Bp. Paprocki seems to be a “hard identity” Catholic. We need “hard identity” Catholicism.
That doesn’t mean being mean. That means being clear. “Hard identity” Catholicism doesn’t reject compassion or diplomacy or joy. That’s what liberals do. “Hard identity” Catholics wants it all: compassion, joy, reverence, clarity and fidelity in our cult, our code and our creed.
Back to Bp. Paprocki.
I saw this at the site of the Chicago Sun-Times:
Springfield bishop: ‘Blasphemous’ same-sex advocates wearing rainbow sashes won’t be allowed at Mass
SPRINGFIELD-The head of Springfield’s Roman Catholic diocese moved Tuesday to scuttle a silent protest by same-sex marriage advocates planned at the capital city’s largest Catholic church, calling their plans to pray the rosary for marriage equality “blasphemous.” [If you are not sure about what “blasphemy” is, click HERE. I’ll add that what they intend to do also sounds like sacrilege.]
Advocates for the Senate Bill 10 plan to attend a 5:15 p.m. Tuesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception as part of what organizers describe as a “loud Catholic Presence for marriage equality” that will wrap up a daylong rally in support of the stalled legislation.
But Bishop Thomas Paprocki, head of the Springfield Catholic diocese, said anyone wearing rainbow sashes won’t be permitted inside the church. [Reason #3 to bring back the Minor Orders and confer the order of Doorkeeper on brave, somewhat menacing men, perhaps with CCW licenses and lots of training. We could start with police officers. They have to give of their time, treasure and talent to Holy Church just like everyone else, right? Being Doorkeepers at Mass could be a way for them to see to the material (and spiritual) well-being of the Church!]
“It is blasphemy to show disrespect or irreverence to God or to something holy,” Paprocki said in a statement released late Tuesday morning. “Since Jesus clearly taught that marriage as created by God is a sacred institution between a man and a woman (see Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9), praying for same-sex marriage should be seen as blasphemous and as such will not be permitted in the cathedral.
People wearing a rainbow sash or who otherwise identify themselves as affiliated with the Rainbow Sash Movement will not be admitted into the cathedral and anyone who gets up to pray for same-sex marriage in the cathedral will be asked to leave,” Paprocki said.
“Of course, our cathedral and parish churches are always open to everyone who wishes to repent their sins and ask for God’s forgiveness,” he said.
People wearing a rainbow sash or who otherwise identify themselves as affiliated with the Rainbow Sash Movement will not be admitted into the cathedral and anyone who gets up to pray for same-sex marriage in the cathedral will be asked to leave,” Paprocki said.Fr Z kudos to Bp. Paprocki.
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I’m sure the MSM will spin this to make it sound as if the Inquisition is back in force. Hope spins endlessly…
It’s about to get ugly in Springfield.
I can’t remember the gentleman’s name, but I believe he was a Bishop, who was accosted by two naked women at a function. Remember, they threw water on him? It was a terrible thing to see. They need to be prepared for that type of thing and more. This is a direct and wanted confrontation by the activists. They have hijacked Catholic prayer for their evil purposes. Publicity and chaos, the goal. I hope the dioceses plans accordingly. Please see the website MassResistance for what they might expect. The National Organization for Marriage probably also has footage available of these types of scenes.
These are dangerous situations. People can get sick just from the stress and upset. I wouldn’t let Grandma attend Mass at the church that evening, and certainly not alone. Keep children away. They don’t need to see Satan’s minions doing what they do best.
Let’s pray for a good outcome, but as the good bishop has rightly defended the Catholic faith, everyone there ought to expect outrageous behavior. Gay rights activists are not known for decorum or respect for the rights of others.
Yes, they need door keepers. Probably a police presence. But depending on the political atmosphere in Springfield, they may find, as in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, that no matter what the gay activists do, disrupt, scream in people’s faces, throw things, that the police do…nothing. The powers that be, in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, have made it clear they will not impede gay activists in any way. In Rhode Island, Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage was concerned about all the small children that were caught in the maelstrom of a rally that was going on. The police did nothing. So, it depends on the political climate.
Cool heads. People need to keep cool heads. The website MassResistance may have some suggestions, or you can write to Brian Camenker, the head of MassResistance, and ask him for recommendations. Brian has lived this stuff for years, and while he may look a bit like Clark Kent, he is all Superman. So is Scott Lively, who has just announced, of all things, that he is running for governor of Massachusetts.
