Church teaching doesn’t change, but church laws can.
Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service | May. 18, 2013 Vatican City
[...] The current code was drafted in the 1970s, [Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary for the Pontifical Council for the Authentic Interpretation of Legislative Texts] said, “a period that was a bit naive” in regard to the need for a detailed description of offenses, procedures for investigating them and penalties to impose on the guilty. It reflected a feeling that “we are all good,” he said, and that “penalties should be applied rarely.” [Yes. It's what I call the heresy of over-optimism, which is actually pessimism about the redemption offered to us by Christ Jesus' sacrifice for us. Did you ever hear even once in the 1970s any talk of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?]
“The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, when Pope Benedict was prefect, was obliged to act as a consequence of the fact that the (church’s) penal law was not working,” he said.
The naiveté of the law became clear with the sexual abuse crisis, Arrieta said. In addition, the sanctions section of the 1983 code was written with such an emphasis on the role of the individual bishop in his local diocese that each bishop bore the full weight of deciding when and how to intervene and what sort of sanction or punishment to impose on the guilty.
The law ended up being too vague and church sanctions were being applied so haphazardly that the church appeared to be divided, he said. [And I would put the blame for this directly on the "spirit of Vatican II" crowd, who rejected the Council in favor of the tyranny of ramming their own relativism down the throats of others. This is the result, every time.]
The project to revise the section began in 2008. [Just to say, it was very soon after that then Father Edward Arsenault went on sabbatical, not that the two are related. ] The draft was completed in 2011 and sent to bishops’ conferences and pontifical faculties of canon law, which had a year to respond. The suggestions were organized and synthesized, and now council officials and consultants — mostly professors of canon law — meet for an afternoon every two weeks to go through them, line by line. [Unfortunately, none of that synthesis includes observations aboutThe Judas Crisis and The National Catholic Risk Retention Group (TNCRRG), a mirror of what is done in most every Catholic Diocese in the United States, that is, zero due process for priests. However, now I know where to send a summary along with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the CDF. You can bet that no matter how much the Canon Law crowd works on this, it will, in the end, receive a thorough review by the CDF, and rightly so. Their own procedures will have to be appropriately tweaked. Indeed, in the meantime, their procedures should reflect this admission on the part of the Holy See that not all bishops' preparation of cases for the CDF are of the same standard of quality, which is a travesty of justice.]
Arrieta said it will be at least two years before a new draft is ready to present to Pope Francis. As the church’s chief legislator, it is the pope who decides whether or not to promulgate it and order that it replace the current law.
The proposed draft incorporates the Vatican’s 2010 updated definition of “delicta graviora” — Latin for “graver offenses,” including clerical sexual abuse of minors, the “attempted ordination of women” and acts committed by priests against the sanctity of the Eucharist and against the sacrament of penance.
The two chief concerns in the new section, as in all church law, he said, are “to safeguard the truth and protect the dignity of persons.” [In other words, both due process for those who are accused, instead of their being treated as guilty with no chance of defending themselves, and respect for the accusers, that is, instead of violently shoving money down their throats without, in some cases, giving a damn, quite literally, if the accusations are true, or how serious they are -- precluding pastoral care -- which was the practice of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, the epicenter of the abuse of canon law, all these years and surely the root cause for this major overhaul of the penal code of Canon Law. What irony.]
At the same time, the rules are more stringent — “if someone does this, he must be punished,” the bishop said. [Great! And I would hope that that "this" also refers to the horrific injustices of chancellors and bishops and risk management teams and companies such as TNCRRG. If not, this entire revision is farcical.]While it withdraws the discretionary power of the bishop in certain cases, he said, “it is for the good of the bishop.” [...] [I can surely believe that.]
[[The BSA homosexualist leadership is extremely defensive. They just put this up today.[comments] and emphases by Holy Souls Hermitage: ///]]
Membership Resolution Points of Clarification
In April, the Executive Committee of the Boy Scouts of America drafted a resolution that maintains its current membership policy for all adult leaders and states that youth may not be denied membership in the BSA on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone. The resolution proposes the following:
Membership in any program of the Boy Scouts of America requires the youth member to (a) subscribe to and abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, (b) subscribe to and abide by the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and (c) demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.
The Boy Scouts received reaction about the proposal from those who approve of the potential change and those who oppose it. Many of those who oppose it, both for personal and religious beliefs, have asked questions about the proposal and its potential impact on Scouting. The Boy Scouts of America respects the deeply held religious, moral, and ethical beliefs of everyone within the Scouting family and firmly believes that dedicated Scouters can be people of good will and still disagree about this policy. However, the Boy Scouts of America wants to address some key concerns and misunderstandings about the proposal and provide you with Scouting’s perspective as you prepare to vote.
1. This proposal is in line with Scouting’s principles and virtues.
Some have asserted that having different standards for adults and youth is illogical or contradictory and runs counter to the principles of Scouting. Asserting this proposal is contradictory is based on a misunderstanding of the resolution. The resolution states:
Youth are still developing, learning about themselves and who they are, developing their sense of right and wrong, and understanding their duty to God to live a moral life.
Any sexual conduct, whether homosexual or heterosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting.
The organization will maintain its current membership policy for all adult leaders.
No member may use Scouting to promote or advance any social or political position or agenda.
Members must demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
By reinforcing that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting, and that no member may use Scouting to promote or advance any social or political position or agenda, this resolution rightly recognizes there is a difference between kids and adults while remaining true to the long-standing virtues of Scouting.
[What a pack of liars these BSA leaders are. Look: the very proposal is about kids who trumpet that they are already defiantly decided to be militant in their advertising of their perversion, regardless of whether they otherwise act this out in sexual actions. This militant attitude is blessed and encouraged by the BSA leaders. What a pack of liars they are.]
2. This proposal is in line with the beliefs of most of Scouting’s major religious chartered organizations.
Some have asserted that the proposed change for youth runs counter to values of and raises concerns among Scouting’s religious chartered organizations. We are unaware of any major religious chartered organization that believes a youth member simply stating he or she is attracted to the same sex, but not engaging in sexual activity, should make him or her unwelcome in their congregation. [Why do they publicly trumpet this if they are not also promoting it? Being proud of that which is a disorder is defiant militancy against any bible-believing religious organization. This is another blatant lie of the homosexualist leadership of the BSA.]
This proposal reinforces Scouting’s belief that sexual conduct by any Scout, heterosexual or homosexual, is contrary to the virtues of Scouting and is reflective of the beliefs of most of our major religious chartered organizations.
While, if this resolution is passed, no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of stating their sexual orientation alone, Scouting expects appropriate behavior from all members, which includes sexual conduct, regardless of sexual orientation. [This is all inconsistent. If you're going to trumpet your going against the natural law and religious law, why oh why would anyone hesitate after that to hesitate to contravene any law of the BSA? Are the homosexualist leadership of the BSA serious? Yep. They're militant.]
3. This proposal remains true to the long-standing virtues of Scouting and allows all youth who sincerely want to be a part of Scouting the chance to experience this life-changing program.
Some have asserted that this proposal didn’t go far enough and the Boy Scouts should remove any sexual orientation standard for membership for both youth members and adults leaders. [Let's not forget the John Jay study which found that 82% of sexual abuse of minors is homosexual in nature. Let's not forget that predators try to insinuate themselves into situations where they will be working with youngsters. Who are those homosexualists who have demanded the BSA become an easy playground for predators?]
The Boy Scouts recognizes some wish this proposal would have included changing the standard for adult members. [If the BSA fails to maintain its standards in the vote, it won't stop until the admission adult militant homosexualists is the result. This would be seen as a resolution of inconsistencies.] The BSA reviewed a variety of policy options that would allow us to provide kids a place to belong while they learn and grow. [But the BSA encourages militant trumpeting...]
The conclusion the executive officers of the Boy Scouts of America reached is that this is the option [=encouraging youngsters to trumpet their militant homosexualism] that did not, in some way, prevent kids who sincerely want to be a part of Scouting from experiencing this life-changing program [life perverting at this rate].
While people have different opinions about this policy, kids are better off when they are in Scouting. [Not if the homosexualist leadership gets their way. By the way, if they don't get their way, the entire executive homosexualist leadership should be removed.]
4. The BSA is a leading expert in youth protection, and kids are safe in its programs. The BSA is fully equipped to administer this policy [The policy itself is sexual abuse, as it encourages youngsters at a very formative time to go ahead and think that they are homosexuals, and that it is great to be militant homosexualists.].
Some have asserted that this proposal will put children at higher risk of being sexually abused or bullied and that the organization will not be able to administer this policy while protecting the safety and privacy of all Scouts. [See above. Also, those who reject the natural law and religious law as does the homosexualist leadership of the BSA are not be entrusted with the sexual safety of youngsters. This safety is what they are militating against.]
The BSA would never consider a proposal that increased risk to young people. To be clear, the BSA makes no connection between the sexual abuse or victimization of a child and homosexuality. The BSA takes strong exception to this assertion. Some of the nation’s leading experts reinforce this position. [And there it is. They are defending that their encouragement of militant homosexuality on the part of youngsters is just great, and they will not tolerate any divergence from this: "Strong exception."]
The BSA has stringent polices that protect the safety and privacy of youth and adult members and has always worked to ensure that it is a supportive and safe environment for young people. [How the BSA is falling!]
As it relates to logistical issues for volunteers, Scouting is already equipped to address these issues. No other organization has the same level of expertise for administering logistics and protecting the safety of its participants. [Kind of self-congratulatory, that.]
Also, to further prepare the organization, the BSA has created an implementation task force to make sure it is ready, should this resolution pass. It is looking into how other organizations have dealt with these issues. The BSA chose the effective date of Jan. 1, 2014, to give the organization the time it needs to make sure it is operationally ready for this policy. [This will be entirely aimed not at possible abuse, which they refuse to consider, but at sanctions and expulsion for those who criticize such militantly homosexualist policies.]
5. Scouting will remain focused on its mission, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law.
Some have asserted that this proposal will unduly interject sexuality into the BSA and take away parents’ rights to discuss sexuality at the time and place of their choosing. [Got that right!]
The BSA believes parents should decide if, when, and how to discuss matters of sexuality with their kids. [But the homosexualist leadership have taken this away by encouraging youngsters to publicly declare themselves, thus becoming militant homosexualists. This is sexual abuse of youngsters. The BSA are the most influential leaders in sexual abuse.]
This proposal reinforces Scouting’s belief that sexual conduct by any Scout, heterosexual or homosexual, is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. [Liars.]
While, if this resolution is passed, no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of stating their sexual orientation alone, Scouting expects appropriate behavior from all members, which includes sexual conduct, regardless of sexual orientation. [The inconsistencies of the BSA instruct youngsters that militant homosexualist trumpeting is great, and this is sexual abuse of youngsters. So what in hell does the leadership of the BSA mean?]
6. Boy Scouts of America membership is unequivocally unified about the value of Scouting.
Some have asserted that if this proposal is adopted—or if the Boy Scouts does not amend its current policy—Scouting will see significant and unrecoverable losses in membership and monetary support. [Got that right. I've already been working with E.G. for a very workable alternative.]
Recently, the Boy Scouts completed the most comprehensive listening exercise in its history, gathering perspectives from inside and outside of the Scouting family. At the time of this review, most regions, councils, and volunteers participated with the belief that the Boy Scouts was considering a change to its adult leader membership standards, a proposal significantly different from the resolution under consideration. [We remember the oft-times sarcastic responses of the leadership of the BSA to polite statements.]
It is extremely difficult to accurately quantify the potential impact, in terms of membership and financial support, of maintaining or changing the current policy. [Just a slight adjustment there. So, virtue and all that good and pure and not perverted is not a strength, but rather a liability. What a pack of hypocrites.] However, over the course of nearly three months, more than a quarter of a million Boy Scout members and leaders participated in research that examined their views of Scouting.
The Boy Scouts of America is encouraged that this research showed, even with the uncertainty of which direction the membership standards policy might go, their loyalty to the BSA increased, and Scouting’s parents, members, and leaders believe Scouting is fulfilling [Before the vote, right?] its mission to develop youth into responsible, capable adults. [What does that even mean to such leadership?]
Regardless of the results of the vote, the membership policy will not match everyone’s personal preference. The Boy Scouts will undoubtedly face challenges; however, Scouting is bigger than this single issue, and good people can disagree and still work together to accomplish great things for youth. [If the vote is to maintain the status quo, the homosexualist leadership should be immediately sacked.]
7. The BSA is committed to listening to the Scouting family and engaging in open dialogue.
Some have asserted that the Boy Scout’s leaders didn’t listen to its Scouting family in this process or are keeping information from voters. Through this process, Scouting embarked on the most comprehensive listening exercise in its history, gathering perspectives from inside and outside of the Scouting family. [Mocking many who expressed concerns.]
Over the course of nearly three months, more than 200,000 BSA members and leaders participated in research. Our review confirmed that this remains among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.
The BSA has been and remains committed to sharing information with voting members and the public throughout this process. To learn more about the BSA’s review process and the proposed membership standards resolution, please visit http://www.bsamembershipstandards.org.
Scouting’s vision is to serve every eligible youth in America, and this policy would allow it to serve more kids and focus on their development [This is exactly what this policy change would not do, and in fact, it would do the opposite, trying to get youngsters to entrench themselves in militant homosexuality]. The Executive Committee unanimously agreed that this resolution is in the best interest of Scouting. [So, get rid of the Executive Committee, unanimously.] While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community, and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting. [Typical ambiguity of those trying to push an agenda, shoving it down people's throats.]
New Hampshire Union Leader’s Kathryn Marchoki, in her article “Cleric’s case a puzzle, concern“, published the other day, provides more tidbits about the Monsignor Edward Arsenault case. I’d like to see a more tightly scripted timeline of his responsibilities in the Diocese of Manchester. I’d like to know how he got from the Archdiocese of Boston to the Diocese of Manchester, and why it is that the Bishops of Manchester seemed afraid of him.
Anyway, what I’d like to comment on in this article concerns the sound bites about Monsignor Arsenault as collected by Kathryn:
“That is why it is so surprising and so unbelievable that somebody who knows the rules, somebody who wrote the rules, is accused of violating them,” said Donna Sytek, former House speaker, who serves on the New Hampshire Catholic Charities board of directors.
“I was astonished because (it involves) somebody who had been so involved in the process of setting out expectations for good conduct,” added Sytek, who in 2002 served with Arsenault on a diocesan task force to craft a sexual misconduct policy.
“I saw him as a good and faithful priest. … The allegations are totally not the Arsenault that I knew,” Sytek said.
“This could be an unfounded allegation, so I don’t want to prejudge the outcome,” she added.
Very carefully crafted words. Lots of surprise and astonishment. The possibility of “unfounded” is granted.
But now lets move on to the perspective of a priest, who represents the view of other priests:
Catholics – ordained and lay – also worry the allegations could harm a diocese just beginning to rebound from a deeply wounding clergy sexual abuse scandal.
