Created Male and Female – Our Pastor’s New Year’s Resolution?
There is authentic ecumenism and there is fake ecumenism. On December 15, 2017, there was an exemplary display of authentic ecumenism on the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website. An open letter signed by a diverse group of Catholic and other religious leaders was posted for the world to see.
Please read Created Male and Female: An Open Letter from Religious Leaders in its entirety. It is a superb and almost amazing display of Truth and Reason triumphing over political correctness. It is all the more amazing because the letter comes from a combination of Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Islamic leaders. And here is some of what the religious leaders had to say:
We come together to join our voices on a more fundamental precept of our shared existence, namely, that human beings are male or female and that the socio-cultural reality of gender cannot be separated from one’s sex as male or female.
We acknowledge and affirm that all human beings are created by God and thereby have an inherent dignity. We also believe that God created each person male or female; therefore, sexual difference is not an accident or a flaw—it is a gift from God that helps draw us closer to each other and to God. What God has created is good. “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27).
That, in our estimation, is authentic ecumenism.
This blog has reported many meager, lame, and ineffective ecumenical efforts of the Rappahannock Clergy Association (RCA) and our Pastor. Shall we call those efforts fake ecumenism?
Now that we have this shining example of authentic ecumenism from the USCCB, we call upon our Pastor to urge the RCA (of which he is a founder) to issue an open letter that strongly endorses and supports all that is presented in Created Male and Female: An Open Letter from Religious Leaders. If religious leaders at the national level can present the truth in an authentically ecumenical manner, certainly our Pastor could persuade the RCA to do the same.
Authentic ecumenism is about the salvation of souls. Certainly our Pastor would do well by making a New Year’s resolution to mobilize the RCA for that purpose. The Rappahannock News would certainly rush to print an article entitled Created Male and Female: An Open Letter from the Rappahannock Clergy Association.
Perhaps as a second New Year’s resolution, our Pastor could replace the Hate has no home here sign in front of St. Peter’s with a sign saying: Love lives here and He created us Male and Female!
For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-12-25
Here is Bulletin_2017-12-25
Christmas Eve: The time of waiting is nearly over. Christmas, blessed, joyous Christmas will soon be here!
My beautiful spouse and I will make the Exiles’ drive to St. John the Baptist in Front Royal one more time for one more Christmas Eve. We’ll drive the extra 20 miles simply to hear the words that the Church has given us rather than only some of the words some of the time, the way we hear them at St. Peter’s.
Last evening we attended Mass at St. Peter’s for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Some of the other Exiles were there. There we heard the minimized, watered down version of Eucharistic Prayer II. We didn’t even get to hear the “dewfall” from the Holy Spirit – Father has been leaving that out along with a lot of other words lately.
So, my beautiful spouse and I will make the Exiles’ drive to St. John the Baptist in Front Royal one more time for one more Christmas Eve. We’ll drive the extra 20 miles simply to hear the words that the Church has given us rather than only some of the words some of the time, the way we hear them at St. Peter’s.
The time of waiting is nearly over. Christmas, blessed, joyous Christmas will soon be here!
Do I sound like I am repeating myself? Well, I am. I am because our Pastor keeps repeating himself, and repeating himself, and repeating himself.
So, my beautiful spouse and I will make the Exiles’ drive to St. John the Baptist in Front Royal one more time for one more Christmas Eve. We’ll drive the extra 20 miles simply to hear the words that the Church has given us rather than only some of the words some of the time, the way we hear them at St. Peter’s.
The time of waiting is nearly over. Christmas, blessed, joyous Christmas will soon be here!
Another Reason to March: You didn’t hear this from Father yesterday, but the Catholic Herald announced it: Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence at March for Life
That’s right! Read the article and reflect on what you will be doing in January when it’s time for the March for Life. Also read the joint letter from Cardinal Wuerl and Bishop Burbidge here.
The Knights of Columbus are once again making a bus available. This is one time when the Sheep in Exile can come and join their old friends and, at the same time, make a big difference for many children coming into this world and even for some older folks who have already departed.
For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-12-17
Here is Bulletin_2017-12-17
Rejoice!!: Today is the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday). The theme is Rejoice!
And today, beyond the message of this Sunday in Advent, there was a real reason to rejoice at St. Peter’s. Before we tell you what that reason was, let’s go back a year to December 11, 2016 and read what we had to say then: For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2016-12-11St. Peter’s in the Minority Again.
Unlike last year and the years before, our Pastor wore rose vestments today!!!
The constant refrain of this blog is “Assent to counter dissent”. When something happens at St. Peter’s that is worthy of praise, assent, or rejoicing, this blog will make it known.
So, echoing what we said one year ago:
Please allow the people in the pews, our fellow parishioners, your flock, the opportunity to share with the Church throughout the world the full richness of the Roman Catholic liturgy by wearing rose vestments …
Perhaps you heard us. Perhaps it was something else. Whatever it was, today your flock had the opportunity to share with the Church throughout the world the full richness of the Roman Catholic liturgy by wearing rose vestments.
