More awakening to the predominate ultramontanism? May 12, 2014
Posted by Tantumblogo in abdication of duty, Basics, episcopate, error, General Catholic, history, Papa, sadness, scandals, sexual depravity, Society, the return.comments closed
I have long believed – and I think many tradition-loving Catholics share this belief – that there has been a dangerous derangement of Catholic understanding of the nature and role of the office of the Chair of St. Peter. What are often termed “conservative” Catholics or “neo-Catholics” generally seem to have a very ultramontanist view, a view that the Pope can virtually do no wrong, and should certainly never be criticized or even really questioned.
I have sadly lost some readers over this divide. I have tried to be very measured in my questioning and/or criticism of Pope Francis, but even some of my milder pieces were just too much for some folks. Some people simply cannot stand to see the Pope questioned. But this is really a process of denial and an exaggeration of the office of the Papacy that is very dangerous both to individual souls and the Church at large.
Maybe under Pope Francis some folks are starting to see the light? I see that Fr. Z had a post last Friday that linked to another post, at the The Week, which argued that Catholics need to get over the widespread papolotry that exists in the Church today. It’s a very good piece, and has a number of quotes that are worth sharing. At the very least, I think it provokes thoughts that should be deeply considered by all those who strive to be faithful Catholics. Some key quotes:
“Most Catholics are completely unprepared for a wicked pope.” [I think this is a true statement. Now, some may try to argue that we haven’t had any wicked popes, but that argument is really a non-starter. But let’s carry on a bit]
“Catholics must learn to resist their popes — even Pope Francis. Too many are becoming party apparatchiks” [This certainly applies to the professional Catholic crowd who are dependent on the good graces of the bishops to maintain their income. In fact, I would say these guys – and some of the key ones are quoted in the article – are the ‘keepers of the flame’ for the reigning ultramontanism]
……” the bulk of their [conservative Catholic] commentary about Pope John Paul II in relation to the child-abuse crisis or Pope Francis when he goes off-script seems based on the idea that the pope is irreproachable.” [Pretty much.]
“The Catholic Party eclipsing the Catholic Church has a distorting effect on the world’s perception too. If the loudest and most prominent orthodox members of the church in the media treat the pope like a party leader and are so quick with clever-dick rationalizations of the massive changes to the practice of the Faith over the past 50 years, why should they be surprised that the world conceives of the doctrines and dogmas of the Faith as mere party planks or mutable policy, to be exchanged, updated, or abandoned as the times change?” [And hence we see the massive divide between the pre- and post-conciliar Church. Two different Churches? I am not prepared to say that, but exaggerated ultramontanism only serves to help perpetuate the divide!]
“And why should they be surprised that even their co-religionists fail to understand the Faith? In truth, the most salient fact of contemporary Catholic life in the West is the way it is pervaded by the pattern of saying things and then acting as if something else were true.” [Care to argue with that?]
“Catholics conditioned by the last 50 years of life in the church are totally unprepared for the eventuality of the pope or a papally approved Synod (i.e., a governing council) issuing a “policy” that flatly contradicts church teaching. For many of them, many good men, it will just be a new party line. Or perhaps, more insanely, they will claim, in an Orwellian turn, that the new policy was always the church’s real policy.” [Yes, but a good number will fall away. The shock will be too much, the change too severe.]
There are many more such good quotes. The piece closes by arguing for faithful Catholics to use their voice to verbally chastise/correct any Pope or Synod that seems to undermine the Faith by arriving at some “policy” that has the effect of obliterating Dogma. I know, for many, that will be a discomfiting recommendation. But perhaps we should sincerely examine why it is so discomfiting, instead of dismissing the suggestion out of hand. And perhaps if we had greater familiarity with Church history, we might find that there have certainly been times when the faithful have been more than a little confrontational with the hierarchy over some matter of Dogma.
Prayer for guidance and always doing what is God’s true will for us is absolutely vital right now. It is so easy for self-will and our preferences to masquerade as virtue. This is a very dangerous time. I need to pray more, but also better.
