Fr. Mychal Judge died on 9-11-2001 trying to save lives and souls. Boston is a disgrace to his memory.
Posted on 04/27/2013 7:45:25 AM PDT by bboop
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Jennifer Graham tells me something that I hadn’t heard about Boston Marathon bombing. As dozens of victims were sprawled across Boylston Street, many of them in danger of death, Catholic priests came running to the scene—and were turned away.
Doctors and nurses were welcome at the bombing scene. Firefighters and police officers were welcome. But Catholic priests, who might have offered the solace of the sacraments, were not.
”Catholics need not apply.” That slogan was familiar in Boston years ago, before Irish and Italian immigrants took over control of the city. Now, after decades of decline in Catholic influence , the attitude has returned. One priest who was barred from Boylston Street remarked that in the past a priest was admitted anywhere. “That’s changed,” he said. “Priests are no longer considered to be emergency responders.”
Unless police officers in Boston are uniquely hostile to priests (a distinct possibility), the tide has turned very quickly on this question. On September 11, 2001, there were Catholic priests at the staging areas near the World Trade Center, giving absolution to firefighters before they rushed into the doomed building: mass-producing saints!
Unable to provide spiritual help to those whose lives were endangered, the priests in Boston retreated to a nearby church, were they “set up a table with water and oranges and bananas to serve people.” Doesn’t that nicely capture what a once-Catholic, now-secular culture expects from the Church? It’s not essential for priests to administer the sacraments; in fact it’s unwelcome. But if they could just stay out of the way, and give people something to eat, that would be fine.
Jennifer Graham captures the problem well:
But it is a poignant irony that Martin Richard, the 8-year-old boy who died on Boylston Street, was a Catholic who had received his first Communion just last year. As Martin lay dying, priests were only yards away, beyond the police tape, unable to reach him to administer last rites…
Turned away because they were priests or because they were not medical personnel?
Why is anyone surprised? Massachusetts — and the Boston area in particular — is a bastion of radical secularism.
My brother died 2 1/2 years ago, my sister died last week the first thing I asked for them was a Priest.
Christians are under attack.
There is no doubt of it.
My condolences.
This is so incredibly sad.
A perfect example of how the body is everything to modern people and the soul nothing. The cult of the body. Early in “The Gospel Of Life”, Pope John Paul II writes about how secularism breeds materialism and utilitarianism and an obsession with productivity and efficiency as the more profound dimensions of man, the spiritual life and the soul fall away.
The perverts have taken control of disaster scenes now, too?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't catholic chaplains essential in battle zones (as well as other chaplains) in clearly danger zones?
“How can this be right?”
It’s not right. It’s terribly wrong. God is not going to bless our country.
Batten down the hatches! Obama and Islam are taking us to the bottom!
Fr. Mychal Judge died on 9-11-2001 trying to save lives and souls. Boston is a disgrace to his memory.
My question is, why did the priests accept this? As far as I’m concerned, they should have just forced their way through. Is obedience to the government higher in their priorities than obedience to God?
“...Why is anyone surprised? Massachusetts — and the Boston area in particular — is a bastion of radical secularism....”
Why is anyone surprised? Taxsachusetts — and the Boston area in particular — is a bastion of radical communism.
There, fixed it.
I don't know what the projected date of this novel was supposed to be, but it was during the predicted Last Days,and it sure seems to be happening now.
The parents of that slain Catholic 8-yr old boy should sue the city of Boston for preventing her son from his Last Rites, as a Catholic priest was mere steps away and was not allowed into the zone by the heroic first responders.
Ditto.
eg. Fr. Emil Kapaun
Administering last rites is infinitely more important than medical care when the injured is going to die.
What happened is that the priests and the Catholic community especially in and around the Northeast, have not done anything to catechize the congregation. Boston Catholics (like New York Catholics) are under the impression that Catholicism is democratic. it is not. They think if they pout and hate priests, the Church will change its rules. This, however, is impossible.
So,as smart as they are, all those nurses etc, they are fatally ignorant and negligent keeping the priests from doing their job.
In 911, Fr. Judge lead the charge for this, and he was killed on the job.
But, liberalism having invaded the Church, is to blame.
This, my FRiend, is simply outrageous.
Zero bends over backwards for Islam, allowing Jihadists to terrorize us, but denies an 8 year old Catholic victim his Last Rites.
Words fail.
Matthew 10:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Exactly Correct. While I am not a Catholic (a hated protestant) I would find comfort in a priest ministering to me at such a time. If a loved one of mine lay dying on the sidewalk I would welcome a priest administering last rites even though it is not a practice of my religion. What HARM could it do? Might it comfort someone at a time they most need it?
I thought Boston was a Catholic bastion.
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