My completely mental misadventures...
I am thrilled with what can only be interpreted as an honorable mention on another Catholic blog!
Everyone who reads me knows I've always tried to eschew honors. Close friends know I've rejected invites to join blogomerates, contribute articles to the NCR, go on speaking engagements, as well as nominations on blogger award projects - including the awards - never even posting the little labels one used to get, and so on. Likewise, except for a couple of breaking news stories, I have always tended to ignore news portals which picked up an occasional post of mine to feature. Neither have I posted a resume or bibliography of such syndication. It's not humility - really. Honestly, I'm more embarrassed that someone might mistake something I wrote as important - I'm not very smart.
The proof that my reticence is not humility is in the fact I do not allow anonymous comments which may be inhospitable or negative towards 'me self'. Of course I really do dislike flattery, because I'm easily deceived by it and become very proud of myself. Again, that's not humility either - because when I fall, I am so upset and ashamed of myself and embarrassed, whereas the humble man rejoices in being found out and exposed to shame.
Today is different - 'the fool lifts up his head in laughter'. As I said, I was given 'honorable mention' on another blog - written by a very intelligent man - by another obviously sophisticated and scholarly gentleman. I was so amused and taken with the attention that I had to share this honor - no more false modesty from me. I will no longer tolerate it in myself. No. No. No.
Without further ado...
From a post entitled: Possessed by the devil:
Abbey Roads invariably reminds me of this:
I'm not worthy!
No one has ever done this for me before - ever. I can't recall ever being honored with a film clip before. Of course, I was honored once by David L. Gray - but after complaint (see, toldya I'm not humble) he removed the slander.
I never knew people discussed me off-site - off my blog.
People still notice me! They still pay attention to me! I'm not a washed up old blogger!
Life is beautiful!
Every time I think I'll quit blogging, someone goes and does something like this. In fact the comment in response to the video clip was equally as nice:
Indeed, Dale. And I’m all but certain Abbey Roads would consider your comment here not “nice”: http://abbey-roads.blogspot.com/2014/08/st-alphonsus-ligouri-kindly-saint.html(Be sure to read through to the label on the post to catch the latest in passive-aggressive moralistic error.)
I'm so grateful. I'm not worthy. I mean it.
I would also like to thank those who dropped me from their links, excluded me from their Followers -
Many thanks and praying God's blessing upon all of you.
Dale Price has talked about leaving the faith for a while now, and he recently said he wasn't Catholic anymore. He needs prayers. I don't know why he thinks the Church is the hierarchy (it's not), and so if the hierarchy is going south (which I don't believe--Kasper's speech was soundly and even harshly rejected--like comments by Ruini and Brandmuller) then Catholicism is finished/bankrupt. In an odd way, he commits the same error as the Francis-luvvers he lambastes. His diocese (which I lived in recently) has plenty of great parishes and and there are a half-dozen parishes that have the mass he loves (the old mass) on Sundays. He should love and take comfort in the local fruits around him. That is the Church as much as the Pope and all the cardinals put together. All the great reform movements in the history of the Church started outside of Rome, and outside of chancellory offices. That's all you need to know, Dale. Pax Christi.
ReplyDeleteYou know everyone! LOL! I don't believe I know these guys. I'm not sure how I was picked up by them - but I did enjoy the video and getting mentioned in that way. It's much better than flattery. I used to pick out videos for bloggers quite awhile ago now, but they seemed to take it the wrong way and I've tried to be nice - even though some of the same people don't like 'nice' Catholics.
DeleteInteresting that some of the very staunch Catholics consider leaving the Church when they are disappointed - there's a parable about that - the one about the sower. This is why the fathers used to test converts/reverts - sometimes for many years. I think Philip Neri had something to say about it but I can't recall at the moment the exact quote, it was about the newly converted not teaching or attempting to lead others until they more or less proved themselves through purifying trials and temptations or something like that. Margaret of Cortona was kept back for 3 years or so before she was even allowed to enter the Third Order Franciscans. I often think of Fr. Corapi and how soon after conversion he was ordained and then let out on his own.
Nevertheless, the key is perseverance and following Christ - growing in grace, wisdom and knowledge. Sudden spurts of fervor and mystical consolations - even visions are no guarantee of holiness or perfection. Of course you know that.
Patient endurance is the path to salvation.
I know of a few bloggers who fell away and 'left the Church' as it were. They may return - we can pray that they do.
I found two maxims from St. Philip that may apply:
DeleteWe must often remember what Christ said, that not he who begins, but he that perseveres to the end, shall be saved.
We must not be too ready to trust young men who have great devotion; we must wait till their wings are grown, and then see what sort of a flight they make.