“Eleven years ago, we had a great crisis in this diocese. It pulls the scab off a little bit,” said the Rev. C. Peter Dumont, a retired priest who served as a regional vicar.
“I just feel awful for the Diocese of Manchester. I just feel awful for the parishes where he served. I feel awful for the church,” Dumont added.
“I’ve spoken to a few of my brother priests and they are hurt,” he said.
If the reporting can be trusted, this would be pitiful inasmuch as there is no nuance offered regarding “allegations.”
If that’s accurate, this would tell you something about some of the priests of the Diocese of Manchester: You are guilty until the time when you can’t prove you’re innocent anyway. Right? That’s what Monsignor Arsenault was doing with The National Catholic Risk Retention Group: No due process for priests. All are automatically guilty no matter what. Settlements are paid automatically regardless of guilt. Even priests known to be innocent are removed forever from the priesthood. This is done to save money, cynically betting on cheap settlements automatically paid upon any allegation, no matter how spurious, vs. litigated claims which may exonerate innocent priests, but may also involve more expensive payouts.
At any rate, it seems to me that such an attitude of breakneck, breathless rush to judgment is — If there are allegations, they are absolutely true no matter what! — is consistent with the attitude of the presbyterate with the likes of Father Gordon MacRae, who is shunned and marginalized and condemned by his own diocesan brothers.
Just my opinion, but I think that the present allegations against Monsignor Arsenault may fade into relative insignificance. If they refer to an inappropriate relationship with a non-vulnerable adult, that may provide an occasion for some to weep over the state of the some in the priesthood, or laughter for others. If they refer to payments under the table (no IRS) from the hospital system he helped to save, well, whatever.
I think there is something more to the financial bit since the FBI was immediately involved by the Attorney General’s office. I’ll opine on that, please God, in the coming days. But even the worst case scenario involving money, say, something along the lines of what RICO was interested in, there is, sorry to say, something much worse, and that has already been established. I’m sure you’ve read it already:
Anyway, more on all this within the next week, I hope.
Also next week, please God, something more on Bishops Francis Christian, John McCormack, Peter Libasci, not to mention the Bishops of Rome, such as John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. Continue reading →
Dogwoods, in the form of a cross, with the stigmata, the wounds, not immaculate in the least, but rather, brilliant white splattered with blood, but in this way washed with the blood of the Lamb, perfect as florae for the Immaculate Conception, who, as a good Mother, desires that we are all of us washed in the blood of the Lamb, that is, us, all of us who have crucified Him by our sins, me, you, all of us. The blooms are blooming weeks later than their counterparts not much further down Holy Souls Mountain.
In other news, Holy Souls Hermitage will be invaded by seminarians today, Sunday. After Spring semester exams are over, it seems to me that they are in “school’s out forever” mode for a day or two, until they get ready to learn Spanish immersion style in the Latin American countries picked out for them by their vocation directors. And then it’s back to the seminary for the Autumn semester. It’s a good sign of the times that the crazy days of Summer begin not at the beach, but in the mountains, at a hermitage, with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and bit of adoration of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament on the agenda. Of course, there will be a great meal after that. I hear they caught some fish in Lake Saint George. :)
In other news, I’m very happy with the reception of the article of the great Dorothy Rabinowitz: Rabinowitz: The Trials of Father MacRae. There’s been a sea-change in the comments over the last number of years. Anyone facilitating the wrongful accusation or imprisonment of a priest is starting to be considered a collaborator in sexual abuse. And that’s right, of course. People could get so sick of false accusations that, in the future, they will start to brow-beat true victims into silence. And that’s not good, is it? No, it’s not. Not at all. Justice for all is good.
Please God, there will be more on this towards the end of this week. I’ll need to digitize some documents, with their signatures :) and put them up with some commentary. Rather catastrophic for those on the wrong end of being put under oath, should it come to that. And I hope it does. Telling the truth after so many years of not telling the truth is good for the soul. I am reminded of Saint Thomas More’s statement to Meg out by the river:
“When a man takes an oath, he’s holding his own self in his own hands like water, and if he opens his fingers then he needn’t hope to find himself again.”
Should it come to the taking of oaths, even with a number interested parties in Manchester, N.H., placing their hands on the Holy Bible, and swearing that they are telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth before both man and God, well then, I will rejoice in that day, that is, if the truth be told. Taking oaths can help. It’s then that one can realize that it’s all over. No more earthly glory, and facing an eternity of… what…? Yikes! Better to tell the truth. I tell you that if they do, I will, please God, stand up and applaud them wherever I am when I hear the news that the blood of the Lamb has been splattered about over the souls of those needing that blood. Hail Mary…
Pulitzer Prize winning Dorothy Rabinowitz has written another great article on the wrongly imprisoned Father Gordon J. MacRae saga. Here’s the link to the new article at the Wall Street Journal:
Please, if you would, with goodness and kindness, drop over to read the article and drop a comment in the comments box. You have to register, which is easy (and then you’ve done it!), but it is well worth it to support the priesthood. There will be plenty of trash comments, but ignore those. Please link back to These Stone Walls in your comment with various pages and posts:
Also, if you would, and this is important, write a letter to the editor.
It’s really simple. Just email the letter! Here’s how: wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
[You must include your full name, your city and state, but no other information is asked]
Please, when you are over there, use the sharing buttons. The email button is particularly important. Use it well! There’s a captcha code, but that’s easy! Use the sharing buttons for this post as well, as there is more information here about how to write a letter to the editor.
Oooops! It looks like the registration for comments w/o subscription is only available just a bit after subscribers get a chance to comment first. If you have a subscription, please comment now!
Update: I’ve been urging some others to publicize the article, as that would only be good. Meanwhile, some questions have come up. I’ll see if I can write on those in just a bit. Check back once in a while to: http://holysoulshermitage.com
I was looking over the SPJ Code of Ethics just to make sure I’m not stepping over any lines while writing about Msgr Edward Arsenault. The Code is a great read. One thinks of stories which might have been the occasion for each point included.
I’m not a professional journalist, and I do look to reason with the natural law, and to the teaching of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church for the formation of my conscience, but, having said that, the SPJ Code has lots of particular wisdom to offer.
What I discovered — what I already knew — is that I have much to keep in mind just in regard to myself while writing. This is easy, of course, if one has any kind of clear vision about respect for the truth and a healthy wariness of all that which might compromise the truth. In the end, it’s a matter of love of God and love of neighbor, for, in God, love is truth, truth is love.
And yet, we are weak. And forever-newbies like myself — ever so naive, ever so out of the loop — can be particularly vulnerable.
So, what to do? What to do? It’s hard enough for me, weak as I am, to self-edit and take care that I myself not cross any ethical boundaries. It would be nigh impossible to ensure the same for others who come my way with offers of information, which can be baiting at worst (surely that’s not the case) or sincere at best (most likely the case). But, I fear my own stupidity, my own lack of means on this mountain top in the middle of a rain-forest.
The solution, I think, with a number of journalists coming my way, is not to respond, but rather to encourage them, should they think they have anything worthwhile, to trundle off to the N.H. Attorney General’s office and, at the very same time, to the offices of the FBI, not to mention, of course, also the new Bishop of the Diocese of Manchester, etc. Please, forgive me, dear journalists, my fear of myself.
Let’s none of us forget, as well, that any leak of information even from those associated with the Diocese in any way, or with the A.G., F.B.I, D.O.J., et al. – — might simply be more baiting. And this might well sink one in the muck of untruth more and more and more… until it is fixed with a healthy dose of caution and code.
When the politics of any case reach far and wide and high, there are plenty of those one would trust to take care of any problem who end up being, instead, a cause of much of the problem. I recommend wrapping one’s mind around the Code of the SPJ.
Monsignor Edward Arsenault — h/t to New Hampshire Union Leader
I published this article last year, but it is ever more relevant. Note that Monsignor Stephen Rossetti and Monsignor Edward Arsenault have everything to do with VIRTUS®, The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, and the Saint Luke Institute. Everything, from start to finish. They are the life and soul of VIRTUS®, TNCRRG, and Saint Luke Institute.
One may wish to note their extreme advocacy for normalizing homosexuality and therefore homosexual acts via the active and public promotion of their pet project, VIRTUS®.
Monsignor Rossetti and Cardinal Dulles, who had very different ideas.
If any member of the VIRTUS® crowd were to have applied for admission at the last seminary I taught — where I also evaluated applications of candidates — they would never have been admitted. Those not admitted would be the likes of a Rossetti and Arsenault. The rule is that no militant homosexualists need apply. I agree with that ruling of the Holy See.
My question is why so many (Arch)dioceses hold up these guys and VIRTUS® as the be all and end all of all that is Catholic and necessary. What’s the message there? When is their being discredited ever going to be enough for it to be considered that such (Arch)dioceses won’t lose face if they dump the likes of Rossetti and Arsenault and VIRTUS® and TNCRRG and Saint Luke Institute?
* * *
I was looking up the name of a key “player” in the sex abuse crisis — Monsignor Rossetti — when I came across a paper delivered at the Pontifical Gregorian University during a symposium in February, 2012, recently put up on the web, called “The True Cost of the Crisis – Piercings to the Heart of the Church.” The VIRTUS® team chose to stay anonymous on paper. I suppose we could find out who they were. Sometimes it’s useful to know the backgrounds of those making the kinds of comments they make.
PRELIMINARY DISCLAIMER
I recently went through all the police checks and the VIRTUS® program as part of the process of being admitted to the formation and teaching faculty at the Pontifical College Josephinum. During the question and answer session I noted a number of grave difficulties (among others) that I had with the “logic” behind VIRTUS®. Here are a few:
(1) An actual admitted, incarcerated male sex offender of youngsters in the film was highly praised because of the great concern he supposedly had for the welfare of his teenage victim, whose emotional progress he had closely been following from prison. The message of VIRTUS®, say, for instance, for priest chaplains of prisons (where you’ll also find minors serving adult sentences), is that the chaplains should encourage incarcerated sex offenders of minors to follow the progress of their victims, convinced of the great concern of sex offenders for their victims. This, in fact, might be considered criminal sexual stalking in some, if not all, jurisdictions, all encouraged by VIRTUS®, the “child protection program” from hell. Get it?
(2) A number of suspicious behaviors characteristic of sex offenders were listed as a way to determine if someone might be a pedophile, but it was said that two behaviors or more regarding the same person were necessary for someone to be concerned that a person is a sex offender, so that, for instance, showing porn to youngsters would not, on its own, raise any extremely grave concerns. And that, friends, is just so very wrong on so very many levels. Is the message here that a priest, for instance, should overlook, say, a fellow priest showing porn to youngsters, that is, until he notes a second red flag? As I say: VIRTUS®, the “child protection program” from hell.
(3) There was no presentation of the fact of the strong statistical preponderance of homosexual interest in youngsters. What was it? Something like 81-82% of offenses were homosexual in nature? Yep. This non-mention is a travesty. Are priests to labor under the lie that there is no homosexual preponderance regarding sex offenses against youngsters? Oh, did I mention this: VIRTUS®, the “child protection program” from hell?
So, I already have an axe to grind against VIRTUS®. That axe is pretty sharp, as you will now see:
* * *
THE 2012 VIRTUS® PRESENTATION IN ROME
[[HSH emphases and [comments] ]]
Before we proceed with our analysis, it is necessary that we dispel any lingering misapprehensions associated with one or more of several myths born of the crisis. These include: 1) the crisis is an American problem [I’m very happy they insisted on this, as I’ve met so many clergy from all over the world who think that this is strictly an American problem since, they say, no one outside of America would ever do anything so wicked. Sigh.]; 2) the crisis has been exaggerated by a Godless media that is antagonistic to people or institutions of faith [We’re not talking about the facts being reported, but the exaggeration, such as the premise that priests are guilty until proven innocent, such as the exoneration of priests receiving little or no coverage, etc. All that and more is the normal modus operandi. The VIRTUS® team is not dealing with reality. Is there an ulterior motive?]; 3) the crisis has been instigated by avaricious attorneys whose only objective is to enrich themselves financially [Let’s rephrase that, shall we? How about: “capitalized upon by groups like SNAP and some attorneys.” Let’s not forget that the U.S. Attorney General is doing some investigations on just this point.]; and 4) homosexual orientation causes men to be sex offenders. [This is an ideological overstatement of the case. Those with homosexual tendencies must not think that their tendencies are an excuse to rape youngsters, but has anyone ever made this kind of overstatement? Their bracketed note follows in the main text:] [Nota Bene: Sexual offending is not about sexual orientation. [O.K. ... ] The logical corollary to the proposition that homosexual orientation causes men to sexually offend against males, is that heterosexual orientation causes men to sexually offend against females. [Ooops. They stepped into the deep end with that one. Homosexual dis-orientation is a perversion of normal sexual orientation. There is no analogy to be made between homo- and heterosexual on this point.] The reality is that neither homosexual nor heterosexual orientation is a risk factor, but rather, disordered or confused sexual orientation is a risk factor [And there we have it. For VIRTUS®, homosexuality is not disordered. This is a rejection of the fundamentals of Natural Law, and is a direct rejection of the teaching of the Church on sexuality. Note well, dear readers, that homosexuality is a disordered sexuality according to Natural Law and the Catholic Church. That which is disordered does not follow that which is reasonable, which is why it is in error and disordered. That which is already disordered is more likely to fall into that which is always more disordered. But VIRTUS® explicitly denies this. It think it is criminal that VIRTUS® is allowed to vomit their perverted perspective on priests and laity. Their footnote (1) follows:].] (1) [(1) Terry K, Smith M, Schuth K, Kelly R, et al. The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, 38, 62, 63, 64, 74, 100, 102, 119. [Note well, dear readers, that the John Jay study is not charged with commenting on whether homosexuality is good in and of itself. Nor is the John Jay College of Criminal Justice charged with child protection training. This is an entirely fraudulent citation on the part of VIRTUS®. How very Kafkaesque of VIRTUS® to use the John Jay study to promote homosexuality as that which is naturally good, thus promoting a reason why homosexual activity is a good, all the while ignoring the importance of the fact that 81-82% of cases of sexual abuse among clergy have been homosexual, that is, according to the same John Jay study.]]
In fairness[!], it should be noted that there are, indeed, elements of truth related to each of the foregoing propositions, but none on its own, nor all of them combined, can even begin to explain and fully describe the misconduct crisis. [This “fairness” statement is a misstatement in that objections to such purposed skewing of the facts by VIRTUS® are not answered in this way. Also, this is misleading in that no one has ever claimed that these few points explain everything. This is a disingenuous sidetracking of real concerns. Don't think that VIRTUS® didn't work hard on this presentation.]
