Thursday, March 18, 2010

You Gotta Ask God About That

Sunday I posted this about Saint Nick's in Wilkes-Barre and their support of the Archdiocese of Washington's "Lenten Carbon Fast".

I was of the opinion that the fast from carbon did nothing to further the salvation of souls, and was therefore a waste of time and effort for Catholics during Lent.

Don't get me wrong, if you want to sign up for an e-newsletter from a green organization or let your clothes dryer "breathe" (two suggestions of the Archdiocese for Lent), then go ahead. But don't do it in lieu of true sacrifice or reparation during the Lenten season.

I had the opportunity to speak with Monsignor Joseph Rauscher, Pastor over at Saint Nick's and asked him some questions about the parishes support of the "fast".

At first he sounded reluctant to speak to me, but he agreed to answer a few questions.

I felt the best way to question Monsignor was to present certain situations and ask for his thoughts. Since I did not record our conversation I do not have exact quotes, I'll give you an overview. For future interviews I'll have to start recording if I can figure out how, with permission of the interviewee of course. I did take some notes, so any quotes are from that.

So I asked Monsignor who placed the documents in question in the church, and he told me "Sister Nancy and the parish social concerns". That right there set off alarm bells since I know that the "Leadership Conference of Women Religious" was in cahoots with the "Environmental Outreach Committee" of the Archdiocese of Washington to adapt this nonsense. It is exactly these "Sister Mary Liberated" types that have caused the Vatican to have a special investigation of women religious in America.

I asked Monsignor "Did you read it?" He replied "Not too closely." When I asked him if he thought that a "Lenten Carbon Fast" was appropriate to be promoting during Lent he replied with the normal "disrespect for others is disrespect for God", "we are called as Catholics to think of the environment", "respect creation and use it wisely", and then he said something about caring for the environment was a part of our Catholic heritage.

When I told him there was a school of thought that eco-spirituality is new-age paganism within the Church he laughed. He became defensive claiming I was "uncharitable and unchristian" for just calling him out of the blue and accused me of questioning his Catholicity. I wasn't questioning it before our interview. I am now, however.

When I asked him how taking a shorter shower was going to help get me into heaven he said "you gotta ask God about that."

Then after reciting some Al Gore talking points he said he had to go, took my name and number and said he would call me back.

That was on Monday.

Today is Thursday.

He hasn't called.

I emailed Diocesan spokesman Bill Genello two days ago on the topic and have not received a reply.

It's ok that neither of them got back to me. It's a touchy subject when someone questions the prevailing modernist thought. I wonder if the good Monsignor took into account his carbon footprint while he was burning last years palms to make this years ashes? I certainly hope he plans to discontinue use of the massive air conditioning unit at St. Nick's this summer. Open the doors and sweat a bit. It's good for the environment!

But really, there's nothing wrong with good stewardship of God's Creation, but we shouldn't make the mistake that Monsignor Rauscher is making by merging doing something nice for the environment with the penitential observances of Lent.

In Caritas in Vertitate Pope Benedict called for responsible stewardship while avoiding neo-paganism or pantheism.

Lent is a time to do penance for our sins and to make ourselves worthy of the Lord's Redemption. We should be concentrating on eliminating mortal sins from our life during this time by mortifying our senses and begging forgiveness for those sins we have committed.

Not think that if we put a lid on a boiling pot we are achieving salvation.

18 comments:

Christian said...

Well, without wading too deeply into this one, I have to say I had an ironic experience today, vis a vis your post. I was there for the Morning Mass (School Mass). The Mass readings (and homily) was changed from today's Exodus 32:7-14 and John 5:31-47 for readings and homily on the theme of Love your neighbor and forgive one another. (Not sure what specifically they were, the children read them).

Anonymous said...

Are you also questioning the Pope's Catholicity? Honestly, you really need to stop attacking priests and the Church. You don't realize the damage that you can do.

Catholic Reader

Anonymous said...

Well, at least a Monsignor has my back on this one! His responses did kind of mirror what I was thinking, and he got quiet once he realized you were turning it political (Al Gore) and I'm sure had no intent into getting into some political argument thus didn't call you back. Just my take on his responses. And ...sorry friend, but I like his responses about respecting God's creations and each other. I get that you don't want everyone to crack and get too soft and have the religion collapse (like this one priest I talked to, talking about how he wanted to do skits/plays instead of homilies forevermore...I was like...eww)...but...I think you turned him off with the political stuff and likening caring for our environment to pagan rituals.