A Different Matter: Of course you know of our Pastor’s letter to the editor in the Rappahannock News this week. (See Turning away from hate.) The letter is on an opinion page. And as might be expected, we have heard many differing opinions concerning the letter. There is no need to comment further. Be advised, however, that my spouse would be willing to share her opinion when the time is appropriate.
“GUN CONTROL” at St. Peter’s – More to the Story
When it comes to our radical Pastor’s involvement with issues on the left, it is always necessary to delve deeply into what motivates him. In yesterday’s post (For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-12-10), we had only peeled off one layer of the onion. To be certain, the Unitarian Universalists (UU) are among the chief sponsors of the scheduled December 14, 2017 GUN CONTROL event publicized in St. Peter’s bulletin.
Let’s put the UU’s aside and go one level deeper. First, we’ll go back to For the Sheep in Exile: Bulletin 2017-06-25 when Father told us that he had just returned from attending the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP) assembly in Atlanta. He himself established that he was impressed and influenced by the event. Then, we go further back to the picture of our Pastor attending the 2016 AUSCP assembly in Chicago. It is here that we find another motivating factor for Father’s apparent support for GUN CONTROL.
It was in Chicago that Father may have or even likely participated in an AUSCP vote for GUN CONTROL. Following is a direct quote from the AUSCP website article AUSCP passes resolutions regarding gun control and violence, dated June 29, 2016:
Members of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests approved (June 28) three resolutions regarding gun control and non-violence. One resolution supports the statement made by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pax Christi International regarding Nonviolence and Just Peace. Another resolution calls for members of the association to “incorporate the lessening of gun violence in their personal life choices and pastoral ministry.” The third resolution supports Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich who is urging the USCCB “to make gun control and gun violence one of the top priorities of the Church.”
So, it seems that our Pastor has decided that the UU sponsored GUN CONTROL event coincides perfectly with the AUSCP call to “incorporate the lessening of gun violence in their personal life choices and pastoral ministry.”
Our parish bulletin now promotes (in capital letters) a “GUN CONTROL” event. That would lead us to suspect that GUN CONTROL is now part of the “pastoral ministry” here at St. Peter’s.
How many souls will be saved?
For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-12-10
Here is Bulletin_2017-12-10
Another reason why you might want to be a Sheep in Exile: This notice was on page three of St. Peter’s bulletin this week:
Yep, this is how we save souls here at St. Peter’s – we promote “GUN CONTROL“. A little research reveals some organizers involved in this GVP demonstration. Here are two stories that tell you much of what you need to know about the organizers:
The National Interfaith Clergy Witness at the NRA
Faith Witness at NRA Headquarters
How many times have we encountered the special influence that Unitarian Universalists (UU) have had on our Pastor’s actions and recommendations to the sheep of St. Peter’s. Do you remember Laudato Si’ and the Rev. Russ Savage? Do you remember the UU prayer distributed in our bulletin just last September? (See: For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-09-24 and For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-09-03 – Supplemental)
Something is wrong here, something is very wrong and it is not necessarily Catholic. And it’s the kind of wrong thing that drives the Sheep into Exile.
Another reason why being a Sheep in Exile isn’t easy: The Sheep in Exile know that their exile is self imposed. They know how they have had to change their schedules, change their parishes, drive inordinate distances for Mass, and accept many other inconveniences. For those who have chosen St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton as their home-away-from-home while in exile, things are going to be even more inconvenient.
A very helpful reader has passed us the following announcement from St. John’s:
Father Gould wishes every one of our Ministries to share the following with their members via newsletters, emails, etc.:
“It is now official.
Holy Trinity has decided NOT to have a Children’s Mass on Christmas Eve and has cancelled their Mass. The attendance for this Mass would have been close to 1,500 and since they have no place to go at that time, we now anticipate an additional 500 souls coming from Holy Trinity who will be attending our 4pm Christmas Eve Mass. So St. Johns is now changing our Christmas Eve Schedule.
In light of this change, the 4pm Mass will now be a general Mass. Registration forms will be passed out to those attending from our neighboring parish welcoming them to join us from now on. Merry Christmas, Holy Trinity.
The 6:30pm Mass will NOW be the Children’s Mass for our parishioners. Please take this into account when planning your Christmas Mass attendance, especially with our limited parking.
Carpooling is absolutely necessary. Yes, little Virginia (you and your family), carpooling is absolutely necessary.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this Holy time of year. God bless you. Let us pray for one another!“
There was more information about the deteriorating parking situation at St. John the Evangelist over the next several months in their bulletin this week. (Please see the following for details: Bulletin_2017-12-10A)
Bottom line: If you want to be exposed to a leftist, social justice agenda with a little added UU flavoring, you attend Mass at St. Peter’s. If you want grow spiritually and be guided on the way to salvation, you become a Sheep in Exile and attend Mass elsewhere.
