St Rose of Lima And The American Catholic Council

St Rose of Lima Church in Gaithersburg has a well-deserved reputation for harboring and promoting dissent.  However, this is beginning to take on more ominous undertones, as my colleague at An Archdiocese of Washington Catholic pointed out a few days ago.

This parish has been harboring a Voice of the Faithful group for several years now, going so far as to announce VOTF meetings in its bulletin that occur on parish property.  The most recent bulletin announces such a meeting, but with an insiduous little advertisement.  Look on the second page, under the "community" column, second item from the bottom.  You are invited to "share and dialog with fellow Catholics on your hopes and recommendations for the Church.   Your voiced thoughts and hopes will help shape recommendations of an American Catholic meeting in Detroit MI next June."

What meeting?  Quite frankly, the St Rose VOTF seems rather cagey about the nature of this "meeing in Detroit".  That's because the Archbishop of Detroit, Allen Vigneron, has denounced the American Catholic Council in general, and the planned meeting in Detroit in particular.  He made quite plain that this "council" does not at all speak for the Catholic Church and has asked them to cancel any plans for a meeting in Detroit.  Thank you, Archbishop Vigneron!

Let's take a look at the American Catholic Council's website.  They are quite unabashed about their goals.  As you read its various sub-pages, you'll notice the none-too-subtle influence of the heresy of americanism - that is, the heretical opinion that the Roman Catholic Church must let itself be influenced by the secular American culture, rather than lending its truth to the culture.  Click on the links subpage and see an entire list of the "usual suspects", openly dissenting organizations: New Ways, Women's Ordination Conference, Take Back Our Church, etc.  The "declaration signatories" reveals more: Pax Christi, Dignity.. You get the picture!

I suggest you keep an eye out for this sort of thing going on in your parishes.