Faithful Catholics to Faithless Priests in U.S.A & Ireland : Believe or Be Gone!
Editor writes:
Our American blogger, RCA Victor, alerted me to the following Open Letter from the Lepanto Institute to the Bishops of the United States of America, asking them to ban an organisation of dangerous priests. This Association of United States Catholic Priests (AUSCP) sounds uncomfortably like the Association of (Anything But) Catholic Priests in Ireland, so the case made in this Open Letter applies equally to the Bishops of Ireland. But will any of these Bishops act to protect the people in their dioceses? Not likely.
The key question here, though, apart from the obvious question about the Bishops lack of integrity, lack of care for both the dissident priests and the faithful whom they are poisoning with their anti-Catholic ambitions, is, why don’t these faithless priests just leave? “Believe or be gone!” is our message to them – and we’ll be sending the link to this thread to the leaders of each of these associations, and to each of the Bishops’ Conferences, to make sure they get the message.
Open Letter to the Bishops of the USA from the Lepanto Institute…
Dear Eminences and Excellencies,
Since last November, the Lepanto Institute has been investigating and reporting on the actions and goals of an organization of priests called the Association of United States Catholic Priests (AUSCP). What we have discovered is that this organization of priests, which claims to be “the largest association of priests in the United States,” is:
promoting women’s ordination to the diaconate (with eyes on the priestly ordination of women),
homosexuality,
priestless parishes,
married priests,
and a host of other heterodox positions.
In addition to this, we found that the AUSCP is acting in concert with heretical and condemned entities, such as New Ways Ministry, Dignity USA, FutureChurch, and the International Church Reform Network (ICRN). AUSCP was even instrumental in helping the dissident Fr. Helmut Schuller find a speaking venue, contravening the expressed wishes of Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop Chaput, and Archbishop Vigneron, who banned him from speaking in their respective dioceses.
Two weeks ago, I personally went to Albuquerque, NM to observe the AUSCP as it held its annual assembly there. In addition to the common sight of these priests wearing rainbow pins on their lanyards and seeing the plethora of pro-homosexual literature proliferating the exhibition hall, I was able to sit in on a keynote address delivered by Fr. Richard Rohr, who denied the inerrancy of Scripture, denied the infallibility of the Pope, and claimed that Christianity was a “religion of white privilege.”
Your Eminences and Excellencies, the AUSCP is an organization which poses a clear and present danger to the faith and to the faithful. I bring this information to your attention because they are a growing threat to the faith and to your flock, and their members are likely already present in your diocese. If you examine this organization on your own, I am confident you will see that this is an organization that should be banned and membership forbidden.
Please know that we pray sincerely and earnestly for all of you every day.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Michael Hichborn
President, Lepanto Institute
Comments (34)
My email, just sent to each leader of each of the above named Associations of Priests in the USA and Ireland, and to each of the Bishops’ Conferences…
MY EMAIL – AMERICAN AND IRISH BISHOPS’ DUTY TO BAN DANGEROUS PRIESTS IS BEING DISCUSSED IN SCOTLAND.
As the President of the USA enjoys a few days with friends in Scotland, our attention has been drawn to a group of very dangerous priests in the USA, who run an association similar to the dissident/apostate Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland.
At the request of one of our American bloggers, I have agreed to launch a discussion on our blog relating to two issues: firstly, the failure of the Bishops to ban these gatherings of priests who poison the Faith of the people in their care – it is clear that their “vision” for the Church is to scrap it and start again. Secondly, we ask why these priests don’t just leave and get on with launching their own pseudo-church to add to the millions of others since Martin Luther worked his magic.
I have deliberately left the recipients list open so that it is clear that I have sent this email to everyone listed as leaders on the websites of the two Associations, as well as the contacts given on the websites of the two Bishops’ Conferences, the USA and Ireland.
