Popularitas Periculi Paedicatoris

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

This blog entry is a commentary on a public letter released by the pastor of a congregation in the United Methodist Protestant denomination. The subject of the letter is apparently the faux consecration of a lesbian as a bishop. First, as Pope St. John Paul II explains in his apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis  no woman can be ordained or consecrated into Holy Orders. Second, as St. Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32, sodomy and lesbianism are explicitly forbidden in the same manner that adultery and fornication are forbidden. Nevertheless, without further delay, here is the letter and my commentary in red font:

A Message from Rev. Dr. Terry Moore

Dear Congregation,

Many of you have been reading the reports of the ongoing issue in the United Methodist Church regarding Human Sexuality. [What Jesus said in Matthew 19:4-6 still holds true - that is the definitive teaching on human sexuality given to us by our Blessed Lord.] Several of us have had conversation.

In April 2016, the General Conference agreed to continue prayerful discernment on the issue by creating a Commission on the Way Forward. [What prayerful discernment? Scripture and 2000 years of Sacred Tradition have spoken - sodomy and lesbianism are sin just as adultery and fornication are sin.] In February, we were asked to be in prayer for the larger United Methodist Church. One week that month our conference was specifically asked to pray for the Commission. Each week a different conference across the world is specifically in prayer for this Commission and the church. The Commission will report back at a called General Conference in February 2019. [This sounds like bureaucracy worthy of the Vatican! Or maybe one of Patriarch Bartholomew's Pan Orthodox Synods. Is this what John Wesley intended? Truth to be determined popular vote in a commission?]

The General Conference is a global group of delegates equally represented by clergy and laity. This Conference meets every four years unless a General Conference is called. The General Conference is the legislative branch of the church and is the only group who can speak for The United Methodist Church and establish church polity. [So truth is subject to popular vote by clergy and laity? Christ has spoken - 'the Creator made them male and female' - and there is no vote.] Our Bishops apply the polity of the church in ordering the life and practice of the church. [Christ orders the life and practice of the Church which is His Body, His Bride. The Bishops are required to teach that as part of the sacred office into which they were consecrated as the successors of the Apostles. What they are required to teach is given in Sacred Scripture and the writings of the early Church Fathers. It's that simple.]

The 2016 General Conference action was to leave the current stance of the United Methodist Church as is and give the Commission on the Way Forward time to prayerfully discern recommendations. However, some churches, conferences, and jurisdictions chose to step outside the Discipline of the church. [These people stepped outside the requirements of Sacred Scripture and 2000 years of Sacred Tradition on their own human recognizance.]

The issue at hand is that a self-avowed practicing homosexual was elected Bishop in California. [First, this person is a lesbian and hence a woman, and no woman can be consecrated to the Episcopate or ordained to the Presbytery. Second, the person (being unrepentant in her lesbianism) is defiantly and publicly living in sin, and thus can never be held as an example of Christian virtue to which the Episcopate is called. Third, throughout 2000 years of Church history Bishops are called to their Sacred Office and consecrated by the laying on of hands of two to three other Bishops, and through the Holy Spirit they inherit the mantle of the Apostles in teaching and preaching and leading.] Numerous official complaints from across the denomination were then filed. [Really! About time!] Our Judicial Council functions like the Supreme Court. When a person, church, conference, etc. feels that the polity of the church has been broken, they can take the matter to the Judicial Council for ruling. [This is not a feeling. It is a fact. A sexual pervert ignores to her spiritual detriment what St. Paul writes in Romans 1:26-27 - "God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural,  and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another."] The case of this election has been referred to the Judicial Council and a ruling is expected from them in the next few days. [The ruling had better be simple: repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.]

The current stance of the United Methodist Church in the Book of Discipline is that all people are children of God and are of sacred worth. [And that is why Jesus Christ died on the Cross - to save us from our sins, including the sin of lesbianism.] Therefore we will be in ministry to, for, and with all people. [The ministry is simple: repent! All of us: lesbians, sodomites, adulterers, fornicators, thieves, murderers, rapists, etc. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.] The Discipline also states that the practice of homosexuality is not in keeping with Christian teaching [Really? It violates Sacred Scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit! What would John Wesley say?], so we will not ordain self-avowed practicing homosexuals [nor should you - remember in 1st Corinthians 5:1-5 how St. Paul turned that sex pervert living with his father's wife over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh? Do the same to this lesbian! There is Biblical precedence! It is for her own spiritual good. In that way, maybe she will repent as that incestuous man did in 2nd Corinthians 2:5-11.]. Nor will United Methodist clergy preside at any same sex union or marriage ceremony. This will remain the position of the church unless it is changed by the General Conference. [The General Conference cannot change the authority of what the Holy Spirit has inspired - Sacred Writ. If it tries, then it has apostatized itself, greasing the skids to hell for innumerable people.]

