Tacky, tacky
A group called "Catholics for the Cardinal" staged a rally in support of Francis George yesterday at Holy Name Cathedral as he tries to recover from the St. Agatha sex-abuse nightmare; though the group's press release promised 500, the Chicago Tribune said the number was about 100.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the rally included zingers like this: " 'People hate Cardinal George because he stands for the truth. This is the truth,' said Chicagoan Kelly Ames, talking through a bullhorn and waving a rosary made of redwood beads. 'We cannot lose him. We cannot let people get him down.' "
What in the hell are these people thinking? And what truth can she be talking about? The truth in this case is that George and the archdiocese royally screwed up. These people should be having a rally in support of the people at St. Agatha, of survivors of sex abuse. Write George a personal letter of support, but don't compound the archdiocese's inaction by staging a callous demonstration.
Adding insult to injury, Chicago priest Thomas Hurley of young adult-oriented Old St. Patrick Parish actually used his Sunday homily to defend Daniel McCormack, the priest at the center of the controversy. Hurley argued that since he'd known McCormack for years, he was sure the allegations were false. What a good use of a homily! That will keep those folks in church!
On top of it all, the Chicago archdiocese is currently in the middle of its annual appeal, in which parishes are required to participate. Yesterday was the Sunday priests were supposed to preach about the appeal; the next two Sundays are "commitment Sundays," when parishioners fill out their pledge cards. Great timing.
Add to this a cryptic letter Chicago-area priests received from Cardinal George encouraging any of them living "double lives" to come forward, according the local news, which evidently received leaked copies of the letter. I'll bet that's good for morale, and I'm sure all the priests in question are lining up right now.
To me it looks like just another case of finger-pointing and blame-dodging. And it's not going to do a thing to keep children safe.
posted by CtotheL @ 5:20 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Speaking of that appeal, in our parish on Sunday we learned that mandatory means that if a parish doesn't meet the goal that has been set for it, the balance comes out of the operating budget. So it's really just another tax, isn't it? I just might write "no taxation without representation" on one of those pledge cards.
And at that same parish, the presider & assisting deacon opened with both the Confiteor and the Kyrie (except our organist, smart guy that he is, started the Gloria before deacon fella got further than Lord ha. . .). What is with this? It's not the *people* who need to beat their breasts and cry out "mea maxima culpa" right about now.
I wish the ordained class would quit projecting their guilt and sorrow onto us. They're the ones who need to pray for mercy -- we want to pray for justice.
one parish on Chicago's southwestside is going to sprinkle its buildings with holy water to wash away the evils of the 4 priests that had been at that parish at one time or another!!
Who comes up with this stuff?
For the appeal...each parish's "goal" is 6% of the annual operating income. If the parish doesn't do the appeal as dictated from the 32 page instruction booklet and attend a training class, then the parish will owe the "goal" money to the Arch. If you do what they say, then you get out of reaching the "goal". What a racket.
To "aud",
When the Confiteor is said, the Kyrie is also said immediately after it. If you're going to criticize the clergy, make sure you know what you're talking about yourself, lay-person-fella.
"lay-person-fella."
Tom has helped proved Aud's point about the self-loathing of the clerical state which appears under the form of a superiority complex. What a terribly condescending way to refer to someone.
Tom's attitude apparently came with all his frilly clothes in that big, big closet.
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