Posted on 04/27/2013 12:35:27 PM PDT by Lonely Bull
The heart-wrenching photographs taken in the moments after the Boston Marathon bombings show the blue-and-yellow jackets of volunteers, police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical technicians, even a three-foot-high blue M&M. Conspicuously absent are any clerical collars or images of pastoral care.
--SNIP--
When the priests at St. Clement's, three blocks away, heard the explosions, they gathered sacramental oils and hurried to the scene in hopes of anointing the injured and, if necessary, administering last rites, the final of seven Catholic sacraments. But the priests, who belong to the order Oblates of the Virgin Mary, weren't allowed at the scene.
The Rev. John Wykes, director of the St. Francis Chapel at Boston's soaring Prudential Center, and the Rev. Tom Carzon, rector of Our Lady of Grace Seminary, were among the priests who were turned away right after the bombings
--SNIP--
In light of the devastation in Boston, the denial of access to clergy is a trifling thing, and it might even have been an individual's error. (The Boston Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on its policy regarding clergy at the scenes of emergencies.)
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—a sacrament that, to Catholics, bears enormous significance.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
political correctness gone wild
:-(
“In light of the devastation in Boston, the denial of access to clergy is a trifling thing, and it might even have been an individual’s error”
Whoah Whoah
Oh I have to forward this. I am steaming.
Eternal life is Trifling. Ahh.
What is WITH these people Trifling this twit thinks absolution at the time of death is trifling. Does she think priests are unnecessary and people just pass into heaven? This kid is judged as a Catholic at the time of judgement. HO! Whoah.
Does she think men go into the priesthood well for what?
Oh. Now I have to write them
Geeze.
the irresponsibility!
If an Imam had wanted to rush to the scene to praise Allah for the death and dismemberment of Infidels, they’d have given him an escort!
We have seen the worst of Boston.
Priests not allowed in to give last rites, Invasion of homes, Martial law.
They are lucky it was Boston where no one is armed. If they had invaded homes like that in real America someone would have died from invading people’s homes.
I’m surprised the priests responded in the way they did. I thought last rites was so “pre-Vatican 2.”
I don't even see comitted athiests turning away priests from the scene of a tragedy.
” They are lucky it was Boston where no one is armed. If they had invaded homes like that in real America someone would have died from invading people’s homes.”
It wouldn’t have gone well here in AZ :)
But Boston is to the left of San Francisco.
_____
Absolutely, and at the order of the white hut!
We are not Catholic. In 1967 while stationed at Ft. Rucker, we were under such emotional stress. Finances were horrible, etc. Decided to go see a chaplain on base. Sent me into the Prostant chaplain. He said Young Lady, your husband is married to the Army now and the best thing you can do for him is go home to your Family. I left the office weeping, rounded the corner and ran smack dap into the Catholic chaplin. He took me into His office talked with me and told me I was doing the right thing by being with my husband, He was going to Vietnam and might not return, and I would never forgive myself if went home. Needless to say He has lasting Memories I cherish. what a injustice they did to these people. Mrs.easternsky
I see this as a special case. For most disasters there is no problem with clergy being in attendance as long as there is no risk of contaminating a crime scene, but a bombing or explosive fire is an “ongoing risk”, in which at any moment things can get much, much worse.
Remember that video last week of the people in Texas filming the fertilizer plant burning? They were 300 yards away when the plant exploded in earnest, (at about 1:20 on the video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzDC3iKbTzY
In the case of terrorist bombings, it is common practice for bombers to set off a small bomb, that causes people to flee to a place away from the blast and cluster together, where a second bomb is concealed, larger, and intended to make far more casualties.
They also make bombs that target emergency responders, such as firemen and police, figuring that if they take them out, it will kill many wounded people who cannot get emergency first aid.
So in the case of a bombing, emergency responders try to give essential care on scene, like stopping arterial bleeding that can kill in seconds, but then immediately transport wounded away in different directions.
This exact thing was seen at the marathon bombing, as a man missing both his lower legs was being carried off, another man pinching his exposed artery shut while carrying him.
Ambulances are told to park away from each other, because terrorists will often make an ambulance truck bomb.
How can priests fit into this situation? Only in the way they can do so in the middle of a battle in war.
Our Feral Government allowed access to Muslims, just not Christians.
I would be fine if the state worked out official clergy ID, if security is an issue. There should be some to allow clergy to get to victims without hassle.
No:
“Upon hearing the news that the World Trade Center had been hit, Judge rushed to the site. He was met by the Mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, who asked him to pray for the city and its victims. Judge administered the Last Rites to some lying on the streets, then entered the lobby of the
World Trade Center North Tower, where an emergency command post was organized. There he continued offering aid and prayers for the rescuers, the injured and dead.
When the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 am, debris went flying through the North Tower lobby, killing many inside, including Judge. At the moment he was struck in the head and killed, Judge was repeatedly praying aloud.
and:
Father Rutler, host of EWTN’s Christ in the City, remembers “every moment of that day…. It’s printed in one’s mind. I have kind of a total recall.”
He had just been named pastor of the Church of Our Saviour on Park Avenue but was still at his former Church of St. Agnes by Grand Central Terminal.
“The weather was ethereally beautiful,” he recalled of that late summer Tuesday in New York. “The temperature was mild. A bright blue sky. Such contradiction to all the smoke and the horror.”
He heard a plane that seemed to be flying right over his head and wondered why such a large plane was flying so low. Then he heard the sound from downtown.
As soon as he heard that sound, he literally ran the distance to lower Manhattan, saw the building on fire and went into St. Peter’s church looking for the holy oils. The church, which is just a block away from the trade center, was empty, but he said the impact of the crash had been so great that file cabinets were pushed from the walls and everything was coated with white dust.
Franciscan Father Mychal Judge, chaplain to the Fire Department of New York, was in one of the Twin Towers ministering to the injured when an object fell on him, killing him. Fireman carried his body into St. Peter’s church.
“The firemen in shock came in with the priest’s body,” Father Rutler recalled. “He was the first officially recorded death. They put his body in front of the altar. It was very moving. There is a picture of the Crucifixion over the altar. I remember blood coming down the altar steps. I shall always remember that scene.”
Scenes of Horror
Next he saw a policeman sitting on the steps of the church weeping. “That reduced everything to a human scale,” he said. “I knew everything was bad, but at that time I didn’t know the scale of it.”
“Firemen were lining up to go into the building, asking for absolution,” he continued. “I was giving general absolution; they were going into a battlefield. One always has these mental images of the firemen going up these staircases and the people coming down.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1483) explains that in the case of grave necessity a general absolution is the recourse. “Grave necessity of this sort can arise when there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time for the priest or priests to hear each penitent’s confession,” it states, referring to Canon 961 of the Code of Canon Law. The faithful must have contrition and the intention of individually confessing in due time each of the grave sins which cannot then be confessed.
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/remembering-9-112#ixzz2RhS421tD
They do so willingly. Priests ministering to those in the middle of a chaotic and dangerous situation know the risks. Fr. Judge knew the risks, but he also knew he had a DUTY to be there, and be of comfort to those who may not make it out.
Shameful.
My minister was chaplain to the local Sheriff and PD and was called out to more than one tragic scene where his aid and comfort to the victims was essential. So much for the good Irishmen on the Boston PD. How sad.
divine providence; you were truly blessed that day.
now, if athe were muslims-—
The priests weren’t strong enough in their faith. They should have disobeyed the civil authorities and done everything necessary to get to those in need of their attentions. At the very least they should have forced the civil authorities to restrain them physically. They had a higher duty than to obey the civil authorities—to obey God’s authority.
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