"Send your children to a state university where they will learn to fight for their faith and not a Catholic university where it will be taken from them!"---Archbishop Fulton Sheen
The topic: The recent uproar over the scandals caused by Notre Dame and Georgetown - two allegedly Catholic universities - means good people are standing up in defense of a few Church doctrines.
---In Notre Dame's case, the college openly defied the Church's doctrines on the sanctity of life by inviting to their commencement exercises the pro-abort president of the U.S. Not only that, ND wants to bestow an honorary degree on him.
---In Georgetown's case, the scandal is an even greater sin because it breaks the 1st and 2nd Commandments, a great offense against God and Our Lord's Most Holy Name. At the White House's request, the school covered the name and the symbols of Jesus. Why? It was all done in preparation for President Obama's arrival to make a speech. In a word, Georgetown bowed to the demands of a mere man who wanted to neither stand in the presence of the God Man's Name nor even one of His symbols.
(If, perchance, you don't know enough details about the outrages mentioned, please take a quick peek on this article about Notre Dame and this one on Georgetown.)
In the meantime, there's a big fuss, but it seems there is a big fuss because, collectively speaking, we still don't quite 'get it': The scandals created by these two colleges make sense - because for many long years neither entity has clung to the Church's doctrine on Christian education. That could only happen because the two schools do not cling to the Church's consistent teachings on the three necessary societies and their relations to each other. Incidentally, the teachings on these topics (Christian education; the three necessary societies) are reiterated in the 1929 encyclical, Divini Illius Magistri (On the Christian Education of Youth).
To repeat: These two great scandals, perpetrated by universities considered Catholic, are simply more proof that we still don't get it. (More on 'what' we don't get in a moment.)
Theme: What is the reason for the big fuss? Did anybody out there really believe either Notre Dame or Georgetown was still Catholic? Furthermore, does anyone really believe that signing a petition will change anything for the better? Certainly, it's a good idea - but it won't accomplish the desired end.
Very telling is the fact that the 'powers-that-be' behind Notre Dame and Georgetown even dared to come up with their nefarious ideas and, even with their "Catholic cover" totally blown, continue to ignore the outcry of bishops, cardinals and lay faithful. Now couple those scandals to the increasing bad news of world-wide confusion, chaos and revolt.
Conclusion on Secondary Catholic Education: Archbishop Fulton Sheen passed away about 35 years ago, but his keen observation on where not to send Catholic secondary-level students still stands today.
What We (in the "collective" sense) Still Don't Get: The Church is under siege, from without and within. These two recent "Catholic" college scandals in the United States are only additional symptoms of the disease. Catholic universities thumb their noses at cardinals and bishops, yes - but an even greater number of Catholics (lay and hierarchy) thumb their noses at the Extraordinary Magisterium and he who must guard it - the Pope.
The disease is mortal; its name is modernism, the synethesis of all heresies.
The Ultimate Conclusion and the Only Cure: To establish the right order of society, which must be under the Kingship of Christ our King, God has never asked us write or sign petitions, to dialog, to join in protest marches, etc. We who recognize "the signs of the times" bear a great responsibility to do what the Church has always taught:
---Pray and sacrifice, while encouraging others to do the same, so that God's Will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. Prayer and sacrifice is a Catholic's daily duty, which in turns means fidelity to God's Laws, the laws of His Church and to our state in life.
Those two means are our responsibilities to God and man. Above and beyond them, we must always ask God, through the intercession of the Virgin Mother, to grant us the only cure for the terrible disease afflicting these last days of the Modern Age.
When are we going to understand the time is long past-due for the collegial consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?
Excellent, Marianna!
ReplyDeleteI was recently at a Catholic homescooling mothers retreat. The wonderful priest answered our questions for a very generous amount of time. When the conversation meandered to how he felt socialism was already here, it seemed to follow that communism was on the way too. So I asked that if this were the case then wouldn't it seem that Russia WAS spreading her errors and communism and the consecration had NOT taken place....to which this very Marian priest agreed! He also believes that Our Holy Father believes it has not happened. Sadly, like in other troubles Pope Benedict has, he can not garner a collegial consecration from the Bishops, they are not supportive enough in numbers great enough.
Yes, prayer and fasting....