Our discussion – launched a few seconds ago, will take place on our blog here END
Of course, I won’t hold my breath for a reply. For all the blether about involving the laity, listening to the voice of the laity, for all the talk about inclusivity, they don’t mean Catholics like us. We’re NOT to be heeded, we are definitely NOT to be included in this new broad – and entirely Godless – Church. They will, however, be sure to read it, so speak your mind, as ever, polite enough (without being deferential – we don’t DO deferential here, certainly not to those professionals who fail to do their elementary duty be they police officers or priests. We only do “polite enough”…)
Over to you!
I thought that any organization that had “Catholic” in the title was supposed to be faithful to the Magisterium; otherwise they couldn’t have “Catholic” in the name.
Sigh…
Margaret USA,
The problem is that there are so many Catholics-in-name-only, including among the clergy and hierarchy, that they can’t enforce that rule!
Josephine
“…there are so many Catholics-in-name-only…”
I’d say the majority are Catholics-in-name-only.
Editor,
Too right they won’t reply to your email – the voices they want to hear are dissenting voices to reinforce their own heresy. A new godless Church is exactly what they are aiming for – and they’ve almost got it with Pope Francis!
Looking at the pictures of the leadership of the American priest’s association, they are obviously over the hill which is what you find with these dissenters, their time is past and they are clinging on to their dreams (our nightmares!) of a Church without rules, without Christ. They’re done.
As for their bishops – wolves in sheep’s clothing, hirelings. Jesus warned us about them. The Lepanto letter, good as it is, won’t change their minds. They’re all lost souls, and only prayer and fasting can help them.
Mike,
These dissenters actually are of the older generation, you’re right, they are over the hill and it won’t be long until they’re gone and forgotten. I think that every time I read one of Monsignor Loftus’s rubbish articles in the Catholic Times. They’ll soon be gone, and we cling to that hope, LOL!
It really beggars belief that there are priests and bishops like these, making their living out of the Church while beavering away, quite publicly, to destroy it. Some nerve, they have.
My only consolation is that the really informed Catholics are now out of their parishes and attending traditional Masses in parishes run by priests who are at least orthodox in their beliefs.
I’ve only got one question for these priests and their bishops. Where is the scriptural basis for your dissent?
Margaret Mary,
Hear, hear.
The answer is that there’s nothing in Scripture to encourage priests and bishops to overturn the teachings of Christ, nothing whatsoever. The very opposite: Jesus said to his first Magisterium: “He that hears you, hears Me.”
It would be interesting to hear the answer of one of the dissenters, though, given that there IS no basis in Scripture for the aims of their “Associations”.
Margaret Mary,
That is the 64,000 dollar question and it is easy to answer – there’s isn’t any basis in the Bible for dissenting priests, just for hypocritical priests and bishops who pretend to believe but act like non-believers. That’s the teaching to be found in the Bible, not a blessing on dissent.
MM
There is absolutely nothing, anywhere in Sacred Scripture, from beginning to end to justify the kind of rebellion we are witnessing today, caused by these apostate priests. There is NO basis in Scripture for the dissenting activities of these associations of clergy.
The consistent theme in Scripture, from beginning to end, is fidelity. Fidelity to God’s law. Reading the Old Testament we see the work of the prophets calling the ancient peoples back to fidelity, pointing out to them the sufferings they were bringing on themselves by their infidelity. They then repented and returned to obedience… for a time, and then the cycle started over.
Just as God sent the prophets to warn the OT peoples of chastisements to come if they persisted in their infidelity, so He sent His Mother to Fatima to warn contemporary popes, bishops, priests and people that if we do not remain faithful to the same Catholic Tradition which contains the fulfilment of God’s unchangeable revelation of His plan for our salvation, so we, too, will suffer. And so it has come to pass. By going ahead with the Second Vatican Council despite the obvious content of the withheld third part of the Fatima Message (popularly called the Third Secret because it has been deliberately withheld), the popes responsible have brought down on the Church, the chastisement we are now suffering – bad, unfaithful priests.
Bad priests are a sure sign of God’s anger with His people. And the priests who are members of the Irish Association of [Anything but] Catholic Priests and the Association of U.S. [Anything But] Catholic Priests are, without a shadow of a doubt, by definition, bad priests.