And hold up a moment...maybe I'm missing something. But why you gotta be knockin' a Sister? I mean, nuns aren't just "liberal Marys" or whatever, necessarily, are they? They're nuns. Which is a long standing tradition within Catholicism, is it not? Catholic Encylopedia says "The institution of nuns and sisters, who devote themselves in various religious orders to the practice of a life of perfection, dates from the first ages of the Church, and women may claim with a certain pride that they were the first to embrace the religious state for its own sake..." They live their life serving God, the parish, the priests, the people, the community... humble and all that stuff. And yes part of what they do nowadays anyway is charity, promoting well being, outreach, etc. That's what they do. And I believe Jesus was charitable soul, too, so that's not just a liberal agenda or something in my eye. And like I said before with your first post on this. If our environment implodes, we're all dead too....so uh...it's for our own good deep down...

Anyway...uh...you're such a pot-stirrer! ;P ...And don't forget to take shorter showers!! Lol.

- L

Anonymous said...

Thank you for following up with this post. Let's be clear to the person who said you are attacking the "priests and the Church" and doing harm. Sorry to whom ever you are you are dead wrong this post is not attacking Monsignor Joseph Rauscher it is attacking heresy. This is long over due. My wife called once with a question about people bowing at St Nicks to the altar ( or "table" if you are a modernist) or bowing to the the priest on his thrown above the altar during Mass. The reason for the question was since Jesus (God) in the Eucharist was moved with the tabernacle off to the side my wife's concern was that it is a disorientation to Catholics and sends the wrong signal to non Catholics visiting since Jesus is to whom be bend our knee not a priest on a thrown behind a table. Monsignor Joseph Rauscher said something like that the table of the Eucharist is the place where the parish comes together and so it is our focus not the tabernacle in all fairness to Monsignor Joseph Rauscher that is not an exact quote but that was basically it. So my wife called a Holy Orthodox FSSP Priest and he gave her good counsel. Monsignor Joseph Rauscher must be given respect as a priest. I am willing to assume he had poor formation (not his fault) he is a very kind priest and I think he means well. If not that is between him and his Bishop now and Our Lord forever. Pray for him. That School Mass must be stopped! I am glad someone else took notice of the Liturgical Child abuse. This type of changing of the readings is normal at St. Nicks sometimes the Psalm is a hymn not from the Bible. I know many good well informed people on the Liturgy say the Novus ordo is valid but is teaching deficient in imparting the Faith. So again I will give Monsignor Joseph Rauscher the benefit of the doubt on the Liturgical Child Abuse and assume he is trying to teach the kids because the new Mass fails to do so like the Latin Mass does. Bottom line The Faith being imparted to the Kids is not The Catholic Faith it is Protestant at best Freemasonic neo pagan Communism at worst. Is that Monsignor Joseph Rauscher's fault? I don't know. I do not have the authority in the Church to make the call. I do know heresy when I see it. Very often it is not what Monsignor Joseph Rauscher says it is what he fails to say. Is that his fault? I hope not. Again not my call and again no attack on him just stating the facts in Charity. St. Nicks is a modernist Parish and if Catholics want to end the "Crisis" in the Church you would do well to get those kids The Catholic Faith and away from Hersey now before we loss another generation. Why Can't the New Mass be offered according to the Rubrics? Does Monsignor Joseph Rauscher want to? I don't know.I think that is a good question. When was the last time Monsignor Joseph Rauscher talked about Penance,Mortification of the flesh, Purgatory,Hell,Mortal Sin,The Creed,The immaculate conception of Our Lady,The Anti Christ and on and on I could go. Souls are lost because of heresy and Sin. Is Monsignor Joseph Rauscher kind? Yes! Is Monsignor Joseph Rauscher nice? Yes! Very! Will that help me at the hour of my death? No! and neither will a Carbon Fast Green Masonic Neo Pagan Lent. Pray the Rosary. God Help us all.

Pio
Ps: Suggested Reading: AA 1025 the memoirs of an anti-apostle by Tan Books
A Catechism of Modernism
By: Rev. J. B. Lemius by Tan Books

The Permanent Instruction of the Alta Vendita
A Masonic Blueprint for the Subversion of the Catholic Church
By: John Vennari

Check out:
http://www.heavenspeaceplan.com/hosttopic/radioguest.asp

The Rockin' Traddy said...

