Archbishop Flynn Bans Legionaries of Christ

Regain Network via Catholic World News ^ | 12/16/04

[marshmallow]

The above link takes you to a PDF document of Flynn's letters to the Legion.

The site is having bandwidth problems so access may not be immediate.

[marshmallow]

Apologies if this is old news. I came upon the link through today's Catholic World News

Thought it interesting in light of Flynn's recent blather about accepting the "Rainbow Sash" wearers at Communion.

[BobCNY]

I read the PDF'ed letters that Bp. Flynn had written to the LC, but there were very obscure and didn't make any specific charges except for the one on opennes and unity which maybe the LC were caught teaching the Catechism in his diocese on topics like homosexuality.

[nickcarraway]

Maybe it will be like Mexico all over again for the Legionaries...

[Pyro7480]

I think there is something definitely not being mentioned here.

[u57896]

This sounds like our beloved archbishop.
He also recently refused to grant permission to any of the Indult attendees from having their children confirmed in Wausau Wisconsin in the traditional rite.

"The walls of hell are lined with the skulls of bishops."
Saint John of the Cross

[nevergore]

My kid's go to a Legionaries School in Atlanta....

The Legion priests are great guys...super concerned with the kid's spiritual formation....

They do tend to be not very forthcoming in their approach but will openly answer questions when asked. This gives the appearance of being secretive when they are really not.

Regum Christi is the lay movement....Very conservative and completely in support of the Legionaries. Definitely not diocesan focused.

What happened to the Legionaries in Mexico?

NeverGore

[AAABEST]

Flynn is a live one. It's one thing after the next with him inspiring nostalgic warm and fuzzies for the inquisition. Gotta love his handling of the Rainbow Sash sodomites.

Archbishop Flynn speaks to Vatican on Rainbow Sash

[Pyro7480]

I thought a different St. John, St. John Chrysostom, said that, and the full quote is "The road to hell is paved with the skulls of bad priests, and erring bishops are its lampposts."

[charliemarlow]

So any of you folks in his diocese - make sure you don't support him financially. Give your money to worthy
causes.
Don't think you will be able to persuade him if only you get the chance.
There is no reasoning with these people.

[Romulus]

Burning brightly.

[u57896]

I have found this quote (or close variations) attributed to about 10 different Catholic saints.

[Pyro7480]

I think that's one of the quotes where the original author has been lost.

[u57896]

If I would approach him with a nice rainbow sash I am certain he would cater to my every whim......

[hispanichoosier]

Sometimes, groups like the People of Praise, Regnum Christi, and Opus Dei attract active followers, thereby draining the "pool" of committed people from the local diocese. Archbishop Flynn may be nervous about that.

Ironically, the Legionaries of Christ (Regnum Christi's counterpart) just had 59 new priests ordained in Rome (see http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/fotogaleria/fotogaleria.phtml?id=620), whereas the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis only had 15 this year (see http://www.thecatholicspirit.com/archives.php?article=3150). I think the Legionaries must be doing something right!

[NYer]

Archbishop Flynn Bans Legionaries of Christ - but, allows Rainbow Sashers (the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and TransgenderCatholics). What's wrong with this picture?

From Catholic News Service

Archbishop speaks to Vatican officials about Rainbow Sash protests

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) -- Archbishop Harry J. Flynn of Minneapolis-St. Paul spoke to Vatican officials about gay rights proponents wearing rainbow sashes to Mass and receiving Communion.

Unlike some other bishops across the country, Archbishop Flynn has allowed Communion to be given to members of the group known as Rainbow Sash. That has prompted criticism by some Catholics in his archdiocese, and at one Mass a group of lay people tried to block the aisles to prevent sash-wearers from receiving Communion.

Archbishop Flynn said he discussed the issue in a private meeting in early December with Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

He said Cardinal Arinze agreed that it was a complex problem requiring clear teaching and pastoral sensitivity. The archbishop said he was not asked to change his policy.

"I got the clear understanding that this is recognized as a very complex pastoral issue which must constantly be looked at in all its ramifications," Archbishop Flynn said in an interview in mid-December.

"It needs to be handled prayerfully and reflectively," he said.

"There was encouragement to keep on teaching and also to be aware of the forces everywhere, including in the United States, that are against the long tradition of the teaching of the church," he said.

Archbishop Flynn said it was recognized that U.S. bishops have come to different conclusions about how to respond to Rainbow Sash members who present themselves for Communion, but he said he got no sense that the Vatican was pushing for a single policy on this.

"We all stand very strong in our teaching concerning human sexuality, and what is right and what is wrong, and the teaching of the church concerning homosexuality, the teaching of the church concerning marriage between one man and one woman," he said.

