Quite the news against Thomas Williams.
The usual routine. It was known. They swept it under the rug. Let him go about his public ministry uninterrupted.
It is not rocket science to know the man needed to be taken out of his ministry, given intensive spiritual counseling and assistance.
What was the hold up?
Money?
Just about the time reporters began sniffing around this story, the Vatican announced it was "opening an investigation" into the Legion of Christ priests.
If you can't crack that code, it means they'll have to mosey on into a vault where hundreds of thousands of letters are stockpiled detailing scandalous observations and allegations. At some point, they will emerge and express how shocked they are...shocked and filled with remorse.
The only vault bigger than the Legion of Christ belongs to the Jesuits. I think the Archdiocese of Boston is the third largest nastygram stakeholder in Roman real estate. LOL.
They've been getting away with these charades for so long, I suppose they are still unable to see the signs and know their meaning. Comprehend the house of cards crashing down around them.
Let nothing disturb your peace and unity with the Sacraments of Christ Church. We are in the Boat with Christ as the storm rages and people get tossed about. Don't be a fraidy cat. Be a vigilant watchman in your own life. Don't walk, run from the tempter who is ferociously consuming Christ's elect. Stay in a state of grace. Offer suffering, prayer for our brothers and sisters. Pray for the weak. Our priests. Bishops. Luminaries at the Vatican.
We ain't seen ugly yet. LOL.
3 comments:
Thanks for the reminder that we are in the boat with Christ, Carol - I needed to hear that! I think I worry most about having the courage to withstand what is to come, and the humility to not do the 'I told you so' when the masses finally wake up to reality (but rather pray for their souls).
An interesting question and answer of Fr. Williams in an interview in the February 9, 2009, issue of Our Sunday Visitor:
OSV: How was Father Maciel able to lead a double life in a religious community? Were there those on the leadership team who were aware of his sinful behavior?
Father Williams: I was close to Father Maciel for years and never saw anything that made me suspicious of his activities. I think these revelations have been a shock for all Legionaries.
This reminds me of the scene in the movie "Casablanca" where
Captain Renault (played by Calude Rains) says to Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart), "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here! [Rick's Cafe Americain]" while a croupier hands Renault a pile of money that he won.
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
In the Mother's Day sermon, Father T. said that it is not enough to be a "good" example to one's children if one wants to see them grow up virtuous.
He said the mother must be in the state of grace to be able to be a channel of grace to her children.
I have been thinking that unlike other religious foundations started by saints, the Legionaries had a "Father" totally incapable of transmitting grace to his spiritual children. The group was rotted at the head, and thus incapable of bearing good fruit.
Post a Comment