Good Priests Complaining About Sex Abuse Scandals

An Associated Press  article entitled Pope encourages priests disheartened by sex abuse fallout  published on August 4, 2019, addressed Bergoglio's acknowledgement of  "the 'pain' of priests who 'feel themselves attacked and blamed for crimes they did not commit.'" [1]

The article elicited a comment from Nick, a Yahoo!  reader.  It is quoted below as published [2]:

The Pope is a mockery as the Fisherman. He avoids what needs to be done. The Faithfull are moving away. The Church is a building, my faith is un God as welm as the teachings of Jesus. There are other Churches to pray in. The Catholuc Church is a. Institution. Something Jesus would actually frown on. Perhaps the next Pope will be more like Jesus than the Politucal man in the chair. Even the Cardinals can make a bad choice. They have many times before.

Nick may not have spelled all his words correctly but his observations and conclusions are flawless in this blogger's opinion.


[1] https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-encourages-priests-disheartened-sex-121213167.html
[2] Ibid.

2 August 2019 Apparation In Medjugorje

You Tube  has a video entitled Mirjana's August 2nd Apparition in Medjugorje (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lZFesKjyQ).

The apparition begins at approximately 2:39 -- https://youtu.be/g5lZFesKjyQ?t=159

Quoting from You Tube:  "Today, August 2, 2019, Our Lady appeared to the visionary Mirjana Soldo in Medjugorje." [*]  The message embedded in the video follows [1]:

Dear children, 

Great is the love of my Son. 

If you were to come to know 

the greatness of His love, 

you would never cease 

to adore and thank Him, 

He is always alive with you in the Eucharist, 

because the Eucharist is His Heart. 

The Eucharist is the heart of faith. 

He has never left you. 

Even when you tried to get away from Him, 

He has not [left] you. 

That is why my motherly heart is happy 

when I watch how you filled with love --  

return to Him, 

when I see that you are coming to Him 

by the way of reconciliation, love, and hope. 

My motherly heart knows that when you set out 

on the way of faith, you are shoots -- buds. 

But along with prayer and fasting 

you will be fruits, my flowers, apostles of my love; 

you will be carriers of light and will illuminate 

all those around you with love and wisdom. 

My children, as a mother I am imploring you: 

pray, think and contemplate. 

Everything beautiful, painful 

and joyful that happens to you -- 

all of this makes you grow spiritually, 

so that my Son can grow in you. 

My children, surrender yourselves to Him, 

believe Him, trust in His love, let Him lead you. 

Let the Eucharist be the place 

where you will feed your souls, and afterwards, 

will spread love and truth -- 

will bear witness to my Son. 

Thank you.

Apparitions in Medjugorje takes place on the second day of the month.  For those who would like to go back in time and view Our Lady's monthly messages in English, click on Stella Mar Films [2], then Videos [3].  This is the first time this blogger has come across this You Tube  channel.

[*] UPDATE August 4, 2019:  The quote was removed.  No reason was given. 
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lZFesKjyQ
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1t3cDTUVsClMsOQBgZsDw/videos

Political Chistians In Pakistan

The Pilot  reported that "70 people accused of blasphemy have been murdered in extrajudicial actions by mobs, said Peter Jacob, executive director of the Center for Social Justice based in Lahore, Pakistan." [1]

These 70 people are likely Christians even though the article did not state it specifically, but did state what Peter Jacob said: "Christians fear both the loss of their livelihood and displacement because the Pakistani law is 'vague' on what constitutes an insult to Islam or Muhammad, its founder." [2]

One has to wonder if they were truly Christians, for if they were true Christians, they would listen to and act in accordance with the words of Christ, quoted without paragraph numbers and footnote [3]:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If one sincerely loves one's enemies and prays for them, then it does not matter whether a law on blasphemy is vague or not.  How is it possible that sincere love and sincere prayer be blasphemous?



[1] https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=185508
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A43-48&version=NIV

Extremist Jewish Groups Target Christians

Agenzia Fides  reported as follows (separated here into four paragraphs) [1]:

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has denounced the recent acts of intimidation perpetrated against local Christian communities by extremist Jewish groups, considered close to the settler movement.

On the morning of Friday, July 19, 2019, in Jish, in Galilee, unknown assailants damaged cars and wrote slogans in offensive Hebrew against Christians.

The previous week, Friday 12 July, participants in a parish party held at the Church of St. James in Beit Hanina, a suburb of East Jerusalem, were hit by the launch of tomatoes and other objects thrown by provocateurs residing at the nearby Jewish settlement of Naveh Yaacov.

