Time to clean house at the Paulist center?

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

Do you ever wonder why it is that hypocritical Catholic laypersons can get by with snubbing their noses at the Holy Scriptures and Holy See all in one wide worship sweep? Do you ever wonder why they keep on keeping on with their blasphemies, not being disciplined nor even warned face-to-face of "grave sin"? Do you ever wonder how they can just slink by the Canons that stipulate clearly what is expected of a devout Catholic?

You've got an answer in the Paulist Center in Boston. That is a Roman Catholic sanctuary where everything Catholic - that is, by way of ritual - is permitted except the sacrament of marriage. All else is fair game, including not being a good Catholic. Including not going along with biblical morality. Including not adhering to the spiritual counsel of the Pope.

It's right there - day after day, night after night, week after week. So this approaching Lord's Day, the Catholics who want to write their own religion will gather to encourage one another once again in how to be apostate while still receiving the Blessed Sacrament.

For instance, when US Senator John F. Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, on Easter morning received the elements of Communion, they were applauded. Why? Because they dared publicly to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ while still publicly championing immoral issues. They support, for instance, abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research and practicing homosexuality - all of which is abhorrent to God according to the Holy Scriptures and thereby is considered sin by the Holy See.

Nevertheless, when Kerrys received the sacrament from the Paulist Center priest, the congregation broke out in applause. Why? Because Kerrys were getting by with "grave sin." They were telling the Pope where to get off. They were putting the revealed divine truth in mothballs for their own political opportunism. So the Kerrys must have concluded they were in the right by the clapping hands all around them as eternity took note of their sacrelige.

I wonder if the priest had ever read in Scriptures the warning from the apostle Paul about receiving Communion "unworthily"? Presumably not. I wonder if the priest would ever think to caution the Kerrys concerning practices which put their souls in eternal danger. I wonder if the priest himself ever takes seriously the warnings of Jesus, particularly those speaking to spiritual leaders who lead others astray by their false teachings and religious laxities.

So it is that Jesus' words of wheat and tares growing up alongside one another come to mind. Today's Christian church is made up of a lot of that. Jesus told His disciples not to try to separate the wheat from the tares. Instead, Jesus said that the Day of Judgment would take care of that. In other words, the all-seeing eye of God is able to decipher with eternal precision those who are fakes and those who are genuine. God then will see to it that the absolutely correct judgment is put in place when it is time.

At the same time, Jesus told His disciples that they have the right to discern fruit on others' life trees. Fruit that is rotten is fruit that is rotten. Fruit that is good is fruit that is good. Therefore, a brain under the discerning workings of the Holy Spirit has the correctness in coming to certain conclusions about others. Such is not judging others; it is discerning what is right and wrong about others' lives. The judgment is left to God; however, the discerning is part of Christian appraisals.

Therefore, when it comes to the Kerrys, because their evil persistence continues to this day, that is, their stubbornness in desecrating the sacrament by their endorsement of obvious wickedness, the fruit on their life trees is evidently rotten to the core. What does that call from me? It calls from me intercessory prayer for their eternities. Therefore, I do pray to God for His convicting Holy Spirit to come upon their souls so that they will turn their backs against the devil in order to take on the holiness of Jesus Christ. Further, I pray that I myself will never permit my soul to be so duped by Satan as to fall for The Lie while publicly stating I'm living for truth.

According to AP writer Jennifer Peter, "The sanctuary where Sen. John Kerry regularly receives Communion attracts Catholics uncomfortable with some of the Vatican's orthodox teachings or who otherwise feel alienated from the Roman Catholic Church." In other words, some of those who attend the Paulist Center are purposefully apostate.

"The Paulist Center's congregation includes gay couples, whose adopted children are baptized there, unlike in some other Boston parishes. In November, its leaders refused to read aloud during Mass from a letter opposing gay marriage, as requested by the Massachusetts bishops." In other words, there are those in the Paulist Center who write their own religion because they are given to an egocentrism that condones evil while rejecting God's call to pure living.

"'The congregation is not geographical, but ideological, drawing people from as far as away as New Hampshire,' said Drew Deskur, the center's music director and a parishioner for 25 years." In other words, there are those who attend Mass there who find it exceptionally comfortable to live in sin while still enjoying a certain ritual interjection in their weekends.

