The bloggers have released their emails to Fr. Erikson. Do take the time to read them. They are quite powerful and uplifting.
The objectives of the proposed meeting have been, and remain, elusive.
Frankly, I think the Cardinal and his Cabinet are underestimating the interests and objectives of Catholics who see this period in the history of the Archdiocese, as one commenter rightfully characterized it, as "the turn the tables over in the Temple moment".
Clericalism that pervaded a period in history where Cardinals and their underlings coddled perverts and pedophiles is one and the same with the clericalism that pervades the current administration in the Cathedra of Boston: The bullying of clerics and lay people who want sexually active priests defrocked, and priests teaching sexual promiscuity removed.
We are up to our neck in bullies running the Archdiocese of Boston. Fr. Hehir's 40 year history of dissent now being cataloged at BHE is a threat to this administration. The Pope appears to be ignorant of what is going on in Boston due to the corrupt at the Vatican, whom everyone knows is an obstacle to getting the truth in front of the Pope. The corrupt continue to be successful in shielding and protecting the sexual (and abortion) mafioso on the ground in every diocese.
This is not acceptable reform.
ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
Fr. Erikson writes:
Good morning,
The objective of the meeting is to have a frank conversation about what is the best way to serve Christ and His Church. I believe there is much on your blog that is untrue and harmful to individuals and to the Body of Christ. I know of your convictions based on what you write in the blog. I hope our conversation would give you a broader frame of reference for future blog entries. I anticipate Fr. Hehir, myself and, perhaps, one or two of my colleagues from the Pastoral Center being present for this meeting.
Blessings,
Fr. Erikson
In a conference call with the bloggers last evening, (a few of whom want to move forward with the meeting with the archdiocese), I was frank about the font of skepticism springing forth from my interpretation of Fr. Erikson's email and the history of how the Cardinal handles meetings when people of good faith present him with trails of evidence of dissent and scandal.
I know of your convictions based on what you write in the blog. I hope our conversation would give you a broader frame of reference for future blog entries.
Actually, I think we know the convictions of the Cardinal and his team of advisors based upon what he writes on his blog, says in the newspaper and the power structure he has set up based upon these convictions.
What is the basis for any frame of reference that they are interested in bringing dissenters into conformity with the teachings of the Church so that those being taught misguided precepts will be brought into a state of grace? I don't see a shred of evidence there is consideration on the table regarding the objective to remove dissenters putting rings on their noses of practicing Catholics and leading them onto the road of perdition.
What we are after ( i.e., getting these misguided Catholics onto the road to salvation), has not been part of the tactical reforms coming out of the Chancery.
For example, when Fr. Hehir was a participant in the Booty Call Conference with Bishop Lynch (who for some "strange" reason was not removed from his position when a complaint of unwanted sexual misconduct was brought forth against him - the zero tolerance of unwanted sexual misconduct doesn't apply to Bishops policy) - the Cardinal called a chit in at the Vatican so he could post an entry on his blog about what an asset Fr. Hehir is to him and to Mother Church. It was an indirect and cowardly insult to the truth being chronicled at BHE.
Nobody would argue that Ted Kennedy, God rest his soul, inherited the right to a dignified private funeral in the Catholic Church. Instead, we got a political event in the Sanctuary sanctifying abortion and sexual immorality. Not to mention a lot of talk about "mercy" to grant themselves license to give a podium to the cast of characters - characters who have misled hundreds of thousands of people to their spiritual and physical death. They lined up Kennedy's family and approved testimony riddled with dissent and witness that the funeral, worthy of Catholic saint, with the Catholic Cardinal blessing the event, was the fruit of how Ted's played out 'faithfulness' to the precepts of the Catholic Church.
Catholics pointing out that the damages of this charade would be the false conviction that spending your life working for the "freedom" to decapitate infants alive does not impede our salvation - he dismissed as people doing a disservice to the Church, as he did when we released information that he had set up an abortion business through Caritas.
Meanwhile, as reported on Boston Catholic Insider, back at the Archdiocese of Boston clericalism dude ranch, priests selling sex in Catholic Sanctuaries are flourishing and empowered. Fr. Austin Fleming's and Fr. Hehir's ideas are seen as so consistent with truth, as the Cardinal sees it, they are given their own gig at BTCV. Fr. Cuenin, Fr. Josoma, Fr. Ron Coyne and other dissenters are Cardinal O'Malley's circle of advisors.
We have had meetings.
In fact, I have personally asked several times for a meeting with Fr. Hehir and have been declined.
We have sent letters and faxes.
We have taken the trail to the Nuncio.
We have sent the trail to the Vatican.
What was the result?
Cardinal O'Malley was appointed by the Pope to "fix" another diocese and Fr. Hehir was given a podium to receive an honor at the Vatican.
Ladies and gentleman, the time for meetings has passed.
We do not have the structures in place to remove priests and administrators who are selling sex and abortion inside of the Catholic Church.
Unity with people who sell sex and abortion inside of the Catholic Church is not all it is cracked up to be, actually. In fact, the Lord himself has set the enmity between us. We are not going to overcome the enmity in some cheap meeting where Boston bloggers are lined up to listen to their "broad perspectives" about how they want us to blog.
They're hoping we will sell the grace that left a trail of Precious Blood on the Via Dolorosa for a chance to smoke a peace pipe up the Chancery with the people leading souls into the crevices of Dante's Inferno?
Thanks but no thanks.
Get to a parish where the truth is taught and the Sacraments administered to faithfully so that we can remain in a state of grace. Strap yourselves onto the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord because the battle within has just begun and the seas are about to get rough.
If you don't get the gist of what I think about a meeting with Fr. Hehir and Fr. Erikson to listen to what they think, I introduce Nancy Sinatra to get the point across in a little jingle:
Are you ready boots?
Have a fantastic weekend!
