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Letter to the USCCB

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PeterPaul

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“MISERABLE SERPENT” BISHOPS JOIN WITH THOSE WHO CONDEMN MEL GIBSON’S “COURAGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL EFFORT”

TO: Cardinal William H. Keeler
Bishop Arthur J. Seratelli (Paterson NJ)
Bishop John J. Nevins (Venice FL)
Bishop Gerald Walsh (New York)
Bishop John Nienstedt (New Ulm)
All bishops of the USCCB

FROM: The Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.

Recently, at the conclusion of one of your endless series of committee meetings (The Challenge of Mixed Marriage in American Life is Major Topic of U.S. Catholic-Jewish Consultation Committee), you issued the following statement:

The Consultation also discussed the state of Jewish-Catholic relations in the wake of the film, "The Passion of the Christ," which caused such deep and understandable concern within Jewish community world-wide. The film, it was noted, was in reality a modern version of the notorious medieval Passion Plays which so often over the centuries have triggered riots against the Jews of Europe. Happily, however, the film precipitated no such anti-Jewish violence. Rather, in many places it sparked discussions in which Catholics learned why Jews feared such dramatic depictions of the death of Jesus, and Jews learned that many Catholics today have taken to heart the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that the Jews collectively cannot be held responsible "then or now" for Jesus' death. It was noted as well that continuing work needs to be done among those who have not yet absorbed these official teachings of the Church.

Generally, we in the laity read your prodigious output of wordy, useless position statements and constant “pastoral” bloviating with a mixture of boredom and mild irritation. Occasionally, however, the U.S. Bishops come out with something that is so outrageous, so offensive, so truly malignant, that the laity cannot remain mute. And so it is with this, your latest piece of ecclesiastical drivel.

When we consider your words, we must reflect upon all that you have given the laity during the past several decades; to wit:

You have destroyed our precious liturgy and replaced it with a quasi-heretical and saccharine floor show.
You have corrupted our children with poisonous sex ed programs.
You have allowed our children to be raped by perverted monsters in the clergy and have done everything in your power to cover up these crimes.
You have destroyed our beautiful churches and Cathedrals and replaced them with ugly “churches” that resemble aircraft hangars or cement factories.
You have squandered billions of dollars on useless or harmful “ministries” that are little more than glorified havens for left wing activists.
You have persecuted holy and orthodox priests and nuns.
You have denied priests their right to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, a right which no bishop or pastor of the Church can ever take away.
You have destroyed the faith of millions by promoting false catechesis.
You have turned away worthy candidates for the priesthood because they accepted the perennial teachings of the Church or because they opposed homosexuality.
The collective evil committed by the American Bishops dwarfs any harm committed in the Enron scandal, yet none of you have been sent to jail.

And now, when a man like Mel Gibson comes along and tries to glorify Our Lord with a movie, when he risks his personal fortune and reputation because Our Lord is despised by the World, you miserable serpents not only do not support him, but join with those who condemn his courageous and beautiful effort. Well, to you bishops, and to all the bishops of the USCCB, the Roman Catholic Faithful responds:

The movie The Passion of the Christ has done more to uplift the human heart, to bring souls to Christ, to increase holiness, and to glorify Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, than all the USCCB committees, subcommittees, documents, pastorals, letters, faxes and speeches put together.

James Bendell
Roman Catholic Faithful
 

Michelina

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The movie The Passion of the Christ has done more to uplift the human heart, to bring souls to Christ, to increase holiness, and to glorify Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, than all the USCCB committees, subcommittees, documents, pastorals, letters, faxes and speeches put together.

And they KNOW that's true! They are prisoners of their own pretensions!
 
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PeterPaul

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Aaron-Aggie said:
Are you charging that 275+ Bishopes have either left the Church or being excommunitcated by rome? That is a pretty big charge.

No, I'm charging that the USCCB is a large part of the problem. You can say its "rhetoric" or look at the proof in the pudding.
 
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Aaron-Aggie

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Peter the letter calls 275+ bishops serphents!!! To call a man a devil is a big charge let alone 275+ bishops

And if the Americain Church is as corrupt on morals and faith as accused in the letter so is the Church of Rome since they allow it to contunie. And that means so is the Holy Spirit. Which means our church is false. Is that realy what you want to argue?
 
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PeterPaul

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Aaron-Aggie said:
Peter the letter calls 275+ bishops serphents!!! To call a man a devil is a big charge let alone 275+ bishops

And if the Americain Church is as corrupt on morals and faith as accused in the letter so is the Church of Rome since they allow it to contunie. And that means so is the Holy Spirit. Which means our church is false. Is that realy what you want to argue?

