The liberal National Catholic Reporter reported yesterday that Archbishop Allen H Vigneron of Detroit has warned his priests and deacons that they could be “dismissed from the clerical state” if they participate in a forthcoming Mass at the American Catholic Council convention planned to take place in his diocese. Needles to say, both the tone of the NCR article and most of its readers' comments are hostile towards Archbishop Vigneron's warning. But, the rest of us can rejoice that a Catholic bishop is taking his role seriously by protecting the Church from error and safeguarding the correct observance of Catholic liturgy!The NCR goes on to describe the ACC as "a coalition of liberal Catholic groups seeking changes in the church [sic]." It also reported that the ACC has experienced "a sharp spike in visits to its Web site, and in registrations for the convention" since Archbishop Vigneron expressed his concerns about the group and its conference Mass. One wonders what would constitute a "sharp spike in visits" to a "liberal Catholic" website - maybe this means they got an extra visitor? (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)
Writing in Spero News, William Donohue, President of the Catholic League, believes that: "It is with good reason that Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron has warned local priests and deacons not to participate in the American Catholic Council event: many of those who will attend the event, and those who are on record supporting it, reject core teachings of the Catholic Church." He went on to say (with some pertinent humour): "Indeed, this loose confederation of Catholic senior citizens has long been in open rebellion with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church."
In a letter dated 3 June, Archbishop Allen Vigneron said that his main objection to the closing Mass at the ACC convention was that: "There are good reasons for believing that a forbidden concelebration will take place by the laity and with those not in full communion with the church." It seems that some are questioning why the Archbishop would assume that serious abuses will occur at this Eucharist, but most people who have experience of "social action" (NCR's words) groups such as ACC can probably guess what sort of things will be encouraged at its liturgy.
I once had the horrifying misfortune of attending a National Justice and Peace Network Conference - I was accompanying an elderly lady who was desperate to attend. Let's just say that the closing Mass for this event included a transvestite server (in drag), a completely made-up Eucharistic Prayer (not following the rubrics at all), lay-people crowding round the altar acting as priests, about 15 extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist for a congregation of about 60 people, and a Marxist-type homily that denounced the Vatican and the Church whilst promoting gay rights and the like! I did not receive "communion" as I wasn't sure who or what had consecrated the host - I think the priest might have allowed a lay person or a minister from another Christian community to utter the words of consecration. After this sham, I immediately phoned a taxi and got on the next train home - so as to attend a proper Mass!
So, if the ACC is anything like the NJPN or other "social action" groups that prefer to promote secular politics than the Gospel of Life, then it is entirely plausible to assume that its convention's closing Mass will be full of liturgical abuses. It is worth noting that dissenters such as Sr Joan Chittister, the "gay rights" nun, and Fr Hans Kung, the "ageing enfant terrible going nowhere" as Dr William Oddie recently described him, will also be addressing the ACC conference. With friends like this, many will question what right does the group have to call itself the "American Catholic Council"? One hopes that the designation "Catholic" will soon be revoked.
I must admit that a part of me feels sorry for "Catholic" groups, such as the ACC - organisations that seem to be more anti-Catholic than the Church's external enemies. Surely, those who belong to them must know that they're a dying breed on the losing side? Some members must even worry about their eternal souls - especially after having spent so much of their time and energy in trying to abrogate Catholic teaching or in attempting to change the Church? As William Donohue pointed out, most of these so-called liberals are "senior citizens", people of the 60's and 70's who are in their 60's and 70's. Their day has been, and their attempted destruction of the Church has failed. What great testimony to the fact that Christ knew what he was doing when he gave us the Petrine Ministry!
Please join me in offering thanksgiving for true bishops like Archbishop Allen Vigneron. May God in His kindness and love raise more men like him to the episcopacy! And may men and women who wish to "change the Church" by modelling her on the world by given the grace to keep their minds on the things that are above (cf Col 3:2) so that the Church's message may begin to truly change their lives.
[Image: Archbishop Allen H Vigneron; source: this image can be found on the Te Deum laudamus! blog]
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