The Practical Parson

  Ever since the Pan-Amazonian synod in Rome, which saw Idols of pagan deities especially the one known as "Pachamama" carried in procession to one of the holiest places in Christendom; there has been a concerted effort on behalf of the Vatican and South American bishops and cardinals to pagan-ize the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.  The latest brain child to come of this is a recommendation for the Vatican to approve so-called "Mayan Rites" for South American priests to include; which demote the central act of Christian worship in the Eucharistic service, and would focus more intently on pagan inspired prayers, dances, and lay-led activities in the sanctuary.  The cardinal who has been pushing these rites has even gone so far as to claim that these are the only ways in which the indigenous people are able to encounter the Divine.  So, 5 centuries plus of missionary work, sweat, blood, and effort have done... Nothing? your Eminence?   Do you...

 Cardinal George Pell of Australia passed away in Rome this past week, and the media has shown its typical classless act of condemning his soul and memory to hell; because he was a Roman Catholic Bishop.  I must preface my opinions on this by reminding the reader that, as a survivor of many forms of abuse myself at the hands of evangelical Christian abusers when I was young; I have a particular insight into the matters at hand in this story.  That being said, here's my take on the BS that has surrounded the liberal outrage and delight on this poor man's passing into the next life: Cardinal Pell was the principle figurehead of the Australian Catholic Church for many years, before he was called to answer on trumped up charges of sexual abuse of 2 choir boys which allegedly occurred in the 1990's, in 2017.  He was convicted, and spent 404 days in solitary confinement before the charges were dismissed completely upon appeal.  Now when you take those facts in isolati...