And their negligent-through-to-complicit bishops are the hirelings, the wolves in sheep’s clothing about whom Our Lord warns in the Gospels.
O, and before some Smart Alec comes on to chide me for not showing “respect” for their office, let me be clear. I have nothing but contempt, repeat contempt, for every member of these associations of wolves in sheep’s clothing and their hireling superiors. I have nothing but respect for the priesthood – but – at the risk of repeating myself – nothing but contempt for each of the above-mentioned scoundrels who, as someone else (NIcky) has already said, are making a living out of the Church while working hard to destroy it. Scoundrels.
Editor and MM,
It matters not one whit to these reprobates that there is no Scriptural basis for their dissent. In fact, their response to that fact is: “So what? Scripture needs to be re-read in light of modern times.”
As for this statement, Ed: “Bad priests are a sure sign of God’s anger with His people,” I tried to convince Steve Skojec over at 1P5 of that, in response to his painful article “Where is the Church?” His reply was that he didn’t buy the chastisement “theory,” as he called it, and went on to say that he didn’t think good and faithful Catholics should have to suffer. That was unjust, like the OT conception of God!
St. John Eudes is rolling over in his grave. Sometimes i wonder about these other blogs…..
These group of grumpy priests have been around for years. I remember the Austrian group which Pope Benedict rebuked publicly. They need more than a rebuke, though, they need their own bishops to remove them from active ministry. Who would want a doctor who didn’t believe in basic medicine, basic surgery, to cure illnesses? That’s what a faithless priest is, one who actually doesn’t believe the Catholic religion. If they had any integrity, they would just leave. I don’t mean to be crude, but they are likely to be living their personal lives at odds with Catholic teaching, not thinking they’re sinning, and so about as much use to their parishioners as a chocolate teapot.
Laura,
Without a single shred of doubt, these bad priests and bishops are living double lives, and thus they are blind to the truth. No question. Well spotted.
For those who may be puzzled at this, consider the teaching revealed in the account of the sin of Adam & Eve; as a result of their sin of pride and disobedience to God’s law, which clearly had a carnal significance [after their sin, they realised they were naked] we have a tendency to commit sins of impurity. If we embrace impurity, and live in a state of habitually indulging in sins of impurity, then we become spiritually blind. Sexual impurity leads to spiritual blindness.
If these apostate priests and bishops are not spiritually blind, please point me to someone who is self-evidently spiritually blind…
Using WestminsterFly’s recently linked article about the true nature of the homosexual lifestyle as a basis for some educated speculation, I’d say that this Association is little more than an opportunity for homosexual priests to cruise for sex partners. That is, it’s nothing more than a gay bar with attempted sanctimonious respectability draped around it. (Did you all notice the pink name tag straps around their necks, in the Lepanto picture?)
As to why this collection of heretics doesn’t form their own “church,” I suspect destroying the Catholic Church to gain respectability is much higher on their list of priorities than starting a new church and attempting to attract members/draw them away from the real Church. After all, homosexuality is a disease of narcissism, which means that these priests think that the Church – and the world – revolves around them and their depravity.
When I returned to the Church in 1999, it was through a Novus Ordo parish. Halfway through RCIA, I observed something which made it pretty clear to me – it was a strong suspicion at first – that the PP was a discreet homosexual, and that his “friend” was a homosexual parishioner. This suspicion was later confirmed by additional observations.
However, if I had known what was going on in the Church back then, I could have just as easily pegged this PP through his “homilies,” which were all about “love.” He even endorsed the ordination of female priests during one of these homilies – not too long afterwards, I left the parish.
The strategy of the Lavender Mafia (I’d bet the AUCP membership is close to a 100% overlap with the LM) – until the current pontificate, that is – appears to have been to call for the loosening and watering down of a wide variety of Church dogma and disciplines, accompanied by constant appeals to a sentimentalized “love.” Their reasoning, perhaps, was that this loosening would accrue to their benefit. Under Francis, however, they’ve been let out of the closet like the demons who were let loose upon the world back in the 19th century – so why should they veil their goal any longer?
