Blessed Sacrament In DC Tries To Salvage Church Donations

When I went to a weekday Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in DC during last week, I saw their Aug 5 bulletin and an item caught my eye.  It's a letter from the relatively new pastor, Father Bill Foley, addressing the congregation about the McCarrick mess.  Here it is.

At first it starts out in a relatively conciliatory tone, but it isn't long before we get to the real heart of the matter.  Notice how he says that those harmed by the Cardinal might be "filled with rage" and "seek revenge".  That's rather pejorative language, don't you think?  That's a thinly-veiled attempt to cajole good people who've been hurt into not seeking redress for the harm done for them.

Regrettably, the only way we can do that is to withhold money.  Otherwise, the bishops will continue to brush off our concerns.  Cardinal Wuerl demonstrated that quite amply with his dismissive attitudes towards the laity, suggesting that:

• bishops investigate themselves and each other and 
• that we are not in a "massive, massive crisis"

Why does Father Foley not recall that?  Does he too think the laity are naive little bumpkins?  Moreover, if he's concerned about limiting "what the parish does to serve you", why doesn't he simply divulge to the congregation the donations that aren't assessed by the Archdiocese?  After all, he does opine that the withholding "will not in any significant way affect the Archdiocese", so what harm would assessment-free support do?  Yoo-hoo!  Are you listening, Father Foley??

I already laid out a strategy to starve the chancery beasts while supporting decent parishes.   One question that each Catholic will have to answer for themselves is whether or not their individual parish warrants support.  There is a matter of justice if you're attending Mass there, sitting in their pews, using their bathrooms, etc, that might require some minimum, even if the parish is lackluster.  By the way - Blessed Sacrament has been known to host pro-aborts, celebrate dissidents, etc.  In all fairness to Father Foley, these insults to the Faith occurred prior to his arrival there.

I haven't done too extensive a search, but I haven't seen any such dribble in any other parish bulletins.  Has anyone else?

The DACA Drivel Of The Archdiocese Of Washington

Once again I missed an issue of the Catholic Standard.  Owing to some pressing personal matters, I didn't realize it until I saw it in the lobby of Blessed Sacrament (DC) this weekend.  When I saw page 3, I understood why it might have been omitted from my mail.  It was all about DACA and that insipid telephone campaign of the USCCB to beg Congress to extend de facto amnesty to the so-called "Dreamers".  The online version didn't have that precise article but here is an online article along a similar bent.  For more articles, search "DACA" on the Standard's website.

Several months ago I wrote a post explaining why I believe that support of illegal immigration is inherently sinful.  I still do.  For those reasons I believe that the USCCB's "call-in" campaign was likewise inherently sinful, for the specific reasons stated in that post.  In that post I wrote "One troubling aspect about the hierarchy's embrace of progressive positions is that church authorities too often strike hands with politicians who foment the Culture of Death."  That happened at Blessed Sacrament earlier today, as I learned in its bulletin yesterday.  The only difference is that this time it was not an errant politician, but an errant priest.

Go to page 3 of the linked bulletin, bottom left.  You'll see that this morning they hosted Father Peter Daly, former pastor of St. John Vianney from Prince Frederick, MD.  Because he's retired and no longer pollutes the pages of the Catholic Standard, I haven't had occasion lately to write about him, but in the past I sure did.  In one post, I commented on an article that he wrote for the Not-At-All Catholic Reporter, in which he publicly condoned homosexual acts.  This is the sort of person that Blessed Sacrament thought qualified to teach their parishioners.  They've hosted both Chris Matthews and Mark Shriver in prior years - appearances that we picketed.

Here's an oddity about Daly's selection as a speaker.  He lives in Prince Frederick Maryland.  That's southern Maryland.  Between that and Blessed Sacrament is a two-hour drive each way.  What?  Blessed Sacrament couldn't find a more local illegal-amnesty shill?  In loony-liberal Montgomery County, these people abound.  That truly puzzles me.  Why?

Guidelines For Receiving Communion - What's Going On?