Well, I can't say I stand by everything said, but my letter soon to be sent is probably going to more succinct. Certainly Rome can't be blamed because of the accusations the person wrote, because if that were true, than they would be blamed for the pedophile scandal. But, can we turn a blind eye and say there isn't culpability on the part of the USCCB? Look at the accusations and then tell me.

A. Was the USCCB supportive of Mel's film or did they quickly side with the Jews? I found myself frustrated on a Diocesean level when I attempted to get parishes onboard to support the film at the time. I received a "no" or a silence at every turn.

B. Have they allowed mockeries of the Mass to go on? Certainly.

C. Did they (or their subcommittee) not release a "meditation" stating Jews could stay where they were and did not need Christ?

D. How many Bishops allowed the molestation of adolescent boys problem to persist, hiding them for decades? Have they done a good job of handling the problem?

E. Has the architecture the USCCB has supported, edified God or sterilized the "Holy of Holies"?

F. Most have denied the Tridentine Mass. Flatly in refusal and defiance of our Holy Father

G. I even read a Bishop state that he could not turn a homosexual away based on equal job opportunity rights to the priesthood. The priesthood has become a mockery both on paper and at Mass.

I think his claims are valid, while perhaps a bit harsh. You are right that not all Bishops are disasterous and many put up a fight. However he is discussing official releases from the USCCB, which means a majority decision. If the Holy Spirit guides theses letters, releases, etc, then I stand corrected, but then that would mean we have two Holy Spirits, one in Rome which says one thing and then another here.
 
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PeterPaul

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This doesn't, by the way mean I don't think the change is coming. I certainly and pray for it everyday, that the liberal Bishops come back to the Church in conformity and that new orthodox Bishops become the new leadership, because this one has been lackluster to be nice.
 
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marciadietrich

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PeterPaul said:
FROM: The Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc.

Recently, at the conclusion of one of your endless series of committee meetings (The Challenge of Mixed Marriage in American Life is Major Topic of U.S. Catholic-Jewish Consultation Committee), you issued the following statement:

The Consultation also discussed the state of Jewish-Catholic relations in the wake of the film, "The Passion of the Christ," which caused such deep and understandable concern within Jewish community world-wide. The film, it was noted, was in reality a modern version of the notorious medieval Passion Plays which so often over the centuries have triggered riots against the Jews of Europe. Happily, however, the film precipitated no such anti-Jewish violence. Rather, in many places it sparked discussions in which Catholics learned why Jews feared such dramatic depictions of the death of Jesus, and Jews learned that many Catholics today have taken to heart the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that the Jews collectively cannot be held responsible "then or now" for Jesus' death. It was noted as well that continuing work needs to be done among those who have not yet absorbed these official teachings of the Church.
What is wrong with what was said there by the USCCB committee that it justified the reply given and calling them serpents?

There WAS concern in the Jewish community. The movie DID resemble a Passion Play ... I don't think it was purposely antiSemitic but there was harsher treatment of the lead Pharisees than of Pilate who was sympathetic and conflicted. The Bishop's statement says that happily nothing the Jewish community fear happened and in some ways both the Jews and Catholics learned things in the aftermath of the movie.

This was a statement being geared at Catholic and Jewish relations and addressing something that had concerned the Jewish community. That there might be some Catholics who still need to be informed of and understand that the Jews are not solely responsible for Christ's crucifixion - I don't doubt there are some who probably do need to learn that. Catholics span a wide range and there probably are some that hang on to antiSemitic feelings.

I thought the reply was overboard compared to the committee's statement.
 
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Michelina

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Epiphany Girl said:
WOW, sad, but true! A little sunlight never hurt though! Call a spade a spade, time to clean house !

Generalizations breed confusion. The OP is clealry aimed at those Bishops who take positions that pander to X, Y or Z. I concur with that as do most, if not all, of those who have posted.

PP has always been among the first posters on OBOB to applaud the actions of Bishops who act in conformity with the mind of the Church as expressed by the Holy See. So have the other posters I have seen on this thread. We're all on the side of Our Lord and His Church.

The article quoted generalizes too much. But that tells us something. EpiphanyGirl tells us something too. A little sunlight would be refreshing. And calling a spade a spade is sometimes the most charitable thing to do, for the common good. Salus animarum suprema Lex. The well-being of souls is the highest Law. There have been times in the Church when it has been necessary to criticize Bishops. Read St Bernard of Clairvaux, who does not mince words when he denounces the damage being done by Bishops to the Church in his time. When the Emporer's new clothes are fictitious pretensions, someone eventually must speak out. And we have both the right and the duty, at times, to call a spade a spade. Without overgeneralizing.
 
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