Posted on 10/16/2013 6:14:04 PM PDT by ebb tide
One of the things I am beginning to like about Francis is that he challenges me, he makes me ask questions, especially about mercy. "Am I merciful? How far mercy should be extended? Is there a limit to it? Where does it end?"
The test came with the celebration of a Requiem Mass for the murderer and war criminal Erich Priebke, who was responsible for the deaths 335 Italian civilians and who himself admitted to personally shooting two people. Pope Francis' Vicar for Rome, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, had forbidden every priest in the diocese to offer a Requiem for him. From what I understand this was a blanket ban with no exceptions, it wasn't possible for example to offer a Requiem at an obscure and tiny church early in the morning, with no music, with a limited number of participants, or even with just a priest and server, behind locked doors.
Personally, I have no sympathy for murderers, anti-Semites and Nazis, as a priest I have a duty to be merciful to sinners even if I am revolted by what they have done. I would not want to celebrate Priebke's funeral rites and certainly not in public but in his life Priebke was not excommunicated and according to his lawyer he died having been to Confession and therefore we presume was reconciled to God and his Church. Excommunicating someone post mortem which seems in effect to to be what happened to Priebke seems a terrible and unmerciful thing to do, something which belongs to the Church from a previous century. As Francis himself asked in the case of Mgsr Ricci, "Who am I to judge?" In the case of someone who has just died, who now stands before God's throne Catholics are indeed not called to judge but to implore God's mercy, the unfaithful become 'the faithful departed'.
Certainly, Cardinal Vallini was right to take in account the opprobrium of the faithful and even of the secular world but in this case it seems 'the right-wing Catholic cult, that has split from Rome', the SSPX, has been more merciful than the Pope's Cardinal Vicar. Though we might be suspicious of their motives, they have been willing to accept the inevitable condemnation that comes with being merciful to those society vilifies.
It could be that we are dealing with two different understandings of funeral here. In the rite which was offered for Priebke, whether he had killed millions or was eventually raised to the altar as canonised saint, it would have been the same, it would have implored God's mercy, recognising that 'all have fallen short of the Glory of God'. Perhaps Cardinal Vallini understood a funeral to be 'a celebration of the life of'' Priebke, with readings, music and even the colour of the vestments chosen by loving friends and relatives and a sermon full of platitudes preached by a sympathetic priest.
The question remains, who showed mercy, the diocese of Rome or the priest who said Mass for him carried out the final obsequies? Who showed the mercy of God and questioned the values of the world?
Ping
Possibly the stupidest thing I have ever read in my life. Ever. How can one “celebrate the life” of a mass muderer, and how can that person have friends?
I had read earlier accounts (and I can't look them up and link them now - ready to go to bed) that said there was no evidence he had ever repented, nor had he been part of the Church's sacramental life. Maybe those earlier accounts were uninformed.
That happens all too often --- and not just with Church news, but with criminal trials, foreign and military policy stuff, everything. The first splash in the press gets everybody all riled up; 48 hours later or a couple of weeks later, half of it turns out to be false, but nobody's listening anymore.
At least the Nazi repented, but as far as we know Ted Kennedy did not repent for his involvement in 50 million abortions.
This incident does show that the Church is overly concerned with worldly opinion.
Perhaps, in you haste, you misread the article. Fr. Ray said “celebrate funeral rites”, not “celebrate the life”.
Catholics do not “celebrate the life” of the deceased at funerals; except for goofballs like Sean O’Malley who “celebrated the life” of baby-butcher Ted Kennedy.
Catholics offer prayers for the deceased at funerals.
So the bottom line question really is this: Does a requiem mass make any difference in the determination of the eternal disposition of a person’s soul? If it doesn’t, we are worrying about nothing. If it does, we are talking about something important.
However, I see no support whatever for the efficacy of a requiem mass in the Holy Scriptures. So, that being the case, I see this as simply an intra-Catholic dispute. It has no further significance.
The soul of Erich Priebke rests upon his status before the eternal God of heaven and earth on the day on which he died. Did he trust in God’s mercy in Jesus Christ as the propitiation for his sins or did he not? Was he, like the Roman centurion at Jesus’ death, one who trusted in God for mercy for the sake the Crucified One or was he otherwise minded? That will give you the answer to the question of the disposition of his soul. In any case, it is between him and God. You, whoever you are, are a bystander. Worry about your own soul, your own disposition before God.
It certainly does. It could lessen their time in Purgatory.
"Worry about your own soul, your own disposition before God."
Do you not worry about the souls of your parents? Your children? Do you wish anyone to be condemned to Hell? Would you like others to be worried about your own soul, if their prayers could help you?
Yes, of course, Ted Kennedy is worse than a Nazi. What you have posted could a l m o s t make me favor abortion.
As Mrs. Don-o so well noted, there is no evidence that he repented. It would be a spiritual work of mercy on our part to remember his soul in our prayers.
“It certainly does.”
Certainly? I think not.
“It could lessen their time in Purgatory.”
Ahh, Purgatory. As I said, this is an intra-Catholic debate.
“Do you not worry about the souls of your parents?”
Nope. They died in the faith, believing exactly what Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds confess.
“Your children?”
Yes, I do. That is why my wife and I spent much time and care on them to train them in the way they should go, and trusting God to fulfill what He promises in that same verse. To date all of them are faithful, active Christians, married to faithful active Christians. Never would I dream of giving them any hint of trusting in something to help them toward eternity that is not firmly based in the Holy Scriptures.
“Do you wish anyone to be condemned to Hell?”
No. What an insulting question.
“Would you like others to be worried about your own soul, if their prayers could help you?”
Of course. And their prayers of intercession for me are indeed heard by God in heaven for the sake of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. I hope they will continue to pray for me, as I for them, until there is no breath left in my body, at which point it is all in God’s hands, whose promises are kept.
Where the Scriptures, together with faithful preaching and administering of the sacraments, offer comfort, strength, hope, and the certainty of God’s mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ the only Savior, you would have me substitute doubt and the works of men. You would have me rely on other assistant saviors filling in for what you imagine Christ did not quite finish. No, sir, I do not accept your trade offer.
It could be that we are dealing with two different understandings of funeral here. In the rite which was offered for Priebke, whether he had killed millions or was eventually raised to the altar as canonised saint, it would have been the same, it would have implored God's mercy, recognising that 'all have fallen short of the Glory of God'. Perhaps Cardinal Vallini understood a funeral to be 'a celebration of the life of'' Priebke, with readings, music and even the colour of the vestments chosen by loving friends and relatives and a sermon full of platitudes preached by a sympathetic priest.
Interesting.
I quite dislike the "celebration of life" approach. A good article on that, that's been discussed on FR before: Where have all the funerals gone?
Jesus wept at the death of a friend, even though He knew that 2 seconds later He would raise Lazarus from the tomb.
All of this goes to the discomfort our culture has with death.
Interesting article. Thanks
I just read the URL for the article you highlighted. It was a great read. Thanks.
“No, sir, I do not accept your trade offer.”
It was an open offer. I have nothing to trade with you. Your loss.
“Your loss.”
No. Not at all.
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