For as long as I can remember, whenever there was a Catholic Mass at which large numbers of non-Catholics or lapsed Catholics might be in attendance (such as weddings and funerals), within the programs for such events were published "Guidelines for Receiving Communion".  They clearly and politely pointed out that in order to receive Holy Communion, one must be a practicing Catholic, not conscious of mortal sin and have fasted for one hour.  The guidelines were reiterated from the pulpit.

Such was the case at my mother's funeral last June.  I cannot recall if they were mentioned from the pulpit but they were there in unmistakeable print in the funeral program.  Did something happen in the eight months between then and now?

Yesterday and the week before, I attended the 11:00 am Mass at Blessed Sacrament that sits just south of the MD-DC line east of Chevy Chase Circle.  Although I didn't know the deceased, I picked up the programs.  Neither one had the Guidelines for Receiving Communion.  Moreover, Father never mentioned them from the pulpit.  He seemed cognizant of the presence of non-Catholics for he was careful to guide them in standinng, sitting, kneeling, and he briefly explained parts of the Mass.

Non-Catholics who didn't know better might well have received Holy Communion.  I hardly think they can be faulted for such a gaffe.  However, we know better.  It could easily have been foreseen that non-Catholics might attempt to receive, yet nothing was done to prevent that.

Now I have a number of questions, and I invite responses from readers.

• Both my mother's funeral and these two memorial services occurred within the Archdiocese of Washington.  Is anyone aware of any related policy that would have occurred within the past few months?
• If anyone else recently attended a funeral, memorial or wedding within the ADW recently, what did you notice in the program?
• If there was a policy change, what was the given reason for such change?
• Have similar things been observed in other areas of the country?
• Is anyone aware of any pertinent language on the USCCB site regarding this matter?

Thanks for any input.  Frankly, I am smelling the stench of Amoralis Lamentia all over this.

Blessed Sacrament In DC To Lionize Two Dissident Jesuits

The problems with Jesuits aren't new by any stretch of the imagination.  One of those who have sounded the alarm was the late Father John Hardon, himself a Jesuit but one who was a true son of St Ignatius of Loyola.  He crossed swords with Father Karl Rahner when the latter proposed his theory of transfinalization, a heresy that cast doubt upon the nature of the Holy Eucharist as being truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  Pope Paul VI condemned that error in his encyclical Mysterium Fideli, as elaborated by Father Hardon.

Another troublesome Jesuit was Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a priest during the first half of the century.  Fancying himself to be a scientist, he dabbled in evolutionary theory and essentially helped get the snowball known as modernism rolling down the hill.  Read here for more detail and some quotes.  As you read his "prayer", can't you just hear Obi-Wan Kenobi say "may the force be with you"?  That quote if from a Jesuit website so of course they bemoan his "suffering" by being hushed by the Vatican and his superiors (before they too were infected by modernism).  Dr. Dietrich Von Hildebrand wrote a detailed critique of De Chardin that is well worth the read.

Both Rahner and De Chardin (now both deceased) played pivotal roles in the early days of the modernist corruption of the Catholic Church.  But why am I bringing up these two men in this post?

I do so because Blessed Sacrament Church on Western Avenue in DC will be conducting "courses" on the writings of these two men starting next month.  See page 4 of the Sept 4th bulletin. (A word to the Blessed Sacrament staff.  Don't bother to try to pull the bulletin from your site; I already archived it.)

The language in the bulletin announcement would lead the unsuspecting parishioner to believe that the teachings of Chardin and Rahner are healthy when in reality they could imperil the salvation of those who accept and implement them.  You might recall that this is the same parish that hosted book-signings by both Chris Matthews and Mark Shriver, both "katholycs" who use their bully-pulpits to promote baby-killing, gay #mowwidge and other mortal sins.  See here and here for reports on our protest of the Chris Matthews appearance and here for our protest of the Shriver debacle.

I ask my readers to:

• Spread warning of this spiritual poison, particularly to those who attend Blessed Sacrament.
• Contact the parish (contact information is in the bulletin) and ask them to cancel both these series.