Click here to read a letter from our Bishop, Paul Leeland. In essence, he points out that no matter how the Judicial Council rules, the polity of the church remains the same until and unless the global General Conference changes it. [No conference can revoke the requirements of Sacred Scripture and 2000 years of Sacred Tradition. You cannot undo what our Blessed Lord Himself declared.]

As we await all these decisions, we cannot sit back. We are still the church and God has called us to be in ministry and mission on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Then teach the sheep whom Christ entrusted to your care that sodomy and lesbianism will damn them to hell just as adultery, fornication, murder, theft, and rape would.] I invite you to keep the larger church in your prayers, as well as our congregation, as we seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and by God's grace, be the Body of Christ. [Then let us be faithful to what Sacred Scripture and 2000 years of Sacred Tradition state.]

Rev. Dr. Terry Moore
Senior Pastor
Weddington United Methodist Church

Nulla Ecclesia

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

I have not attended church for the past several weeks. I am disgusted with Pope Francis, the Argentinian Marxist Peronist. I am equally disgusted with Novus Ordo Masses being Protestantized. Further, I have attended a few Protestant services, but they are all invalid and invariably some heretical teaching is issued from the pulpit. And there are no Eastern Orthodox churches near where I live. And I can't go back to the Orthodox Anglican Church - too much bad history.

I am just disgusted and depressed. There is nowhere to go.

Auctoritas Presidentialis Exsecutiva de Indepentia Energiae

President Trump

Amici, Americani, et Compatriotae,

On March 28, 2017 President Donald Trump issued a "Presidential Executive Order on Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth." The intent of this order are to reduce or eliminate entirely those regulations which provide no objective public good but which serve to constrict the supply of low cost energy to the public. This order states in part:

(b) It is further in the national interest to ensure that the Nation's electricity is affordable, reliable, safe, secure, and clean, and that it can be produced from coal, natural gas, nuclear material, flowing water, and other domestic sources, including renewable sources.

Sec. 2. Immediate Review of All Agency Actions that Potentially Burden the Safe, Efficient Development of Domestic Energy Resources. (a) The heads of agencies shall review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions (collectively, agency actions) that potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources, with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy resources. Such review shall not include agency actions that are mandated by law, necessary for the public interest, and consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.

One would hope that this would do some good in removing the excessive regulatory burden on nuclear energy which for 40 years has been exacerbated by the US NRC giving acquiescence to every precautionary principle proposal of the liberal progressive feminist left. For decades the Marxist left has opposed nuclear energy tooth and nail, and that opposition has led to the ascendancy of natural gas. Now the Marxist left has a new cause - anthropogenic global warming from burning fossil fuel. Not for one minute do I believe they will change their tactics in demanding a return to a 19th century style of life where without electricity the life saving products of modern technology cannot exist: air conditioning, refrigeration, flowing water, sewage cleanup, night-time lighting, etc. It is time to smash the lie that is liberalism back into the sewer of refuse from which it came crawling out.

Homo aut Deus, Pecunia aut Creator - Quem Adoras?

Bolivian President Evo Morales Presents
Commie Crucifix to Jorge Bergoglio

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

I have been rather quiet the past few weeks. But this Sunday's Mass has really struck me hard. Indeed, for the past several Sundays, instead of the topic of the homily at Mass being the Gospel message of repentance and conversion, righteousness and holiness, it has been a message of giving money to and support of the Parish. Of course there is nothing wrong with those topics in and of themselves. The Parish and its priest does need our financial support. Further, three Sundays ago the homily began innocuously enough with a declaration that a series on the cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice) would be presented. On that Sunday the homily focused on generosity in time, talent and treasure, always a good topic. But the divergence continued and culminated yesterday.