Given our theological tradition of understanding sin and grace [This is code in the VIRTUS® understanding of psychology prevalent in perpetrator treatment centers, a relativism which takes whatever traditions and understandings as starting points, whatever they happen to be, with all of that, however, being quite irrelevant to the salvation that this type of psychology purports to bring. The statement of “Given...” is not a given, as we have seen with their total rejection of the Church’s teaching on homosexuality, and, therefore, also on sin and grace.], we also know the crisis as a failing of human nature [Actually, that statement is a rejection of original sin and a blaming of God for creating human nature in a faulty manner, for it fails in itself, according to them. Instead, original sin has much to do with why anyone falls. The same ideology of holding a badly created human nature at fault was prevalent at the Rulla institute of the Gregorian, where this conference took place. That institute, and, say, the Saint Luke Institute, have worked hand in glove.] and the ever present reality of [personal] sin and temptation [the provenance of which, for VIRTUS®, can range from God’s faulty creation, to other factors in society, etc.]. The negative consequences of the crisis that the Church has endured have certainly been affected by the four myths previously identified; but they are not at its heart. [Overstating the myths, and misrepresenting human nature as VIRTUS® has done and continues to do, certainly does affect the abuse crisis, and for the worse, considering the huge role that VIRTUS® plays. To state that myths are not the provenance of the abuse crisis is tautologous. Note that tautologous statements are sarcastic and serve only to distract one from the non sequitur “logic” being presented.]
* * *
MORE HSH COMMENTARY: That VIRTUS® presented more papers than all others in the Gregorian’s abuse symposium does not mean agreement with the content of their papers, though it could. The conference seems to have simply been a platform for VIRTUS® to promote the program it sells. It is surely an indication that VIRTUS® is an important player in the child protection program business (and make no mistake, it is big business, with lots of money involved).
The politics of the Holy See in welcoming the existence of such a symposium and wishing the studies well has to be understood with a bit of romanità. Commissions of adversarial parties are frequently made with the end of letting the offending parties hang themselves. Then, perhaps, the Holy See may wish to publish a rather more judicious statement. An example of that would be the outrageous Humanae vitae commission, which was totally contradicted by Pope Paul VI.
So, VIRTUS® team, don’t get your hopes up to think that you’ve won a battle for your promotion of active homosexual behavior by the clergy. Bishops who promote VIRTUS® should think twice about their support for the program and its anti-Catholic premises and instructions so dangerous to those who are vulnerable. If any bishops have been requiring VIRTUS®, it would be good to reconsider that, don’t you think? Yep. Do it now, before more children are hurt by VIRTUS®. For the entire VIRTUS® paper: HERE.
Much of the day was spent on the phone catching up with the various contacts, trying to fathom what is happening with Monsignor Edward J. Arsenault.
I’ve written quite a bit this afternoon and this evening as well. But that article is not finished, nor will it be today. There is so very much going on right now. But I do intend to publish something on RICO tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in trying to put this into perspective…
The chickens are put to bed, and prayers still need to be said, and Laudie-dog is chewing on a bone. And… and…
When times are especially dark and dreary, I like to give a flower to the Immaculate Conception, from Holy Souls Mountain, of course. That, more than anything, helps put things in perspective.
Mary was a tough woman. She knew how and knows how to be a good mother. There’s no greater warrior than a Mother who’s protecting her only son. I spoke about her up in Washington, D.C. a while back. Here’s what I said:
1. The first is a link to the *.mp3 file. If you want to download the file to listen at any time, just click on it, but using Microsoft Internet Explorer. Diversely, in that same browser, right-click and choose “Save target as…”, saving it to the location and with the name you desire. Chrome will not download such files, only play them, just click for Chrome.
Monsignor Edward J. Arsenault — h/t New Hampshire Union Leader
[click on the graphic to enlarge] Saint Luke Institute is in — Say where? — York, Pennsylvania? I guess that’s an errant laptop with the Saint Luke Institute’s IP address inscribed in its system. Seems like kind of a long commute between York and inside the Beltway of D.C. Just sayin’…
I couldn’t care less who sees my own IP or ipv4. I don’t have any anonymous proxy or anything like that. I’m nobody anyway.
But there are those might want to take some care about advertising that they are looking at posts on Monsignor Edward Arsenault here on HSH and elsewhere.
And while Newspapers like the HuffPo happily link to such stories here on HSH, there are others whom I know are investigating the case of Monsignor Edward J. Arsenault and who had best keep their investigations to themselves for the moment. And I’m not talking about the FBI or the Attorney General’s office or the Diocese of Manchester. People know who owns who and can put two and two together. Little mistakes can sink the Titanic.
If you’re one of the good guys investigating this story, just go and buy a cheap netbook and connect to the internet with a non-company IP. Really. If you’re not a good guy, well, who cares?
Also, just to say, not that it has anything at all to do with anything, but as the FBI investigations now involve the years 1999-2009 as something totally different from any improper adult relationship, I find it interesting that a particular group of attorneys in Washington, D.C., who specialize in defending clients involved with RICO lawsuits, has a rather inordinate interest in posts about Monsignor Arsenault here on HSH.
I’ll outline a RICO-like lawsuit later today, please God.
Oh, and did I say that The National Catholic Risk Retention Group also has an interest in posts about Monsignor Edward Arsenault?
And did I mention that the years involved in the present investigation involve the years when Arsenault was in charge of sex abuse cases in the Diocese of Manchester and was also Chairman and Director of The National Catholic Risk Retention Group. I’ll have to think about whether that’s just an ever so slight conflict of interest given the information in this post: The Judas Crisis and The National Catholic Risk Retention Group (TNCRRG)
And it seems to me that people should be reading this post of a priest wrongly imprisoned (what with Monsignor Edward Arsenault having much to do with that): Why the Catholic Abuse Narrative Needs a Fraud Task Force. That’s by Father Gordon J. MacRae (about).
I’m just mentioning any number of not necessarily connected issues in this post. Don’t draw any conclusions.
P.S. The New Hampshire Union Leader says that his consulting contract with the local hospital was not reported to the IRS. They also mention his salary at Saint Luke Institute being 170,000. But that’s beside the point, I think. There’s more to the story, I think. It’s like watching the Soviet nuclear explosion. There’s always more:
It’s just a guess, but I suggest that Bishops John B. McCormack, Francis J. Christian and Peter A. Libasci would do well to read the same, and then call up the Attorney Generals office and the FBI and set up an appointment for today, say, before midnight, to tell the whole sorry story. Oh, and don’t forget about what was indicated in Ryan Anthony MacDonald’s Bishop Takes Pawn: Plundering The Rights of a Prisoner- Priest.
If you do this, dear Bishops, it would do well for you to relate that this is what you are doing in a Press Conference, say, by 1:00 PM today.
“We will do this in the light of day,” says Bishop Libasci.
Great! Just do it.
Pope Francis will be reading about it… soon. It’s better for you to speak up before that. It demonstrates good faith. [[Update: "Soon" now means after a few more days, if not a week. Just when you think a snapshot of the situation can be taken, the scene changes to such outlandish proportions that you have to re-frame the picture. And again, and again. But soon, the picture will be taken, and developed, and printed, and put on display.]]
I like how the Attorney General’s office has already dropped some hints about the scope of the investigation, calling in the FBI because, you know, they can handle matters spilling over into other states if need be. You’ll remember that this isn’t the first time the FBI has spent years investigating matters about which you might well want to speak. [[Update: And now we know that the period they want to cover is from 1999-2009. Perhaps we'll have to have a surely irrelevant spelling bee to see if anyone can spell "TNCRRG".]]
From right to left: Bishop John B. McCormack, Aux. Bishop Francis J. Christian and Fr. Edward Arsenault, announce names of accused priests of the Diocese of Manchester. The attorney for the alleged victims said that he had never seen anything like it. In some cases they didn’t even ask what the dates or allegations were.
Monsignor Arsenault is the heart and soul of The Judas Crisis, the very embodiment of its insistence on their being no due process for priests, that settlements be paid immediately, regardless of the facts, regardless of guilt or innocence.
And now allegations have been raised against Monsignor Arsenault himself.
He’s resigned as head of the Saint Luke Institute. He’s been suspended from active ministry.
While being investigated for an inappropriate relationship with someone described as adult, it was discovered that there were indications that there may have been quite a bit of financial misbehavior, enough to involve the office of the Attorney General.
I think that Monsignor Arsenault should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
I think that he should benefit from the due process which he refused to his fellow priests.
I think that we should pray for him: Our Father… Hail Mary…
Update: The FBI is now involved.
This post literally lit up the State of New Hampshire last night. And people have been checking back in as early as 04:00 hours. So, I thought I would supply this link, though most got that as well:
I’ll have quite a bit more about this, please God, as the day proceeds. It will be a nightmare logistically today, as there are many other things to tend to away from the hermitage. Anyway, do check back in. I should have some things to say about:
The revolving door Attorney Generals of New Hampshire
You’ll remember that two weeks ago, Father Gordon MacRae, a priest wrongly imprisoned (about), asked me to write a guest post over on his blog appropriately called These Stone Walls. That guest post was published as Pope Francis and The Judas Crisis. I include it below the page break here for archival purposes, but I encourage you to read it over there if you haven’t already, and drop a comment. I’m told that the day it was published, it got a record number of hits for that month on These Stone Walls. Yikes!
This guest essay written by Father George David Byers, of Holy Souls Hermitage, compares four points of Cardinal Bergoglio’s pre-conclave speech with four scenes of betrayal and evangelization of the dark peripheries of Gethsemane: The Judas Crisis & TNCRRG.
It is with sweet and comforting joy that we thank His Holiness, Pope Francis, for being the Papa of our Catholic Family of Faith. We are confident of his solidarity with us in the midst of our evangelization of the most extreme peripheries of existential desperation.
It is with unbounded trust in his fatherhood as he walks among us that we
In reading over Ryan Anthony MacDonald’s article — Truth in Justice – Was the Wrong Catholic Priest Sent to Prison? – particularly PART V: A PRIEST IN HIDING (scroll down to the end of the article), it comes to mind that there are quite a number of deaths and disappearances related to the wrongly imprisoned Father Gordon MacRae.
In reading over that story about Father Stephen Scruton, who may well have been interfering with those who would later accuse Father Gordon MacRae, I would like to add one more point that wasn’t included in that already long but magnificently researched and written article, namely, about the incident of Father Stephen Scruton leaving his counseling appointment in Boston, when, just as he was to head down the stairs, he mysteriously just happened to fall in just such a way that he would die within weeks and without ever regaining consciousness. It happens, I suppose. But it also just happens that Father Scruton had a particular letter in his hands as he fell to the coma in which he would die. That letter had been penned by Father Gordon MacRae. It was a request that Father Stephen Scruton step forward to say anything that might be relevant about his, that is, Scruton’s involvement, if any. Had he made up his mind to say something? Was he stopped? I know, that’s all conspiracy theory stuff. But I would like to ask a few questions: (1) Now that he’s dead, can his psych records be subpoenaed by New Hampshire’s Attorney General’s office? Surely those records would reveal plenty that is exculpatory for Father Gordon MacRae. (2) Why in the world would the Diocese of Manchester, N.H., so easily let Father Scruton remain silent about all this? Did they? (3) Who was behind the mysterious voice that was heard? It sure does sound like another priest, who is probably alive today, and who could testify about everything about Father Stephen Scruton. And I’m quite sure that that voice belongs to someone who has been following the story quite closely. If he’s reading this, I will make a simple appeal to him in the name of Jesus: Just tell the truth. It will do you good. Wake up and die right. Life is short. Eternity is forever.
Another priest was gunned down in place of Father Scruton, with that murder immediately followed by the murder of the accomplice and the suicide of the murderer.
One of the prosecutors of Father Gordon MacRae left New Hampshire immediately after the trial. He’s just. like. gone.
The other prosecutor committed suicide.
Am I missing any?
I’m getting the idea that this case should be getting more attention from the FBI, that is, re-opening the case, but this time concentrating on a statement from Bishop McCormack to Leo Demers and another attorney in a meeting — (Bishop Takes Pawn: Plundering the Rights of a Prisoner-Priest) — at which the Bishop said:
“What I am about to tell you must never leave this room. I believe Father MacRae is innocent and his accusers likely lied, but there is nothing I can do to change a jury verdict.”
But that’s not the statement that is so important, for, as I understand it, the Bishop also went on to say that he, Bishop McCormack, cannot publicly speak of Father MacRae’s innocence that is known to him, the bishop, since there are other considerations which are more important.
I mean, hey, if I were investigating this, I would really want to know what’s more important than one of his priests, whom he knows to be innocent, being wrongly imprisoned for the rest of his life.
The only thing I can think of is the dogged determination to protect the policies of immediate and even blanket settlements for all accusers regardless of the guilt or innocence of the priests so accused. It about saving thirty pieces of silver, right?
We don’t want more deaths like that of Judas. I’m pushing on this since people are not getting younger, and there will always be more coming out about all this, perhaps much sooner than later. The quicker they cave and provide testimony about the truth of the matter, the better it will be for them. What we don’t want with The Judas Crisis is this:
That would just be too sad altogether. Jesus is good and kind and merciful and forgiving, yes, also for any Judas, if only they ask and receive. Peter betrayed our Lord as well, but he came back and our Lord forgave him. And now he’s Saint Peter. That’s what I like to see! Let’s have a Saint Edward Arsenault! Let’s have a Saint Bishop McCormack! Let’s see them know the goodness and kindness of our Lord. Let’s see them fess up to the truth of the matter…
Really, guys, you want to do this within the next few days. Today is the day of salvation. Just do it. Pick up the phone to the Attorney General’s office and ask to be recorded under oath. Make the appointment for Monday morning, early.
Bishop John B. McCormack, Aux. Bishop Francis J. Christian and Fr. Edward Arsenault, announce names of accused priests of the Diocese of Manchester. The attorney for the alleged victims said that he had never seen anything like it. In some cases they didn’t even ask about dates or allegations.
I do note that [now Senator, Kelly] Ayotte is one of those “pro-lifers” who sides with most pro-abortion “exceptions.” She has made pro-family, pro-gun statements, and is considered a conservative Republican (for whatever that’s worth these days), and was endorsed by John McCain, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Haley Barbour and Rick Santorum, with her name being floated more recently even as a 2012 vice-presidential running mate for Mitt Romney. But, let’s put aside any and all other possible political conflicts of interest anyone might have, and look just as Father Gordon MacRae’s case.
So, in regard to the Attorney General’s office [of the State of New Hampshire, when Kelly Ayotte worked there] and Father Gordon MacRae, I suggest that readers take a look at Ryan MacDonald’s Bishop Takes Pawn: Plundering the Rights of a Prisoner-Priest
To all intents, constructions, and purposes that one might imagine in this regard, it really does seem that, from the very beginning – and just as Ayotte was skyrocketing in her career – the Attorney General’s office was in collusion with Father Edward Arsenault and Bishop John McCormack so to obtain, by way of fraud, the confidential files of Father Gordon MacRae that he wanted to give to a defense lawyer, with this fraudulent obtaining of these files having the end of publicly publishing those files without his knowledge or consent. This, it seems to me, transgresses any reasonable understanding of confidentiality laws, an action having adverse effect on all confidential communications of all priests without exception across the country, regardless of guilt or innocence.
