Roman Catholic Priest Gets a Spanking

When an Episcopal priest pulls a stunt like the following, he/she/them/they is/are praised, but when a Roman Catholic priest does it, he gets spanked.

From Fox News, 

A Nativity scene at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, a suburb of Boston, shows an empty manger with a sign reading "ICE was here," along with contact information for a group that monitors immigration enforcement in Massachusetts.

Rev. Stephen Josoma, the pastor at St. Susanna, said the church's peace and justice group organizes a display annually. Josoma told Fox News that they, "try to see what would it be like if Christ was born into the context of the world today, what would he be facing?"

Josoma calls the Nativity scene "religious art," and shared with Fox News Digital that it's intended to "evoke emotions in people."

"It's supposed to affect people deeply, it's supposed to move people, it's supposed to change people," Josoma said. "So, if this evokes a strong reaction, it's maybe good to take a look at that..."

...The archdiocese’s secretary for communications and public affairs, Terrence Donilon, told Fox News Digital in a statement that the sign was "divisive political messaging," and called for its removal.

"The people of God have the right to expect that, when they come to church, they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship — not divisive political messaging," he wrote.

The statement further said the church's norms "prohibit" using sacred objects for any other purpose than, "the devotion of God's people." 

"St. Susanna Parish neither requested nor received permission from the Archdiocese to depart from this canonical norm or to place a politically divisive display outside the church," wrote Donilon. "The display should be removed, and the manger restored to its proper sacred purpose."

Josoma has used controversial Nativity scenes in the past. He has used them to send messages about gun control, climate change, and also reportedly had baby Jesus placed in a cage separated from his parents during Donald Trump's first presidency in 2018. 

The archdiocese should have done something about this priest in 2018. I don't recall if they did or not, but I suspect not because further research on the subject shows that this priest has been in and out of trouble for a while.

From Leo Lyon Zagami in 2018,

Way back during Cardinal Bernard Law’s tenure, Irish parishioners at St. Brendan’s in Dorchester were scandalized to see their pastor, Fr. Ron Coyne and his ‘co-pastor,’ Fr. Steven Josoma, openly conducting themselves as a sexually intimate couple inside and outside the sanctuary.  They sought intervention from the Vicar Forane, Auxiliary Bishop, Cardinal Law, and ultimately the Holy See, and when it got to the point where the priests were reportedly simulating the Sacrament of Marriage in the sanctuary to homosexual couples, the parishioners called the Cardinal’s office and demanded the removal of the priests.  After both were sidelined for several years, under Cardinal Sean O’Malley they were reinstated as pastors.

 In 2005, Josoma played a part in a skit at a parish event with another gay-advocating buddy (now-former priest, Fr. Bob Bowers). As reported by the Globe, their skit included a joke with sexual innuendo about comparing a part of the male anatomy saying “mine’s bigger”. Fast forward to 2013 when the pastor and parish were in the news again over plans to host a presentation by Austrian dissident priest, Fr.  Helmut Schuller.  The talk was part of a U.S. tour co-sponsored by 10 dissident organizations that publicly disagree with the Catholic Church’s teachings that prohibit homosexual activity, gay marriage, women priests, and married priests. Co-sponsors included gay-agenda-advocates like DignityUSA and New Ways Ministry, as well as Call to Action, FutureChurch, Voice of the Faithful, and Women’s Ordination Conference.  Thankfully, Cardinal O’Malley banned the priest from speaking at St. Susanna’s, saying he would not allow anyone to speak on church property who advocates beliefs in conflict with church doctrine.  (We wish that policy were upheld more consistently, but more on that in a moment).  But why was Fr. Josoma on-board with having such a dissident present at his church in the first place?

I doubt this priest will ever be defrocked. 

A recipe for Advent

 This Sunday's reading is from Matthew 3:1-12,

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord,

   make his paths straight.” ’

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

 ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

That part about burning the chaff with unquenchable fire probably really chafes most revisionist preachers. They may not even notice since they usually focus their attention on how antiestablishment and countercultural John the Baptist was for his time. 