Anonymous - thank you for understanding what I was saying - I hate having to hit readers over the head to get them to understand the deeper meanings of my posts.

But PLEASE! Sign your comments! Thank You!

And send me an email too. I'd like to hear more of your experiences.

Anonymous said...

I sent you an e-mail today and did not get a reply,it's about the so called "catholic nuns" , you will see what I'm talking about when you read the links on your gmail.

sushi

by the way here is another site and look two of them are from miseri in scranton.

http://www.catholicadvocate.com/?p=1630

Anonymous said...

Pio -

"The Catholic Faith it is Protestant at best Freemasonic neo pagan Communism at worst"

I can see the first part of the sentence. If we wanted to water down the rules of Catholicism, might as well just be Protestant. That's part of why Luther started it, because he felt no matter what he did he could just never live up to all the Catholic demands. So yeah, allowing no confession, taking away traditions, etc etc is more Protestant. May be more appealing to the masses, but that shouldn't be driving Catholicism to change what it believes is the true way to be.

I grew up Catholic but with some open-mindedness, too, so I'm not nearly as strict and I'm not sure it IS so doom and gloom about the hour of death and God help us all, etc. Just my personal take. God isn't a big jerk, he knows what's best for us and that is what religion is there for - to guide us the right way to live an accordance with Him and His wishes which, ultimately, is best for everyone. My opinion.

So I get the Protestant threat. But the "best Freemasonic neo pagan Communism at worst" is silly, sorry. If they start worshiping cacti and thinking that the spines of a cacti determine our future, I'd be worried. This eco-Lent does seem to be blurring some lines,...it seems a bit cheap and tacky although I do think some of the sacrifices are good ideas, and fine to do for Lent, but again should be the person's individual choice. But I hardly think it's some overtaking of big bad pagan evil freemasons. And what does Communism have to do with religion anyway?

- L

Anonymous said...

http://www.networklobby.org/press/3-17-10HealthcareSistersLetter.htm


http://fratres.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/retired-cchd-organizer-bishop-john-e-mccarthy-comes-out-against-usccb-on-health-care-overhaul/

http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/08/sr-carol-keehan-catholic-healths-856093.html


THESE ARE MUST READ SITES FOR EVERY TRUE CATHOLIC

sushi

ps I also called the diocese and left a message for genello , he never returned my call about this..

Anonymous said...

I did sign my post look at it again it is signed Pio. Anyway I will send my email to your gmail. I would also hope for everyone who is reading these comments and posts that we will offer Penance and Prayer for Monsignor Joseph Rauscher and St. Nicks. These matters have eternal importance. Souls Go to Hell over these things. Hell is real. Our Lady has warned us and called us to Penance and Prayer. These are not just political matters. These are Religious and Doctrinal matters. And Lay Catholics have a right and a responsibility to speak on them. Our Lord was a pot-stirrer and he turned tables over as well. So This blog does well in Charity and in that Spirit for the salvation of souls and the freedom of Holy Mother Church.
PIO

Great youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RealCatholicTV

The Rockin' Traddy said...

L - Let me help you. Here are the relevant paragraphs of the actual interview.

So I asked Monsignor who placed the documents in question in the church, and he told me "Sister Nancy and the parish social concerns". That right there set off alarm bells since I know that the "Leadership Conference of Women Religious" was in cahoots with the "Environmental Outreach Committee" of the Archdiocese of Washington to adapt this nonsense. It is exactly these "Sister Mary Liberated" types that have caused the Vatican to have a special investigation of women religious in America.

I asked Monsignor "Did you read it?" He replied "Not too closely." When I asked him if he thought that a "Lenten Carbon Fast" was appropriate to be promoting during Lent he replied with the normal "disrespect for others is disrespect for God", "we are called as Catholics to think of the environment", "respect creation and use it wisely", and then he said something about caring for the environment was a part of our Catholic heritage.

When I told him there was a school of thought that eco-spirituality is new-age paganism within the Church he laughed. He became defensive claiming I was "uncharitable and unchristian" for just calling him out of the blue and accused me of questioning his Catholicity. I wasn't questioning it before our interview. I am now, however.

When I asked him how taking a shorter shower was going to help get me into heaven he said "you gotta ask God about that."

