Feasting On Rocks

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you:

For everyone that asketh recieveth; and he the seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? (Mt 7:7-9)

Many moons ago I happened to be in a minivan seated next to the retired Episcopal Bishop of Colorado, the Right Reverend William Frey. Several years earlier, Bishop Frey had lost the election for Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to Bishop Edmund Browning. After winning the election Presiding Bishop Browning decided during his time at the top the full integration of the active homosexual life into the Episcopal Church would happen. As this did not happen, Browning's successor, Presiding Bishop Griswold, is finishing the job for him. Had Bishop Frey won the Presiding Bishop election, it is possible that the Episcopal Church would not be on its current schismatic path today.

Realizing I was sitting next to a somewhat historical figure and he couldn't escape, I asked Bishop Frey all the questions I could think of, poor man. Among them was, what he thought was the gravest aspect about the acceptance of the active homosexual lifestyle into the Church. He told me, "I am concerned that homosexuals have come to us, the Episcopal Church, asking for bread. We have given the rocks instead. Someday they will come back to us and say, Why did you give us rocks when what we wanted and what we needed was bread?" He then said, "They will ask us this someday and I don't know how we will answer them. Why weren't they good enough for bread?"

After witnessing the apoplectic reactions of Andrew Sullivan, Father Andrew Greeley, Frances Kissling and others to the election of Pope Benedict, I came more fully understand the wisdom in Bishop Frey's words. These folks have been dining on rocks for far too long. They have not only been deluding themselves to the truth contained in Catholic teaching but actively attempting to change it by spreading misinformation to impressionable people. They believed if they converted enough Catholics to their ways of thinking the Vatican, like the Episcopal Church, would eventually bow to the their desires. The reason Pope Benedict is causing them indigestion is because he won't play along with their game. They have been treating the Catholic Church like it is a democracy. The Episcopal Church is the democracy. The Catholic Church is a theocracy.

One of the duties of the Catholic Church's (and all Churches) is to defend the truth so that the words Christ cited above can be fulfilled through the ages. Christ established Apostolic Succession with Peter and the rest of the Apostles to help the Church fulfill its duties and mission for all time. Pope Benedict XVI during his papacy will merely fulfill Christ's desires for us, not his, not the two Andrew's, Frances' or others.

I must admit I took pleasure when the anti-Pope Benedict XVI hissy fits errupted. It was only natural after how much grief these folks have caused me with their distortions of Catholic teachings. However after reading Andrew Sullivan's recent articles and listening to the interviews he's given, he's just so misguided that it's wrong of me to get mad or take pleasure in it. He's been eating too many rocks and it clearly shows. Let us hope that he and the others will soon decide they want to eat bread.

Mrs. P

Comments

[The Maximum Leader]

Be careful now Mrs. P. Don't go saying anything about anti-Popes. It has been a while since there's been one. Don't go giving people any bad ideas.

I'm sure George Soros could give a little money to fix up the "Apostolic Palace" in Avignon. It has probably fallen into some disrepair since Gregory XI left.

[Andrew Cusack]

My university's founding bulls were from an anti-pope, and a Benedict at that! ("Benedict XII", properly known as Pedro de Luna). So I suppose I'm somewhat grateful.

Poor sods though. God grant them grace and courage.

[Mr. Peperium]

Great idea, Maximum Leader! (I guess that's why you're the maximum Leader).

Let's fix up the old place and then pay for Andrew Sullivan's moving expenses. Once we set him up there, he can choose his own pope. He might even do what he's always wanted and nominate, elect and install himself.

Then the press could interview him on what it's like to head up a church he totally disagrees with and refuses to understand (as opposed to just being a member of a church he totally disagrees with and refuses to understand).

[Andrew Cusack]

Andrew Sullivan shouldn't be a one-man anti-conclave. We should get Joan Chittister, John Cornwell, anyone named Berrigan, and Marshal Pétain in there as well. Anyone old and without a clue.