Influential Priest-Canonist is Abuser

Adoremus Bulletin ^ | September, 2002 | Helen Hull Hitchcock

[Maximilian]

Please read this story. It goes way beyond the usual abuse scandal and spotlights the deeper connection between the destruction of the Catholic liturgy and the homosexuals in the Church.

To call Huels "influential" is an understatement. This guy has been involved with everything you hate about modern liturgies. Most importantly, he (and his "mentor") first proposed the policy of "creating a path by walking on it." In other words, "just go ahead and do things that are forbidden and eventually the Church will approve them." This policy has been wildly successful in bringing us everything from altar girls to hand-holding during the Our Father.

The important point is not that he fell into sin and then had his accuser removed from the order. The important point is that he has been revealed as a revolutionary. It's clear that we have anti-Catholic revolutionaries burrowed into important clerical positions all across the world, causing uncountable damage to the Church. One of them has been exposed. We should look carefully at all of his connections and assume that wittingly or unwittingly, they are all tainted.

For example, Peter Vere is a supposed canon law expert who is making a career out of attacking traditionalists. In The Wanderer and on Stephen Hand's website he poses as a "conservative" who is attacking those who have gone too far to the right. But he has written several paeons in praise of Fr. Huels and has enthused that "everything he knows about Canon Law he learned from Huels." Vere might not be a homosexual, but he has made it clear that he's swallowed Huel's philosophy hook, line and sinker.

[Desdemona]

Given the fact that Huels has violated the moral law for years, it is perhaps not surprising that much of his career has been devoted to rationalizing violations of Church law for the purpose of desacralizing the liturgy. This has been a preoccupation of other liturgists whose sexual misconduct has lately been revealed.

Thank you, Mrs. Hitchcock.

Too, much rationalization usually covers some big lie.

Now, how about some homilies on honesty.

[Catholicguy]

For example, Peter Vere is a supposed canon law expert who is making a career out of attacking traditionalists. In The Wanderer and on Stephen Hand's website he poses as a "conservative" who is attacking those who have gone too far to the right. But he has written several paeons in praise of Fr. Huels and has enthused that "everything he knows about Canon Law he learned from Huels." Vere might not be a homosexual, but he has made it clear that he's swallowed Huel's philosophy hook, line and sinker

<> He has not. Please cite a single instance to back up that charge. Please show where Vere has promoted what Huels promoted.

The fact is that Vere, rightly, quit the schism. You might not be a homosexual, but can you show me where Vere apes Huels in promoting liturgical or ecclesiastical anomie?<>

[Slyfox]

Well, now we know the culprit's name.

I have been trying to figure out why a lot of the Catholic churches I've been going to, outside of my own parish, seemed so, dare I say it, protestant? Standing for the Consecration makes Catholics less reverent. Holding hands all the time gives us a hullabaloo mentality. If our Catholic church looks so much like a protestant one then why not just go to a protestant church when it suits you? Hmmmm, I suspect that is the very reason why Huels has been monkeying around with the liturgy. May he rot in the hot place reserved for all Jude-ass's.

I have a friend who quit going to church shortly after Vatican II and stayed away until a good friend of his died and he went to the funeral. He said he did not recognize the service at all and he had to ask the people around him if he was in a Catholic church. (My friend has since come back to the faith but only attends the Tridentine rite.)

We are in danger of losing our Catholic identity, no to mention our souls.

[Polycarp]

he has made it clear that he's swallowed Huel's philosophy hook, line and sinker

I've seen this charge laid at Vere's feet twice now, just on this forum alone.

I've never seen proof of the assertion, just the assertion itself (seems to me HDMZ has made this claim too, but I don't take at face value anything from a sede)

Please substantiate this claim, Max, or stop making it, OK?

[Salvation]

A Prayer for Priests

Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
Keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world.
Though from the world apart;
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure, -
Shelter them in Thy heart.

Keep them, and comfort them in hours
Of lonliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice
For souls seems but in vain.

Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.

Keep them as spotless as the Host,
That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.

[Coleus]

http://pub72.ezboard.com/fsnapsurvivorsnetworkfrm34

[Maximilian]

>>Please show where Vere has promoted what Huels promoted.

A search on Google will turn up several examples. Here's one where Vere attacks traditionalists while gushing over the genius of Huels:

"Fr. Huels writes with a scholarly precision, a canonical insight and a clarity of thought I may never master in my own canonical writings. There is nothing I can either add or dispute in his following canonical opinion. Therefore, rather than draft my own response to the questions posed by TCR’s readership, I opted to present Fr. Huels’ canonical opinion – permission for which I thank Fr. Huels, Stephen Hand, and the Canon Law Society of America."

http://home.earthlink.net/~grossklas/latin_mass_without_indult.htm

Here is another sample of Vere gushing over Huels while acknowledging Huel's influence:

"Probably no individual has inspired me more in the ministry of writing and canon law than Fr. John Huels, OSM. Fr. Huels' influence among Catholics as both a gifted writer and canonist spans the entire globe."

http://www.petersnet.net/cwa/ws/may2002.txt

Another example:

From here, Frs. William Woestman and John Huels fueled my newly discovered love of canon law, and I was later privileged to study under both individuals while at Saint Paul University. I particularly recommend Fr. Huels' "Pastoral Companion" for anyone seeking an introduction to canon law.