"Then as you step away from the strong articulation of the teachings, you get into the pastoral practice of what do you do in some of these very difficult and challenging situations," he said.

He said that "sometimes we don't come to the same conclusion about how to handle it."

The church teaches that homosexual acts are contrary to natural law and that the homosexual inclination is "objectively disordered." It also teaches that homosexuals must be accepted with love and respect and that they not be discriminated against.

Some bishops, like Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, have denied the Eucharist to Rainbow Sash members on the grounds that they were using the Eucharist to make a political statement against church teaching.

Archbishop Flynn said sash-wearers would not be denied Communion because members of the movement had assured him in writing that their presence was not in protest of church teachings.

Like several other bishops from the Midwestern group on their "ad limina" visits, required of heads of dioceses every five years, Archbishop Flynn said his meetings with Vatican offices were "very positive exchanges."

On liturgical matters, he said, the bishops were able to report on "the faithfulness of God's people in the United States and the great love they have for the liturgy."

He said the bishops told the Vatican they have not experienced anything in their dioceses that would indicate a lack of faith on the part of the church community regarding the liturgy.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

All I can say is that I am glad I'm not going to be in some Bishop's shoes when they have to give the final account of what they have done...

[vox_freedom]

The picture here tells the story as to how/why Archb. Flynn would have the temerity to ban the Legionnaires of Christ. He accepts the rainbow sashers yet disparages the traditionalists. Gee, I wonder how many Tridentine Masses (according to the 1962 Missal) he allows in his diocese? Answer: -0-

[american colleen]

Here's a paragraph from the letter of Bishop Flynn:

"I feel very strongly that any group of religious who minister within this local Church needs to do so in a way which promotes unity and cooperation. Rather than experiencing such a spirit, our pastors continue to sense that a "parallel Church" is being encouraged, one that separates persons from the local parish and archdiocese, and creates competing ventures."

Then I find the following snippet of an autobiographical article by a Legionnaire priest:

"One day shortly thereafter His Excellency Harry Flynn, current Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis, who back then was the bishop of my diocese in Louisiana and whom I have always considered a great friend, called me and told me that we needed to chat. During our little interview he suggested that I take a look at a religious order, one I had never heard of before, called the Legion of Christ. He didn´t want to lose me but he thought that the religious life might be for me and that, in the end, we all work for the same Boss. I said, "of course", to be courteous but I hadn´t the slightest intention of doing so. The next day I got a phone call that gave my life quite a spin. It was from the vocation director of the Legionaries of Christ. After a few minutes of stunned silence he explained that he had received my name from a "friend" who had said that I was interested in a Legionary vocation. That summer I went to the Candidacy program and entered the Novitiate in the fall."

"Two memories really stand out from the day of my ordination: First, the presence of Archbishop Harry Flynn, who had sent me to the Legion years before. It was he who anointed my hands with the holy chrism on that memorable day."

From the NCRegister, quoting Archbishop Flynn:

When Neil left the diocesan seminary, Archbishop Flynn asked him to stay in touch, which he did, and encouraged him to look into the priesthood with a religious order, particularly the Legionaries. “It was a magnificent ordination, and the Legionaries came in from all over the world to participate in it,” Archbishop Flynn wrote in his archdiocesan paper, The Catholic Spirit. “I think there were more than 1,000 staying in the seminary in which I resided while in Rome.

So what happened?

[marshmallow]

I also read that account on the Legionaries of Christ web site. Here's my .02.

Archbishop Flynn, like many bishops, does the bidding of the more vocal priests in his diocese. Note the key words in Flynn's letter; Rather than experiencing such a spirit, our pastors continue to sense that a "parallel Church" is being encouraged,. "Our pastors". Flynn has been put up to this by his priests. Perhaps "threatened" is a better word.

The diocesan priests (many of them), see the LoC as competition. They see it as taking away $$ from their collection baskets and taking away personnel from their parishes. In a word, they're jealous.

So rather than learning from the LoC, getting their own acts together and giving their congregations more solid food, they tell the bishop to toss the LoC.

[american colleen]

I tend to agree with you, sadly. What a state of affairs when a Catholic bishop betrays even his own beliefs... he must have thought pretty highly of the Legionaries... recommending a young man to them and also personally attending the Legionaries ordination in Rome.

It's really sickening, when you think of it. But apparently Bishop Flynn does not want to be grouped in with the likes of those pre-Vatican, close minded bishops like Bruskewicz, Burke, Myers and others like them. Too much heat to do the right thing.

Here's an interesting link from Catholic Answers on the "LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST CONTROVERSY"