The poor Bishop of Springfield (IL) is obviously obsessed with so-called “homosexual marriage,” isn’t he? Worse yet, he’s not being inclusive. After all, all these people want to do is pray the rosary for their cause.
And, Fr. Z, calling for knuckle-dragging some Neanderthals to guard the doors to the cathedral to keep these Catholics out! What must you be thinking?
Must not the Church be all things to all people if the Church is ever to get all of those disaffected Catholics to come back and warm the pews again?
Perhaps the Holy Father will call Bishop Paprocki to Rome and straighten him out. He’s so retro!
I’m convinced a lot of Catholics are thinking this way today.
[My bad.]
Pray for our Priests, Bishops… I fear this is just the beginning of their test.
That’s my bishop! God bless his Excellency, Thomas John Paprocki! Not for nothing has he chosen St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher for his patrons.
The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has come a long, long way since the dark years of the 1980s and ’90s.
Kathleen, that would have been the great Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard of Mechelen-Brussels in Belgium. In the face of such violent adversity he also gave the perfect example on how to act: pray. It was really quite inspirational to see the archbishop respond the way he did. Not that stopped any loonies: a few weeks ago he was once again treated to a pie in the face.
Kudos to Bishop Paprocki: we need a firm voice against such nonsense and a loving response to any nastiness that will occur.
The archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, mgr. Léonard, has been subject to several assaults by extremists. At one occasion they threw a cake in his face, at another occasion feminists threw water on him. Each time he remained very calm. In fact, after they threw the cake in his face, he responded that at least it tasted good! His dignity makes the brutalness of his assailants all the more clear.
* When I clicked on “Preview”, I saw that Incaelo has already given almost the same explanation.
Sigh. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the local Knights of Columbus protect the cathedral, but alas, they are scared of their own shadows, or worse these days. But one can hope!
God bless this true shepherd.
tominrichmond: I have been a Knight for almost 25 years in St. Louis, Missouri and I can assure you my brother Knights do not fit your categorization. We would be there at our Bishop’s beckon and call and obediently do his bidding. Sounds like you need to elect new leadership if the plight of your Council is a true rendition of it’s character.
Oh, let them into the cathedral…just never let them out, again. Call it the roach motel principle.
The Chicken
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First of all, it is the month of the rosary. I would think it best to encourage people to pray the rosary if they find it to be a meaningful devotion. This could be a teachable moment regarding using the rosary to pray “for” things. [?!?] The rosary properly understood is a reflection on the paschal mystery, it is not an amulet to be wielded for one’s pet projects. [?!?] The idea of prayer as something we use to get what we want is not helpful. [So… Catholics never petition God in prayers? Can’t we pray for the Rosary “for” something and also meditate on the mysteries we designate along the way?] I think the bishop’s overreaction reinforces a primitive notion of prayer. [sssNAP! Wow! I almost got whiplash from that last one. And yet you said that the Rosary isn’t for pet projects…. like the one the activists wanted to bring into the church.]
frjim4321: “The idea of prayer as something we use to get what we want is not helpful.” That must come as a big shock to Jesus Christ. You know, “Ask and the door shall be opened…” “…how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him…” etc.
I’m probably wrong on this Fr. Jim but isn’t October the month of the rosary because of a pope way back when who was praying that our guys beat the oakum outta the ottomans? Primitive notion? yes they Turks were.
Fr. Jim,
Would it be a primitive notion to pray for our daily bread?
Praying the Rosary for same sex marrige? I think they have aproached the wrong Lady about this matter! They should be ashamed of themselves.
Bp Paprocki is a real hero!
Earlier this month we had a Rosary Rally outside our church. People sat on folding chairs in full view of the street and quietly prayed the rosary.
I wonder if the people planning to take part in this “silent protest by same-sex marriage advocates” — described by organizers as a “loud Catholic Presence for marriage equality” — were planning that type of rosary?
Jesus said to ask the Father for whatever we need, and that He’s not going to give us a snake instead of a fish, or a stone instead of bread. The prayer of petition is one of the four main types of prayer.