Can a bishop bypass confidentiality laws? Can an Attorney General utilize a third party in order to bypass confidentiality laws over against the person involved? Are there civil or criminal penalties, or none at all? Just asking…
At any rate, by the time of Ayotte’s election as a Senator, all of this seeming collusion seems to have cemented into a long-standing close friendship between herself and Father Arsenault, as we see from one of the emails that escaped the last minute email purge at the Attorney General’s office:
Dear Kelly,
You will be great in Washington.
I look forward to having dinner with you
and Joe upon arrival.
In other words, this isn’t just glad-handing someone who’s also from New Hampshire and now in Washington, D.C. as a newly elected Senator; this email instead assumes entitlement to an intimate dinner as a top priority for someone who will be otherwise be utterly mired in a steep learning curve as a newcomer to D.C. politics. Just. Wow.
At any rate, just based on Ryan’s great article, what seems to be happening is that the Diocese of Manchester was and is interested in protecting their policy of immediate and even blanket settlements no matter what, that is, regardless of the guilt or innocence of any particular priest. Such settlements save thirty pieces of silver. See The Judas Crisis and The National Catholic Risk Retention Group (TNCRRG). But didn’t Father Arsenault and the Diocese of Manchester, N.H., need and don’t they continue to count on collaboration from the all too accommodating Attorney General’s office? The kickback for the Attorney General’s office is that everyone gets to play the hero for being tough on abusers – regardless of whether they are actually innocent – with Ayotte herself becoming always more the all around electable hero.
Note that it is precisely because Father MacRae was admittedly known to be innocent by the Diocese of Manchester that he had to be put down in favor of their policies which have it that everyone is automatically guilty, no matter what.. Do the math like a cynic. Holding everyone to be guilty and paying out immediate and even blanket settlements is the only way it is thought by the likes of a Father Arsenault that a diocese can save money over against the risk of outcomes of any litigated proceedings. If Father MacRae’s case were to be overturned, this would throw the policies of Father Arsenault’s The National Catholic Risk Retention Group into confusion, that is, effectively, the policies of immediate and even blanket settlements of most all (arch)dioceses in the United States, particularly Boston and Manchester, N.H. Cooperation of Church and State to hold all priests automatically guilty is thought to be good for all, but this is the old Judas-priest’s cry, Pro bono Ecclesiae! (For the good of the Church!), enabling doing evil so as to pretend that one is achieving good, which is explicitly condemned as worthy of hell by Saint Paul (Romans 3,8).
But, of course, lack of due process for anyone is not good for anyone, and in the long run, hurts real victims, who will be ignored when people get so fed up with false accusations that they will brow-beat even real victims into silence. Giving the green light to false accusations is to re-rape real victims.
Those who collaborate in whatever way in insuring that there is to be no due process for priests are collaborators in abuse. It needs to stop. It needs to stop now.
I suggest that the Attorney General’s office tell the full truth – with a time-line – about what happened concerning Father Gordon MacRae, including details and names of all involved. That kind of honesty helps everyone.
The ram in the thicket, which Abraham sacrificed in place of his son Isaac, as a symbol of the Sacrifice of the Redeemer that was yet to be provided by the Lord.
The great Ryan Anthony MacDonald, journalist and author of A RAM IN THE THICKET, has written a guest-post on the blog THESE STONE WALLS hosted by the falsely accused and long imprisoned priest, Father Gordon MacRae (about).
There have been some rather incisive articles of late over on These Stone Walls, including:
Nota Bene: This last link listed above is a response of Ryan MacDonald to a “letter to the editor” of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review, a letter that was attacked Father Gordon MacRae with a breathless ignorance of the facts of the case. Now, just to say, in decades gone by, HPR has published some great articles, including one by yours truly (Offering Mass Invalidly - The priest must pronounce the words of consecration — March 1998). At any rate, that gracious response of Ryan MacDonald, presenting the actual facts of the case in order to set the record straight, was not published by HPR, which, I must say, seems rather nefarious to me. But, more on that later.
The demon Azazel taking away the scapegoat
I should also like to note that last article of Ryan MacDonald’s pushing for a review of the case of Father Gordon MacRae is the article for which Ryan MacDonald’s most recent article acts as the Prequel.
Ryan MacDonald has just now published a guest-post on These Stone Walls:
It’s a story involving murder and suicide and betrayal of the innocent.
Nota bene: Betrayal of the innocent helps no one, not the ones betrayed, not the betrayers, not the false victims, and certainly not any true victims of other cases, who are re-raped by such capitalizing on their sufferings for the financial benefit of others.
I know of a number of priests who need our prayers in the coming days. Each of them is at the very heart of knowing what it means to be betrayed, each in diverse circumstances, each of them having far-reaching effects on all other priests throughout the world, without exception, whether these others know it or not. There is a great deal that is riding on what happens to them in these days though they are spread throughout the world and, for all I know, never met or even talked to each other. They are all great priests. All have suffered horrific betrayal.
Prayer moves mountains. How about we set a novena time, say between the Feast of the great foster father of Jesus, Saint Joseph, on May first, so that the end date would be on the Solemnity of the Ascension of our dear Lord into heaven?
Saint Joseph will surely direct us also to our Lady and, I think, to Saint Michael. So how about these three prayers every day for the novena?
Mark your calendars!
(1) Prayer to Saint Joseph by Blessed Pius IX on December 8, 1870, on the occasion of his being proclaimed Patron of the Universal Church:
O blessed Joseph, on whom God bestowed the name and dignity of foster-father of Jesus; and gave Mary ever Virgin to be your most pure spouse; head of the Holy Family on earth; finally chosen by the Vicar of Christ as Patron and Protector of the Universal Church established by the Lord Jesus Christ, with the greatest confidence I implore for that same Church militant on earth, your most powerful assistance. Keep, I beseech you, in the special care of that paternal love with which you are ever inflamed, the Roman Pontiff, all bishops and priests united to the See of Peter. Be the defender of all who labor for the salvation of souls among the sorrows and trials of this life. Bring all peoples of their own free will to submit themselves to the Church, which is everywhere the necessary means of salvation. Accept, most holy Joseph, the offering of myself, whole and entire, which I make to you, freely and willingly. I consecrate myself wholly to you, to be always my father, protector, and leader in the way of salvation. Obtain for me exceeding great cleanliness of heart, and a burning love of the interior life. Grant that, following your footsteps, I may direct all my actions to the greater glory of God, in union with the love of the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary. Finally, pray that I may share in the peace and joy that was yours in your most holy death. Amen.
Update Required To Play MediaUpdate your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio;
contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium.
Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur:
tuque, Princeps militiae Caelestis,
satanam aliosque spiritus malignos,
qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo,
divina virtute in infernum detrude.
Amen.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Monsignor Rossetti and Cardinal Dulles, who had very different ideas.
I recently put up a post mentioning Phil Lawler’s note on an assertion of Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, that he hadn’t even heard of Father Gerald Fitzgerald before 2009. I found this just a bit too incredible. So, on second thought, I took down the post in favor of doing more research than was done by either Catholic Culture or the National Catholic Reporter, which Phil quoted.
In the post I took down I had already said this:
I do know that Dr. Frank Valcour, MD., the Clinical Director of Saint Luke Institute, before Rossetti’s arrival, was extremely well aware of the Paracletes, and was in direct contact with them, in fact, about the most notorious case of all. My saying that should put the fear of God into the heart of a particular director of personnel of a certain archdiocese, later a bishop of another diocese, now retired.
But something just wasn’t sitting right with all this. So, I went to the NCReporter and looked up their April 13, 2009 article, which was preceded by three other articles in the space of two weeks. NCR’s Tom Roberts had this to say in the April 13 article:
“He [Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti] had never heard of this guy [Fitzgerald] or what he was saying” prior to the recent reports in NCR [all early 2009].”
Doing a little more digging, and I was told that one should, in fact, question Rossetti’s assertion, as Phil pointed out. For instance…
Did not the Saint Luke Institute, under Rossetti’s command, and still today, belong to The International Conference of Consulting and Residential Centers (ICCRC)?
Was not Monsignor Rossetti present for the 1992 conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted by The Servants of the Paraclete that year?
Were there not detailed presentations about The Servants of the Paraclete, so that Monsignor Rossetti would necessarily have had to hear all about Father Fitzgerald?
I mean, I don’t know. But…
Wouldn’t this be like studying the Pentateuch for years and years without ever having heard of someone called Moses, you know, until just recently?
Wouldn’t this be like studying the Gospels for years and years without ever having heard of someone called Jesus, you know, until just recently?
Wouldn’t this be like studying the history of modern psychology for years and years without ever having heard of someone called Freud, you know, until just recently?
Father Gerald Fitzgerald was the pioneer in the treatment of priests. Is Monsignor Rossetti forgetting some things? I don’t know.
What I do know is that Monsignor Rossetti holds that it’s pretty well absolutely exceptionless that all priests who are accused are guilty based not on the facts but on the accusation itself: guilty, without the chance to prove one is innocent (which proving one is innocent can’t be done anyway). There is no need, in that extremely influential opinion, to bother looking at dates or allegations. So, many don’t. Everyone is guilty for Monsignor Rossetti.
But is he telling the truth on that? Does he always tell the truth? Is there a motive of, say, I don’t know, bed-filling for the Saint Luke Institute, to say that everyone is always and in every case guilty no matter what? Just asking. And I would ask Rossetti’s successor at Saint Luke Institute, Monsignor Edward Arsenault, the same question. Both these guys are hand in glove with The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, which backs up their anti-due-process assertions. See what TNCRRG has to say:
Accused doesn’t mean guilty. It just means that someone made an accusation for whatever reason. As we find out more and more, there are plenty of false accusations, with plenty of people out for easy money, re-raping real victims in this way.
Complicit in the re-raping are any (Arch)bishops who think that an accusation is to be equated with guilt, so that an immediate settlement is to be made regardless of the facts, which are to be entirely ignored by policy.
A purposed lack of due process for priests — the definition of The Judas Crisis — is the quickest way to have real victims ignored, that is, when people get more than just fed up with false accusations. Yet, this is the studied course of so very many (Arch)bishops, who, in consort with The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, insist that all priests, regardless of the facts, are ordained into guilt, so that they are merely an occasion of an abuse settlement looking to happen at the first available opportunity. Continue reading →
Here’s the communique in English translation and then in the presumed Italian original, followed by comments on the meaning of what we’re seeing here:
* * *
Vatican City, 5 April 2013 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father received in audience Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. A communique released by that dicastery reads that, during the course of the audience, various issues pertaining to the Congregation were discussed. In particular, the Holy Father recommended that the Congregation, continuing along the lines set by Benedict XVI, act decisively with regard to cases of sexual abuse, first of all by [1] promoting measures for the protection of minors, as well as in [2] offering assistance to those who have suffered abuse, [3]carrying out due proceedings against the guilty, and [4] in the commitment of bishops’ conferences to formulate and implement the necessary directives in this area that is so important for the Church’s witness and credibility. The Holy Father assured that victims of abuse are present in a particular way in his prayers for those who are suffering. VIS
* * *
Città del Vaticano, 5 aprile 2013 (VIS). Un Comunicato della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede rende noto che: “Il Santo Padre ha ricevuto questa mattina in udienza il Vescovo Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, Prefetto della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede. In occasione dell’Udienza, in cui sono stati trattati vari argomenti di competenza del Dicastero, il Santo Padre ha raccomandato in particolar modo che la Congregazione, continuando nella linea voluta da Benedetto XVI, agisca con decisione per quanto riguarda i casi di abusi sessuali, promuovendo anzitutto [1]le misure di protezione dei minori, [2]l’aiuto di quanti in passato abbiano sofferto tali violenze, [3] i procedimenti dovuti nei confronti dei colpevoli, [4] l’impegno delle Conferenze episcopali nella formulazione e attuazione delle direttive necessarie in questo campo tanto importante per la testimonianza della Chiesa e la sua credibilità. Il Santo Padre ha assicurato che nella sua attenzione e nella sua preghiera per i sofferenti le vittime di abusi sono presenti in modo particolare”. VIS
* * *
Let’s take a look at those four points:
[1] promoting measures for the protection of minors
To be seen. Such involves the procedures and available penalties as implemented by the CDF. Perhaps such measures also include guidelines for the (re-)formulation of directives by Episcopal Conferences.
[2] offering assistance to those who have suffered abuse
It is uncertain whether this refers to paying millions of dollars to victims, or to offer to help pay the bill of a psychiatrist (whose bill presumably doesn’t run into the millions of dollars per client). We’re facing the bankruptcy of the entire Church in the whole world, if vindictive penalties causing the selling of church buildings and schools and hospitals are involved, especially if the ambiguity of the next point is emphasized:
[3] carrying out due proceedings against the guilty
This is most interesting. In the USA, we speak of “due process” for those who are accused, for there is supposed to be a presumption of innocence until one is proven guilty, it being that one cannot in any case prove oneself innocent, and it being that there is sometimes a difference between being accused and being guilty.
The “due proceedings” here refers to those who are found guilty, but there are no proceedings to be dealt with — are there? — only an execution of the decision of previous due process (or lack thereof) which found or simply declared the accused to be guilty. So, this makes no sense, unless there is a mistaken translation at hand. The Italian has “i procedimenti dovuti nei confronti dei colpevoli” (the required procedures regarding the guilty). Not any better. So, are the accused always to be judged as guilty, regardless of the facts, so that the accused receive no due process? Not necessarily, though this has almost without exception been the norm right around the world: no due process for the accused, but all are automatically guilty because of having been accused.
It is strange, however, that with the growing publicity of large percentages of false accusations, that due process is not even mentioned for the accused, who are so very often treated as guilty from the get-go. When local dioceses treat anyone as guilty without knowing the facts, you have to know that they are trying to sell you something that you are all too willing to buy. The only reason to quash due process for the accused is to cover-up an injustice being wrought by those who quash due process. Note that well.
[4] commitment of bishops’ conferences to formulate and implement the necessary directives in this area that is so important for the Church’s witness and credibility.
(Arch)dioceses around the world spent the last year formulating and sending their directives to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. The CDF, having seen the extreme variety and helpfulness (or lack thereof) of such directives, have kicked the matter back to the Episcopal Conferences. Such formulation, or reformulation, will take some time, hopefully not as much time as the United States bishops took to come up with some kind of real translation for the Novus Ordo Missae (over thirty years).
Any directives that do not demand justice and due process for all involvedwill gravely damage the Church’s witness and credibility. This point is difficult to see for those who congratulate themselves for making immediate payouts to accusers regardless of the veracity of their claims. They are instant heroes for slitting the throats of priests, especially when it is clear to all that there has been no due process for the accused, for this is applauded as acting decisively. In an effort to please the main stream media, many claims are not even read, simply paid for. Manchester Diocese in New Hampshire was even mocked by the attorney acting on behalf of accusers for this, he saying that in many cases, the diocese didn’t even want to know the accusations. Making instantaneous payoffs to accusers regardless of the facts hurts true victims, who, in the long-run, will be ignored. People will get sick of the false accusations and have no time for any accusations. That’s already starting to happen. And that doesn’t help anyone, does it? The only thing that helps is justice for all, due process for all. Truth helps. Lying hurts.
