Putting a “Positive Light” on Murder?
The Liguorian is one of those feel-good Catholic periodicals. It even has a subtitle: A Catholic Compass in a Changing World. Does that clarify anything? Whose Catholic Compass? There are so many these days. On the masthead it says: “Liguorian is an award-winning member of the Catholic Press Association.” Puh-leez! Every member of the Catholic Press Association wins an award for something eventually. Winning an award means nothing – and that’s just one reason we don’t belong to it.
The Liguorian Editor, Fr. William J. Parker, C.Ss.R., weighs in with an editorial called “To Dialogue or Demonize” (Feb.). Fr. Parker tells us that his Mom said, “If you can’t say something nice about someone, then don’t say anything at all.” Parker thinks this is great wisdom. In other words, if you can’t say something nice, refrain from speaking the truth. (And, indeed, the Liguorian is full of niceness.)
Apparently, the Blessed Virgin Mary did not give Jesus such advice. Jesus said some pretty nasty things to the Pharisees – and they were all true.
Parker says, “We need to find a way to dialogue with our opponents instead of demonizing them.” But Jesus didn’t dialogue with His opponents. Moreover, Jesus called the Pharisees “sons of Hell” (Mt. 23:15). That is demonizing to the max.
You May Also Enjoy
Oscar Wilde, Sadist... From Altar Girls to Womenpriests?... Celibate Catholic Priests, Married Catholic Priests... Illegal Immigration: Uncharitable & Expensive... Cheaper Than a Tank of Gas... and more
Crossed Out... Switch Kickers... What Makes #Ahmed Tick?... A Loud Song Unto the Lord... Barker's Biblical Blunder... Wrong Again, Skip to My Lou... One Man's Trash... Inclusion Confusion... The Wedding Feast
The 1614 ritual is about freeing those obsessed by demons; the 1999 revision is about prayers and supplications.