The Gospel reading was the story of Jesus having healed the man born blind from birth in John 9:1-41. The shorten version was read: John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 and I always dislike that because the story is never told in context: key passages are missing. Nevertheless, the homily started rather nicely with a little anecdotal story followed by some sage words of wisdom on what had been read. Then everything fell apart. Instead of continuing with an exposition of the Scriptures, the priest invited a family (husband, wife and five children) to the pulpit to give their story on how they found this Parish and how wonderful it all was. The point of the Gospel story - that while the man born blind from birth was not born that way because he sinned, nevertheless, he still had to obey Jesus and wash in the pool of Siloam before he received healing of his eyesight. In other words, the people in the congregation were never told, "It doesn't matter that you didn't sin; you still have to obey in order to receive Jesus' grace in your life." Rather, they were told, "Look how nice your Parish is. See this wonderful family. Aren't we all one great big happy family. Now please contribute a few more dollars." In fact, there was a special passing of the basket to collect "commitment" cards in the best tradition of Benny Hill, Creflo Dollar, Federick KC Price, Joel Olsteen and all the rest of the Protestant televangelists. Truly I was disgusted.

Then later we heard about this wonderful billboard sign which the Parish financed to be displayed on a nearby major highway, portraying a visage of the Argentinian heretic and giving Mass times. Do these people really think that deeply conservative Baptists and Presbyterians and Pentecostals and Methodists living in the Bible belt south are going to be attracted one little bit by seeing a photograph of a man who has demeaned and maligned the person whom these people voted for the Presidency, who advocates unrestricted immigration from lands of Islamic fascism, and who supports every left wing economic program there is all in the name of social justice and the common good? Why not have a picture of Christ the King or a picture of the Crucifix on the billboard? Why glorify a mere mortal man whose divisiveness and intemperance is causing a schism in the very Church the sign is intended to support?

As I wrote on Facebook previously, the homily during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is NOT the place for personal testimonies by lay persons from the Congregation, nor is it the place for the solicitation of funding for this, that and the other thing. To parade a particular family at the altar as an example of anything during a Catholic Mass is as bad as rhythm & blues or rock & roll during a Protestant worship service. It edifies and glorifies the human over the Divine, and frankly I am damn sick and tired of it. I go to Mass to worship the living God Almighty, and to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. I don't give one hoot about anything else when I am there. Further, I am more convinced than ever that the Novus Ordo Mass ought to be shit canned into the sewage stream of history. It is far too open to abuse and sacrilege.

Indeed, I was frankly very surprised when this happened. The priest involved used to otherwise preach a very orthodox homily except for the last several Sundays. This change has occurred consistent with the influx of new members and the infusion of cash from their contributions into the Parish treasury.

I also note that the new and growing home developments in the area where I live have attracted transplanted refugees from liberal progressive feminism in the northeast and out on the left coast. These people are running away from the consequences of the failed liberal policies and programs which they voted for themselves, and now coming to South Carolina they want to re-create the failed Parishes and failed governments to which they were accustomed where they had once lived.

I am not a mind reader nor an empath, but it seems to me that some priests may get a feeling of self-satisfaction by catering to a majority who feel this way, especially if they have money. The old saying, "Money talks, bullshit walks" is so apt. I see it happening more and more. Catholics used to dominate places like Boston, MA and Syracuse, NY, but they turned liberal with the false gospel of social justice and the common good dispensed at the hand of Tiberius Caesar because they don't want to do the dirty work of helping the poor themselves. And when they move here because they screwed up the Parishes and governments where they once had lived, they set up the very same sickening liberal progressive feminist crap that I absolutely loathe. And for a priest to be successful with his bishop, he has to kowtow to them.

I knew something was wrong when I went to a Bible study about two months ago and was told to muzzle it. At first I thought that maybe I wasn't giving others enough time to respond to questions because frankly I do know a lot about the Bible (certainly more than the average Katholyck) as well as a smattering of Koine Greek and a bit of Latin. But the reality is that they were offended that anyone could possibly know what they already know. They wanted to feel good and self-assured in having the appearance and pretense of piety and sanctity without the substance. I did not return to that Bible study, nor shall I.

Truthfully, I think my days are numbered at that Parish and there is no orthodox Catholic Parish near where I live. None. It's all northeast / left coast liberal crappola. I hate it.

And PS, I won't give one red cent to the Church of Jorge Bergoglio. Not one. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