I find it interesting that bishops and religious superiors have given themselves a pass in all this. How many times have we seen that it is the bishops and superiors themselves who are guilty of such things, and yet they are not included in such directives. I’m hoping that the present involvement of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will resolve any such lacunae. If so, perhaps due process for the accused will be written into the directives with a bit more insistence. Perhaps such organizations as the TNCRRG will be found to be inconsistent with natural justice and canon law and will be proscribed by such new directives. Perhaps The Judas Crisis will grind to a halt. I only wish due process for the accused would have been mentioned. If due process for the accused is left out, we may be seeing the end of the Church as we know it, with bankruptcies becoming commonplace, with bell towers being replaced by minarets.
In all of this, note that we do not have the words of Pope Francis, but merely a summation. Language is important. Knowing which points were included or not is important. We don’t have important facts to know how to comment on such things. Therefore, note that this comment in this post is on the summary of the comments of Pope Francis, not on what Pope Francis actually said.
A good friend Down Under informs me that the Australian Royal Commission on Sexual Abuse of Minors began yesterday: video.
The Commission is set up so that all institutions, governmental, non-governmental, ecclesial, anything, right down to neighborhood “groups” that have anything at all to do with youngsters are being investigated, which I think is fantastic. The Aussies get it right, whereas in America, where most all abuse takes place in public schools, none of that is prosecuted, but abuse is often rewarded with promotions.
In the few minutes I watched of that session, I heard the speaker say that detailed accounts of victims will be taken with the utmost concern for confidentiality, so much so that special records will be made and the normal governmental commissions for I.T. will be bypassed, so that no interference or high-jacking of testimonies can be made.
Great! And that’s when the penny dropped.
Yesterday a comment was dropped on one of the posts on abuse on the blog here, condemning me for not supporting that all the highly graphic extreme detail of abuse of ten-year olds be published for all to read, the condemner saying that it is only when people read highly graphic extreme detail of abuse of ten-year olds that anything good will be done. I’m one of those who think that publicizing highly graphic extreme detail of any abuse of any youngsters is simply another form of voyeurism and child pornography. I’m against it even if a highly vulnerable abuse victim agrees to the publishing by unscrupulous predators.
The comment came by way of the “Office of the Chief Information Officer” at the “.gov.au” ISP, the very ones who are being locked out of transmitting of highly graphic accounts provided with extreme detail, precisely for the reason that they are not trustworthy.
The comment implied that there was no abuse in Australia if not only in the Catholic Church, where, actually, while there has been some abuse, that only accounts for a tiny percentage of the whole picture. I wonder what it is that the “Office of the Chief Information Officer” at the .gov.au ISP is trying to do. Is there a push to deflect investigations away from, say, the “Office of the Chief Information Officer” at the .gov.au ISP? Just askin’. And I think it is a legitimate question, given that the comment came in from a government ISP, which enjoys by that fact an imbalance of power. But Royal Commissions can investigate a conflict of interest, even in the government, which is why they are Royal.
The one making the comment may well have been abused himself some fifty years ago at ten years old, and that is very regrettable. I will pray for him. However, that’s no excuse to deflect an investigation’s scope, or to find a scapegoat for all that is wrong in Australia. Just let the Commission do its work, and sign up to testify if you have been abused.
Those who have been following this blog for a while will know some of the stories I myself have to tell about my own childhood, though there is no graphic detail at all, and there is plenty of praise for guardian angels and our dear Lord who saw me through some harrowing circumstances, saving me in this way and that, and yet again! I see from the stats program I use that this fellow spent a great deal of time reading those autobiographical entries, and became upset when he didn’t find anything graphic. He complained: “This is not some competition for who can write the cutest prose.”
“Cute”? Honestly! That’s the last thing I would have called what I wrote. Awesome, perhaps, in favor of our dear Lord who extracted me from situations again and again unscathed, awesome, but not cute. In other words, for this fellow, if someone isn’t constantly throwing a spittle-flecked tantrum, what they say has no value. That reminds me of some of the commentary against Pope Francis: all emotion, no reason.
No one is served well by tantrums. Be calm. Be reasonable. Get the job done. Pray for all concerned. And… and.. pray again for all concerned. If we don’t make it to heaven, the failure will be eternally catastrophic. So… Hail Mary…
There’s much to be seen about the 1968-1978 abuse of youngsters crisis in the Catholic Church in regard to the present conclave.
Many popular conservative commentators offer advice to the Cardinals about choosing someone who is not up to the task of following the example of the Dallas Charter and its implementation by The National Catholic Risk Retention Group in these United States of America, thus effectively attempting to hobble any elected Pontiff who does not share this type of policy, effectively calling them collaborators with abuse, effectively preparing people to lose faith unless the SNAP, VOTF, Bishop Accountability, NCReporter, Tablet anti-Catholic mentality is not followed to the letter by the next Pontiff.
As one can see in the commentary provided about The Judas Crisis on the sidebar of this blog ( http://holysoulshermitage.com ), what that means is zero due-process for accused priests, so that all control of the process is given over to the accuser, and an immediate settlement is sought, hopefully without lawyers for either side, all without any regard for justice. This, it is cynically held, is in favor of the victim, who is always to be held to be truly a victim and never a bogus “victim” who just out for the money, all regardless of the truth of the matter. But let’s see how this would work out with a Pontiff who has his head screwed down on his shoulders the right way.
A possible scenario: A Cardinal is elected to be the Bishop of Rome. Unbenounced to him, an abuse case just then comes to light in the diocese of which he was Archbishop, a case from the height of the abuse crisis, say, forty years ago, in 1973, five years after the rejection of Humanae vitae, a case in which the priest is long dead, a case which has no proof, a case which asks for mountains of money, a case which accuses everyone who was Catholic at the time of being guilty of this case just because they remained Catholic while such a thing was occurring, though unknown to all and sundry. A typical case which wins a landfall of millions of dollars in any court. The mainstream media blames the new Pontiff for this case, saying that he should have done something about it, it being that he was in a position of authority at the time, though he was only a seminarian in a foreign seminary. Damn Pope! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
What’s a new Pope to do? Take on the media. Tell them like it is. A possible script:
Journalists! Friends! Let us discuss the issue of sexual abuse, for this is a most terrible crime. The victim must be helped. There must be vigilance. We are all thankful to Pope Benedict for all he did to combat this filth in the Church. But more needs to be done for the true victims, and this in an unexpected manner. There is to be justice for all. What this means is due process is to be accorded to priests. When there is no due process, when juries are criminally stacked, there occurs the abuse of office which, with homosexuality, is a major underlying cause of what took place as an aspect of the casting off of obedience in faith to the doctrine and morality of the Church, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. When there is no due process, and all priests are under a shadow of guilt that is just waiting to be accused, it not making any difference whether the accusation is true or fabricated, it not making any difference what number of ulterior motives there happens to be, it is then that real victims of this terrible crime are abused once again. Capitalizing on the suffering of true victims for ulterior motivations is a major crime of abuse against youngsters and all those who are vulnerable. Those bishops and other chancery officials who are guilty of not providing due process to priests are, upon the decision of an ecclesistical tribunal, to be forthwith removed from office as incompetent this not prejudicing other, further sanctions and penalties for such perpetrators of injustice. Moreover, any journalists in the mainstream media who have been the ever so willing puppets of the agenda of such ulterior motives are to be named and shamed, and, if Catholic, are likewise to be processed, willingly or unwillingly, in ecclesiastical tribunals set up for the purpose, even in absentia, depending on their writings and their present belligerence. It is a filthy crime against true victims to utilize their sufferings for other ends, raping them, in this way, again and again. In this way, with the merciful provision of justice, there is hope to bring abuse of office and other abuse to an end. In the absence of justice, there is only an invitation to abuse one’s office to abuse youngsters. It has to stop, and it has to stop now. We beg our Lord’s guidance.
After that, this message is repeated by all priests, bishops and Cardinals and by the Holy Father, shaming the criminal journalists with the light of day. Hey! Why didn’t we think of that before? Too many ulterior motives for too many.
For the record. Someone, from Colorado Springs, using language strikingly, remarkably similar to this guy, has left more — how to call them? — comments linking, rather significantly, to this post (scroll to very end). It might be helpful for this fellow to receive a visit from a friend.
Anyway, just to say, that’s just so boring. Blech. This is the kind of thing — people showing their worst — for which I have no fear, come what may. You’ll simply not get my interest by merely telling me what was vomited up by mankind all over Jesus while He hung on the cross. No, no.
You will get my interest, however, by telling me about the goodness and kindness of Jesus, who loved us while we were yet sinners, so as to transform us, and bring us to life. That’s something in which to rejoice. Come Holy Spirit !
Meanwhile, I haven’t anything written. There are non-stop distractions. For instance, I just blew out a tire — quite the explosion really — on a jagged rock on Holy Souls Mountain. What a fright. That took up much of yesterday, and will take up most of the day today. I think the checking account will allow me to buy one tire, perhaps two, depending. In saying that, I’m not soliciting donations. I would never do that!
Meanwhile, say a prayer for the marchers arriving for the march for life in Washington, D.C. When a baby in the womb is considered to be the greatest enemy of the nation, no one is beyond the reach of violence.
Prayers, please. Today and all this week is an extemely important time in the history of The Judas Crisis. On a world-wide level.
V. Let us pray for Benedict XVI, our Pope.
R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Psalm 40,3 (41,3)]
O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict XVI, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
P.S. The Holy Father is awesome, a priest’s priest.
Accompany me, Father George David Byers, S.S.L., S.T.D., as I begin life as a Catholic Priest-Hermit by choice. Holy Souls Hermitage is dedicated to the sanctification of my fellow priests, bishops, deacons & seminarians going through the purgatory of this life or the next. Prayer and sacrifice go up, of course, for both Benedict XVI and the next Successor of Saint Peter.
All told, Masses offered for Benedict XVI came to 918.
י ב ר כ ך י ה ו ה ב ה ת א ם ל ת פ י ל ת מ ר י ם ה ק ד ו ש ה May the Lord continue to bless you according to the intercession of Mary Most Holy
Proud to be a 4th degree K of C
N.B. As far as I understand, if you a non-practicing Catholic Knight, vid., a pro-abort politician, your membership remains because of laws about any purchased insurance. It seems that if such pro-aborts could be thrown out, they would be thrown out.
Stained glass windows at the Fathers of Mercy Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Dear seminarians, fellow priests and bishops... don't say you can’t be bothered to join in this novena for the healing of autistic children and adults and for help for their families, carers and the professionals who work with them. Send in the first names of those with autism.
When I was a chaplain in Lourdes I also used to bring the names of these kids to the prayer box in the grotto at Lourdes.
Here is a recently updated list of names of those who have joined the novena so far. Remember: Each name here carries a hugely awesome story of joy, anguish, pain, exhilaration, confusion, prayer – and lots and lots and lots of worry. Say a prayer for them now. Don’t forget: their souls are sustaining yours. Really, don’t forget that, not even for an instant. You will be happy you didn’t forget when they welcome you into heaven, and you are astonished at how they, by their prayers, got you into the pearly gates, even if just barely! It is the souls of just such as these which sustain seminarians, priests and bishops. Am I not right? Say a prayer for them now.
Andy
Doug
Steven
Wesley
Mikah
Stephanie
Brandon
Greg
Alec
Eric
Chris
Justin
Jon
Timothy
Laura
Dane
Keith
Robert
Nick
Thomas
Mark
Elliot
Josh
Nick
Joseph
Vijay
Renea
John
Anne
Gabriel
Frank
Sandeep
Tom
Benjamin
Ryan
Brenda
Jonathan
Dylan
Teddy
Jacob
Christopher
Jared
Dylan
Anthony
Francesa
Joseph
Raven
Stevie
Nathan
Trevor
Joseph
Mark
Brodie
Robyn
John
Drake
Vanessa
Pierce
Patrick
Joseph
Jacob
Rocco
Mitch
Michael
Cade
Owen
Alex
Brendan
Kyle
Will
Jake
Flynn
Matthew
Kaitlin
Sophia
Revanth
Kusha Conrad
Carter
Katie
Joey
Zach
Collin
Brett
Robert
Nick
Hamish
Justin
Kelly
Katie
Samuel
Hayden
Jack
Nick
Julia
Ben
Henry
Conor
Aaron
Abu
Dillon
David
Lucas
Noah
Samuel
Robert Dean
Lono
Matthew
Aaron
Blake
Gavin
Michael
Paul
Timothy
Jacob
Francis
Alicia
Ethan Nathaniel
Andrew
Wilson
Douglas
Junie Joseph
Aaron
Maria
Maximus
Biancas
Jennifer
Isaac
Isaiah
Erika
Matthew
Joshua
Michael
Gloria and her little brother
Declan
Michael
Enrique
Xavier
Christian
Sarah
Ben
Nick
Matt
Preston Michael
Conor
Owen
Beverly
Noel
Ian
Daniel
Anthony
Charlie
Keith
Matthew
Austin
Kevin
Stephen
Mark
Louis
Jacqueline
David Andrew
Ryan
Nicholas
Cameron
Brother of James
William John
David
Cody
Alex
Christian
Mckenzie
Taylor
Bradley
Michael
Dillon
Ryan
Caleb
Toby Alex
Zachary
Destiney,Tristan
Tiffany
Albert Anthony Pio
Diego
Ralph
Mia
Jonathan
Daniel
Elsa
Ramon
Edye
Adalberto
Patricia
Oscar
Luca
Bransen
Collin
Ean
Shelby
Chase
Michael
Alexander
Joshua
Cooper
Aldo
Chip
Dalton
John B
Michael
Kaitlyn Marie
Lucy
Angela
Peter
David
Darcy
Rita
Helen
Mark
Natasha
Michael
Maria
Danny
Catherine
David
Hasan
Stephen
John
Zack
Christopher
Clarissa
Anja
Shane
Emily
Luke
Kaare
Scot
Alejandro
Kai
Didi
Niall
Fonsie
Frances Mae
Nacho. Juliane
Sharmila
Ella
Gabriel Marion
Michaela Denisse
Ralph
Mito
Nathan
Joshua Rafael
Alain Albert
Nelson
Geoffrey
Kalvin
Jaime
Nathan Isaiah
Sidray
Bea
Elisha
Jacob Aaron
Nacho
Albert
Mardave
Adam
Aloy
Ron
Hendrick
Miguel Vincent
Justin
Aron
Adrian
Enrique
Gwyneth Lim
Drei
Juan Pablo
Lorenzo Isaac
Gabrielle
Raphael Gabriel
Seidji
CJ
Joey
Bradd
Nikolai
Sandro
Juliane
Niall
Ethan
Brian Benjamin
Julian Raphael
John Benedict
Cheska
Edan Geoff
Aaren Elize
Daniel
Gregorio
Russel Arvin
Beatrice Anne
Tristan Louie
Joseph
Angelo
Patrick
Ralph Richard
Rohann
Richard Gabriel
Georgette Andrea
Nicolo
Michael
Aaron Tyler
Miguel
Nash
Joshwa Dominik
Brent Cedric
Erik
Xavy
Jake
Rosemary
Colton
David
Liz
Matthew
Danny
Isaiah
Marco
Adam
Noah Christian
Devon
Mat
Griffin
Heather
Joshua
Christopher
Joseph
Pierre-Andre
Katrina Marie
Steve
Rick
Darrien
Gus
Bill
Jesi
Aaron Joseph
Ryan
Elliott
Aaron Philippe
Sara
Charles
Ty
Tanner
Noah
Riccardo
Ruah
Faith
Amanda
Daniel Adam
Ryan
Skyler
Derek
Nicholas-Raymond
Alexander-Francis
Chris
Robert
Olivia
James
Caleb
Thomas
Marianne
Steven
Adam
Joseph Kyle
Miguel Luis
Cara Mia
Aaron
Michael
Juan Pablo
Joan
Ralph
Andrew
Elizabeth
Ray
Sara
Nicholas
Ivan
Clarita
Charity
James
Steve
Cameron
Eleandrei
Nicholas Stephen
Henderson
Burke
Josh
Clare Jian-Cui
Mary
Elizabeth
Eileen
Gary. Hailey Marie
Scott
Nicholas
Alexander
Christopher
Brandon
Eric
Jered
Jacob
Alphonse
Carl Nathan
Rafael Miguel Cristobal
Christopher Patrick
Shaun
Gabriel Nicolo
Andrew
Christopher
Ryan
Mary Anne Elizabeth
Rohann
Isabella
Xandi
Nico
Christopher Lance
Joshua
James
Silas
Ella
Carly
Eli
James
Charlie
Elijah
Anika
Malcolm
Christopher
Peter
Meghan
Clancy
Geswin Jasper
Christina
Thomas
Ursula
Moira
William
Micheal
Issak
Matthew
Casper
Nicolas
Guy
Julie
Aiden
Andrew
Scott
David
Noah
Michael
Rachel
Michaela
Sebastian
Niki
Susan
Billy
Helena
Valerie
Brian
Carol
Olivia
Antonio
Jacob
Wayne
Daniel
Veronica
Steven
Owen
Christopher
Joe Michael
Isaiah
David
Christopher
Michelle
Rosalinda
Samantha
David
Nicholas
Amanda
Charlie
Ally
Katrina
Mateo Eduardo
Antonio
Griffin Christopher
Logan
Riley
Parker
Alexandra
Zachary
Kevin
Jack
Michael T
Jean T
Kevin M.