Here's Vere's Blog where he talks about how depressed he's become over Huel's situation, but luckily he has his horror stories, drinking games, and professional wrestling to lift his spirits (how many of us agree that "Roadkill" is our "favorite Amish warrior"?):

http://canonlaw.blogspot.com/2002_08_01_canonlaw_archive.html

[Polycarp]

For example, Peter Vere is a supposed canon law expert who is making a career out of attacking traditionalists. In The Wanderer and on Stephen Hand's website he poses as a "conservative" who is attacking those who have gone too far to the right. But he has written several paeons in praise of Fr. Huels and has enthused that "everything he knows about Canon Law he learned from Huels." Vere might not be a homosexual, but he has made it clear that he's swallowed Huel's philosophy hook, line and sinker.

Sursum Corda,

To your knowledge, has Pete responded to these charges, on his CLOG blog or elsewhere?

[saradippity]

How interesting.Huels and his mentor first proposed the policy of "creating a path by walking on it".

I have been commenting on various threads about the great number of nonCatholic bishops appointed in the 70's initiated by the Apostolic Nuncio,Jean Jadot.I think he was able to introduce bishops whose "mentors" had been infiltrated into the seminaries earlier in the century by enemies whose agenda was to destroy the Catholic Church.

The former bishop of Phoenix was just such a person.It was recently disclosed that he spent time trollng for teen-age boys in a neighboring diocese while he was bishop,no less.It was recently noted that the motto he adopted upon becoming bishop was "To Prepare the Way."At the time it had no particular significance to most Catholics. In retrospect it was probably telegraphing his intentions to others in the know.I think everyone on these threads whose bishop was ordained in the 70's should look up the motto he chose,I'll bet we will learn much about the enemies game plan that might be helpful right now.

[american colleen]

Oh dear! I will read the article and file it away. I will not comment on it because it pains me so much to see Catholics who are not liberal dissenters rip each other to pieces over who is the more orthodox among us. Seems that these things result in much infighting and sometimes name calling, not my cup of tea. Just my .02

Peter Vere's blogspot

[american colleen]

"We are the Church;
together we are the Church"
...Bernard Cardinal Law

Whaddya make of this???

[ultima ratio]

Interesting aside about Lefebvre. I have always believed divide and conquer was the strategy of the left. It was necessary to pit conservatives against traditionalists for the left to get its way.

[american colleen]

Good point and sadly, it seems history bears out your thoughts.

[Maximilian]

>>Interesting aside about Lefebvre.

Good point - I had missed this when I first read the article. What is really interesting about those quotes from Huels is that he admits and describes the deceptive "dialectical process" that was put in place at Vatican II.

He says that during the Council the wording was kept deliberately vague in order to generate consensus acceptance.

Then after the council, the reactionaries were driven out of the Church, allowing the liberal viewpoint to interpret the documents according to their original intention. Once their opponents have been marginalized, they are free to have a field day, exposing the time bombs that they had hidden in the documents.

This policy is lifted verbatim from the communist playbook. This is the way they think, and they're proud of it.

When Peter Vere praises Huel's tremendous intellect, he praising a mastermind of dialectical combat against the Church. When he writes articles attacking traditionalists, he's forwarding the dialectical process of destruction put in place at Vatican II.

Maybe Vere's not aware of this, maybe he's only a "useful idiot." That's why it's essential to expose revolutionaries like Huels so we can see whom he's been using to promote his agenda.

[saradippity]

Well,if he would have just omitted "the",preceding the twice mentioned Church,we would clearly have the marching orders for the intended "democratized", new concept of "church".

"We are Church;Together we are Church",was probably a little too jarring.It might have awakened even the most ordinary of sleeping Catholics."The" gave him a little waffle room.How diabolically clever they were.IMHO.

[saradippity]

What do you make of it?

[american colleen]

I've thought the same thing about his motto! However, Cardinal Law is considered to be one of the more orthodox Cardinals, and completely loyal to JPII. Appointed by JPII as well. What do you do with that?

[Polycarp]

When Peter Vere praises Huel's tremendous intellect, he praising a mastermind of dialectical combat against the Church. When he writes articles attacking traditionalists, he's forwarding the dialectical process of destruction put in place at Vatican II.

Maybe Vere's not aware of this, maybe he's only a "useful idiot."

In charity, I think you must apply the benefit of the doubt, and assume that what Pete says is what he believes to be the Truth, not part of some sinister dialectical combat.

And Pete is certainly not an idiot. Like myself, he may just be (relatively) young and naive. Furthermore, in their concern to distance themselves from the real errors of schismatic traditionalism (there are no errors in faithful Catholic traditionalism, really) folks like Vere and Hand can and do error honestly. They have seen the true dangers of schism and their zeal in removing themselves from those errors may lead them into other errors, no less dangerous.

For that matter, even Huel's true motives are unknown, though the damage he has done may be objectively quantified.

Ascribing motives is the number one offense on both sides of the conservative versus traditionalist divide.