There is a price to pay for going into exile, but the price will not be your spiritual well being.
Priez pour nous qui avons recours à vou
It snowed in Cleveland and the surrounding area on the evening of December 7th, 1962. In the school where I was staying, we awoke to 7-9 inches of glistening, early Winter snow on December 8th. The first order of the day would be attending morning Mass in celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The second order of the day would be shoveling the quadrangle sidewalk.
I was in the perfect place at the perfect time. It was a solemn feast in honor of my Mother. I would be with her and her beloved Son in the chapel. I would behold my Mother, her Son, my Father, and the Spirit Who binds us together. I was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
Our relationship began several years before. I had saved my pennies and nickels, even my dimes. I handed my envelope to Sister and she assured me I had made an investment in something that would last forever. She told us how the Knights of Columbus would use the money to build a great bell tower at the shrine to the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Yet, even before 1959, my Mother was already with me. Sister Mary Gemma taught me how to say the Rosary and Sister Mary Lucienne had suggested that we wear the Miraculous Medal. With the exception of the years when I fell away from the Church, I have worn that medal continuously and my Rosary is always near at hand.
So, on the morning of December 8th, 1962, the newly fallen snow was a sign of joy and purity – it only added greater love to my Mother’s day.
Today is December 8th, 2017. Once again it is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The first order of the day was to attend morning Mass in celebration of my Mother’s day. And, although the snow has not yet started to fall, it will be here soon. Once again, I am in the perfect place at the perfect time.
And I can imagine in my mind that sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning in Washington, D.C. this will be the scene. Perhaps there will be some glistening, early Winter snow atop a great bell tower. My, what beautiful memories I can buy with my pennies, nickels, and my dimes.
Sister was so very right, ” I had made an investment in something that would last forever.” With that assurance and so much more. I will continue to keep my Rosary close at hand and I will wear the Miraculous medal always. And I shall never cease to pray to my Mother, “Ô Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vou” (“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”)
Although it might be best to say no more in this post, I find it necessary to consider what has happened in our Church since 1962. Where are the Sr. Mary Gemmas and Sr. Mary Luciennes – where are the sisters who put teaching children about faith and devotions and their Mother Mary before anything else? Now more than ever, I am compelled to cry out, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”
What has happened in our Church since 1962? In that school where I was staying those 55 years ago, I saw the beginnings of the change from a church that knew its Founder, Jesus Christ, and His teaching into to the confused, misguided church we have today. So, when I read a report like US Catholic Priests Conspiring to Create “Priestless Parishes” Run by “Deaconnesses” by the Lepanto Institute, again I am compelled to cry out, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”
Finally, when I think of St. Peter’s Sheep in Exile and the reason why they are in exile, I am compelled to cry out, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”
For the Sheep in Exile – 2017-12-03
Here is Bulletin_2017-12-03
The First Sunday of Advent:
1 Cor 1:3-9
I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The second reading for today’s Mass is so very important as we consider the opening line of today’s Gospel which reminds us of the “end times”:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
You (we) must be prepared to call upon “the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus”.
Consider the following analysis by Cardinal Raymond Burke as related by the UK Catholic Herald story ‘Perhaps we have arrived at the End Times’: an interview with Cardinal Burke:
PG Your Eminence, you have recently referred to our times as “realistically apocalyptic”. And you added that the “confusion, division and error” within the Catholic Church coming from “shepherds” even at the highest levels indicate that we “may be” in the End Times. Would you help us to understand what you meant by this?
CARDINAL RAYMOND BURKE In the present moment there is confusion and error about the most fundamental teachings of the Church, for example with regard to marriage and the family. For instance, the idea that people who are living in an irregular union could receive the sacraments is a violation of the truth with regard both to the indissolubility of marriage and to the sanctity of the Eucharist.
St Paul tells us in his First Letter to the Corinthians that before we approach to receive the Body of Christ, we have to examine ourselves, or we eat our condemnation by receiving the Eucharist in an unworthy way. Now the confusion in the Church is going even further than that, because there is today confusion as to whether there are acts which are intrinsically evil and this, of course, is the foundation of the moral law. When this foundation begins to be questioned within the Church, then the whole order of human life and the order of the Church itself are endangered.
So there is a feeling that in today’s world that is based on secularism with a completely anthropocentric approach, by which we think we can create our own meaning of life and meaning of the family and so on, the Church itself seems to be confused. In that sense one may have the feeling that the Church gives the appearance of being unwilling to obey the mandates of Our Lord. Then perhaps we have arrived at the End Times.
The New Bulletin Format: Our Pastor has delivered. We now have the new bulletins. Check out the back page and consider patronizing the advertisers.
The Sheep of Kephas 