Fr. Rutler's weekly

FROM THE PASTOR
April 18, 2010
by Fr. George W. Rutler

When the Church proclaims the teachings of the Risen Christ most powerfully, her antagonists pay her the compliment of getting angry, especially in the holiest season of the year. The Russian Orthodox, I am told, say that when God builds a church, Satan pitches a tent outside. In Holy Week, there were astonishing calumnies against the Pontiff himself. This is a backhanded tribute from the Prince of Lies, who knows that the Catholic Church is his one remaining obstacle to revising social reality. After the first Easter, Peter and John were arrested for their witness to the Resurrection. As soon as they were released, these first Christians prayed: “Lord, it is you who made heaven and earth and sea, and everything in them; you it is who said through the Holy Spirit and speaking through our ancestor David, your servant: “Why this arrogance among the nations, these futile plots among the peoples? Kings on earth setting out to war, princes making an alliance against the Lord and against his Anointed” (Acts 4:24-26). Satan characteristically twists reason to rationalize, and recently he has exploited moral corruption to discredit the Church, which is the guarantor of systematic moral philosophy. When hard-pressed, the Evil One eventually reveals the hysteria behind his syllogisms. Decent journalists have been embarrassed by the bigotry and lack of professionalism in attacks by some of the media, encouraged in no small way by some politicians. They have exploited inexcusable moral crimes among Churchmen, which are but a very small fraction (six out of 75,000 clerics last year) of similar incidents in secular organizations – from Congress and UN Peacekeeping Forces to the US Swim Team and public school educators. Credible voices now say that the Catholic Church is the safest environment for the young.

     I had a pleasant exchange with Mayor Koch, in response to thanking him for his article on this topic, which was published on Holy Thursday in The Jerusalem Post. He wrote: “I believe the continuing attacks by the media on the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI have become manifestations of anti-Catholicism … Many of those in the media who are pounding on the Church and the pope today clearly do it with delight, and some with malice. The reason, I believe, for the constant assaults is that there are many in the media, and some Catholics as well as many in the public, who object to and are incensed by positions the Church holds …” While Mr. Koch does not accept all of the Church’s teachings himself, he knows what is fair and is something like Nathaniel the Israelite “in whom there is no guile.” The first apostles prayed about their foes:  “And now, Lord, take note of their threats and help your servants to proclaim your message with all boldness, by stretching out your hand to heal and to work miracles and marvels through the name of your holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:29-30).” 

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