Alinskyianism In DC Parishes

First let me set the stage.  On June 21st, my Catholic Media Coalition colleague Stephanie Block wrote an expose on how Alinskyianism was to be introduced into the average parish.  A group called "Catholic Truth in Education" published some letters decades ago regarding their own findings about a strategy orient parish offices towards "social action" and "community organizing".  Apparently one of the steps to be undertaken by these "change agents" was to implement "outcome-based education" - that is, the manipulation of students' values and behaviors.  The Obama administration is attempting the same exact thing through the Common Core project.

Today I attended Mass at Blessed Sacrament and picked up their bulletin from last weekend.  On page 6 we see "News from the Washington Interfaith Network" - WIN for short.  WIN is the local affiliate for the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Saul Alinsky himself (with Msgr Jack Egan being a board member).  I've written much about WIN and other Alinskyian organizations that have infested ADW parishes for a while now.  The Blessed Sacrament bulletin column invites the parishioners to get involved with WIN.  How about getting involved with working to end abortion?  Even the bishops recognize (at least on paper) that the murder of babies is the premier social concern of the day - now only if they'd walk the walk along with talking the talk.

Progressive Poison At Blessed Sacrament In DC

Yesterday as I parked my car on Western Avenue to attend Mass at Blessed Sacrament (just off Chevy Chase Circle) another Mass-goer came from behind me and parked his car on Quesada St, just outside the church's side door.  He got out and went in.

I could not help but notice as he drove past me the garish rainbow-colored "Obama" bumper strip on his car.  I realized he was in desperate need of some education.  Fortunately I always carry a supply of  Wisdom on Windshields.  It is an educational flyer that can be placed on the car of the obviously oblivious fellow Catholic.  I placed it on his car and went into the church myself.  I was dismayed (but not too terribly surprised) to notice that this man was the lector for the Mass.  By the time I left Mass, he had already driven away.

Before I continue with what I saw at Blessed Sacrament, I'll say a few words on behalf of  Wisdom on Windshields.  It's particularly helpful if you see such a sight but are rushing into Mass and/or not see the car owner.  No problem!  Just deposit a Wisdom on Windshields flyer under the wiper or in the car door (make sure it can't blow away).  You can download it here and have it handy on your own computer.  Print it out and always carry a supply with you to Church, as you'll never know when an opportunity will arise to educate an ignorant fellow Catholic.  Those of you in other areas of the country should feel free to copy the language to your own letterhead, if that will be more helpful to your local situation.  Understand that the distribution of this flyer is an exercise of the Spiritual Works of Mercy of Instructing the Ignorant and/or Rebuking the Sinner, depending on the knowledge/culpability of the recipient (which we of course have no way of knowing).

I resume my discussion of Blessed Sacrament.  I picked up a parish bulletin.  Because it was Saturday, the bulletin actually was for the previous weekend.  Here it is.  Now go to page 4 and look at the left-hand column.  Why, oh why, is anything by Sister Joan Chittister being put forth as being suitable reading for Catholics?  At Blessed Sacrament, is any responsible adult monitoring the goings-on at the parish library?  I ask not only because of their dubious offerings but because I understand that it was the library that invited both Chris Matthews and Mark Shriver for their book-signings (both of which we picketed, by the way).

Moving down to page 5, on the right-hand side, we see that Blessed Sacrament is touting a celebration of Earth Day.  "Well, so what?", one might ask. The problem is that the Washington Interfaith Network is spearheading this.  WIN makes no bones that they are the DC-area affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation.  As you look on their webpage, you'll see that they were "founded in 1940".  By whom?  Well they weren't always so coy about that little detail.  The fact is that the IAF was the flagship organization founded by Saul Alinsky himself.  The wikipedia (correctly) states that among the many people he influenced was Barack Obama.  He also influenced Msgr Jack Egan, who was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Now not only is the bulletin giving credibility to Alinskyites, but notice something else about the ad.  They want to "reduce storm water pollution".  Sounds nice, doesn't it?  Well, the Maryland parishioners might want to take notice of that one in light of the "rain tax" with which Annapolis just saddled us.

I decided to take a look at this weekend's bulletin.  Go to page 4.  You'll see unabashed shilling for gun registration and the Catholic "climate covenant".  Meanwhile prominent parishioners sport Obama stickers on their cars and the librarian hosts katholyc pro-aborts to sign their books on Church property.  Boys and girls, what is wrong with this picture?

