Be Not Afraid!!

Ever since Ted Kennedy's funeral, I have been doing a slow burn. I am feeling angry, very angry at some of the priests and bishops, (cardinals even!) who are betraying our Church by supporting "Catholics" who insist on blatantly ignoring, or worse, working publicly against the teachings of the Catholic Church. I am not judging anyone's soul here. In fact, when I learned of Senator Kennedy's demise, I experienced a moment where I clearly understood the enormity of the burden the Senator carried with him before the throne of Almighty God. It was horrific, and I experienced a profound compassion for Sen. Kennedy. I pray for his soul.

My anger is centered around the clergy who refuse to excommunicate, chastize or admonish these so-called Catholics. By refusing to proclaim the truth "in season and out of season", they not only betray Christ and his Church (and its faithful ministers), but they betray those of us in the pews who choose to live an authentic Catholic lifestyle. To those of us who have lived on one income in order to take care of and even home-educate the children God has blessed us with, and who have not only given up luxuries, but financial stability; to those of us who take seriously the Church's teaching to be open to life and practice (and struggle with) NFP; to those of us who have marched in pro-life demonstrations, prayed outside abortion clinics, prayed rosaries and fasted for the end of abortion or the protection of marriage, who have been isolated, persecuted and misunderstood because we stand for and live the teachings of the Church, and teach them to our children--to these heroic Catholic families, these unfaithful clergy say, "So what! Your sacrifice and fidelity mean nothing to me."

I know our sacrifices mean very much to Christ; and He is why we do what we do. I love my Church and my God and do not regret the choices we have made to live a truly Catholic life. It is time for us, though, to challenge the silence of these priests and bishops and hold them and the so-called "Catholics" they support acccountable for the scandal they are causing.

Before I let my emotion get the better of me, let me offer this link to an article by Erin Manning. She says it so much better than I could have.