Pretosia Parva Liberalis Feministria Nivalis Crusta

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

Yesterday a liberal progressive feminist tweeted me that sexism is rampant in the American workplace (apparently she thought - correctly - that I am a conservative and I love authentic womanhood and femininity but despise androgynous feminism). This person had been a worker in the nuclear energy division of the US Department of Energy and is now employed in the communications division at the Third Way Organization (information all available from her public profile). Third Way is a think-tank that claims to be non-partisan and to embrace a middle road between right and left, but which really is a pro-abortion, pro-sodomite liberal leftist organization (yes, I looked up that organization's policy positions on such issues). This "womyn" in its employ is a late 20 something snowflake with a newly minted degree from liberal Academia and some research revealed that she has spent time protesting at women's marches and other such left wing causes. However, the point in all this isn't her history or identity (which will remain anonymous; she deserves her privacy), but to report that when I confronted her accusation of sexism in Western society with the facts about liberals murdering unborn baby girls by sex-selective abortion and Muslims enslaving, torturing and demeaning women in the Middle East, she promptly blocked me. She could not withstand being told that real sexism is what liberals do to unborn baby girls and what Muslims do to women in general. The facts did not fit in with the carefully cultivated paradigm of her delicate emotional feelings. Really, I was quite gratified to have been blocked, for I wrote nothing to demean her character or person, only pointing out the Truth. One thing that worries me, however, is this: the overwhelming majority of such young people who have been programmed by today's liberal Academia are just like her. They cannot tolerate the Truth because the Truth is contrary to all their preconceived notions and their entire world falls apart when the Truth is revealed before their eyes of denial. Just like an alcoholic dope fiend on booze and drugs (a condition with which I have a more than passing familiarity from my misspent youth), they are drunk on the euphoria of their fantasies of a self-created liberal utopia that edifies human ego above Divine Godhead, and the Truth of that Holy Divinity destroys their fantasies by pointing out that Heaven comes from God, not from some useless, worthless social justice program or some liberal progressive think tank, and that God demands repentance before sexism can be eliminated and not afterwards. Righteousness and holiness must precede God granting social justice and the common good. So I am blocked and I feel rather good about that. My work with this precious little feminist snowflake is done.

Homosexualitas et Archiepiscopus Paglia

Abp Bishop Vincenzo Paglia

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

The American Catholic blog has an entry today entitled, "Popewatch: Archbishop Paglia," in which the following report is provided:

The archbishop now at the helm of the Pontifical Academy for Life paid a homosexual artist to paint a blasphemous homoerotic mural in his cathedral church in 2007. The mural includes an image of the archbishop himself.

A person commenting on this entry stated:

The homoerotic Church painting is not Christ. It is anti-Christ. He has them caught in the nets alright, that is certain.

The LBGT community has a home in Heaven. They, like all pilgrim’s, must repent and cease in activities that are not befitting to the inhabitants of Heaven. The idea of Salvation may of never crossed Paglia’s mind since it’s possible he is having his form of Heaven now. Hope not. Let’s hope a Lenten miracle destroys the image.

I responded as follows:

[ The person above ] above is basically correct. However, I would reword one sentence from the simple:

“The LBGT community has a home in Heaven”

to the more complete:

“The Christian Church has its final home in Heaven; those with same sex attraction join that Church if they repent just as those with alcoholism may join it if they too repent.”

There is no community in Heaven except the Church. And St Paul makes clear in 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 that “…οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται…… βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν”

Which means:

“…nor effeminate nor sodomites…Kingdom of God shall receive.”

St. Paul was as usual precise. He used the term μαλακός to denote male receivers of penetration by males and the term ἀρσενοκοίτης to denote male givers of penetration to males. The English translations we get are sadly sanitized.

Here is the entire excerpt from 1st Corinthians 6:9-10 in Greek, Nova Vulgata and Young’s Literal Translation into English:

ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι θεοῦ βασιλείαν οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν; μὴ πλανᾶσθε: οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται οὔτε κλέπται οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὐ μέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν.

An nescitis quia iniqui regnum Dei non possidebunt? Nolite errare: neque fornicarii neque idolis servientes neque adulteri neque molles neque masculorum concubitores neque fures neque avari, non ebriosi, non maledici, non rapaces regnum Dei possidebunt.

Have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, the reign of God shall inherit

οὔτε μαλακοὶ = neque molles = nor effeminate
οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται = neque masculorum concubitores = nor sodomites
βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν = regnum Dei possidebunt = Kingdom [Reign] of God shall receive [possess, inherit]

It cannot possibly be more clear than that.

Pictures of this blasphemy follow. Note how Archbishop Paglia is depicted in the last picture.