I’m not going to quit, even though bearded lady wins Eurovision Song Contest May 12, 2014
Posted by Tantumblogo in asshatery, disaster, error, foolishness, General Catholic, horror, scandals, secularism, self-serving, sexual depravity, sickness, Society, Spiritual Warfare.comments closed
Kids don’t read this.
Kids go away.
I don’t know if this Eurovision thing is really a big deal in Europe, or not, but I do know Wikipedia won’t shut up about it.
So here is this year’s winner, an Austrian man going by the name “Conchita Wurst:”
Seriously, I cannot even look at his face. It is too jarring. But the people who voted this dude the winner of the contest had to see this bearded lady prance around, American Idol style, for dang near hours. And he won.
Didn’t this used to be a circus side show act? The kind of side show parents wouldn’t let their daughters go down? And now it’s prime time, world beating entertainment? We’ve “advanced” so very much.
So is this dude winning this context really based on talent and merit, or was it more a case of Europe engaging in its favorite sport, shooting the bird at traditional morality and its Christian roots?
I thought maybe it was both, but then I listened to the dude’s song, and said, no, it’s strictly the latter. But then again, I’m more of a country guy (if you want to judge for yourself, you can go here).
The whole contest is a weird post-national jingoistic thing where countries get to select a contestant and then it becomes sort of a national pride exercise. It’s one of many ways the modern sexular pagan EU superstate has tried to channel Europe’s historic nationalism into more benign avenues. Soccer is another part of that effort.
So this dude hails from Austria, and Austria was for a long time, even for a short while after WWII, one of the most Catholic countries in Europe.
I have a hard time not feeling that we have irrevocably lost the culture wars. That does not mean we do not fight, it just means the tactics change and we have to be in much more of a protect and conserve mode, than a conquer new worlds mode. The sexular pagan left just feels – to me, but I don’t think I’m alone – utterly ascendant right now. It seems that most folks, who aren’t very politically or socially minded, have been sucked into a kind of vortex that spins faster and faster the closer you get to the center.
Eventually, this will only end in tragedy and barbarism of nightmarish proportions. Western cultural revolution, here we come.
I think it’s time to shift emphasis on this blog. I pray I am able to do what I know needs to be done.
I’m sorry, I need a brainwash. If I’m going to watch a long haired bearded dude, there is only one to watch:
Waylon’s Wailer’s had the best steel guitar man I’ve ever heard. Ralph Mooney was simply incredible. He died a few years ago. God rest both his and Waylon’s souls.
I’m still sick so I’m feeling self-indulgent. Here’s a much more recent song one that kind of fits the present mood. There are a couple of grown up words in here, you are forewarned:
Reflections of our times – images found on the internet May 12, 2014
Posted by Tantumblogo in Admin, Basics, disconcerting, fun, General Catholic, Papa, Saints, silliness, Society.comments closed
I didn’t make any of these, but I thought they were worth posting. I found these on various sites, including Orbis Catholicus and Pertinacious Papist:
Apparently, the below is an ad by the Irish bishop’s conference intended to attract young men to enter seminary. I’m sure it will be just as successful as the past 40 years effort has been:
I see it got to be big news while I was out that Pope Paul VI will be beatified in October. Of course, readers of this blog knew that two weeks ago.
Star Telegram article on Fisher-More “shut down” May 12, 2014
Posted by Tantumblogo in asshatery, Basics, Dallas Diocese, disaster, error, General Catholic, self-serving, Society, Tradition.comments closed
The sad – pathetic, really – denouement of Fisher More College (FMC) continues.
As I blogged would occur several weeks ago, Fisher More’s landlord moved to take possession of the property this week of May 5, in essence shutting the campus down. This was due to lack of payment on FMC’s part. Unfortunately, denial is possibly the strongest human emotion, and some ugliness ensued when the property owner arrived to change the locks. Police were called. Finally, an arrangement was worked out that requires – according to the Startlegram – FMC to finally vacate the campus by May 31. The few remaining students are making their plans for continuing their matriculation elsewhere.
