Well it looks as if things are chugging along just fine in NYC. I saw some of the angry comments and some of the pleadings for preaching of the absolute truth. The very center most nut of the core of The Roman Catholic Church’s truths, tradition and gospel that must be preached. I do not know if their is a human alive that can meet these expectations. I think the the thing that is to bad is all the anger. Father Mike Hammer of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (where you know me from) used to do little reality checks for us as we sat in the comfy chairs at the Cathedral of St.John the Evangelist.

“My dear friends may I only remind you that we surely are not in hell — thank God! and this is certainly not Heaven that we are living in here on Jackson Street in Milwaukee. This is the earth. This is where we live on earth with the rain and snow and the mistakes and temptations that come with the earth. Things will not be perfect here and that’s OK by me. ” (paraphrased)

Some times the Church is like the U.S. Navy. Generally there is always a pamphlet a book or Manual that can guide you in the direction that you can go if you want to follow her teachings. The Nihil Obstat and imprimatur assure us that there is no doctrinal error. It’s OK, just relax, read the books and learn more. Here in Milwaukee we have the St Clare Center for Lay formation where anyone may attend and be formed according to the USCCB’s “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord” the approved method for Pastoral, Human, intellectual and Spiritual formation of Lay-Ecclesial Ministry. ISBN 978-1-57455-724-4. Some fantastic people can really help you here.

My experience is that God is in charge and he will not let me down. I am OK when I study these good books and works of Vatican II and keep my life consistent with them. I still enjoy it that you paint with a broad brush and everyone gets to participate and be part of the good news. Thank You

Peace be With You!

David Fulwiler
Archdiocese of Milwaukee

What I have to say here are hard words though, and I pray that you post them in the spirit of truth, transparency and intellectual honesty. These are things which are discussed by dads and moms in my circle of friends all the time. I mean this with love for your Holy office which is Christ… not with any disrespect.

The Church’s many self inflicted wounds today are directly related to a loss of the sense of personal sin wherein many of our ecclesiastical leaders accept the folly of the “fundamental option” and even indirectly teach it. In other words, many in authority do not seem to believe in the Four Last Things (death, judgment, Heaven, Hell).

Therefore, Catholics who wish to be faithful to the magisterium in all things big and small owe a debt of gratitude to the secular media for bringing the crime of sodomy (regardless of the age of the victim) into the light of day. For there is a connection between contraception, sexual perversion, lying, materialism, abortion, and a loss of the sense of the sacred.

I know more than a few solidly Catholic families who have fled from the diocesan systems in order to avoid a modernism which is part of the “hermeneutic of rupture” that our dear pontiff has periodically mentioned. We laymen are to blame too… I’m not looking to duck my own failings in life.

It is a false ecumenism, tacit toleration of moral evils in our own ranks, doubt in the veracity of the gospels, a feminization & protestantization of the way Mass is offered (to the detriment of the sacerdotal, I’m sorry to say), a loss of the sense of the Kingship of Jesus & Queenship of Mary which have only invited distortion & persecution. We become neutral in our own cause.

As far as I am concerned… the chaos today is all about Fatima. I will never sever my canonical ties with the True Church that you help lead… but I often doubt if many of the true bishops have the True faith.

May God bless & protect you in leading New Yorkers toward the salvation of their souls. Nothing else that you do (except for the saving of our souls and your own) is terribly important. May Saint Peter protect and assit our dear Holy Father Benedict. The “Wolves” he worried about are not from the New York Times. Many wolves are among us, many “hired hands” are guarding the sheep fold. Many enemies are “advising the bishops”. Please be a true shepard and lay down your life, no matter what the cost. Do it for my children and grandchildren. Do it for Our Lady!

Ave Maria
Robert Fox
Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY

Citing the facts calmly does. The Times is not able to do that, much to their detriment.

Larry, I hear you on the foreign born priests. I think that is a lack of faith of the so called “Greatest Generation.” Where were the vocations from their children that God fostered? They might have won WWII, but they lost the spiritual war when it came to passing on their faith. Sure, some did, but the vast majority turned to the culture for their values.

I do believe that the New Evangelization of Pope John Paul II will give us a new generation of priests. Vocations are up in the US. Let us pray that these young men hear God’s call, answer it, and we as parents encourage priestly vocations.