"'It's not St. Around-the-Corner,' Deskur said. 'It's an intentional community that draws people from all over Boston. It tries to make sure that everyone feels welcome and that everyone participates in the liturgy.'

"Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and a lifelong Catholic, planned to attend Mass on Saturday at the Paulist Center, which is close to his home in Beacon Hill. He and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, regularly attend services there, according to campaign spokesman David Wade."

I think it's past time for the diocesan bishops to take immoral matters in hand for the cleansing of the temple.

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"Redemptionis Sacramentum" : LITURGY ABUSES VS. MORAL ABUSES OF THE EUCHARIST

J. Grant Swank, Jr.

When reading of the 28 grave abuses against the Eucharist, I thought: These are necessary to publish to the Catholic worshiping world; but even just as importantly if not more so are the moral abuses against the Eucharist, chief being politicians who desecrate the Blessed Sacrament every time they partake.

It is interesting that the very weekend the liturgy-grave abuses are published, US Senator John F. Kerry lashes out at his own Church by parading alongside baby killing enthusiasts as well as continuing to receive Communion while supporting murdering children.

Of course there is concern that the Mass becomes too folksy and given to local whims, hence the need for getting out the "line up" message to all Catholic congregations. "In an instruction warning against a wide range of abuses against the Eucharist, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments singled out 28 'grave matters' which put 'at risk the validity and dignity of the most holy Eucharist,'" states CNS from Washington.

The "Redemptionis Sacramentum" (The Sacrament of Redemption) is a 65-page print out instructing priests and laypersons how reverently to approach the Lord's table in worship. It has been approved by Pope John Paul II and sent out in multiple languages.

"It seeks to promote reverent celebration of the Mass and devotion to the Eucharist in accord with the church's liturgical norms. Its concerns range from avoiding such crimes as blasphemous desecration of the Eucharist to assuring that the liturgical roles of priests and laity are kept clearly distinct and that priests wear the proper vestments when celebrating Mass."

Attending to liturgical detail in observing the Eucharist focuses on ecclesiastical necessities for a Catholic sacred "holy moment" before the heavenly throne. All the more the need to give severe attention to those who, by walking into the Catholic sanctuary, besmirch all that is holy there by defending wicked practices contrary to Holy Scriptures.

John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry are prime examples of this trespass as is political companion Ted Kennedy who, for years, has snubbed his nose at Rome by writing his own Catholic religion. But another question has to come to the fore: Where are the officiating priests when desecrating parishioners walk through the front door of the church? Where are the bishops overseeing those spiritual domains? Where are the archbishops overseeing those bishops overseeing those spiritual domains?

Rome speaks against the war in New Iraq. Rome speaks against the atrocities of the Middle East. Rome speaks against the materialism of affluent nations. Rome speaks against the disobedient Catholic parishioners. Now where is the follow through at the local level? If what is set forth in the Vatican is not translated to the local then all is in vain for it is at the local level multiplied that the worldwide Church is set forth as a witness or not a witness.

Boston's Paulist Center is a ready example of disobedience. It weekly allows practicing homosexuals to continue their lifestyles without a priestly warning. It weekly permits Kerrys to commit "grave sin" by receiving the Blessed Sacrament while countering moral issues set forth in the Scriptures. Even if the Paulist Center priest adhered to all the liturgical stipulations set forth in the latest release from Rome, he would be in severe disobedience on moral grounds. However, is anyone within the Church bringing that priest to task? Obviously not.

In other words, there are those who are living with their own definitions of "Church." There are those who defy Rome so as to become literally a separate religious entity. They are harboring renege priests and purposefully sinning parishioners who continue knowingly to disobey, thus bringing divine wrath upon their souls.

No matter how much Rome may tend to liturgical detail concerning priestly garb, handling of the elements, proceeding in worship, if the humans gathered are in their souls defiant of the divine revelation, it is all in vain.

In order to bring necessary repair to sanctioned disobedience in certain congregations there must be forthcoming genuine repentance in life change before God:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:8-9)

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19)

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up." (James 4:88-10)

There is needed a new sense of sin and conviction of sin.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)

"Then I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone. Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.'" (Isaiah 6:5)

"For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight--that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge." (Psalm 51:3-4)

"See, O lord, that I am in distress; my soul is troubled; my heart is overturned within me, for I have been very rebellious." (Lamentations 1:20).