Katherine Julia
Sean
Alex
Conor
Dylan
Patrick
Cameron
Jordan
Be
Kevin
Joseph
Susana
Justine. Jessica
Avery
John Paul
Michael Joseph
Bobby
Kevin
D.J.
Marco
Ezekiel
Matthew Romuald
John
Bess
Peter
Melissa
Amanda Marie
Mikey
Richie
Sergio
Alex
Ingrid
Catherine
Cecilia
Philip
Kaleb Coonrod
Andrew
Cassie
Kyle
Justin
Kristine
Aaron
Katherine
Matthew
Clay
Joshua
Karen
Avery-Grace
Jim
Landon
Stephanie
Billy
Jonathan
Max
Jeremiah
Steven
Damian
Savanna
Landon
William
Dustin
Elliot
Devin
Leslie
Daniel
Nathaniel
Robert
Craig
Wes
Zachary
Jan
Jacob
Ryan Anthony
John Paul
Gianna
Ali
Rudy
Alex
Max
Rudy
Heidi
Dominic
Anthony
Joshua
Alex
Daniel
Carlos
Emilio
Liza
Julio
Matthew
Anthony
Andrew
Thomas
Christopher
Maria
Lou
Augustine
Josiah
Conor
Finbar
James
Charlie
Stefano
Adrian
Mary
Joseph Vincent Jake
Robert
Eric
Michael
TJ
Christian
Christopher
Brian
Edward
Jamal
Ryan
Jack
Alex
Charlie
Channing
Joshua C.
Michael B
Josh
Danny
Dan
Ben
Elam
Luke
James
Shon
Tyler
Marcus
Truman
Brooke
Melanie
Roderick
Aaron
Marcus
Fitz
Nadir
Scott
Robert
Mark
Larry
Julieo
Colin
Rece
Korbin
David
Sam
Chris
Taylor Mikey
Brian
Hamilton
Michaela
Annie
John
Sam
Martin
Peter
Clare
Amanda
Edmund Francis
Brock
Mikey
Will
Margaret
Nick
Dillon
John
Clay
Ricardo Emmaunuel
Joey
Drake
Nicholas
Austin
Rocco
Allison
Kevin
Michael
Hayden
Christopher
Chaz
Matt
Jake
Jordan
Delaney
Shadman
Jose
Nikki
Emma
Sam
Aaron
Craig
Marcus
Kyle
Max
Jaimee
McKenzie
Dylan
Robbie
Jason
Andrew Joe
Kevin
Briana
Ethan
Zarchary
Derek
Philip
Johnny
Caitlin
Raymond
Luke
Stephanie
Jacob
Theodor
Luke
Anthony
Eric
Shawn
Charlie
Jimmy
Max
Cody
Rebecca
Arianne
David Jonathan
Bailey
Lucas
Randall
Eric
Nolan James
John B.
Michael B.
Stephen G.
Daniel S.
Peter Michael
Martin
Lauren
Keegan
Jacob
LB
Kyle
Mark
Bobbie
Lorrain
Andrew
Jack
Grant
Abdula
Rose
Anthony
Tia
Alexander Michael
Christopher
Michael
Alexander
Nicholas
Paul
Amelia
Alexis
Kathy
Karen
Samantha
John Paul
Joseph
Sean
Jonathan
Joseph
Michael
Joy
Chase
Michael Sean
Joey
Ian
Kathy
Gail
Nicolas
Dillon
Natasha
Scott
Steve
Julie
Nicholas
Ryan
Sean
Dean
Paul
Jonathan
Jacob
Gina
Brendan
Michael
Colin
Isiah
Greg
Mathew
Ashley
Karl
Jay
Ryan
Thomas
Derrick
Evan
Casey
Danny
Robbie
Max
Jenny
Christopher
Caroline
Juliana
William Anthony
Nathalie Elizabeth
Joshua
Alex
Daniel
Carlos
Emilio
Liza
Julio
Matthew
Anthony
Andrew
Amanda
Lauren
Ben
Will
Lucas
Charles-Andrew
Randal
Ivy-Jean
Ophelia-Ann
John-Paul
Kathryn
David
Shane
Dan
Vincent
Thomas
Joseph Dominic
Gene
Amanda
Natasha
Samuel
Laura Francesca
Kenny
Eric
Nicholas
John (senior)
John (Junior)
Vincent
Ritagai
Nathaniel
Leonard
Matthew
Stephen
Arielle
Alexander
Jacob
Jordan
Michael I.
Jessica I.
Melissa G.
Benjamin
Kristian
Andrew
Rusty
Justin
Cooper
Lola Beth
Marie
Nathan
Charlie
Joseph
Andrea
Kristen Bree
Elizabeth
Sam
Sharlene
Derek
Jack
Jordan
Austin
Joey
Timothy
Joelle
Timothy
Maryanna
Michael
Lauren
Kianna
Joey
Spencer
Gavin
James
Mark
Jonathan
Luka
Stephanie
David
Paul
John Peter
Andy
Frankie
Brett
Alwin
Kieran
Nestor
Enrico
Nicholas
Matthew
Hutson
Kaleb
Ryan Anthony
John Paul
Gianna
Ali
Heidi
Dominic
Darcy
Josh
Keff
Anthony and Hamilton
Casey
Matthew
Ryan
Tyler
Shaney
Nolan C.
Michael B.
Amy
Frank
Evan
Jamie
Damian
Mark
Peter
Therese
Lucas
Ray
Eva
Andrew
Raymond
Christina
Maddie
Jacqueline Mary
Nick
Noah
Morgan
Will
Daniel
Kevin
Charlie
Timmy
Brooke
Sarah
Joey
Matthew
Joseph
Evan
Faith
Kyle
Brendan
Abby
Eddie
Eric
Ethan
James
Corey
Brendan
Patrick
Aleese Terese
Will S.
Will
Brad
Catherine
Gabby
Ramsey
Kolbe Matthew
Mackenzie
Kevin
Chelsea
Christy
Jacob
Michael
Stephen
Abraham
Kenneth
Margaret
Michael M.
Thomas Edward
John
Christopher
Rachalle Lauren
Robert
Nicholas
Parker
Ryan
Nathan C.
Shane Michael
Christopher Patrick
Nigel
Christian
Marina
Nate
Caitlyn
Michael
Billy
Nicole
Will
Austin
Leo
Isaac
Susannah
Blaise
Kevin
Ian
Seth
Patrick
Jason
Melissa
Max
Celeste
Dena
Henry
Giancarlo
Matthew
David F.
Cody F.
Andy
Eric
Adam
Laura
Paul
Angie Denise
Anthony Raul
Charlie
Owen Brendan
Michael
Omar
Alina
Christopher
Joshua
Billy
Jay
Isabella Indira
Kevin
Joshua
Thomas
Matthew
Abby
Robert
James
Matthew
Jack
Stevie
Eddie
Cristian
Raquel
Luigi
Katharine Micheal
Brandon
Gabi
Kristian
Ben
Alexandria
Christopher
Erica
Nejweh
Rahem
Reece
Alex
Kristina
Jiza’s brother
Evan
Michael H.
Michael M.
Hunter
Lydia
Brady
Alec
Victoria
Manny
Marshall
Luke
Shane
Ebony
Nick
Anna
Marisa
Addie
James and John (twins)
Domingo
Charlie
Kholton
Jaden
Josh
Kris and Khole (twins)
Thorin
Baily
Trent
Dylan
Ethan
Marshall
Courtney
John
Marianna
Peter
Genaro
Mikayla
Zachary
David
Matthew James
Daniel
Kenny
Charlene
Neil
Laura
David
Tristan Andrew
Brittany
Savannah
Taylor
Michael Joseph
Jonathan
Nicholas
Jacob
Scott
Benjamin
Sarah
Nolan
Sully
Julie AnnMarie
Garrett Andrew
Rafael
Edward
Alex
Andre
Rory
Padraeg
Vinnie
Cathy
Eddy
Ramon
Champ
Michael
Nicole
Sam
Jon
Steven. Joshua
Jacob
Abijah
Redempta Marie –Eugenie
John
Max
Steven
Jack
Alexa Marie
Peter Joseph
Felix
John
Lorenzo
Jared
Jacob
Justin
James
Roger
Nate
Matthew
Michael
Erica
Selena
Logan
Patrick
Mallory
Joanne
Peter
Maria
Amelito
Kaitlin
Ryan
Josef
Andrew
Owen Michael
Ryan Joseph
Matthew
Jessica
Ashton
Luis
Andrew K.
Andrew G.
Celina
Nathaniel
Oscar
Marco
Steve
Tim
Travis
John
Kelly
Mary
Lori
Linda
Michele
Rita
Sandy
Becky
Justin
Cassie
Ryan
Darrel
Andrew
Thomas
Samantha
Emily
Jason
Zach
Renee
Paul
Leah
Eric
Mary
Melissa
Trisha
Stacey
Joanna
Angie
Alice
Philip
Daniel
Joseph
Alicia
Dana
Elizabeth
Kohl
John
Kaleb
Jordan
Lindsey
David
John
Robert Franz
Kaitlyn
Adam
Katherine
Alec
Evan
Thomas
MelissaAnn
Derek Richard
Tommy
Jordan
Marty Rosie
Brennan
Phillip
Robert
Kirin
Joey
Matthew M.
Robert T.
Christopher C.
Isabella
Ronan
Nathan
Marie Clare
Joel Anthony
Patrick
Felicia
Rocco
Ryan
Aidan G.
Mark
Alexander
Ashley
Justin
Dale
Lawrence
Grant
Trevor
Phillip
Kate
Jonathan
Bob
Julianne S.
Louis R.
Julie S.
Vincent
Bobby
Grace
Aaron Michael
Trent
Marko
Natalia
Patrik
Patrick Mitchell
Crawford
Elijah
Harrison
Adrian
Ian
Matthew
Chris
Cameron
Robert
Richard
Andrew
Michael
Brian
Nathaniel
Rick
Sean
Connor
Gus
Samuel
Ryan
Lauren Rose
Sean
Eric
Nora
John
Terri
Harsh
Chris
Carito
Joseph
Caroline
Barrett
Dougie
Billy
Michael
Troy
John John
Joshua Alexander
Nicholas Krystov
Alexander Joseph
Christopher
Alexander
Gianfranco
Julian
Carmen
Shauna
Theresa
Michael
David
Donato
Paul
Janet
Ben
Liam
Bridget
Randy
Josh
Sean
Albie
Pouya
Aria
Michael
Tom
Brian
Christopher
Matthew
Adrianne
Brian
John
Brianne
Alissa
Elizabeth
Tyler
Jacob
Micayla
David
John
Sam
Oliver
Christina
Joseph
Devin
Toren
Travis
Isabel
Phillip
Mary
William
Conner
Joey
Daphney
Paul M.
Tony M.
Pete C.
Becky C.
Cody B.
Michael B.
Annie B.
Kendall C.
Kaleb S.
Matthew S.
Matthew
Anthony
Haydn
Sarah
Anna
Colby
Christy
John Paul
Brad
Anthony
Evan
Andrew
Connor
Tyler
Walter
Joseph
Mary Anna
Catherine
Thomas
Alex
Jericho
Jed
Antoinette
Anne
Max
Miggy
Eric
Joel
Nate
Morgan jnr
Morgan Snr
Evan
Thomas
John
Evan
Enda
Niall
James-Michael
Doreen
Harrison
Anna
Jan
Dominic Benedict
David
Billy
Caleb Allen
Holly Elizabeth
Cian
Eoin
Don
Brandon
Mathew
Lucas
Elias
Raelene
Carson Kodiak
Corinne Amelee
Alonzo Martin Petras
Isabel
Mark
Rohann Reelijah
Jennifer
Kevin
Campbell
Collin
Kyle
Lillian
Patrick
Angelo
Galen
Denzel
Benjamin
Rhea
Sean
John Calvin
Benjamin
Kyra
Jacob
Alex
Tom
Daniel
Sean
Timothy
Monica
David
Rafael Gabriel
Jude
John Karl
Ryan
Anna
Rodrigo
Natalie
Luke
Niko
Anthony
Brendon
Ferouk
Bronwyn
Khang
Tyrone
Ryan
Nathan
Alex
James
Basma
Kosta
Jared
Patrick
John
Matthew
Margaret
Christian
Rebecca
Daniel
Aiden
Colin
Nicholas
James
Victor
Rusty
Ben
Frank
Tony
James
Daniel
David
Sean Patrick
L.W.
