Big 5, purchase himself a pump action 12 gauge,
and blow the bastard away?

They are in California...that just about says it all.

I'm a transplanted Okie...I remember a jury aquitting an ex-con who got home
after his release from jail and found his wife in bed with some interloper. He calmly
went to the kitchen and got some eating utensil (I can't remember if it was a fork or
butter knife).
He proceeded to stab the lothario to death, even with this less-than-optimal instrument.
The guy was given a "not guilty" by the jury.

That may be a tough case...but I do have a brain spasm whenever a homeowner goes to jail
for wounding a burglar (like in Minnesota).

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