Then after reciting some Al Gore talking points he said he had to go, took my name and number and said he would call me back.

Show me where I said something to Monsignor that was political. The only points I made were from the Catholic perspective, using the catechism as my guide.

As for the nuns, the Vatican has a special investigator looking at nuns in America they have gone so far off the deep end. Not ALL nuns, just certain ones who now embrace eco - spirituality and want to be priests. O, and the ones who wrote a letter to the Senate embracing abortion in the obamacare bill.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, Sir Rockin One

Actually whatever disagreements you have with Msgr, he is correct about the bowing to the altar part.

The altar is the place where the atonement sacrifice is offered. Consequently the focus at Mass is precisely the sacred altar, the place where the Paschal Victim is being offered to the Father by the priest who acts in the person of Christ. This is precisely why the Liturgical movement to place tabernacles to the side or in a seperate prayer space, and why people bow to the altar. People do not bow to the priest-- I have never seen that done anywhere.

"Liturgists" believed that the proper distinctions must be kept. Remember- what the Church prays she believes. Msgr, then is correct, and I was taught the same thing. The only difference probably between Msgr and I is that Msgr might tend to shy away from words like "Atonement" and "Sacrifice" and "Paschal Victim being offered" but in essence he is correct.

The role of the tabernacle is for the Sacrament to be kept in repose for the pupose of prayer and taking the sacrament to those who are sick. The idea of having to have a tabernacle in the center so I was taught at Saint Charles (a good place, and bastion of orthodoxy) came about during the Reformation. The Reformers called into question the Catholic belief regarding the True presence of Christ, so the Church in response drew emphasis to it in the churches by placing the tabernacle front and center. In FACT in Eastern Chruches the tabernacle is not even in view of the people!

Now, I favor the tabernacle being in the center today myself, especially in churches designed for it. My argument is that becasue of liberal, secular, atheistic, modernist, humanism, the we need all the focus on God. The less we focus on ourselves, the better off we will be.

As for Nancy Pelosi above----she prayed to Saint Joseph and announced that she did? Where is the ACLU? Where are all the liberals moaning about "Seperation of Church and State?" If a Republican said that- you better believe there would be "outrage" and calls for his or her resignation! Pelosi though can get away with it!

Father Dave Bechtel

Anonymous said...

No need to re-post pieces of the entry. I read your whole thing and I know how to comprehend what I read, and how to pick out what is relevant to what I am saying.

To me, Al Gore is a politician. Maybe he thinks he's an Oscar-winning whatever now, but I think the majority still think of him as a liberal doofus politician. He made himself seem even doof-i-er by the global warming thing which now scientists are doubting the credibility of. So by bringing in his points, you were bringing in the whole political Al-Gore-Climate-Fiasco. At the same time, I don't know what you quoted, nor do I know if you actually used Gore's name. But if you did, I'm guessing (only a guess.) in light of Al Gore's claims being false-ish, he could tell... or was thinking... that it was headed in that slamming-liberals direction which is political. Even if you were just trying to prove a point that eco-stuff is lame (via Al Gore)...I think hearing anything Al Gore-y would raise a political red flag. Again, if you did NOT use his name than I'm way off.

And thanks, I didn't know there was a "thing" already about nuns and eco-stuff being investigated. And the pro-abortion thing is bull crap if nuns are supporting it...no gray area there in the Catholic world to me.

- L

The Rockin' Traddy said...

L - You super-comprehender! So let me again post a portion of the post:

"Then after reciting some Al Gore talking points he (Rauscher) said he had to go, took my name and number and said he would call me back."

I said nothing about Al Gore, and neither did he. The things he was saying seemed to me to be Al Gore talking points.

Got it kemo sabe?

The Rockin' Traddy said...

