Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Massachusetts Priest Attacks Holy Father From Pulpit

 The Rev. James J. Scahill greeted people after Sunday’s Mass.
The Rev. James J. Scahill greeted people after Sunday’s Mass. (Michele Mcdonald for The New York Times)

(So, a NY Times photographer just happened to be there....)

From La Salette Journey:

More hypocrisy from the liberal corner of the Catholic Church.

Fr. James Scahill, pastor of Saint Michael's Parish in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, used his pulpit yesterday to call upon Pope Benedict XVI to step down. Father Scahill accused the Holy Father of not being truthful but failed to back up his wild accusations with anything of substance. In other words, Father Scahill is merely regurgitating what he's heard from the liberal media or other anti-Catholic sources.

Interestingly, Father Scahill has received the "priest of integrity" award from the radical dissent group "Voice of the Faithful" - VOTF, an organization which has been referred to by many Bishops as "anti-Catholic." See here. One is known by the company one keeps. But enough of Father Scahill's fantasy. His groundless accusations are a matter for the Catholic League to address.

But I am reminded of a pro-life prophet I defended some two years ago at this Blog. Remember Deacon Tom McDonnell from the Diocese of Buffalo, New York who was criticized by his own Bishop, Edward Kmiec, and many throughout the Catholic media (mostly those in liberal circles) - but sadly also Deal Hudson - for having the courage to correct the errors of U.S. Representative Brian Higgins (for his pro-abortion positions) from the pulpit? Bishop Kmiec issued a statement saying that, "The pulpit is not the appropriate place for confronting a member of the congregation..." I refuted this silly notion here.

Why are the Catholic media not saying the same thing now? If the pulpit is "not the appropriate place" for confronting a Culture of Death politician, should it be used to attack the Vicar of Christ with false accusations?

Anyone?

Related reading here.

posted by Paul Anthony Melanson

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4 comments:

Fr. Erik Richtsteig said...

Newsflash, MA priest needs to be removed from the pulpit.

Deacon Bill Burns said...

We had a similar issue here last week. A priest (a JCL, no less) submit a reader's opinion to the local paper. While he did lay out some of the relevant issues, he made no distinction between what some bishops have done to worsen the scandal and what the Holy Father has done to address it. His juxtaposition of the issues with the Holy Father's name actually suggested a connection where none existed. Then suggested that a younger man needs to lead the Church through this crisis. Happily, our bishop rebutted his opinion within days, making it very clear that the opinion didn't reflect that of the bishop or diocese.

Fr. John Mary, ISJ said...

You either believe the Catholic Faith or you don't.
I don't care how many flippin' letters someone has after their name...they're either a Catholic or they are not.
And if they are not.
Ban them from the pulpit.
This priest needs a good retreat at the strictest Catholic monastery (the Carthusians, perhaps?) to reflect upon the dissident, idiotic and downright scandalous crap he is spewing...
Anybody heard of the English Reformation? Like maybe the only Bishop who defended the Church and the Papacy was Bishop John Fisher...a martyr?

Michael Cole said...

Is Father Scahill an abuse enabler?

http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/father-james-scahill-votfs-priest-of.html