Maybe it is because I was in academia and saw the rot early. Maybe it is that I was brought up in one of the most liberal dioceses in the States and saw the rot early. Maybe it is that I had to get in the car and take my son to other Masses, walking out of invalid ones, seeking orthodox priests in the 1990s.
No offense, but what we see in Rome we have seen in every diocese in the Western world for almost my entire adult life, As early as the 1970s, priests in the Midwest and in England were allowing contraception. As early as the 1970s, people who were in irregular marriages were being given Communion. I remember one public case in 1981.
Shock, horror?
Parents, have you continued to support compromising Catholic education?
Singles, have you continued not to fast, pray, and do mortification for your pastors, your lay leaders who you know are heretics?
What has happened in Rome is not news. It is clearly the result of many, many years, including the years between the two world wars, of bad leadership, especially in Germany.
When lay people decide to be truly orthodox themselves, we shall see a revival of great leadership.
Leaders do not pop out of thin air, but are nurtured in homes, schools, parishes.
We have many bad leaders.
I was actually at the consecration (ordination) of bishop, now Cardinal, Wuerl in Rome. At that Mass, I knew he was not a good candidate for the episcopacy. That was on January 6, 1986 and his behavior at that Mass showed me a man who was not bishop material.
My home diocese had one of the largest sex scandal payouts in the sad history of the Church. I watched the special meetings on television in 2001 and saw some bishops being rude to Burke.
If my readers are shocked, I want to know why, seriously.
I am grateful to God for revealing those who are already schismatic. They did not suddenly become this way last week.
If you want good leaders, laity, create them. That is our job. Stop supporting bad seminaries. Stop supporting weak, compromising schools which have accepted Common Core. Stop giving money to dioceses which support liberal agendas and give to those which are run by holy bishops.
Pray and do penance daily for the Church.
The crisis is not merely that of the bishops but our own crisis.
