Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Cardinal Joseph Tobin Targets Pro-Life Priest - Time For Us To Act

Father Peter West is a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark NJ.  He has been outspoken in his defense of both the pre-born babies as well as God's timeless teachings on marriage, sexuality and family.  In the past, he was affiliated with both Human Life International and Priests for Life before being called back to his home diocese.  From there he has continued to preach against the intrinsic evils of abortion, "gay-marriage", contraception, etc.

He has voiced his opinions regarding politics as they impact public morality and the ability of Christians to practice freely their faith in the public square.  In doing so, he has spoken in his capacity as a private individual, not as a representative of the Archdiocese of Newark.  I can attest to this, being one of Father's facebook friends.

A few months ago, Archbishop Joseph Tobin, formerly the ordinary of Indianapolis, was transferred to Newark by Pope Francis and named a cardinal.  I have written about Cardinal Tobin (not to be confused with Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island).  He has shown himself to be quite the progressive lap-dog,  While in Indianapolis, he worked to undermine then-governor Mike Pence as the latter went about enforcing immigration laws.  Not only did he object to Pence, but he called the four dubia cardinals "troublesome".  Then of course there was the debacle of two years ago, when he looked the other way while a Knights of Columbus hall in his diocese was used by two lesbians to celebrate their #mowwidge.

I am not at all surprised that Cardinal Tobin's minions have the long knives out for Father West.  Christian Review has an excellent analysis of the situation, as well as a link to the liberal trash-article that seems to have called the Newark progressives into action.

But perhaps there's another cause to the roughshod treatment that may be meted out to Father West.  In September of 2003, a consortium of Catholic schools in the DC area held a fund-raising dinner downtown.  Pro-abortion Ted Kennedy was one of the two co-chairs of the event.  Seeing the disgrace that would have resulted in a pro-abortion proponent being honored at a Catholic event, I and a number of others tried to at least have Kennedy disassociated from that event.  Cardinal McCarrick was archbishop of Washington at that time.  Of course he turned a deaf ear to us.  So about 25 of us picketed that event.  Father West joined us.  Lo and behold, who pulls up but Cardinal McCarrick!  We both greeted and rebuked him.  The Cardinal was none too pleased, and none too pleased to see Father West - whom he ordained while archbishop of Newark.  I'm an eye-witness to that exchange.  I don't know if there's a connection or not, but that possibility cannot be discounted.

Anyway, it does appear that the Newark archdiocese has found an excuse to quell its stung conscience by clamping down on a faithful priest.  I echo the Christian Review's call for all of us to pray and make our voices heard at the Archdiocese of Newark in support of Father West.  Please act now.  In addition to the contacts suggested by the Christian Review, you may wish to contact other offices.  The archdiocesan website is www.rcan.org.  Please pass this to others.  Thank you.

#IStandWithFatherPeterWest

8 comments:

  1. "... he[ Fr. West} has continued to preach against the intrinsic evils of abortion, "gay-marriage", contraception, etc. "

    When considering that a pro-life priest is under attack from a Cardinal, one can not give equal weight to his pro-life stance as compared to his stance on the "intrinsic evil of homosexual life style ". If a priest is 'pro-life' but soft on the grave evils and damage to society by homosexuals, then there is no real problem with the cardinals, for do not Cardinal McCarrick and also Cardinal Dolan for that matter appear on camera at the annual March for Life?

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  2. As I see it, this list provides the problem before (and behind) us. There are 18 US Cardinals:

    6 Cardinals Currently Lead US Archdioceses
    Cardinal Blase J. Cupich - Chicago
    Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo - Galveston-Houston
    Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan - New York
    Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley - Boston
    Cardinal Joseph William Tobin, CSsR - Archbishop-designate of Newark
    Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl - Washington
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    How many of the above would you have recommended to be Cardinals?
    ---------------------------------------------------------
     4 US Cardinals Are Not Currently Diocesan Bishops
    Cardinal Raymond L. Burke - Patron of the Order of Malta
    Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell - Prefect of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Family, and Life
    Cardinal James M. Harvey - Archpriest of the Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls
    Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien - Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
    -----------------------------------------------------
    And, how many below are you grateful for having retired?
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    8 US Cardinals Are Retired
    Cardinal William H. Keeler - Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore
    Cardinal Bernard F. Law - Archpriest Emeritus of St Mary Major Basilica, Rome
    Cardinal William J. Levada - Prefect Emeritus, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
    Cardinal Roger M. Mahony - Archbishop Emeritus of Los Angeles
    Cardinal Adam J. Maida - Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit
    Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick - Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
    Cardinal Justin F. Rigali - Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia
    Cardinal James F. Stafford - Major Penitentiary Emeritus

    God bless you for all you do,

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  3. JMJT - what are you saying? It isn't clear (to me at least...)

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  4. The most faithful and holy of the priests are now targeted in many places. To speak the truth especially on moral issues? Well, be prepared to suffer and be maligned as was the Master. Compromise, "accompany" sin, focus on secular things...okay, carry on.

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  5. Here is another take, Fr. West seems to be very out-spoken and it may not be just his stance on the horror of abortion. http://the-american-catholic.com/2017/02/09/father-peter-west-under-fire/
    Powers that be don't like our priests to help form a conscience, civic or otherwise. But Fr. West comes across really hard. Tone down might be in order.

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    Replies
    1. Whatever one's opinion of Father's tone, that is not the reason for the attempt to silence Father. Quite frankly, I think Father's tone is quite appropriate for the subject matter being discussed - the murders of millions of babies and the salvation versus damnation of souls.

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    2. I was speaking of the political tone as noted in the article.

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