A blogger, writes of another, "nameless," blogger who I assume to be Dale Price but I do not know one way or the other, the following, which, I believe, could just as easily be applied to Dale even if it was not written in reference to him:
ReplyDelete"a blogger - to remain nameless - I know is close to separating himself from the Church. Pray for him, please. His problem, as I understand it, is that he is too honest a man to close his eyes to the appalling contradictions of this current papacy. His tragedy is that many intelligent and eloquent Catholics have attacked him for his always level-headed and even-handed criticisms of Pope Francis's words and actions. Our blogger, besieged on all sides by verbal diarrhoea, thus has come to the conclusion that if Francis's defenders represent Catholicism, he, the blogger, cannot be a Catholic. Something is profoundly wrong in a Church where people are so loyal to the pope that they will defend him even in his most egregious moments and question the Catholicity of others for finding fault." (cf. The Sensible Bond from yesterday)
It will go without saying that I agree. People who distort the actual place of the Pope in the overall 'structure' of Catholicism while putting others down for supposed dissent or lack of charity in turn distort the Faith itself and cause scandal.
"Bullshitters bestride the stage and sprinkle their papal dust on everything by way of justification, while good men cut themselves in incipient self-hatred for being so out of line, for refusing to accept the distortion of the hall of mirrors."
DeleteAbsolutely.
I have no idea who or what you are talking about. You surely must have me and this blog mixed up with those you seem to support. I don't get it. I really don't.
DeleteThe original post and subsequent comment mentioned Dale Price. After reading another blogger reference an "unnamed" Catholic thinking of leaving the Church, I thought that blogger was referring to Price, but I'm not certain. Regardless, what that blogger wrote (what I quoted here) could well be applied to Price. Part of the reason there is confusion is not just because of what the Pope *may* have said, but because of the blowback from other Catholics against those whose Catholicism has been put on the rocks due to the confusion.
DeleteSome Catholics give the impression that they're being faithful when they treat the Pope's every utterance as the pinnacle of orthodoxy. I think they're wrong and doing damage in the process.
Terry, if you don't start making some drastic changes to your blog content, there won't be any Catholics left.
DeleteIn all seriousness, when a person starts to go a little sideways, it's not other people's fault if they react badly to someone else's plausible line of reasoning. Terry's reading of things may be more or less right, but it's plausible anyway. On the other hand, I honestly can't wrap my head around why Dale would let the sayings and doings of some of the hierarchy affect his faith in our 2,000 year old faith. Seriously, he knows of the warnings of Our Lady of Akita, Sister Lucia's mysterious, leading claim, "In Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be maintained." Why is he surprised at things he sees (or thinks he sees)? Moreover, around 1980 a Catholic could honestly wonder if there'd be any substantial remnant left in a few decades. But now we have deeply Catholic young bishops like Sample, Cordileone, Connell, Aquila, etc. I prayed for him and others like him at mass today, but I just don't get it.
I came through all of which you speak Scott. I was an altar boy before Vatican II. Though the Church has weathered difficult times there has always been good bishops and good priests, as well as fervent religious communities. I was drawn to these throughout the years you reference. I stayed away from radical/progressive 'new' theology and ecclesiology, and centered my life and devotion upon the Eucharist, true devotion to the Blessed Virgin, Scripture and authentic Catholic teaching - as later defined by the new catechism as well as the old. I had no choice but to attend Masses which were valid pretty much only in terms of the Consecration - the words of institution were intact. Today there is adoration - in the 70's it was quite rare - but I found churches who had exposition. I was often the only one there. On campus I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament at the Newman Center in a closet where the tabernacle was kept. I was thrilled to be alone and so close to the Blessed Sacrament. I made confessions to priests whom I had to beg to give me absolution because they told me I was unable to commit a mortal sin. Others told me that homosexuaity was a gift from God and I had to celebrate it, and only reluctantly would they give me absolution and a penance for sins I committed. I actually knew what was going on with clergy long before the sex scandals broke. I lived through this stuff. But always there were good priests, good bishops, good religious. God never abandons his children, even in the worst exile. "Though a thousand fall at your right - you shall not fear. If you cling to him in love, he will free you." That's from Trappist Compline - it is how the Lord takes care of those who trust in him.
DeleteRemember that.
"Due to the increase of evil, the love of many will grow cold." And, "When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on earth?"
Be faithful. Remember Lot's wife.
Congratulations, buddy! I'm so so proud of you! A movie clip -wow!!!
ReplyDeleteIn 500 years' time, historians will tie the fall of the faith of many in the West to the rise and popularity of the blog.
"I don't have time for confession! Someone in the Catholic blogosphere is wrong!!!
They know who you are. Some of them link to you. Better be careful commenting here.
DeleteI am careful, Ter. I always wear my tin foil hat when reading your blog.
DeleteCongrats are in order! Terry, your blog will endure to the end!
ReplyDeleteWas that Susan Sarandon's young ex-husband in the so-called lead role?
Funny...