While a few students at Fisher More College were wrapping up their final exams this week, administrators were scrambling to find another home for the small Catholic liberal arts school after reaching an impasse with the property owners this week over rent payments.
The college, which moved into the former Our Lady of Victory convent at 801 W. Shaw St. less than a year ago, was unable to reach a deal with its landlords to remain in the building, even after a last-ditch effort at the courthouse Friday.
It must leave by May 31……
….“It’s sad to see our school shut down,” Amber Siscoe of Fort Worth said this week as she prepared for her history and literature finals, as well as the move. She’s looking at other Catholic colleges, including one in Kansas. [This has to mean St. Mary’s, administered by the SSPX and unaccredited. I strongly doubt she means Benedictine, and there is really no other alternative.]
…..Problems surfaced in March when the landlords accused the school of not living up to its lease, even alleging that it owed thousands of dollars in rent, utilities and property taxes.
A lawsuit filed in Tarrant County civil court by the Victory Arts Management Group said Fisher More had a lease-to-own arrangement with Victory and owed $117,115 in costs because of its defaults. Victory was also seeking “liquidated damages” of $300,000.
In an effort to stay, the school and its landlords appeared to have reached a tentative agreement to settle the previous lawsuit, with Fisher More paying $13,628 in rent and the landlords allowing the college to remain until the end of the semester.
But the school was apparently unable to live up to its end of the deal, according to court documents.
On Monday, Victory Arts Management showed up with locksmiths, but the school denied them access because they didn’t have a court order to change the locks. Police were called. [I wonder how much virtue was on display during that scene]
“We pleaded with them to stand down,” Fisher More President Michael King said this week as he stood in the ornate chapel. King said the May rent had been paid. [Ehh, whatever]
The next day, the property owners filed several legal actions against the college, including a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order that would allow them to access the building and garnish Fisher More’s bank accounts.
All this led up to Friday’s courthouse negotiations.
State District Judge John Chupp asked the college and the landlords to “act like adults” and work it out. The sides met behind closed doors for over an hour and hammered out an agreement giving the landlords access so they can seek new tenants. The landlords agreed to drop the garnishment claims.
King said he wants to move forward and explore options to keep the college open. The students enrolled are transferring to other Catholic colleges, he said. [Soooo……a “college” without students]
Fisher More needs a place where it can conduct business along with its online academy and courses, he said. [There are lots of storefronts available. Preferably in other states]
King said he had hoped that the college could stay on at the former convent and use part of the building for college operations while he and other staffers worked on ways to continue holding classes and rebuild Fisher More’s finances.
But the dispute with the landlord made that impossible, he said.
“This was the perfect building for a college like ours,” he said. [No. No, it wasn’t. It was completely unaffordable, and sank the college in less than a year. It’s like some mom and pop store saying “The Empire State Building (all of it) is the perfect place for our headquarters!”]
Alright, I’ve already abused fair use enough. I’m actually glad and relieved to see this story end. I know a lot of folks are sad, and I know a lot of people have been very hurt over the course FMC has taken the past couple of years. Some even feel abused.
That’s why I think it best that this thing just die and let everyone move on with their lives. The academy may keep an entity called “Fisher More” alive for a while, or it may not. All the details of this saga could fill a book. But at this point, none of it really matters.
There is one small further point I should make. I think I was sort of wrong before, when I uncritically accepted some self-serving claims that FMC offered a “top notch” or even high level education. That’s a doubtful claim I should not have parroted. It was too easy to give FMC a pass because it was, notionally at least, “traditional,” and I fell for that.
I would love to see more traditional Catholic colleges. But I think all explicitly Catholic colleges are going to face the constant threat of falling into extremism, as plainly occurred at FMC. Maybe someone else can do a better job, elsewhere. Or maybe we’re better off supporting the pretty good/traditional leaning ones we have now.
I don’t know, I’m still recovering from a gloriously wretched illness and am just sort of scattershooting.
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