The Practical Parson

 Recently, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, NC has taken it upon himself to fully implement the Motu Proprio "Traditionis Custodie" of the late Bishop of Rome.  Apart from banishing all adherents of the Latin Mass to a single parish as of July 8th, which won't even open until late in the Fall; an even more disturbing document was leaked from the bishop's office this week.  In the letter that Bishop Martin had planned to issue to the diocese, he makes a multitude of uninformed and personal liable claims against traditional liturgy and people who worship in that manner; as well as theological arguments which have no basis in Catholic teaching, and would be more at home in a Baptist church than a sacramental one.  He has a desire and plans to ban every semblance of tradition from all parishes in the diocese: From banning altar rails, to telling priests they cannot cross their stoles or say vesting prayers for specific vestments (which he claims cau...

 This week, the Bishop of Rome has chosen to issue an apostolic letter to exhort the Roman Catholic bishops in the United States against President Trump and the ongoing efforts to secure the Mexico-America border and to deport criminal, illegal immigrants in the United States.  While the Bishop of Rome is entirely within his right to tell his lackeys to do whatever he fancies at a given point in time, his claims on the Christian response to a situation with precedent not seen since the fall of Rome; are not only tone-deaf, but contrary to the natural law and the dignity of the citizens of a free nation.    It is entirely true: the United States is a nation that is built upon a bedrock foundation of immigrants from various places in the world.  Indeed, it is this tapestry of patrimonies which has given the US its unique, cultural importance on the world stage in the modern era.  But what comprises such a nation, and more importantly the national identity?...

 Recently in Rome, the Bishop of Rome was wheeled into an audience hall to admire a nativity scene given the title "The Nativity of Bethlehem".  In true heretical fashion, the scene itself as well as those who gifted it and the fat man in white receiving it; glossed over the truth of what the scene represents.  THIS scene depicts the Holy Family as Palestinian people, with textual and visual representations of a purely "Palestinian" design.  Nativity scenes have always been an expression of the people and places in which they are created, so that fact might ordinarily be forgivable; if not for the one, glaring and obvious thing in the scene which makes it disgusting:  the figure of the newborn Christ resting on a Palestinian Keffiyeh.  For those of you who may be unaware, the Keffiyeh is an Arabic headdress worn by Arabs, and was known as the "crown of the Arabs"; and in previous generations, was forbidden for Jews to wear on pain of death.  The Arabs ...

  If you've lived in the south long enough, you've been pulled over for a traffic stop at some point most likely.  When the officer/ trooper explains their reason for stopping you, there is always a "tell" that indicates they really only pulled you over because they could: and that is the famous point, usually given at the end of a brief list, that you "were swerving a little".  It's the accusation that gives a ground for every other thing they may want to write you a ticket on, because it is the one point which NO ONE is capable of proving incorrect.  Simply put, there is no human being on the face of this earth who is capable of driving a motor vehicle perfectly parallel to the street lines at all times.  Even if every other accusation they level at you falls by the wayside; they still have that one "gotcha" they can fall back on. Recently, the Bishop of Rome decided to sack the Bishop of Tyler, Texas.  When giving his justifications for doin...

 On the heels of celebrating the festival of sacrilege and unadulterated hedonism of World Youth Day, everyone's favorite Antipope and AntiChrist took full advantage of his media persona to attack priests.  Accusing any priest who shows care for the liturgy of being "rigid", declaring that all traditionalists are the true problem in the church, and proclaiming that due to the corruption that young traditionalist clergy bring, he himself has had to be personally involved in 'cleaning up the mess'.   Unless you consider "cleaning up the mess" to mean vilely oppressing and persecuting Nuns, parishes, and the catholic faith in general; then he hasn't been doing much of anything he claims.   In point of fact, the single case of priestly corruption he HAS been directly involved in of late, was in pampering and lifting all sanctions off of his brother Jesuit and known rapist of Nuns: Marko Rupnik.   Yes, the great Frankie of Rome, who proclaims to the wo...

 This past week, the Roman Catholic Church celebrated its "World Youth Day"; an event marketed as a way to get youth reinvigorated in their faith and to give them opportunities for worship.  What World Youth day is, or at least what it has become; is a festival of sacrilege and blasphemy against the sacraments of the catholic faith and Christ himself.   So-called "designer" vestments which look like they were made for a Halloween Costume shop, chalices and patens made from anything but dignified materials, glass bowls for consecrated hosts covered with saran wrap, stages that look like something out of apocalyptic film/ TV series rather than altars of worship of the most Blessed Trinity.  The list of sins World Youth day this year has committed against the dignity of the Christian faith is as long as one's arm; yet the most disgraceful, distasteful, and outright blasphemous act is the manner in which the sacred Body of the Divine Savior was both distributed and ...

  In Church circles these days, one hears a lot of discussion about tradition, with particular emphasis on liturgical tradition and its effects on popular piety and faith.  The Latin Mass loving Roman Catholic faithful seemingly lead the charge in this, dedicating documentaries, podcasts, art; all for the sake of promoting a return to the traditions of holy faith, as known by our forefathers.   That being said, it is unfortunate that a number of the same Roman Catholic faithful seem to think that they somehow are the sole proprietors of sacred tradition; hardly surprising in light of numerous papal documents claiming so over the years.   Holy Tradition though is not the sole property of the Roman Church, nor is it only to be found within the confines of Rome; Holy Tradition can be found in all churches which maintain a line of patrimony to the first apostles.  These churches are those with historical ties to western or eastern Christianity, and co...

  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...