PS: I’ve just emailed the Lepanto Institute to inform them of this discussion. Their general mailbox is LepantoInstitute@gmail.com
RCA Victor,
As ever, you hit so many nails on the head, especially the “Lavender”/”Pink” nail. Definitely, there is something wrong-headed about these priests and their bishops that is linked to the spread of the LGBT+++ ideology right now.
Years ago, there was a shocking expose of a homosexual priests’ website in the USA called St Sebastian’s Angels which was filthy beyond words. It was exposed by a group called Roman Catholic Faithful, which no longer exists, as far as I know, although you can still access stuff from the “Angels” site, not recommended as it is pornographic in places, although there is a notice explaining that this is for the purpose of making Catholics aware of just how deeply in the stench the priest-members of the site were, and probably still are. I Googled it to see if it was still out there, but decided not to copy the link because I think editor would probably remove it!
The reason why I mention it is because I suspect that some of the priests in the new AUSCP were formerly members of the Angels group, although, obviously, I can’t know that for sure. Whatever, my point is that there is a definite homosexual connection to these groups – I’ve read stuff condemning “homophobia” on the Irish dissenters site as well, so there is a definite link with LGBT +++ ideology at the root of these associations of dissenting priests. Or should I say, in keeping with the theme of this thread, “faithless” priests.
Lily,
After reading your post, I took a quick tour of the AUSCP website and was surprised to find no mention of LGBT issues at all. They only have this general statement “We are the largest, most inclusive association of priests in the United States.”
On the Irish website, they have a list on their Constitution page and it includes this: “A re-evaluation of Catholic sexual teaching and practice that recognizes the profound mystery of human sexuality and the experience and wisdom of God’s people.”
I am guessing that the USA priests are boxing clever by not putting anything explicitly LGBT on their site. “Inclusive” says it all, though, just as the “re-evaluation” of Catholic sexual teaching says it all on the Irish site.
I do get the question of this blog, why on earth do these men not just leave the Church? They’re just not going to get the changes they want. The Church will never change its teaching which is God’s law. Why can’t they grasp that? The most they can achieve is what they’ve already achieved, that there will be unfaithful priests and bishops defying God’s law – they can never claim to be teaching the truth that comes from God. You’d think that would make them see sense, but no – they persist in their sterile rebellion.
We should pray for them to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Margaret Mary,
They can’t grasp that Church teachings will never change because they’ve seen what corrupt men can do to the Church ever since Vatican II: give a convincing appearance or impression, by public relations consensus, that Church teaching has indeed changed. They’ve hitched their star to veneer become reality, by burying reality under a veneer. (That’s my re-phrasing of “The Great Facade”).
As for the AUSCP and LGBT issues, as the Lepanto article points out, they let the cat out of the bag – or the closet – at their annual assembly:
“Two weeks ago, I personally went to Albuquerque, NM to observe the AUSCP as it held its annual assembly there. In addition to the common sight of these priests wearing rainbow pins on their lanyards and seeing the plethora of pro-homosexual literature proliferating the exhibition hall, I was able to sit in on a keynote address delivered by Fr. Richard Rohr, who denied the inerrancy of Scripture, denied the infallibility of the Pope, and claimed that Christianity was a “religion of white privilege.”
Who is Fr. Richard Rohr? Here’s an intro: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6819
RCA Victor,
Thank you for that reminder – I had forgotten about that passage in the Lepanto letter. So, I was right in that they’ve tried to box clever by not putting their blatant LGBT sympathies on show on their website, although not hiding them at their events. That’s probably a policy to fool people (like me!) who check them out. How devious!
I looked at your link and the bit about Fr Rohr switching to “male spirituality” reminded me of something I read in Catholic Truth a while ago, about one of the Jesuits in Garnethill giving “male” retreats. They didn’t sound like the old ‘men only’ retreats, but a special “male spirituality” was advertised, which screams out “homosexuality”. I’m not sure if there’s a connection, just mentioning that that is what came to my mind when I read the Catholic Culture article.