Nathan
Cameron
Eric
Sean
Chris
Robert
Rosalia
David R.
John R.
Nicole Ann
Rebecca Rose
Annabell
Nick
Erin
Alexander Francis
Nicholas Raymond
Mark K.
Alex
Caitlin
Tyler
Michael
Jayce
Gloria
Liam
Ed
Nicola
Paula
Paul
Kayla
Bernadette
Sebastian
Sammy
Nicholas
Donald
Shawn-Michael
Matthew
Emily
Ryan
Matthew
Dylan
Dustin
Jake
exy
Sophie
Nick
Alice
Cedric
Neander
Danielle
Van Robert
Thomas
Caleb
Johnny
Jackson C.
David P.
John-Luis L.
Sarah M.
Bryce
Ayden
Allan
Liam
Alex
Ethan
Alexander
Brielle
Alex
Cian
Paulina
Luke David
Libby
Jack
Augie
Dillion
Kyle
Joel
Daniele
Enrique-Gabriel
Justin
James
John
Kieran
Daniel
David
Alisha
Mast Fenwick
Nicolas Alexander
Scott
Bryan
Emily
Ben
Alfredo
Michael
Tanner
Cian
Eoin
Dylan
Connor
Marcus
Thomas
Vinodh
Josef
Anthony Mariano
Elijah Robert
Shreshto
Jadiel
Gabriela
Nabila
Nahin
Darwin
Dylan
Beth
Teddy
Joseph
Dayne
Dayton
Tom
Jed
David
Matthew
Alasdair
Emmanuel
John
Peter
Ashley
Lane Gabriel
Max
Sean
Vincent
William
Braden Kipling
Charles William
Jonah
Ian
Henry
Adam Timothy
Joey
Gabriel Jesse
Charlie
Micahbelle
Stella
Elizabeth
Thomas
Marcus
Peter Anthony
Brian
Joshua
Andrew
Peter Anthony
Brian
Mikey
Leia
Erin
John
Ryan Stephen
Gerald Dave
Colleen
Elijah
Michael
Laura
Taylor
Suryia
Sean
Cory
Maddie
Luciano
Joe
Austin Steven
Tilemachos
Andrew
Christopher
Yuan
Francis
Ae
Denise
John
Gus
Sari
Max
Anne
Michael
Dylan
Brianne
Chris
Nick
Luke
Paul
Eden
Benjamin
Calum
Gage
Lucas
John Anthony
BrandonBoy
Carter
Codi
Aiden
James
Nini
Alexander
Emma Claire
Caulden
Robert
Trevor
Andrew
Ethan
Thomas
Matthew
Natalie Kaye
Juven
Marc
Peter Anthony
Daemon Michael
Joseph Patrick
Oliver James
Toni
Jack
Mark
Joshua
Lucas
James
Jenny
Mathew
Adonia
Anna
Kristopher
Megan
Erin
Ryan
Ryan
Enda
Connor
Trevor
Katai
Monte
Lorenz Ann
Brendan
Jack Michael
Buddy
Marshall
Ethan
Chris
Max
Marybeth
Andrew
Liam
Ethan
Tyler Adam Zachary
Grayson Paul
Courtney
Kyle
Ryan Robert
Andrew Ryan
Nicholas
Luke
Patrick
Nicholas
Antonio
Adan
Nicholas
Parris Eve
Corynn
Anthony
Cody
Aram
Tony
Jimmy
Brendan
Gwyneth
Byrce
Martin
Ethan
Michael Christopher
Zachary Thomas
Daniel
Zachary
Evelyn Grace
Joseph
James
Sam
Edward
Travis
Joshua
Vivek
David Michael
Ethan Andrew
Dustin
James
John
Michael
Rachel
Jack
Nick
Brendan
Mark
Alyssa
Luka
Nicholas
Andrew Wallace
Alexander
Alyssa Jean
Anne Marie
Mary
James
Roman
Anna
Ireneusz
Alexander
Julian
Joseph
Mitchell
Bruce
David Alberto
Olivia
Jacob
Adam
Corey
Joe
Tristan
Matias
Joaquin
Sarah
Connor
Theodore Marlo
Michael
Rachel
Michael
David
Elizabeth
Nathan
Bill
Harry
Frank
Mary
Dave
Trevor
Ethan
Shawn
Stephen
James
Kristian
Nathan
Morgan
Montana
Charles
Jacob
Joshua
Warrick
Charlie
Spencer
Monique
Peter
Joel
Avery
Vincent
Peter
Colin
Fiona
Emma
Neema
Matendo
Mutume
Titus
Julian
Henry
Max
Matthew
Tim
Michael
JP
Danny
Martin
Austin
John
Justin Matthew
Kaitlyn
Alan
Gerik
Stephen
Isabella
Christopher
Eric
Matthew
Ryan Isaiah
Vincent
Katy Rose
Eliana
Luke Mathew
Daniel
Andrew
Sean Matthew
Ankush
Conner
Thor
Max
Andrew
Joseph
Christian
Ciaran
Larry
Austin
Jacob
Patrick
Sean
Joey
Joe
Margaret
Juni
Jeanne Marie
Jacob
RJ
Jack
Andrew
Dustin
Carter
Evan
Riley
Jack
Riley
RJ
Jacob
Austin
Liam
Bridget
Andre
Erin
Jim
Adam
TJ
Ronnie
Graham
Danny
Joseph
Noah
David
Bain
Nathaniel Michael
Jason
Josh
John
Preston Manuel
Hank
Joe
Gabriel
Jackson Patrick
Brian
Jonathan Richard
David
Dianne
Rick
Nikolas Alexzander
Jonathan
Liam
Ryan John
Aimee
Francesco
Mason
Gianna
Cameron
Gianna
Samuel Charles
Alexander
Jack
Alexis
Ryan
Caitlin
Ethan
Rachel
Pratik
Claire Sophie
Carolyn Elizabeth
David Joseph
Timothy
Jaruis
Jacob
Derek
Skyler
Gian Ryan
Ethan
Jessica
Carlos
Alexander
Henry
Sergio
Natalie
Dan
George Joseph
Katie
Ethan Manuel
Mia
Carly
Nicholas Alexander
Steven
Ella
Ryan
Megan
Leo
Michael
Matthew
Meghan
Alvin
Ethan
Thomas Jay
Mark Girard
Allison
Hillari
Terri
Adriana
Matthew
Jason
Nattan
Oskar
Aryan
William
Rachel
Charlie
Colton
Arthur
Nicholas
Nick
Henry Joseph
Anna-Kate
Timothy
Josie
Christopher Afonso
Hunter
Sydney
Gavin
Tyler
Vincent
Cameron
David
Isabella
Karic
Colsen
Jeannine
Dennis
Sandra
Paul
Isabella
James
William
Joshua
Jack
Andre
Derek
Emily
Christopher
Jack
Adam
Sean
Noah
Sebastian Francisco
Sujith
Apoorva
Sanjay
Jeremy
Akash
Nandana
Kichu
Dev
Harish
Nathan
Ken Roy
Raghnall
Seamus
Matt. Josie
Dominic
KyleeAnn
Ryan
Ethan
Joseph
Benjamin
Elisha
Allysa. Dea
Kris
Jennifer
Devon
James
James Harold
Zachary
Caleb
Pierson
Robert
Andrew
Matthew
Eddie
Louisa
Gregory
Jacob Lawrence
Josephine
Michelle
Dominic
Ed
Ava
Dermot
Martin
Noah
Nick
Jordan
Victoria
Colton
Joseph
James
Mackoy
Evan
Paul
Daniel
John Patrick
Sophie
Luke
Brianne
Cecilia
Louie
Ethan Samuel
Neil
Luke Xavier
Matthew Joel
Neil
Filip
Romario
Ekene
Roxanne
Jayden
Samuel
Jackson
Chris
Neil
Matthew
Neil
Hannah
Brian
Brendan
Joseph
James
Joey
Allan
Mathew
Mike
Patrick
Sarah
Evan
Braden
Alejandra Sofia
Chizenum
Daniella
Nneoma
Erik
Felix
Moses
Joshua
Victoria
Corey
Paloma
Bradely
Charlie
Sierra
Samantha
Joseph.
Gianna
Joseph
logon
John Matthew
Liam
Kyle
Maddison
Nicholas
Monica
Jack
Zachary
Jennah
Benjamin
David
Darryl
Paloma
Etienne
Nicholas
Santino
Danny
Ben
Tommy
Angela
Matthew
Yamuna
Barnabas
Chase
Kobe
Marcus
Julian
Gaby
Josh
Susane
Erica
Elijah
Benjamin
Thomas
Jayden
Nicholas
Elyas
Peter
Amar
Matthew
James
Dylan Michael
Steve
Sneha
James
Abhishek
pranav
Rhisheb
Dylan
R. Matthew
Brady
Christopher
Jordan
Michael
Ainsley Nicole
Elise Renee
Blaze
Nahom
Aryan
Manuel
Jacob
temiloluwa elijah
Maddox
Roman
Derrick
Robert William
Skyler
Cali
Hyatt
Alexandra
Robbie
Joseph K
Andrew K
Luke
Haven
Alexa
Jacob
Hunter
Alexander Jeremy
Joel.
Joshua Michael
Steven
Kobe Ryan Harris
MaKenna
Francis
Adam
Thomas
Anika
Benedict
Jessica Rose
Riah
Ryan
Joseph
Brannon
Jesse
Gabriel
Ali
Nick
Faith
Jesse
Joey
Zander
Gianna
Luca
Matthew
Keegan
Jaedyn
Riley
Nicholas Alexander
Andrew
Matthew H
Jaycee
Matthew
Andrew
Ryne
Sara
Nick
Jim
Giana
Jacob
Chase
Benedict
Rahul
Gable
Rachel Elizabeth
Charlie
Jasmine
Jonathan
Heather
Matthew
Alexy Belle
Nicolas Jiovani
Brian
Jeremy
Mike
Matt
Marcus
Aaron
Jethro
Joe
Jim
Pat
Kaleb Paul
Tarkan
Devin
Olivia
julian
Anna
Kaitlyn
Alex
Adam
Aubrey Marie
Colby
Dante
Jorge
Michael Angelo
Sophie
Justin
Peter
Marcus
Nigel
Matthew
Anthony
Katie
Merric Michael
Bianca Ysabelle
Jacob Patrick
Tim
Noel
Sandro
Jamie
Victoria
Brook
Paulina
Skyla
Nicholas
Sophia
Olivia
Mackenzie
Alexis
Matthew
Ethan Samuel
Thomas
Kahlil
Stephen
Brian
Sami
Jake
Chris
Matthew
Luke
Angela
Jake
Paolo
Betsy
Jeremiah
Alex
Kieran
Luke
Jake
Mikhail Bern Bidaun
James
Andrew
Marco
Andie
Colin
Joseph
Ian
Summer
Amanda
Michael
Alex
Mohammad
Dumebi
Jamie
Thomas
Albert
Haley
Joey
Micheal
Quinn
Ian
Ryan
Melissa
Ashton
Jack
Noah
Aidan
Adriel
Julian
Joey
Ralph Ivan
Allysa
Cailyn
Bob
Oleksiy
Gus
Tyler
Shaun
Julian
lisa
Stephen
Luke
Terry
Pam
Kilian
Joshua
Luke
Jake
Brandon
Eamon
Missy
John
Joel
Krishan
Penelope
Hunter James
Matthew
Aiden
Gianna
Rafael
Oskar
Sarah
Matthew
Nathan
Francisco Alejandro
Aaron
Connor
Lewis
Jordan
Ayrton
Bridgette
Jesse James
Colin
Alexander
Lara Emmanuelle
Julienne Lois
Sophia
Mate
Jessica Rose
Francis
Jason
Reinhard
Jessica
Nathaniel
Christopher
Alexy Belle
Nicolas
Lauren
Naveen
William
Paul
Philip
Ozzy
Ashwant
Hunter
Christopher
Matthew
Tommy
David
Janaya
Daniel Vincent
Alexa
Lorenzo
Jack
Griffin
Ronan
Jude
Izu Brian
Catherine
Darryl
Chase
Corbin
Anthony
Alex
Ben
Liam
Jacob Ronald
James
Lainey
Jon
Will
Chrishanth
Nickolas
Ingrid
Astrid
Eldrid
Wyatt
Andrew
Jessalyn
Clements Joseph
Mary
Dan Edrich
Joss Kevyn
Addison
Marshall
Irene Mary
Tony
Patrick
Anirudh
Christopher
Atticus George
Isadora
Josh
Joseph Luigi
Lucas
Michael
Ava
Tommy
Josh
Nathan
Christopher
Anthony
Linnea
Marcel
Caelen-Marc
Luke
James Christian
Daniel
Mossel Andrei
Jason
Matthew
Gabriel
Aiden Jesse
Mary Grace
Nadia Frances
Maximilian
Jessica
Jennifer
Marty
Charlie
josh izyl
Katherine Elizabeth
Carter
Deacon
Bryan
Denise
Sara
Maxwell
Adrian
Anthony
Olivia
Alanna
Ethan
John
Michael
Joseph
Joseph Edward
Alex
Joseph
Dennis
Mary
Anna-Marie
Patrick
Daniel
Didier
Hana
Joey
Luke
Jordan
Christopher
Thomas John
Robert
Rebecca
Noah
Zachary
Benjamin
Dominic
Jayden
Matthew
Carlo Alfonso
Sean
Benjamin
Jaylen James
Jordan Anthony
Michael Anthony
Jackson
Holly
Marc Antonio
Mary Grace
Andrew
Cliff
Danial
Adam
Adam
Aleena
Anthony
Jerry
Alejandro
Niysah
Diego
Ryan
Benjamin Andrew
Christopher
Patrick
Matthew
Jack
Hunter
Nathaniel
Euwone
Leonardo
Luke
Michael
James
John
Donato
Jackson
Thomas
Joel
Matthew
David
Alex
Alexander
John
Nicholas
Oliver
Noah
Joseph
Makhai
Johnnie
Herb
Eric Anthony
Zachary
Kevin
Aidan
Eugenio
Jarrod
James
Katherine Bella
Nathaniel
Jack
Austin
Shaun
Brittany
Mariel
Nathaniel Ilagan
Nicola
Ainley
Dan
Cole
John
Roland
Thomas
Cian
Eoin
Joseph
Peniel
Augustine
Hannah Ayessa
Hans Guiseppe
Sabina
Martin
Angelo
Austin
PJ
Lexie
Erwin
Elijah
Lindsey
Caroline
Jarrett
Zack
Axel
Oliver Maximilian
Conor
Jacob
Gavin
Joshua
Jacob
Miguel
Xavier
Michael
Tiffany
Dylan
Djonkep
Dominick
Andrew Joseph
Gerard
Ansel
Audrey
Gavin
Karin
Marin
Jason
Jodie
Janice
Ian
Michael
Aga
Madeleine
Nadya
Therius (Terry)
Lala
Alen
Hanif (Koko)
Fadli
Fauzan
Yansen
Ethan
Gamal
Dio
Clara (Lala)
Aldy (Fidi)
Tyas
Joshua C
Joshua H
Dhafin
Niko
Akram
Ismail
Dandy
Nurchalis
Callista
Neo
Asti
M. Lukman
Celine
Rahman
Alfonsus
Adit
Naraya
Aden
Lutfi
See See
Baihaqi
Kelvin
Amadeo
Franklin
Joshua
Rahadian
Nelson
Rifkie
Fadhel
Stevanus
Akhfiya
Dicky
Revvano
Ruben
Aryasatya
Evan
Taufan
Lucky
Arga
Arga Byantara
Aldi
Rigel
Farhan
Yakobus Kristian
Ghazi
Andrew
David
Mischa
Ibrahim
Tiffany
Bernadeth
Daniel
M. Iqbal
M.Fadil
Arga
Farrel
Ezra
Fikri
Adrian
Eason
Putri
Egan
Kevin G
Beni
Dypa
Avie
Diaz
Devin
Cindy
Harvian
Gilang
Aurelio
Paul
Axel
Richard
Boby
Rijal
Banyu
Kay
Thomas
Dominic
Gladden
Maximillian
Dyleth
Cilla
Daffa
Dio
Ifa
Marvella
Hendrick
Jerico
Fazad
Oscar
Kevin
Michael
Pattie
Eugene
Eileen
Emma
Mick
Eamon
Dymphna
Carlos
Faiz
Emma
Jake Anthony
Penelope
Odie
Cole
Andrew
Juan Gabriel Antonio Marquez
Braydon
Nicolas
Sophia
Michael
Nathan
Marc Brendan
Hyatt
Guillaume
Caleb
Luke
Daniel
Sean
Brian
Kyle
Peter
Joshua
Owen
Taylor Louis
Angela
Corinne
Carson
Andrew Joseph
Marcus
Benjamin
Adam
Richard Allan
Reilly
Isabelle
Stennifer Spanic
Aiden
Isabelle
Isaac
Antonio Francesco
Trey
Gio
Lomax
Jake
Henry
Francis
Aidan
Jack
Alanna
Jacob Anthony
Dane Michael Henry
George
Artie
Joseph
Harry
Anthony Matthew
Matthew
Austin
Michael
Michael
Kaia
Kurt Axel
Nicholas
Daniel Ryan Romana
Tobias Alexander
Jenna
Andrew
Lorenz
Kurt Karl
Eric
Tristan
Alexis Victoria
Coby
Dante
Vincent
Andrew
Jeremy
thomasowen
Joseph
Richard
John Christopher
Chiagozie
Anthony James
Caleb Dennis
Carmichael
Zachary
Nathan
Sidharth
Nicholas
Eva
Madelynn
Zander
Xavier
Joshua
Rob
Brandy
Christian
Mark
Brandon
Michaela
Eoghan Lynch
Guy
Edson Richard
Ryan
Parker
Richard Elias
Nicholas
Zachary
Aden
Alex
Zachary
Andrew
Aidan
Avery
Kian
Timothy
Brianna
thersa
Lisa
Alexandra Raquel
Cristian
Peter Theodore
Christopher
Gabriel
Isaac
Sabina
Carlos Andres
Lane Gabriel
Adam
Kellen
Nicholas Bui
Joseph
Shawn
Ciara
Joseph
Andrew
Aidan
Elizabeth
Adriene
Jordan Scott
Courtney
Shawn
Ciara
Kalista
Allysa
Caledon
Kinley
Leah
Charlotte
Jordan Scott
Courtney
Gregory
James
William
Jack
Auden
Tyler
Kellen
Patrick David
Bart
Him
Alexa
Ryan Thobias
Charlotte
Nathan Rafael
Waqui
Niven
Aldrich
Tom
Simon
Michael
Jack
Michael
Anthony
dj sellars
Ryan
Tyler Austin
Philip
Meagan Pho
Jordan
Ayrton
Gian
Jackson
Jessie
Migo
Mefika
Meaghan
Joe
Megan
Troy
Meaghan Olivia Ann
Henry Mathew
Jewel-Mzuri
Troy
Richard II
Richard
Nichole Marie
Romulus
Jordan
Ayrton
Dylan
Jordan Scott
Courtney
Henry
George
Anthony
Christopher-Jon
Ian Walter
Dhruv
Hayden
Paul
Marcello
Lucia
Joseph
Matthew
Gian Jude
Jackson
Jessica
Danny
Joshua
Cody
Dylan
Michaela
Victoria
Ayden
Alesander
Harry
Cookie
Andrew Jordan
Avelynn
Guy
