Bad Priests, Bad Men


At Off the Record, there is mention of a Jesuit who died. He is quoted in his obit as saying that "The only thing wrong with that bloody Turk (who shot Pope John Paul II) was that he couldn't shoot straight". What a horrible, evil, nasty, hateful, vile, disgusting, cold, immature, and childish man. This reminds me of a priest of my diocese, still alive, who a couple of years ago publicly said he "can't wait for Mother Angelica to die". When I emailed him about this he admitted it was perhaps an overreaction, but quickly added that she overreacts to things too. This "priest" occupies a powerful position in this diocese. He belongs on the same ash heap as Kung, Shanley, Geoghan, Ritter, McBrien, and this dead Jesuit.

Therese and Ground Zero

Therese was no The Passion of The Christ. The movie makers wanted to capitalize on the appeal of The Passion and its "grassroots" way of marketing. They were smart to do this, but first they should have made sure to make a excellent film like The Passion. The music was nice, some of the scenes were beautifully shot, and some of the acting was good. People afterwards mentioned they would have liked to have seen her visions in the film. My girlfriend, who has a special devotion to St. Therese had this reaction: If she did not already know alot about St. Therese and had not read books on her, then she would have left this film wondering why she was a saint. I added that you wouldn't have a clue why she was a doctor of the Church either. I was glad to see a decent crowd in the theater in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, and I wished the story had been a little better. Highlights would be the scene of Therese escorting an elderly nun down a hallway while listening to music in her head, the nuns putting together the Joan of Arc play, and the finale of the film which left some people moved. Overall, not bad but I wish the filmakers would follow the advice offered on the blog Church of The Masses: Make good films that would appeal to everyone! When I was leaving the movie theater I couldn't help but think: Catholics have the greatest and the most number of stories to tell. We could be pumping out dozens of great movies just on the Saints alone. We need to be able to tell our stories on film in a way that will appeal to anyone who likes a good story. Therese was a start, but only that.

After the film we stood in the lobby wondering whether to eat first or go to Ground Zero. We were by a giant window on the fourth floor when I noticed to our right was Ground Zero. We did not realize it, but the movie theatre was in the Embassy Suites building that had been damaged on September 11th and reopened in the middle of 2002. Since it was closer than we thought we walked over the pedastrian bridge and to one of the viewing areas. It is not as big as you might imagine. People were taking pictures like tourists and that made us feel a little uneasy. So did the tables with merchandise picturing the twin towers, etc.. I expected it to be like a giant memorial or something, but it is actually just a construction site. Just a big hole with trailers, dirt, and some steel and concrete. The giant ramp that descends into the pit is what I recognized first. There is an information booth with pamphlets and drawings of the future of the site which people were studying with interest. I don't find anything particulary good or interesting about the future site design. On the fence are pictures of the history of the twin towers and the attacks of September 11th. There is also the names of everyone who died at Ground Zero that day. The Cross at Ground Zero looked small but was the only thing that made me feel like this was a place of tragedy. The buildings around Ground Zero bore testimony to the day in a more real way. One giant building, probably 40 stories high, was completely covered in black netting. ( I just looked it up on the internet and this was the Bankers Trust building and was exactly 40 stories high- I found information on the area buildings by going into the Ground Zero Interactive Map at this site.) I just hope that when they rebuild the site, they will make sure to create a place where people can come to cry, to remember and to pray.

I will probably be going to see the movie Therese in Manhattan today. I am not expecting it to be great based on the reviews and trailer. Christians in the arts should take Barbara Nicolosi's exhortations to heart. Anyway, since we will be near Ground Zero I will go there - something I have avoided for 3 years.

I learned from Open Book that Toronto's new poet laureate is also a priest. I then found some of his poems - check out :

The Priest

The Science Masquerade

and especially Male Rage Poem

I love the internet (and St. Blog's) because I find stuff like this out there! In a way, I wish I had the internet in high school or college, but then again, I might have never left my room.

What does this mean: I like raunchy comedy –done correctly. I always thought Benny Hill was hilarious, was once a huge Howard Stern fan (now find him old and pathetic but still tune in), and I thought American Pie was a classic.

