Recently, Cardinal Mahony set the media ablaze by posting a blog about
humiliation and even insinuating that he is a
scapegoat. In most cases, I would be attacking the media for distorting Catholicism; however, in this case I share their outrage.
Cardinal Mahony has no right to claim that he is a scapegoat. All the attacks and hate he has received comes from his lack of action in defending God's most presence human beings: minors. The arrogance to present yourself as a victim when you allowed priests to abuse minors and then tried everything possible to protect those perverts from the law is disgusting.
The Cardinal writes:
"
I have tried to live out--poorly and inadequately far too often--his two implications of humiliation:
1. the acceptance of being scapegoated, pointing out the necessary connection between humiliation and redemption;
2. this scandal is putting us, the clergy and the church, where we belong--with the excluded ones; Jesus was painted with the same brush as the two thieves crucified with him." (Carrying a Scandal Biblically)
Scapegoated? Are you kidding me? Your eminence, you sowed the seeds that eventually grew into a tree with vines that is whipping and choking you. Moreover, to use the scandal and claim that it is a world against us thing is ludicrous. The world would exclude the Church in the spiritual sense because it believes differently than us, not because of crimes the world has every right to call attention to.
Those in the Catholic Church who aided and abetted the abuse of minors are not being hated because of the Catholic Faith. They are being hated because of their abuse of power, corruption and lack of action in defending the real victims, instead of the perpetrators of crime.
In his "
Called to humiliation" post, he writes:
"To be honest with you, I have not reached the point where I can actually pray for more humiliation. I'm only at the stage of asking for the grace to endure the level of humiliation at the moment."
The humiliation is part of the package when you are expected to live up to Christian values and instead behave like a CEO covering up criminal activity. The outrage the people have is justified. As Catholics, we fight to protect the young, especially the unborn from abortion. Naturally, we will be upset if our own leaders are protecting perverts who infiltrated the seminary system and took advantage of innocent minors. It would be hypocritical to defend the unborn and turn a blind eye to the abuse of the born.
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"Anna" Queen reptilian alien from "V" 2009
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Cardinal Mahony is no stranger to controversy. In the 90's, he upset Catholics by allowing all kinds of strange "Catholic" manifestations in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
One of the most infamous ones is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels which has a statue of the Virgin Mary that looks more like a Pagan goddess, a Lesbian, or even desperate Irish singer
Sinead o' Connor or the alien "
Anna" from the 2009 remake of "V."
The cathedral itself looks like a hospital on the outside and inside looks like an Egyptian pyramid of some sort. It does not look like a Catholic building, in my opinion.
The structure of it does not set up the psyche for worship or contemplation. This cathedral was built in the spirit of "modernism" by using distorted interpretations of the Vatican II council documents.
Furthermore, Cardinal Mahony had a huge fight with EWTN's Mother Angelica. Those of you who have watched Mother Angelica when she was live on air, or watch her reruns which were not edited know that Mother Angelica was no push over. She spoke her mind and spoke it loudly. She was not afraid to question the hierarchy, but without becoming a dissident like other religious sisters who feel it is a men vs women thing in regards to their role in the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Mahony wrote a Pastoral letter in 1997 regarding Sunday Mass which according to Angelica, reeked of modernism. Mother Angelica publicly called him out on it only to receive backlash from him. He demanded that she recant her opinion and even went to the
Vatican to take canonical action against her. He cited Canon 753 and 1373 in his defense:
Can. 753 Whether they teach individually, or in Episcopal Conferences, or gathered together in particular councils, Bishops in communion with the head and the members of the College, while not infallible in their teaching, are the authentic instructors and teachers of the faith for Christ's faithful entrusted to their care. The faithful are bound to adhere, with a religious submission of mind, to this authentic magisterium of their Bishops.
Can. 1373 A person who publicly incites his or her subjects to hatred or animosity against the Apostolic See or the Ordinary because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry, or who provokes the subjects to disobedience against them, is to be punished by interdict or other just penalties.
After much back and forth, Mother Angelica eventually apologized to
Cardinal Mahony. Mahony took it to heart that a Franciscan Poor Clare questioned his teaching in his pastoral letter. Ironically, the Vatican did not answer his request to punish Mother Angelica and he refused to go on air to discuss it with Mother Angelica at the invitation of Bishop Tobin.
Can someone say EGO?
I think the Cardinal let the "Prince of the Church" title get to his head a bit. He is now claiming to be a scapegoat after documents show that he tried hard to obstruct justice in regards to perverted men who rose in the ranks of the priesthood.
*Cardinal Mahony, during this Lent you should meditate on this verse:
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." - Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived! You cannot live on Earth believing the anger expressed against you is part of Christian suffering. You legitimately did wrong by your own choice and are reaping what you sowed. There is no way around this. This is not a Cross Christ gave you. This is an anvil you threw in the air which now came crashing down on your head.
No one is persecuting you for your faith. They are angry at you because of your criminal actions that are not befitting of a Cardinal - Prince of the Church.
Take the hint: When your
successor publicly admonishes you, then that means what you did is serious. Don't go and respond to your successor or write on your blog pretending to be the victim. It is an insult to all Catholics and non-Catholics.
My advice to Cardinal Mahony is to take a vow of silence. The more he speaks out, the more he adds to the fire. As a Spanish saying goes,
"En Boca Cerrada No Entran Moscas" (In a closed mouth, no flies enter.)
Or as President Lincoln said,
"Better to remain silent and be considered a fool, then to speak up and prove that you are a fool."
Show that you are humble by skipping the 2013 conclave. I think the world will relax its attack on you if you do this noble act.
