Bishop Barry Knesthout, the golem picked by Cardinal Wuerl to carry out his vendetta against the priest who refused Holy Communion to a public sinner and apostate from the Faith and whose manly visage adorns the top of this article, has written a letter to the priests of the Diocese of Washington, D.C. explaining, if it could be called an explanation, why drastic actions were taken against the priest in question. The letter is quite interesting.
One of the classic techniques of the Soviet authorities, when persecuting some innocent who got in their way, was to ascribe mental problems to them. In that way the authorities could be portrayed as merely reasonable men who were protecting the populace from an unbalanced individual. It was a fairly transparent ploy but did have some effect on certain true believers in the Communist-inspired earthly paradise. Bishop Knesthout, perhaps assuming that so many of us have very poor memories, has resurrected this old device in his letter to the priests (written, no doubt, under the thumb of Wuerl). In this letter, Father Marcel Guarnizo is being accused of having engaged in “intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others.” Come, come my lord Bishop. That's not terribly convincing.
The familiar ring that technique has should be obvious to anyone who has even a cursory interest in the politics of tyranny. And isn’t it frightfully amazing that the revelations of these dark deeds of this priest should suddenly surface, as if out of thin air, right after the media-induced hoopla about the poor, fallen away Catholic who had her feelings hurt? This whole thing would be utterly laughable if it did not signal yet another death knell for what’s left of Catholicism in America.
The letter is interesting also in the veiled threat that is contained therein: if you, my fellow priest, act as Father Guarnizo did, you too will get the same treatment. Though not spelled out in words that threat, too, is quite transparently obvious. Washingto, D.C. priests now know with utter certainty what will befall them if they cross the Lavender Mafia, which seems to have the protection (if not the blessings) of Cardinal Wuerl.
And what is Rome doing about this? Well, of course we don’t know for certain. I have written to the authorities in Rome about this, my “Open Letter” to the Nuncio can be read here on this site, and I have sent a private letter as well to the Nuncio. I have called the Nunciature and the Washington diocese and have even written to Defender of the Faith, Barry Knesthout. But the silence from other Bishops, other Cardinals and Rome has, thus far, been deafening. Compare the swiftness with which Rome dances whenever the repulsive Abe Foxman begins his mouth-foaming about ancient Catholic truths that he feels must be crushed willy-nilly with the slowness of the response to this outrage.
Here is what many are hoping: that this whole story will be big news for a few weeks then suddenly disappear. They are counting on the public’s weariness, and its despair, to consign it to the trash bin. It will be a very big mistake if Catholics allow this to happen. It must not be allowed to go away. Yes, sometimes writing letters seems futile. But someone does read them and when they are read it becomes the responsibility of the reader. If he kills it, files in the circular file or ignores it he carries the responsibility for that action before God. So it is never a waste of time to let your feelings be known. Don’t withdraw while the enemies of the Faith advance.
Here are a few addresses. Use them. I thank the indefatigable Mrs Daphne McLeod and her respected “Pro Ecclesia” website for the following information:
On matters relating to Bishops:
Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops
Palazzo delle Congregazione
Piazza Pio XII, 10
00120 Vatican City State, Europe
Phone:011 39 06 6988 4217 Fax: 011 39 06 6988 4300
Secretary: Most Rev. Archbishop Francesco Monterisi
On all matters relating to the Church, especially dissent from Catholic doctrine:
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith
Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11
00120, Vatican City State, Europe
Phone: 011 39 06 6988 3357 Fax: 011 39 06 6988 3409
Secretary: The Most Rev.Angelo Amato, S.D.B.
9 comments:
You are right in that this battle is one of attrition. How about email? benedictxvi@vatican.va
Father Marcel is extremely soft-spoken, elegant in his speech and manners, perhaps 5'7" and around 150 pounds. It is possible to imagine him making others feel less sophisticated, but intimidated? This I doubt very much. The accusation is absurd on its face.
Actually, I have tried on numerous occasions to contact the Holy Father by way of his email. But every time I try the email comes back as "undeliverable".
It may be my computer, or it may be another reason but he is not getting my emails. If you attempt it, and succeed, do let us know.
Anon: I did not know the physical particulars about Father Marcel until reading what you sent, so your comment is spot on.
Try this one: benedettoxvi@vatican.va
Thanks, Anon. Alas, that address did not work either.
Excellent candidates for new bishops:
Fr. Rodriguez in TX
Fr. Guarzino in DC
You couldn't be more right, Mr DeLano. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that Fathers Rodriguez and Guarnizo would make pretty good Popes, too.
@Aged Parent,
To post a picture of a bishop, just smiling ... not doing anything scandalous ... just looking at the camera ... wearing clerics, not a clown outfit ... just looking at the camera and smiling ...
To post such a picture, and then to claim that the picture alone proves the man is a "golem" and unworthy of the Episcopacy ... and to further claim that the Pope should be able to tell (just from LOOKING at him) that he is a wretch and a sinner ...
... well, it is simply disgusting ... it poisons anything else you might say ... go talk to your parish priest about it, see what he thinks ... better, give a call to Fr. Guarnizo and see if he appreciates your "support".
[I wonder what you would say about a picture of poor old St. Thomas Aquinas?]
Reverand Father:
I thank you for your comments.
In Hebrew lore, as you probably know, a "golem" was a mythical creature who would do the bidding of the rabbi who brought him to life, to wreak vengeance on the rabbi's enemies. This myth also served as the inspiration for Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN, of course. I do not say that the photo of the Bishop proves that he is a "golem"; I say that he is obviously the golem of Cardinal Wuerl who doesn't want to sully his pretty hands by directly intervening, and who is acting in a petulant and vindictive manner toward a good priest. The Cardinal obviously is not man enough to do his own dirty work so he sends out an underling to do it for him. And considering the Cardinal's noted philosemitism I believe the golem comparison is most apt.
On your interesting blog I have seen that you have come down on the side of Cardinal Wuerl (via the pedantic musings of Dr Peters) and that you feel that somehow Father Guarnizo has made a boo-boo. That is your privilege, of course, and I have been constrained to point out in your comments section the one or two facts you had been wrongly given.
As for Bishop Knesthout, let us just say that his photo does not give one too much confidence. And his rather craven subservience to a Cardinal who is clearly in the wrong - as epitomized in that ridiculous letter he wrote suggesting that Guarnizo had emotional issues - certainly confirms the first impressions occasioned by the photo.
Knesthout is certainly no St Anthony of Padua, who was not above telling his Bishop that he was preaching heresy.
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