Am I immature?

A hopeless product of my culture?

A sinner who just can’t be good enough?

Stupid?

All of the above? Why do I find this stuff so funny?

Michael Davies, RIP

According to Kevin Tierney at Restore the Church, Michael Davies has passed away. I heard Mr. Davies speak at the last Latin Mass Magazine conference in Montvale, New Jersey. I purchased two of his books, Lead Kindly Light and Saint John Fisher which have mostly gone unread. He was sick at the time of the conference and I felt awkward having him sign my books but he graciously did it - although my polish surname was quite the job for him. I feel blessed to have met him and grateful for the work he did for the Church. I am still conflicted with regards to traditionalism, the Novus Ordo, etc.. but have been grateful for all traditionalists and what they have taught me.

Priest sues over hospital firing

"A Catholic priest dismissed as chaplain from Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola has filed a $12-million lawsuit against a patient's widow, Winthrop, the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre and Newsday.The lawsuit says the priest, Rev. Cajetan Uchendu, was fired unfairly after a patient's family accused the priest of refusing to administer last rites to Charles Miller, a leukemia patient at the hospital in March 2003. "

I personally know that this priest had previously gotten into trouble with the politically correct hospital chaplain staff for his being "rigid". It is too bad the Diocese did not back him up because, like most African priests he was orthodox, strong and manly. I believe him when he says he gave this man last rites.

The following letter to the editor appeared in today's Newsday (the anti-Catholic, circulation-inflating, dishonest newspaper). It was a response to yet another silly article by Dick Ryan, a dissenting Catholic wannabe:

"Dick Ryan ["LI Catholics hold the key to reforming the church," Opinion, Sept. 14] has entered the world of frenzied fantasy with his latest attack on Bishop William F. Murphy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and other church leaders. Ryan thinks the bishop should sit down with a group - Voice of the Faithful - whose specific objectives include ousting the bishop and strangling the diocese and the parishes with it by denying financial support. That's like asking President George W. Bush to invite the Taliban into the White House.

Like all other Catholic associations, Voice of the Faithful has a right to exist and to express its views. But the notion that this group speaks for a large number of Catholics on Long Island is fanciful. If these people really want to talk to the bishop, they should put away their cudgels and acknowledge that their demand that the bishop resign and their call to parishioners to suspend all contributions to the diocese were mistaken. Acts of war do not generate an attitude of trust." [emphasis mine]

Msgr. Daniel S. Hamilton

Editor's note: The writer is pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Lindenhurst


Tell us how you really feel Msgr! I am proud to say I served Mass as an altar boy for Msgr. Hamilton when he was living at our parish and working as the editor of The Long Island Catholic. Sometimes he would say a private Mass right after the 8 am Mass before he would go to work. We called him Superman because his face, jet black hair and black glasses made him a dead ringer for Clark Kent. Although he now has white hair he is still a super man, and frequently writes letters to Newsday and The Long Island Catholic. Msgr. Hamilton is one of the few great priests of this Diocese and should serve as a role model to the Young Fogeys here.

Gen X Long Islanders might want to check out the Faith on Tap session on Monday night. It is held at The Wantagh Inn starting at 7 PM. The topic will be "21st Century Women - Exploring the Prospects of Christian Feminism". Here is the poster for Monday night -

Sometimes I check out the SiteMeter to see who is linking to my site or what searches bring people to my blog. I found two articles from searches-

Someone searched for "catholic+church+in+saudi+arabia" and it helped me find this article on muslim persecution of Catholics.

Someone searched for "school scandals chaminade" and I found this National Review article from 2002 that mentions 3 of the priests and brothers that educated me!

"The Passion of the Christ," Jewish Pain, and Christian Responsibility:
A Response to Mel Gibson's Film

This thing just drives me crazy:

"Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of the Christ,” has now been released in DVD and video format for private use. This occasions deep concern among us...."

Why would there be concern when the movie became one of the most successful movies of all time? Suddenly there will be riots??

"we also acknowledge that many who see the film are honestly unaware of its anti-Jewish elements."

The writers of that sentence must be honestly unaware of the arrogance and condescension they have towards us stupid moviergoers.