Sushi - I did not receive an email from you. I just checked again. Re-send it for me if you would. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I would like first to address Father Dave Bechtel's comments. While I understand and humbly respect your words, and in part they are true. It is quite right that the priest bows and kisses the alter where the relics of the Saints are, it is also correct that laymen can acknowledge the alter of sacrifice as the place where God comes. In the context of an orthodox clearly Catholic parish, these gestures are quite appropriate, but again I will remind you why my wife called with questions. I would ask you to think before the Blessed Sacrament on the term used by one of the children at Fatima "diabolical disorientation" My wife's concern were (in the context of poor formation of Catholics) that these gestures disorient Catholics. Why? Well as you correctly noted Monsignor Joseph Rauscher does not often use terms like "alter, sacrifice" etc. so it is in this context that this is a serious issue. Bottom line I have seen Catholics in many parishes genuflect and or bow towards the alter or the priest and never directly towards the body blood soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, so to say that Monsignor Joseph Rauscher is right on this point would only be true if it were in the context of an orthodox Catholic parish. Her other concern was for how these gestures would be viewed by non-Catholics who already accuse us of worshiping Saints and off the wall things like the Pope thinks he's a God. If one is at their first Mass and they walk in and they see people genuflecting straight forward to where the tabernacle use to be, which many older Catholics still do and now you have what would appear to a non-Catholic to be an exalted throne above the altar, it can be easily seen that the bowing gestures to the altar are made to him and it can also be seen when the laymen does the reading and very often makes a bow gesture to the priest that the focus is first of all on him and then secondarily on us. The whole point of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is that Jesus be on the throne, not us. So again I ask you to reflect on the term "diabolical disorientation".

So the concern is in the context of the cancer of modernism, Protestantism and the other heresies operating in St. Nicks parish and the Church as a whole at this time in salvation history. Surely you can see my point.

In Christ,
Pio

Anonymous said...

To some of the comments and questions that were posed to me from L, your question was "And what does Communism have to do with religion anyway?"
I would answer that by first asking you to reflect on truth. The modern world by in large does not accept our understanding of truth, meaning objective truth. An example of objective truth is 2+2=4, no sane person would say 2+2=5, the modern world believes in what is called subjective truth, where one could say insanely that 2+2=5, and we see this played out in religion, or should I say in religion and irreligion. An example of what I am trying to say is, we've all heard things like all religions are basically the same as having God as their end, or it doesn't really matter what religion you are just as long as you do your best and you'll go to Heaven. Objectively speaking this is a lie, the Catholic religion is the true religion and the communist know it. the Catholic religion is the greatest threat to communism, ask the Chinese. To make a long story short I would strongly suggest you read the book I suggested which is AA 1025 the memoirs of an anti-apostle by Tan Books
This book will give you some context both in history and religion. I hate to break it to folks but communism did not die in 1989.
When you said that my comment about freemasonry and neo-pagan communism was silly, with all due respect, your ignorance on the matter is understood. That said however I have spoke to many holy Priests, prayed and studied the matter for many years, I would suggest you do the same, putting prayer first and study second.
I will enclose this four part talk from the late 1980's, by Fr. John O'Connor on the anti-Christ. Please pray a Hail Mary and watch all four parts. Also please review some of the other links I have put in my comments, but above all, pray.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8719609350720270918#docid=1724845702932244471

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8719609350720270918&ei=ZtykS5noM5iaqALV7MT6DA&q=reign+of+the+antichrist&view=3#

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8719609350720270918&ei=ZtykS5noM5iaqALV7MT6DA&q=reign+of+the+antichrist&view=3#docid=-8043674554465651155

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8719609350720270918&ei=ZtykS5noM5iaqALV7MT6DA&q=reign+of+the+antichrist&view=3#docid=-929862991655422564

In Christ,
Pio

Anonymous said...

Oh, okay. See your smart-arsery there by calling what he was saying Al Gore-ish threw me. ;) I thought "after reciting Al Gore" (meaning you were) he then decided he had to go. Ambiguous!! I swear!!

- L

Anonymous said...

Pio,

I'll watch the videos at some point. The only way I could see communism being a threat is if it was lead by someone corrupt who eventually enforced one religion on everyone, which wasn't Catholic. That could go with the other end of the spectrum, too (dictatorship). But this all obviously something you've studied in depth so I'm sure you're getting your thoughts from somewhere.

The Freemason thing just seems a little conspiracy-theory-ish to me. They supposedly control the dollar bill and all the money of the world, too, right? It almost seems occult, and I tend not to give that much credence. I just don't think of them as a threat. And if the church was jello-ing a little to the 'in-crowd' by doing the eco-friendly Lent thing...I do think it's a bit of a stretch to link that to Freemasonry.

But again. I have not studied it in depth or really at all, like you said. It all just seems a bit too esoteric.

Oh and, I agree that Communism didn't die after the Cold War lol, it's still out there!

- L