For instance. Groeschel says that the media is doing the devil's work NOT in reporting the scandals (for that he is grateful) but in that they do it to disgrace and shame the Church into shutting up about what She stands for -- like celibacy (for all in whatever calling they have) and fidelity and stands against --- like abortion and birth control and names -- like sin. I see the subtle hate for the Church in my own city's newspaper, The Boston Globe. It's rather thought provoking that ALL archived stories (over two days old) are only viewable by paying $2.95 per article. That is, EXCEPT for each and every story on the scandal in the Church --- they are FREE! And located on the front page for easy viewing.
All the libs, Catholic and non, can't stand Fr. Groeschel, Fr. Neuhaus, Bishop Bruskewitz, EWTN and Mother Angelica. Why? Because they adhere and teach and preach FIDELITY. I do (a very) loose poll on the above people all the time. I've never been disappointed, like I said, the libs turn their noses up at the above list. Interestingly, the SSPXers do as well. But that is another thread.
From a talk given by Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. about a year ago in Yonkers concerning the present crisis:
Does this shake your faith in the Church? I hope so, because ultimately your faith should not be in the Church, ultimately. Ultimately our faith is in Jesus Christ, and we accept the Church. We support the Church. We belong to the Church because Christ established the Church.Somebody who belongs to the Church as a big organization, as a great philanthropic thing or the great social catalyst or whatever else you want to think, they’re going to be badly shaken. They may get out.
But we belong to the Church as the crucified body of Jesus Christ. If the Church is the body of Christ, don’t be surprised that it’s crucified. Don’t be surprised that it’s dragged through the streets and spat upon and wounded and crowned with thorns. That’s what’s going on right now.
The Church is the body of Christ, and when you love the Church, you should love it as the body of Christ.
Our dear Holy Father on Good Friday wrote this: “In the acute pain of the suffering servant, we hear already the triumphant cry of the risen Lord.” Christ on the cross is the King of the new people, ransom from the burden of sin and death, however twisted and confused the course of history may appear. We know that by walking in the footsteps of the crucified we shall attain to that goal. Amid the conflicts of a world dominated by selfishness and hatred, we as believers are called to proclaim the victory of love. Today, Good Friday, we testify to the victory of Christ crucified.
Not so long ago, the Catholic Church seemed to be very triumphant. I lived through those days at the end of the council. The Church seemed to be very powerful, and I’ve lived to see the mystical body of Christ crucified, betrayed, attacked, abandoned by the frightened apostles. And we’re all part of it. We’re all part of it. Don’t ever exempt yourself. I reproach myself every day that unwittingly I went along and stupidly I got involved in things that ultimately did not serve the Church or Christ so well.
Turn to Christ.
Funny how some lambasted Michael Rose for not interviewing the rectors of the seminaries he was writing about and the author of the article posted here has done the same thing.
I'd like to comment here on the statement that the author makes concerning Fr. Groeschel's "only 2% of what is in the media is true" -- what he said is (I read transcript of that talk here in Boston in February) "98% of what is in the media is overblown" -- which is true. For God's sake, if you live here in Boston and you depend on what you read in the paper or hear on the news, you'd think that there were about 80% of the clergy who have abused both boys and girls -- know why? Because it is NEVER cited that 85 to 90% of the abuse is of boys - and mostly adolescent boys at that - because "homosexuality" is a non-topic that the media will not touch. Interestingly, none of the "progressive" Catholic groups like CTA, CORPUS, We Are Church or Voice of the Faithful will mention homosexuality, either. And all of the above mentioned groups and the media seek to marginalize the Church and maximize themselves.
OK, I am ranting, I know it. But this article is trash.
Perhaps you missed this, colleen:
Father Groeschel, who declined interview requests, has not said publicly how many of his clients were accused of abuse.
Unlike the rectors of the seminaries, whom Rose never asked, Groeschel was asked, and refused comment.
You can call the article "trash" if you wish. But you cannot refute Groeschel's complicity in returning men to the priesthood who had been abusers. You also cannot refute that one of the victims was verbally accosted by Groeschel and told "what you are doing to this man is wrong."
If Egerton's wrong, or is engaged in a smear, there is one man who can clear things up and whom I would believe over the author.
Let's see if he'll come forward.