The Picket Of Shriver's Appearance At Blessed Sacrament Today

Alright, I'll say this up front.  There were only two of us protesting today's scandal at Blessed Sacrament in DC's Chevy Chase neighborhood.  However, isn't it usually the case that the number of demonstrators protesting a given debacle is less than the number of attendees at said debacle?  Well, I understand that today there wasn't that much difference!

The two of us stayed on the corner of Western Avenue and Quesada St.  We had signs along Quesada and we passed out the flyer that you see to the right.  It was about noon when a man came from the event to report what happened.  He said that there were only 8-10 people up there and that he and his family went there to question Shriver on his pro-abortion proclivities.  He also mentioned that the three parish priests were in attendance, as well as the parish librarian who invited Shriver.  She is the one who had invited Chris Matthews a few months ago - causing us to conclude that some more pastoral oversight might be in order with regards to the guests that she invites.

I didn't think to ask if that "8-10" person figure included his family and/or the parish staff.  For the sake of present discussion, let's suppose that the 8-10 people were folks in addition to his family and parish staff.  That still means that at the maximum, only 18 pairs of ears were listening to whatever Mark Shriver was saying.  I hope that his book sales were equally paltry.

The man's relatives soon emerged.  His sister reported that she asked Shriver if he shared his late father's pro-life convictions.  Shriver answered that it was one area in which he did not agree with his father.  He tried to answer that question quickly, but he did reiterate for the record his approval of baby-murder, in front of the pastor and priests who blew off our earlier pleas.

As I said, we distributed flyers - both in person and on cars.  Some people were obviously pro-abortion themselves (presumably including the individual who saw fit to steal one of our signs).  Others were just as appalled as we regarding Shriver's appearance.  One couple remarked that they too had tried to contact the pastor, but to no avail.  Perhaps further feedback from these parishioners will succeed where we failed.

On the flyer, I stated our prayers and hopes that there is never another such ridiculous pandering to pro-aborts as the two incidents we've now had.  Will we have to picket again?  That's entirely up to the Blessed Sacrament staff.

Picket! Mark Shriver To Be Honored At Blessed Sacrament!

Several months ago we picketed Blessed Sacrament Church in Washington DC (just east of Chevy Chase Circle) when they allowed raving pro-abortion Chris Matthews to peddle his book on church grounds.  I thank the person who commented on my report to alert us that apparently Blessed Sacrament has not yet seen the errors behind letting pro-abortion celebrities use Catholic grounds to promote themselves.

This Sunday, June 10th, again at 11:30am in the parish library, they're letting Mark Shriver peddle his wares on Catholic property.  You can see the mess announced on the church web site.  A sad ironic twist to this is that he wrote the book to honor his parents.  Most people will recall that Eunice Kennedy Shriver was most likely the only Kennedy who did not sell out her faith to promote the baby-murder known as abortion.  Most of her family - including Mark - promote baby-murder.  Thus it can be opined that Mark Shriver, in his embrace of abortion, dishonors his parents.

We will be there, as we were several months ago, to speak truth to the lie that "one can be pro-abortion and Catholic".   Please join us!

Some Thoughts Regarding The Archdiocese's Disgusting Treatment Of Father Guarnizo

I think it most significant that today's Gospel is the account of Jesus forcibly evicting from the temple the sellers of sacrificial animals and the money changers.  Mind you, He did not take what so many post-modern clergy would call a "pastoral approach".  Read John 2:13-25.  He drove them out with a whip and overturned all the tables, shouting "Stop making My Father's house into a market place."  I dare to speculate that the chief priests and those in charge of the temple might have had their noses put out of joint over the whole incident - and I dare to speculate that Our Lord cared not one whit.