At least in the first case, the intimidating act is attributable to the groups that in recent years have hit mosques or Christian places (Tabgha, Beit Jamal, Latrun, the Dormition, etc.) in various ways, signing their own violent acts and their profanations with the "Price Tag" formula (the price to pay).

The Jewish people who have power have turned a blind eye to these reprehensible acts by a certain segment of the Jewish population.  By their silent acquiescence, they are therefore equally guilty of such crimes.

What would the State of Israel do if Jewish settlements are being pelted with tomatoes and other objects?  It is doubtful that it would do and say nothing, and turn the other cheek.


[1] http://www.fides.org/en/news/66394-ASIA_ISRAEL_Catholic_Bishops_denounce_new_acts_of_intimidation_towards_Christian_communities

Philippines Clerics Learned A Valuable Lesson

CBCPNEWS  reported that "[f]our bishops and three priests were accused of cyber libel and sedition, along with several [non-clerical] opposition figures", that "the accused [Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines] members [were] Archbishop Socrates Villegas, and bishops Pablo Virgilio David, Honesto Ongtioco and Teodoro Bacani", and that "[e]xcept for Ongtioco, [they were] known [to be] outspoken critics of [Philippines' President] Duterte’s controversial war on drugs." [1]

If they are unhappy with their president, they should keep quiet and  pray for a new one and for a Holy Father that is apolitical and truly holy.


[1] http://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/cbcp-chief-chides-sedition-charges-against-bishops-priests/

Solitude & Silence

Living in solitude and living in silence are two separate things.  The former is easy, the latter humanly impossible.

One can live a solitary life without social engagements, and on days when one does not need to work, one can be alone without seeing or talking to anyone.

Silence does not come with solitude.

Silence is not merely an absence of audible sounds, it is a continuous (rather than occasional) absence of thoughts, worries and desires.

To have this silence, complete fulfillment is a requirement which can only come from God.

Complete fulfillment is when one no longer desires anything, when the Holy Spirit has filled every void, when the longing to be united with God is satisfied and when the peace of Christ within is eternal. 

A Documentary: Into Great Silence (2005)

The movie, Into Great Silence, can be viewed online at

https://gloria.tv/video/xpZWrjBDm2JQ3pJAcq6RTenPv

It is a movie about contemplative life of Carthusian monks in France at La Grande Chartreuse.

The main language in the movie is a universal one: silence.  The two languages that can be heard are French and Latin.  The few bible verses inserted into the movie are in French and German.

The movie sometimes stops for some reason but it will continue, at times requiring a bit of clicking around.

The following is quoted from gloria.tv [1]:

The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. They responded to [Philip] Gröning 16 years later to say they were willing to permit him to shoot the movie if he was still interested. Gröning then came alone to live at the monastery, where no visitors were ordinarily allowed, for a total of six months in 2002 and 2003. He filmed and recorded on his own, using no artificial light. Gröning then spent two and a half years editing the film. The final cut contains neither spoken commentary nor added sound effects. It consists of images and sounds that depict the rhythm of monastic life, with occasional subtitles displaying selections from Holy Scripture.

Zeitgeist Films had this to say [2]:

Nestled deep in the postcard-perfect French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse is considered one of the world’s most ascetic monasteries. In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary about them. They said they would get back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready. Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming their daily prayers, tasks, rituals and rare outdoor excursions. This transcendent, closely observed film seeks to embody a monastery, rather than simply depict one—it has no score, no voiceover and no archival footage. What remains is stunningly elemental: time, space and light. One of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created, INTO GREAT SILENCE dissolves the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life. More meditation than documentary, it’s a rare, transformative theatrical experience for all.

There are other Carthusian monasteries besides La Grande Chartreuse.  Wikipedia  has a list of them [3].

Journeyman Pictures  uploaded to You Tube  a video entitled What's It Like to Become a Monk? [4]  It took place in Évora [5], Portugal, at the "Cartuxa Santa María de Scala Coeli (Escada do Céu)" [6].  The Carthusian monks and those hoping to join them there actually spoke in this video, with subtitles in English.

The seclusion of monastic life can be appealing but it is not for most men.  It requires courage, sacrifices and determination.  Those who are willing to commit themselves must have been called specially by God to live a prayerful and contemplative life mostly in silence and in solitude.

[1] https://gloria.tv/video/xpZWrjBDm2JQ3pJAcq6RTenPv

[2] https://zeitgeistfilms.com/film/intogreatsilence

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Carthusian_monasteries

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0HvQ50cnvE

[5] https://youtu.be/e0HvQ50cnvE?list=LLZ-92A_tcDaq6Y4pKbTUo_w&t=478

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Carthusian_monasteries