I take your point about them thinking the Church’s teaching has changed because of the appearance of change, thanks to Pope Francis’s shenanigans, but they must have been given some kind of seminary training to make them understand that just as God is unchangeable, so is his moral law. Or are they really that stupid?
I too remember St. Sebastian’s Angels and the filth that it espoused. If my memory is correct it had quite a base in South Africa. I shudder to think of all the harm that that lot did.
John,
I remember that evil website as well – it was truly shocking. I’d forgotten all about it, but, as you say, it must have done horrendous harm. I remember one Scot being on there, making fun of wearing a kilt and using it to pornographic effect. They openly spoke about their “cute” altar boys.
Yes, anyone in any doubt about the root cause of the surge in clerical sex abuse cases within the Church, needs to remember that the exploitation of young boys by priests (men on boys, get it?) came about in no small part because those running the seminaries chose to ignore the Church’s ban on accepting homosexual men into the priesthood.
Had the same effect that would result if a ban on employing alcoholics in a brewery were to be lifted.
No PhD’s required – just common sense.
RCA Victor,
Without a doubt these homosexual clergy have been let out of the closet and are spreading their immorality like there’s no tomorrow. There’s not likely to be a “tomorrow” the way things are going, as the world is spiralling out of control with the Church only making things worse instead of being the salt of the earth, the light to light up the world. It’s truly incredible. The Devil is having his way and he will continue to have his way until Russia is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as Our Lady warned in the Fatima apparitions.
RCA Victor,
“I’d say that this Association is little more than an opportunity for homosexual priests to cruise for sex partners.”
Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised. They’re not gathering to pray the Rosary, that’s for sure.
I think it is very sad to find priests trying to reshape the Church in their own image. Pope John Paul II wrote his encyclical Splendor Veritatis (Splendor of the Truth) about this very matter. I think this passage from the Conclusion sums it up perfectly:
“At times, in the discussions about new and complex moral problems, it can seem that Christian morality is in itself too demanding, difficult to understand and almost impossible to practise. This is untrue, since Christian morality consists, in the simplicity of the Gospel, in following Jesus Christ, in abandoning oneself to him, in letting oneself be transformed by his grace and renewed by his mercy, gifts which come to us in the living communion of his Church.
Saint Augustine reminds us that “he who would live has a place to live, and has everything needed to live. Let him draw near, let him believe, let him become part of the body, that he may have life. Let him not shrink from the unity of the members”.[182]
By the light of the Holy Spirit, the living essence of Christian morality can be understood by everyone, even the least learned, but particularly those who are able to preserve an “undivided heart” (Ps 86:11). On the other hand, this evangelical simplicity does not exempt one from facing reality in its complexity; rather it can lead to a more genuine understanding of reality, inasmuch as following Christ will gradually bring out the distinctive character of authentic Christian morality, while providing the vital energy needed to carry it out. It is the task of the Church’s Magisterium to see that the dynamic process of following Christ develops in an organic manner, without the falsification or obscuring of its moral demands, with all their consequences. The one who loves Christ keeps his commandments (cf. Jn 14:15).”
We should pray for bishops and priests that they come to see the truth of this for themselves; that by following Christ faithfully, they will not only come to see the truth of the correct moral order but find they are given the strength to live it. Oremus!
Servus,
Thank you for your thoughtful post. However, in the very same document which you quote, we find Pope John Paul II giving specific instructions to the bishops, in order to end dissent – which he failed to enforce.
“116. We have the duty, as Bishops, to be vigilant that the word of God is faithfully taught. My Brothers in the Episcopate, it is part of our pastoral ministry to see to it that this moral teaching is faithfully handed down and to have recourse to appropriate measures to ensure that the faithful are guarded from every doctrine and theory contrary to it. In carrying out this task we are all assisted by theologians; even so, theological opinions constitute neither the rule nor the norm of our teaching. Its authority is derived, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit and in communion cum Petro et sub Petro, from our fidelity to the Catholic faith which comes from the Apostles. As Bishops, we have the grave obligation to be personally vigilant that the “sound doctrine” (1 Tim 1:10) of faith and morals is taught in our Dioceses.