Sacramentum Unctionis Aegrorum

Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,

Continuing with his series on the Sacraments, Father Kirby spoke on the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at Our Lady of Grace this Sunday. Today's Scripture Readings for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time included the following:

• God Never Forgets Us: Isaiah 49:14-15
• Rest in God Alone: Psalm 62:2-9
• The Lord Judges: 1st Corinthians 4:1-5
• Do Not Be Anxious: Matthew 6:24-34

Fr. Kirby opened the homily with a story about a fire in a warehouse. The firetrucks had arrived to put out the blaze, but it appeared all might be lost. The owner had some very important papers within his office inside the burning building. He repeatedly asked the fire chief to rescue those papers at all costs, even if it meant that the rest of the building should burn to the ground. The fire chief calmly responded that his men were doing everything possible to save as much as they could. The owner offered first $100K to rescue the papers and then $200K. Each time the response of the fire chief was the same. Finally a fire truck careened out of control and crashed through the side wall of the warehouse, reaching the office where the safe was located. The men in the truck grabbed the papers, put them on the truck and quickly backed out to safety. The owner was overjoyed to now have his papers and immediately wrote a check for $200K to the rescuers. He asked them for what they would now use the money. The driver of the fire truck responded, "We're going to get the brakes fixed." The moral of the story is that God will rescue us but often not in the way we envision.

In today's Gospel reading the Lord tells us not to worry about what we are to eat or drink or wear, for He knows we need all these things and He will provide. We however do not get to tell him how He ought to provide for our needs. The means, though, by which we invoke those graces are the Sacraments. Through them comes the ability by which we cooperate with God in His meeting our needs. One of these needs is often healing of the body, and the means of obtaining the necessary grace is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. James 5:13-15 states:

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise.Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

Fr. Kirby went on to explain that Protestants do not have the Sacraments, and thus do not have the graces of this Sacrament. When a Protestant minister or pastor meets with the sick and his family, it is for prayer, consolation and counselling. It is not to obtain the graces necessary for healing or for preparing for a holy death. While some Protestants like Pentecostals do a form of anointing of the sick, it is treated more as a magic formula: "You get sick, the Pastor anoints you, and you get miraculously healed." That can happen, but often does not. In fact, Fr. Kirby explained that recently at a healing Mass he had anointed more than 100 people and only three reports of divine healing were received. This account led me to recall what both my biological father (himself a Pentecostal) and my second AA sponsor of some 30 years ago said to me: we do not get to tell God how to heal. He usually chooses one of three ways: (a) divinely and instantaneously, or (b) through medical science or (c) by means of calling a person to be home with Him forever. The decision on which method should be used rests solely with God. We need to be purged of the arrogance and hubris that makes us think we can dictate to God: "The Pastor anointed him, now heal him immediately." My AA sponsor said that it may not be God's will to heal someone in that way, and I should learn a little humility, leaving the big decisions up to God because as an alcoholic I made a wreck of my unmanageable life.

Fr. Kirby also explained that one of the stumbling blocks he observed was at hospitals whose staff - educated solely in scientific materialism - often did not understand why a priest should be allowed into intensive care or the emergency room regardless of the condition of the patient. The idea that a man has a spiritual side which must be cared for is completely foreign to such staff. The one happy exception are Filipina nurses. Perhaps this is because the Republic of the Philippines is a Catholic country. No matter; when Father enters the hospital and a Filipina nurse is there, she automatically clears the way between him and the patient to perform the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick in order to prepare the man for whatever God may have in store for him: divine healing, healing by medical science, or a holy death.

ASIDE: my daughter-in-law, Abegael, is a nurse in the Philippines, so Father's story struck a resonant chord with me for I know how hard Abegael works and how devoted she is to her patients, and what a good Christian woman she is. END ASIDE

Father also gave a story about how he got sick one time in Rome and had to travel back to the US for surgery. The surgeon who would perform the operation had been called away from his vacation (or whatever) to work on Father, for which Father was grateful. Nevertheless, Father forbade the commencement of surgery until he himself made a good Confession (the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation) and received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Father recalled the surgeon pacing back and forth, but Father was insistent that he wasn't going under the knife until he made his peace with God.

Lastly, Father used the example of a terminally ill man given six months to live. Some people in this condition wait until the last minute to receive the Sacrament. This is a horrible practice because sometimes a priest may not be available at the last minute. Furthermore, often the person who waits to the last minute for requesting the Sacrament often ends up facing death in abject terror and that isn't what the Lord Jesus wants. The right thing to do is to ask for the Sacrament immediately on learning of the diagnosis so that the Church can accompany one on the journey to a happy and holy death if that is God's will.

In conclusion, the Sacrament is not about getting magically healed on the spot. It is about getting the graces needed to cooperate with God's will for one's life. That reminds me of something else my second AA sponsor would always say to me: "Lucius, you turned your will and your life over to the care of God as you understood Him in the 3rd step. That means that what God does with your life from here on out is none of your darn business. Your job is to cooperate with Him. As the 11th step says, '....praying ONLY for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.' That is all you are ever entitled to ask for."