" We do not mean to attack Mr. Gibson personally or to call into question any viewer’s faith. "

Which would set these people apart from many who previously attacked the movie.

"Passion plays have had a painful and violent impact on Jewish communities from medieval times into our own. "

I get the first part of this sentence, but when have Passion plays had an impact in our own times?? Have people been killed by anyone coming out of a Passion play lately??

"we must express our continuing concern about the effects of this film"..."Simply noting that antisemitic violence has not occurred gives us minimal comfort"

Well at least they admit antisemitic violence that many predicted did not happen. So why are they so concerned?? Are Christians blowing themselves up in order to kill Jewish people? Are Christians hijacking airplanes to kill people who support Israel? Are Christians listening to clerics denounce Jews from the pulpits? Are Christians teaching children that Jews are apes and monkeys? Are Christians making the news almost daily for killing those of other faiths? Are Christians taking children hostage and then killing them in order to create a Christian state?

Honestly it just gets tiresome to see such "concern" about what might happen to Christians who watch this movie when there is REAL antisemitism in the world. I can't stand it anymore - perhaps I need to go on retreat and do some T’ai Chi Chih or get some polarity therapy. Anyway the Catholic League responds to this garbage here.

From a reader (yes I have one!):

Holistic Fair

"At Our Lady of Grace Center in Manhasset on September 29, almost a hundred people treated their bodies, minds and souls to a Holistic Spirituality and Wellness Fair which featured almost 20 workshops led by professionals of massage, T’ai Chi Chih, reflexology, polarity therapy, nutritional counseling, yoga, and Pilates, among others."

"Although the center has been a retreat house since 1980, it wasn’t until five years ago that the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary decided to give it a more holistic flavor. “We realized that we have bodies as well as spirits,” said Sister Mary Dawson, a staff member at the center. “This is the adventure of the times: we are whole persons.”

Requiescat in Pace

NYPD Detective Patrick Rafferty, 39

NYPD Detective Robert Parker, 43

"The partners were slain when a career criminal allegedly grabbed Parker's gun and shot them in the chest in East Flatbush. "

Police find man they say carjacked vehicle in Massapequa with toddler inside

This is very close to home.

Newsday Drops Bomb, Falls To 18th Among Dailies

"Prepare for more surprises. Tribune's new figures for Newsday and Hoy regard the circulation numbers for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2003 and the six-month period ending March 31, 2004. But the Press investigation suggests the fraud goes back more than a decade and that the newspapers' final circulation revision will eclipse even Tribune's most recent restatement. "

The Long Island Press is enjoying exposing the dishonesty and corruption at Newsday. I am enjoying this also. This paper is incredibly anti-Catholic and I am glad to see them fall. The only reason Newsday has the circulation it has is because it is a monopoly here on Long Island. There is no other daily paper and this island has a population of 2 million well-educated readers.

You know you are a Catholic Nerd when you spend 30 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym because the TV in front of it is showing Robert George on CSPAN II. He was giving a speech at Ave Maria Law School and it was difficult to hear him over the booming music, but the speech was on politics and the Catholic Church. He is now doing Q & A.

HOLY OUTRAGE

"Under a new clause added to handbooks distributed last week at the archdiocese's 289 schools in Manhattan, The Bronx, Staten Island and upstate, students and parents must agree to not sue the archdiocese, their parish or school over disciplinary and academic measures such as expulsion or being held back."

This is much ado about nothing. At my Catholic high school students and parents have to sign a statement saying they read the student handbook. The handbook is sent to every student every year and unless they have that signed card the first day, the student would not be allowed to take classes.

A Catholic Blog for Lovers has an amazing picture of Notre Dame cathedral, freshly washed.

Grieving a fallen Marine

"In a homily during a funeral at St. Agnes Cathedral, in Rockville Centre, the Rev. James Williams lauded Winchester as a "real man," who demonstrated moral courage by backing up his convictions with actions, and not just empty promises."

"I liken his sacrifice to that of Jesus," said Williams, Chaminade's president, who was Winchester's religion teacher during the Marine's first year in high school."