The Practical Parson

 So recently the priest who has been serving the Archdiocese of Washington, DC as exorcist for years and built up a good sized ministry there; has been ordered to leave the archdiocese, due to comments he made on a podcast.    Did he criticize the Pope?   No. Did he criticize the Cardinal of DC?  No. Did he make some public denunciation of the church or its teachings?  No. What he DID do, was dare to suggest that potential "extraterrestrial life" (I.E. UFO's) could be demonic activity.  Apparently, the Cardinal thinks it above the exorcist's pay grade to suggest that something that is not an absolute, could be the workings of demonic activity; although one would think that discerning what is demonic activity would rather be what the exorcist's job is, right?  I mean, scripture, tradition, and Christian history tell us that not only CAN demons manifest themselves as physical beings or disguise themselves as something else; they actually DO so ...

 The state of Washington today instituted a new law which claims to seek protection for victims of child abuse; however in reality is a bill that seeks to compel clergy to violate pastor-penitent privilege in order to gain information.  On the surface, and indeed according to the supposedly Catholic governor of Washington state; it would seem a noble thing that there is now a law which requires clergy to break the seal of confession to report any and all instances of abuse brought to the confessional.  In reality though, such a law not only violates federal law ensuring free practice of religion; it also violates the constitution of the United States, which ensures a separation of church and state and also freedom of religious observance.   The long and the short of the sacrament of confession is this- no matter what sins may be uttered, what horrors of a past life divulged; the sins that are brought to the foot of the cross in confession do not belong to the pr...

Recently, the new president of the United States attended a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.  The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the District of Columbia decided a service of prayer was as good a time as any to public berate the new president for what she perceives to be his shortcomings on matters of social justice she clings to.  While it is certainly within her right to promote whatever message she seems appropriate, given that the current state of the Episcopal church seems less based on faith and more on social order or disorder; It is entirely fascinating to me that a woman who encouraged and promoted physical violence and destruction for the summer of 2020, denied the resurrection of Christ during her Easter sermon, and actively promotes anti-Semitic and anti-Christian ideals- should be the one to presume to lecture anyone about morality from a supposedly Christian position.   Is it not ironic that those who demand "mercy", are the leas...