A friend told me that her friend, who is a Buddhist, arranged for Buddhist monks to go into their Catholic church and do some chanting at the end of the funeral mass!
She said the priest said it was ok and everyone thought it was lovely.
Isn't that sacrilege? For Buddhist monks to chant in a Catholic church by the coffin? After a funeral mass too?
Am i wrong?
No you're not wrong and it just emphasize the state in which our church finds itself as we speak.
Remember that we have cardinals who are as bad as your priest or even worse.
Crd. Raymond Leo Burke warned us that the present times are a greater trial for the church than the Lutheran reformation. I believe he's right and if so we need to buckle up for the nasty storm to come.
Actually I remember reading an article only a few days ago written by an orthodox lutheran theologian. He warned about the longing for unity based on endless tolerance. If we pursue tolerance above everything else then we fall in the dangerous error of relativism as far as the authority of scripture concerns.
He's a Lutheran so I'm obviously disagreeing with him on several levels, but I believe he got it right on this point.
When ecumenism and even worse interreligiousity hits with full force then both scripture and tradition are seen as obstacles that needs to be downplayed and in the end gotten rid of.
This is the totalitarianism of the regime of tolerance.
It would trouble me. We had a similar experience with my grandfather. He was dying and the family gathered to say goodbye.
The nurse attempted to use New Age methods to aid his pain. She wanted to do a ritual my grandmother didn’t understand. Everyone was upset. But I knew what she was referencing.
The chaplain had anointed him. We were waiting for the family priest. He was stuck in traffic. She kept impressing the harmlessness of her desires. But I finally had enough and put my foot down and asked her to leave.
I was firm but loving and explained the demonic thing she was attempting to do. I told them I wouldn’t permit it. My grandmother nodded quietly in agreement.
What the nurse desired to do is called reiki. It draws on demonic spirits for cleansing and healing. But the person is worsened. To profane the holy with unrighteousness is wrong in my mind.
Well done! I cannot even imagine how difficult it is to stand up and hold your ground in such a sensitive matter and situation. Kudos
Cant say much here, but I do have some counterquestions.
Would this have been considered sacrilage within Catholicism 50 years ago? 100 years ago? 500 years ago? How about in 1054 at the time of the Catholic-Orthodox schism? In fellowship I ask you if this would have ever been considered acceptable among the saintly fathers and mothers of your church by your understanding?
Rhetoric question isnt it? In medieval times these people would've been burned at the stake.