Now just for review, I'm going to quote Canon 915.  It's very brief and very simple.  Here it is.  "Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion."  How can it possibly be more clear in its intent?    This canon binds upon ministers of Holy Communion - such as Father Guarnizo at that Feb 25th funeral.  Notice that it says that people in mortal sin "are not to be admitted" - period.  There is no provision for "pastoral options".  If a minister of Holy Communion knowingly admits such a person to Holy Communion, he/she has disobeyed Canon 915.  Moreover, he/she will have cooperated with that recipient's commission of another mortal sin of sacrilegious Holy Communion.  Such cooperation, being formal and material, would then constitute mortal sin for the minister him/herself.  That's it - pure and simple.  To understand this, one only need have a grasp of grammar and the ability to read a sentence.  No advanced theology or canon law degree is required here, for there is absolutely no nuance about Canon 915.

Five years ago, my Catholic Media Coalition colleague, Allyson Smith of the California Catholic Daily, interviewed then-Archbishop Wuerl when the latter made a trip to California.  She queried him on his refusal to obey Canon 915 in relation to Nancy Pelosi, who was using her high position to advance both abortion and same-sex marriage.  It seems that Canon 915 doesn't fit in with his "style of pastoral ministry".  The account of the interview is on the CalCatholic website for your review.

At the funeral on February 25th, Father Guarnizo obeyed Canon 915.  His obedience puts to shame the disobedience of Cardinal Wuerl.  Is this one of the unspoken reasons why Father Guarnizo is being punished?  And yes, it is a punishment.

Last month, when Chris Matthews sullied Blessed Sacrament Church by peddling his book there, we had petitioned the DC chancery to have that book-signing event cancelled.  Mind you, Matthews is an individual who has showcased his dissidence from Church teaching on abortion and gay marriage many times on his Hardball show.  He went so far as to invite Bishop Tobin to speak with him and then proceeded to revile him to his face.  I posted the youtube of that.  The chancery's response to this profanation of Blessed Sacrament was to say that they wouldn't bother to involve themselves with it.

Now contrast that indifference with their attitude towards a priest who had the courage to obey Canon 915 in the face of flak that he knew he would receive.  Certainly the chancery did not assume their patrician, hands-off indifferent attitude in this matter.  After the funeral, Barbara Johnson wrote a letter to Fr Guarnizo stating that "I will pray for your soul, but first I will do everything in my power to see that you are removed from parish life.."

Well, it looks like she got the chancery to play along with her game of vengeance and to do her bidding like good little lap-dogs.  Did it occur to Cardinal Wuerl that in so doing, that he is confirming Ms Johnson in her mortally sinful lifestyle?  How does that fit in with any legitimate "style of pastoral ministry"?  Is he that afraid of the gay community's profanity-laced emails that he'll do anything to get them to stop?  Or could it be that niggling contrast between his disobedience of, and Father's obedience to, Canon 915?

By the way - the Abbey Roads blog has a copy of the letter read at today's Masses.

Yesterday's Protest Of The Chris Matthews Appearance At A Catholic Church

Although he has makes no secret of his disdain for the Church's teachings on life and morals, Chris Matthews was invited to Blessed Sacrament yesterday to sign and sell his latest book.  Our numerous calls, emails, etc to the parish and to the chancery were not answered, let alone heeded.  We were left no alternative but to go there and raise our voices.  Some had advocated that we refrain from doing so.  While we respect these fellow Catholics, we feel that a "polite silence" would have been a grave injustice to the babies whose murders are approved by Matthews (and some of the other parishioners, who flat-out told us that).

Despite his nose-thumbing at Our Lord, Matthews was invited to use the Church to promote himself and to peddle his wares.  What this Church thought it would gain by selling its soul on this occasion I fail to grasp.  At first we stood in front of the church, on the sidewalk at Western Avenue.  We held our large signs and passed out a flyer describing our purpose for being there.  The Truth Truck drove by regularly (pictured right).

Others of our number went into the library where the event took place.  They offered pointed questions and even more pointed rebukes.  I walked into the courtyard as some of them were being ushered out.  Below are some scenes from that.  I understand that the proceedings inside the library itself were recorded.  I will link to those videos in a future post when they are ready.  (click here if you cannot see embedded video).



I truly hope that no other Catholic facility will see fit to besmirch its holy grounds by allowing another dissident Catholic to promote him/herself and by extension, his/her cancerous proclivities.  However, should another such sad occasion arise, we will be ready.