Allan
Melissa
Loren
Na
Nikofi
John
Alexander
Franz Daniel
Joseph
Ryan
Samuel
Joseph
Lee
Avery
Megan
Enrique
Jonathan
Benjamin
TJ
Deacon
Brian Anthony
Blake Patrick
Elijah
Lukas DeAntonio
Omari
Cal
Aanyah
Kyle
Clary
Kati
Denise
Riano
Adam
Peter
Michael
Peter
Joseph
Nicholas
James
Dylan
elijah aragon
Dean
Antonia
James
Clay
Michael
Kenny Paul
Josh
Joey
Jack
Elijah
Andrea
Nathan
Arian
Liam
John Emmanuel
Michael Jude
Coral
Kenneth Paul
Rocco Antonio
Gabriel Aaron
Rivan
Rozelle Marie
Raymond
Donavan
Kian
Preston
Austin
Kenneth
Richard
Alexis Nonis
Michael Jovani
David
Kassie
Williams
Archangel
Bucky
Basil
Joseph
Osayame Mark Osifo
Romeo
Ralph
Jared
Charles
Francis
Osayame
Thomas
Tawana
Massimilano
David
Henry
Danielle
Tiana
Benjamin
Avery
The novena is in honor of Saint Philomena the Wonder Worker.
Taking in the view during my Confession run -- This includes my brothers all time favorite picture on the blog (and with a gazillion pictures, that's saying a lot). Great advice about how to go to Confession.
A hermit does not "FIND HIMSELF" ever! -- This is one of personal favorites. Brief but to the point about being found by our Heavenly Father instead of pretending to find Him.
JESUS GOES TO CONFESSION -- Another of my favorites! If you want to know how much Jesus loves us, this post will give you an indication. A seven-fold Yikes!
Dangers on the Road to Confession -- Ever get the impression that there's always something which stops you from getting to Confession? Here's the post for you (some great pictures!)
The Biblical Foundation of Priestly Celibacy by Father Ignace de la Potterie, S.J. This is one of the more visited posts of the blog. Father Ignace was a good friend. A confidant. I used this in a course on priestly celibacy that I gave at the Pontifical College Josephinum. I was very pleased that so many of the seminarians were extremely well read, and were, indeed, on the cutting edge of research involving Scripture, Canon Law, Patristics, Church History, Ecumenical Relations, particularly with the Orthodox, the prudence in regard to Anglicanorum Coetibus, the for the moment the ignoring of matters regarding the permanent diaconate, etc. Some were planning on doing doctoral theses on the subject. All were 1000% in favor of strict priestly (and diaconal!) celibacy. My heart rejoiced each class. People, you have to know that we have very, very excellent priests coming up. Some of those I'm talking about were just ordained in the last couple of weeks. (Spring of 2012). Also know -- Yikes! -- that is is because of this very article (among some others), that Father de la Potterie was so very bitterly hated by some few, who could not provide an answer to what he said, so well did he say it.
Continence -- C.W. fanatics will not like the reference to JPII in this very short post. Oh well. The definition of continence might surprise quite a few readers. The definition of terms is important! and enthralling! I wrote these notes up for a course given to the seminarians of the Good Shephard Seminary of the Archdiocese of Sydney. The Rector at the time wanted me to innoculate the seminarians from the heresy that they would be getting in their classes at a certain Catholic institute where they were attending lectures at the time. Yikes!
Chastity -- Another brief, important article with an in your face, perhaps rather unexpected definition. Knowing the definitions introduces us also to the spiritual life, as to why chastity is a gift of grace, bringing us into friendship with the Lord.
Celibacy -- Another in your face, perhaps unexpected definition that we need to know. This and other terms are bandied about with few knowing what they are saying. Bonus: a video of the great Irish singer, John McCormack, in reference to the priest who addressed Pope JPII during, I think it was, his first trip to the U.S.A. Hah!
Virginity -- Another in your face, perhaps unespected definition that we need to know. I've added a rant on the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Mother of God, and also commented on topics such as consecrated virgins, rape, "spiritual virginity", etc.
Eunuch - Part I -- This is, in my opinion super important commentary. I always get the remark from seminarians and priests that they've never seen anything like this before. Indeed, I haven't seen this anywhere else. This is all about the depth of Christ's love for His Immaculate Bride, the Church. That charity, in which we participate, is awesome indeed. You are dead wrong if you think you already know what a eunuch is. Dead. Wrong. Behold, something truly awesome about the love of God for us.
Eunuch - Part II -- A necessary follow-up and continuation of Part I, with lots of scriptural references in both Old and New Testaments. You'll never think of these passages in the same way. This is so important for priests to understand what they are doing as priests, especially when they offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and absolve sin and such. Priests are married to the Church by the Sacrifice they offer! Priests must know this or they will find themselves in touble. In knowing just how they are married to the Church, they will rejoice. It is just this which will bring much healing to the priesthood.
LUST & angels -- This is a refreshing anecdote from the life of Saint Jerome when he went further off into the desert to be a hermit. Instructive and bringing us right before Jesus. Totally cool.
Repression idiocy -- This is a rather severe critique of the hell of repression and doubled over concealed and especially for that reason very dangerous repression that was foisted upon seminarians for decades and is, I fear, still foisted upon them in some places. The kind of repression idiocy which I critique has been hailed as "Catholic" and "orthodox" by "conservative" Catholic seminaries and universities and colleges. It's anything but that. If you want to risk going straight to hell, do up some of this kind of oppression. If you want to be on your way to heaven, be at ease with weakness, in all chasity, in all honesty, before Jesus, and He will show you the way to rejoicing in holy purity. It's not about mind games. It's about knowing the wholeness and holiness of our Lord and Savior.
Wounded Healer idiocy -- The Wounded Healer idiocy is perhaps one of the most evil dynamics there is. Ever hear of it? Know who wrote popularized it? This is the method of "nice" and "caring" psychology, but is really just a horrific projection of the "Wounded Healer." This is a necessary read just because you will surely run across this kind of thing. Blech!
Impure, lustful thoughts -- This is very much a favorite post on HSH blog. I have very often also directed people to it. It seems it is very useful indeed.
My experience with porn -- This post generated by far the most heartfelt emails and comments on the blog. Porn is a huge problem in the USA and increasing around the world. This post speaks to that catastrophy. Yikes!
AD CINGULUM! -- This is from the series on the Vesting Prayers for priests for Holy Mass. However, I think all will be able to rejoice in what they read here, and will know more about the priesthood of Jesus among us, and what priestly celibacy is all about. Awesome!
There are many other posts I would like to add to this series. If you readers have any ideas, drop a comment in the comments box or send an email to holysoulshermitage using gmail dot com. Thanks!
♬ “Kíll the priest! ♬ Kíll the priest! ♬ Kíll the chí-ld ráp-ing priest!” ♬ (Meet the cheerleader) A HSH Special - In this article you will meet Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, one time president and director of the Saint Luke Institute (shudder) and – how to say it? — a one time paper-giver at the 2012 Pontifical Gregorian University Abuse Symposium (in preparation for the preparation of guidelines of the Holy See on how to treat abuse cases right around the world, coming up in another year or two). You will also see a never before published in full exchange of emails between Rossetti and Mr. Ryan MacDonald.
Abuse terminology that favors The Judas Crisis - This covers the specious terminology, which, however defined in this or that document, means something different in every case: substantiated / non-substantiated -- credible / non-credible. For some, non-substantiated and non-credible means unfounded, which means false, which calumny. But not all are in agreement about that usage. Thus, something can be deemed credible (though not in court of law), though non-substantiated, thus effectively destroying the priesthood of a priest with no proof.
The Judas Crisis $$$ — settlements vs litigation - This brief post is very important to understand the monetary motivation for not providing due process to priests. This should be an eye-opener, and make you sick. This is how bad things can get. If bishops and chancery toadies can do this to their priests, how will they treat real abuse victims in the future?
Prisons are for free! Didn’t you know? - Part of the collateral damage of NCRRG policies is that innocent priests will end up in prison. The prisons babysit these innocent priests "for free." Not giving innocent priests due process saves money. Using prisons saves more money. And tax-payers don't care? Really?
The Judas Crisis: NCRRG (Arch)Dioceses complicit in encouraging murder of priests? - This is a rather hard-hitting article. It is commentary on an article written by the NCRRG. This is of utmost importance to understanding The Judas Crisis. This is ground-zero of The Judas Crisis. The cold-blooded, callous indifference of The Judas Crisis is most evident here.
NOTA BENE: There are many more articles which are linked in those articles, and they are also important, such as the article critiquing the homosexualized VIRTUS® program: Msgr Stephen Rossetti, Msgr Edward Arsenault, VIRTUS ®, Saint Luke Institute, militant homosexualism The VIRTUS Child Protection Program Team: We must be militant homosexualists! That particular article is important to read in regard to the Judas Crisis in that VIRTUS® is one and the same with the NCRRG.
] The draft was completed in 2011 and sent to bishops’ conferences and pontifical faculties of canon law, which had a year to respond. The suggestions were organized and synthesized, and now council officials and consultants — mostly professors of canon law — meet for an afternoon every two weeks to go through them, line by line. [Unfortunately, none of that synthesis includes observations about The Judas Crisis and The National Catholic Risk Retention Group (TNCRRG), a mirror of what is done in most every Catholic Diocese in the United States, that is, zero due process for priests. However, now I know where to send a summary along with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the CDF. You can bet that no matter how much the Canon Law crowd works on this, it will, in the end, receive a thorough review by the CDF, and rightly so. Their own procedures will have to be appropriately tweaked. Indeed, in the meantime, their procedures should reflect this admission on the part of the Holy See that not all bishops' preparation of cases for the CDF are of the same standard of quality, which is a travesty of justice.]
The Story Buried Under the Fr. Gordon MacRae Case
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio;
Accompany me, Father George David Byers, S.S.L., S.T.D., as I begin life as a Catholic Priest-Hermit by choice. Holy Souls Hermitage is dedicated to the sanctification of my fellow priests, bishops, deacons & seminarians going through the purgatory of this life or the next. Prayer and sacrifice go up, of course, for both Benedict XVI and the next Successor of Saint Peter. 
