VERITATEM IN CARITATE: Infamous Richard McBrien of Much Maligned Notre Dame Trashes Cherished Catholicism Once Again

Episcopal Motto: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades - formerly of the Diocese of Harrisburg

The personal motto of a prelate has always been intended to represent his personal spirituality and theologically-based philosophy of life. Bishop Rhoades' episcopal motto, VERITATEM IN CARITATE, translates into English as "Truth in Charity." As rector of Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, he steadfastly encouraged future priests to always be faithful in proclaiming and living the truth of the Gospel in charity.
The words of this motto are found in Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “let us proclaim the truth in charity and grow to the full maturity of Christ the head” (4:15).
The Second Vatican Council stated, “Christ continually provides in his body, that is, in the Church, for gifts of ministries through which, by his power, we serve each other unto salvation so that, carrying out the truth in charity, we may through all things grow unto him who is our head” (Lumen Gentium 7).
The Second Vatican Council also stated, “All Christians are earnestly to speak the truth in charity and join with all peace-loving people in pleading for peace and trying to bring it about” (Gaudium et Spes 78).

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Infamous Richard McBrien of Much Maligned Notre Dame Trashes Cherished Catholicism Once Again

In the SUPER, ULTRA-LIBERAL, National Catholic Reporter, infamous, and equally ultra-liberal Notre Dame (yes, that FORMER Catholic University) professor Richard McBrien had an article published on September 8, 2009, wherein he maligned the beautiful and powerful devotion of Eucharistic Adoration. (Read the full piece of trash here if you really want to.)

He supposedly wrote his essay in response to an article in The Boston Globe that alluded to a return to Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese of Boston. Here are his actual words (believe it or not!), with my comments interspersed throughout in red:

Notwithstanding Pope Benedict XVI's personal endorsement of eucharistic adoration (So McBrien, who is a Catholic priest, tells us we should ignore the Holy Father over his personal opinion! Nice try McBrien!) and the sporadic restoration of the practice in the archdiocese of Boston and elsewhere, it is difficult to speak favorably about the devotion today. ("It is difficult to speak favorably about" adoring JESUS CHRIST, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Creator of the Universe, you know GOD, is what McBrien, a Catholic Priest, is actually saying! He must have done the mail order version of Seminary and Ordination!)

Now that most Catholics are literate and even well-educated, the Mass is in the language of the people (i.e, the vernacular), and its rituals are relatively easy to understand and follow, there is little or no need for extraneous eucharistic devotions. (So now McBrien is telling Jesus that when He said, "Can you not spend one hour with me," He was wasting His time because that's just "extraneous!") The Mass itself provides all that a Catholic needs sacramentally and spiritually. (So I guess McBrien wants us to toss out Baptism and Reconciliation/Penance too!)

Eucharistic adoration, perpetual or not, is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward, not forward. (No McBrien, it's your actual or at least borderline heretical teaching and opinions that continually cause the Church to take steps backward to points where we had less of an understanding of revealed truth. You Sir have become the poster boy for relativists everywhere! That's apparent because they and/or the liberal media rolls you out whenever they are looking to malign the Church and her true teachings.)

Is it surprising to anyone that McBrien is employed at Notre Dame? (Anymore, I truly feel and hurt for "Our Lady" whenever I have to refer to that school by her name.) Thank God we the guarantee that guys like McBrien will NEVER prevail against the Church!!!