Blessed Sacrament In DC - Must We Picket??

A few days ago I advised of the planned appearance of Chris Matthews at Blessed Sacrament this coming Sunday.  If this occurs, it will be nothing short of a scandalous outrage.  My previous post links to clips of him voicing his pro-abortion proclivities in defiance of decency, even to the point of insulting a bishop to his face.  To his credit, he seems to be wary of the First Amendment insults that Obama's contraceptive mandates pose, but he still seems oblivious to the fact that he helped promote the tyrant who gave him "thrills up his legs".

Many of us have been calling/emailing the pastor and staff at Blessed Sacrament (I hope that includes you!), but for the most part we have received no replies to the messages that we've been leaving.  If any have made actual contact, please advise of the results via comments.  I just now checked the parish website and the event is still posted (under "upcoming events").  Regretably I must assume that at this time, the parish does not intend to cancel the event.

We are therefore mobilizing for a picket of that event.  Bear in mind that we are not picketing the church per se, nor any Mass.  We will picket in protest of the most inappropriate and undeserved honors that will be bestowed upon a prominent pro-abortion dissenter within Catholic grounds.  Rest assured that we will not let this affront pass by without so much as a whimper.  It's time that we all stand for the dignity of our Church and of our God.  We will therefore be outside that church with our signs to let everyone know just what Matthews supports.  We ask you to join us; details will be forthcoming.

Of course if we learn that the parish is indeed canceling Matthew's appearance, then we too will cancel ours.  We therefore ask that you continue your attempts at pursuading the parish to do the right thing and cancel this most ill-advised appearance.

Chris Matthews At DC Church Next Weekend? Action Needed Now

Hardball host and dissident Catholic Chris Matthews is scheduled to do a booksigning at Blessed Sacrament Church in Washington DC (just one block off Chevy Chase Circle).   Here is the announcement.

He is utterly unworthy of a Catholic venue.  Videos abound to attest to that statement and I'll provide a few of them below.

• Here he is voicing his belief in a “right to abortion” during the 2008 presidential campaign.  http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2008/10/16/video-cecile-richards-hardball-promoting-education-prevention-prochoice-values.   You’ll also notice how he badgers and interrupts the pro-life woman while allowing the Planned Parenthood woman uninterrupted speech
• Here he is, badgering Bishop Tobin after the latter chided Patrick Kennedy for his pro-abortion stances (Kennedy resides within Bishop Tobin’s diocese).  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUTPhZmkIDI  Matthews treated Bishop Tobin with as much disdain as he treated the pro-life lady in the first video
• Here he is, in a video from two days ago, decrying Komen’s recent defunding of Planned Parenthood (before they caved)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OuAFLlMEZI 

Please contact the pastor, Father Ronald Potts at this number: 202-966-6575 or at his email address rpotts@blessedsacramentdc.org.  I want to point out that Father Potts has been at that parish only a few months; he may be truly unaware of this event.  Please bear that in mind when you call and simply state the facts of why Matthews (who is a Blessed Sacrament parishioner) should not be allowed to use a Catholic Church as his bully-pulpit.

Those of you who are Facebook users might want to click the "find us on Facebook" button on the Blessed Sacrament webpage and write on their wall that they should cancel the Matthews appearance.

Thank you.

Just Faith Rears Its Ugly Head At Blessed Sacrament In DC

We read on page 3 of Blessed Sacrament's "Aug 1 / Aug 8" bulletin (bottom right corner) that the parish Social Concerns office plans to inaugurate Just Faith in their parish.  I've written previously about the numerous problems with Just Faith, and will supply links to some prior posts.  Please read these and research the links found in those posts.

http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/05/just-faith-reading-list-introduction-to.html
http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/05/seiu-our-heroes-not.html
http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2010/04/just-faith-junk-faith.html

Here is the contact information for this parish.  Please contact them and let them know of your concerns with Just Faith.  Perhaps if they hear from enough of us, they will sit up and take some notice.

I also ask that you advise of any other outbreaks of the Just Faith thing via a comment.