A particular responsibility is incumbent upon Bishops with regard to Catholic institutions. Whether these are agencies for the pastoral care of the family or for social work, or institutions dedicated to teaching or health care, Bishops can canonically erect and recognize these structures and delegate certain responsibilities to them. Nevertheless, Bishops are never relieved of their own personal obligations. It falls to them, in communion with the Holy See, both to grant the title “Catholic” to Church-related schools,179 universities,180 health-care facilities and counselling services, and, in cases of a serious failure to live up to that title, to take it away.”
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor.html
By writing the above and by his subsequent refusal to enforce his own rules (and the same goes for subsequent rulings, such as Ad Tuendam Fidem, 1998) Pope JP II has, undoubtedly, heaped coals of fire on his own head. Hence the need to pray for him in the hope that he’s attained Purgatory. Canonisable, he was not, is not and never will be, sadly. His is one of the many canonisations carried out, fast-track, by modernist popes keen to bless Vatican II and all that came from it, which will be properly examined, in due course, and put under the scrutiny of the pre-conciliar process – or at least pre-removal of the office of Devil’s Advocate from the process – before being confirmed or denied. Certainly, Veritatis Splendor – had it been enforced – would have made some difference to the march of the modernists. That’s a given.
I do endorse, fully, your concluding paragraph. And “oremus” agreed 😀
Thank you to all who have commented so far – I’ll be back a little later to add my own tuppence worth, but just popped in to see who’s who and, as ever, I’m impressed with the comments I’ve skimmed so far, Back in a jiffy! (figuratively speaking!)
Editor
Maybe this is not the time or the place, but I have been reading the last few blog threads and wondering when you are going to cave in about your decision not to hold any more conferences 😀
Things are just so much worse now, and getting worse all the time.
Just one more?
Well Michaela, great idea of yours but who will organise the event? Editor cannot be all things to all people all of the time. We need volunteers to help out. Are you willing?
Crofterlady,
You’re very kind and considerate but, in fact, organising a one-off meeting is actually less time-consuming than running the blog!
Having said that, all volunteers more than welcome – if we do decide to organise another gathering of the clan.
And if we DO go ahead with another meeting, we’ll just have to make sure we get the advertising right…
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aohNVo1NB9Y/UZXbh1OcNkI/AAAAAAAAKwo/naZJE5Bh0ZI/s1600/funny-catholic-cataholic-meeting.png
Michaela.
I’ve had the same request a few times recently and have replied, in the end, that when I said no more conferences I didn’t say anything about no “congress” or no “forum” or no any other synonym for conference!
Actually, I talked the matter over with Miss McMoneypenny a week or two ago, and we’re giving it due consideration, so don’t lose hope – yet!
Michaela,
Try offering Editor a year’s supply of free chocolates as an incentive….make sure they’re expensive, though, like this: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/la-maison-du-chocolat-orangettes/?catalogId=84&sku=9531901&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Food%20%3E%20Candy%20%26%20Chocolate%20%3E%20Chocolate&msclkid=12e8644b517f171585a93f01e3b2ea8b&kwid=bingproductads-adid^74285842872258-device^c-plaid^4577885382793178-sku^9531901@ADL10BMC-adType^PLA
RCA Victor,
I clicked on your link and got this message:
Page is not available in your region
To our valued customers,
We regret that due to technical challenges caused by new regulations in Europe, we can for the time being no longer accept orders from the European Union. If you reside in the UK you can continue to order from our UK West Elm site at http://www.westelm.co.uk.
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So, the EU strikes even in the USA, LOL!
Laura,
No wonder President Trump called the EU the enemy of America!
Well, Editor, guess you’ll have to settle for some Hershey bars…., or, my favorite:
http://www.candyconceptsinc.com/assets/images/chunky-candy-bar-24count-nestle.jpg
Comments are closed.