It is also possible that the revisionists will ignore John the Baptist because he was too far out there. I mean, who eats locusts anyway? 

Maybe locusts aren't all that bad. 

According to the internet,

"Locusts have a mild, meaty flavor that is often compared to shrimp or nuts. They can be cooked in various ways, such as frying or coating in chocolate, to enhance their taste."

Yummmm! 

Serve some up at coffee hour after church!

 

In Portland Oregon the Christmas tree is reduced to dead wood

 First they took Christ out of Christmas when they started calling it "Xmas," and the next move is to remove the Mass like they have done in Portland Oregon. 

From Fox News, 

Portland, Oregon, is under fire for again hosting its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony and nixing any mention of the Christian holiday, while leaders of the event instead waved a Palestinian flag and led the crowd in chants. 

"Free, free, free Palestine," a woman holding a Palestinian flag on stage of the lighting event said while leading the crowd in a chant Friday evening, before also singing the "Strong Woman Song" while joined by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which is a confederation of three native tribes in Oregon. 

The event was decked out in Christmas lights, a traditionally decorated tree and a visit from Santa Claus, but did not promote any mention of Christmas, with organizers instead advertising the festive occasion as "Portland's 41st Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony," according to social media accounts for Pioneer Courthouse Square, where the tree is displayed. 

Fox News Digital reviewed the Portland government's Facebook, X and Instagram accounts and found advertisements and footage showing the tree lighting, but did not include the word "Christmas." A calendar for the annual event shows organizers have bypassed calling it a "Christmas" tree lighting event going back to at least 2019. 

"Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony." Bah, humbug! 

Yet another reason to not live in Portland. 

They let doctors kill people there don't they? 

They are trying to kill Christmas too.

Jesus will prove them wrong just as he did on that first Easter morning so long ago.

Maybe that is the perfect reason to move to Portland and spread the Good News! 

Christ is alive! 

Celebrate his Mass!

It's a Christmas tree for heaven's sake!

Turn on the lights!

Advent 1: Keeping an open eye

 

This Sunday's reading is from Matthew 24:36-44. Are you ready for Jesus?

‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day* your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

The Wake Forest University Choirs, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Gilliam, premiere Dan Forrest's "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,"  

 

Giving Thanks

 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the pewsterhouse. Pewsterspouse will be flying overseas on Friday leaving me to dog sit the pewsterdogs and to prepare for an upcoming concert. We have a lot to be thankful for, and I pray that you too will thank God for your blessings. I hope that no one leaves Him out of their Thanksgiving Day.

Psalm 105

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.

34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,

35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.

36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.

We have a king: Christ the King

This Sunday is also known as Christ the King Sunday and we have a reading from Luke 23:35-43 as an reminder, 

And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.

I watched with disappointment as people recently engaged in "no kings" rallies because they did not appear to recognize that we do have a king and his name is Jesus. 

And he shall reign where'er the sun!

 

’

When a polyamorous same-sex 4-some showed up for a "Pop-up Wedding Fair"

I said it was just a matter of time before same-sex marriage led to the acceptance of polygamy by society. It looks like one church in Germany is leading the way.

From Premier Christian News,

The Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg has defended Lena Müller, a pro-LGBT minister, after she shared a picture of the blessing on Instagram, saying: “We are appalled by the hate directed at her. We stand with her and condemn these attacks in the strongest terms. We stand with those who are experiencing hostility.”

The four men had attended a “pop-up” wedding fair hosted by the church, where couples could receive a blessing without registering for marriage in advance.

The now-deleted post read: “Four young men said ‘yes’ to each other, celebrated love with us, and placed themselves under G*d’s colorful blessing.”

Lena Müller told NOZ: “You could see straight away that there was a lot of love between them.

“That’s why the team quickly agreed: What could God have against there now being four instead of two?”

The Protestant Church in Germany said the incident had not been a legitimate church ceremony, as the four men were not married under civil law.

In Germany, bigamy is illegal—but some exceptions have been made for Muslim immigrants who already have multiple wives.

What could God have against there being four instead of two she asked?  

Jesus answered that one,

“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’  ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:6-9

I guess they don't study that in seminary anymore.