Now, that said, it’s true that it’s not right to treat God as a vending machine and prayers as coins. We are asking humbly, knowing that the answer could be no; and He is giving freely, according to His plan and His schedule. There’s no contract; there’s a covenant promise of Him caring for us as His adopted family. But it’s not just polite to ask for what we need; it’s urged and commanded of us.
I once knew a Catholic guy who refused to pray for anything, out of misguided humility. He ended up becoming first a neopagan, and then an atheist. He loved Mother Teresa, but I could never get him to understand that it was prayer (heck, heroic amounts of totally dry prayer), as well as good deeds, that made her like that.
Volunteering for door guard duty — now there’s a form of “lay empowerization” I could get behind. Relatedly, finally got a CPL class scheduled!
I was taught the acronym ACTS to remember the forms of prayer
A–Adoration
C–Contrition
T–Thanksgiving
S–Supplication
Catechism sections 2623-2649 is more detailed but, praying for intervention and supplication is in there and to accuse people of doing it like a talisman is to rashly judge them of superstition. 2111. You can find the teaching on rash judgement at 2477, but I’m guessing we all know what it is.
I wonder if these activists would even be able to finish an entire rosary, or if they would give up halfway through and find the activity too “monotonous and traditional” for their sensibilities.
Dawgs.
Why can’t there be nice, well-trained, freshly shampooed, on-duty para K-9s brought into our churches?
Like companion dogs for the disabled, they might wear a special vest with identifying markings.
Such dogs can be trained to warn, to approach, to snarl, to growl, to bark, to menace, but never, never to break the skin.
Dawgs. Lots and lots of dawgs. You can’t go wrong.
Just watched Michael Voris’ “Gay Rage” Vortex episode. satan will not stop his attacks so we must fight back with all means available to faithful Catholics. Our Lord and Our Lady will triumph. We must be faithful to the end.
God bless you all as you fight this spiritual battle.
God bless you Bishop Paproki. Your courage and example are inspiring. You are a true man of God, unafraid to stand against evil regardless of personal cost You are always in my prayers. And God bless all faithful and courageous priests and religious!
The Mass in question took place LAST night, on the same day as a big pro-SSM rally. There were, apparently, no incidents or confrontations. Meanwhile, there was a large rally for traditional marriage today that (from what I could tell looking out the office window) drew about 2,500 people, as opposed to about 3,000 for the pro-gay marriage rally.
Bear in mind that while Illinois may be a notoriously “blue” state, Springfield ain’t Chicago, Boston, San Francisco or even Madison by a long shot. Local voters actually lean Republican and all the liberal activist type gatherings I’ve seen — from Occupy marches to union rallies to the local gay pride festival (yes, there is one, but it’s pretty low-key and hard to tell apart from an ordinary street festival) — have been rather tame.
Bishop Paprocki- Warrior Bishop!
“Meanwhile, there was a large rally for traditional marriage today that (from what I could tell looking out the office window) drew about 2,500 people, as opposed to about 3,000 for the pro-gay marriage rally.”
Bookworm and all – may I make a humble suggestion?
I was at a retreat at the Mother of the Redeemer retreat center (known as “The Farm”) in Bloomington this past summer (not coincidentally, it is staffed by FFI priests). The retreat master that weekend was Fr. Bill Casey, C.P.M. (outstanding priest).
Fr. Casey touched on this topic of SSM(?). He told us not to call Holy Matrimony “traditional marriage” because of the simple fact it suggests there can be “another type” of marriage. Instead, Fr. Casey told us to call it “True Marriage” because there is *no other* type of marriage.
Makes sense to me!
MSM
The Bishop has become one of my heroes! God bless him!
I would LOVE to be a Doorkeeper, by the way. I am 6′-4″ and 230 pounds. Plus I have a CCP. Oh how I would love to be a sanctioned, trained Doorkeeper!
Mike
I was excited to have a letter (note) from Bishop Paprocki today! It was not about same-sex marriage. He was pleased to receive a copy of my book http://www.amazon.com/A-Report-Sinsinawa-Dominicans-Today/dp/0615887082/ , which I sent him because he and Bishop Blair are assisting Archbishop Sartain in reforming the LCWR. Day before yesterday I had a letter from the Executive Director of the LCWR thanking me and saying she looked forward to reading my book. Bishop Paprocki could quiz her on it.