Canonize Father Hamel? There's Cause For Pause

Already on the blogosphere there are calls for the canonization of Father Hamel, the French priest murdered by Islamic terrorists while saying Mass in his parish church.  Of course I understand that he was murdered by Islamic terrorists because they despise the Faith and that is a factor in the canonization process.  I don't believe that's an overriding factor and there may be other facts to consider.

From an account of a prayer service to honor Father Hamel comes the unsettling news that his church contributed land to local Muslims so that they could build a mosque.  The local mosque leader is mourning the priest who, in his words, "helped us to pray to allah".  Ponder that.

The first of the Ten Commandment is "I am the Lord your God.  You shall have no false gods before Me."  Yet this parish, quite probably with the connivance of Father Hamel, gave material and formal cooperation to the act of idolatry.  What else is "helping to pray to allah" if not formal and material cooperation with that mortal sin?

Some might think I'm judging Father Hamel.  However, isn't the rush to canonize him prematurely its own form of rash judgment?  I think there are two "takeaways".

First, let us continue to pray for his repose and cease the presumption of instant admittance to heaven.  We just don't know.  Why deny him the prayers and sacrifices needed to mitigate any possible purgatory?

Second, the western civilization simply must stop coddling these terrorists, as that French church did. Sadly but predictably, we heard bleating from the Pope, who "challenged" Poland to lay aside its well-founded concerns about opening their borders to potential terrorists.   Closer to home we heard Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville Texas likening deportation of illegal immigrants to abortion.  For him to claim that deportation of illegals, which is a moral action, is equivalent to an inherently immoral action shows a complete ignorance of Church moral teaching.  The coddling of these terrorists by Church hierarchy is nothing more than someone kissing the hand that stabs them in the back.  I regret that Father Hamel learned that the hard way.  Must more good people die before we wake up?

Impromptu Canonization

Yesterday I received a notice, via email broadcast, of the death of a fellow Catholic.  The author of the announcement started by saying (I'll change/obscure details to protect privacy), "At time of death, she heard those words that we all long to hear, "well done good and faithful servant...come and share your master's happiness."   Sooo.... does this author have knowledge that the rest of us mere mortals lack?  I'm not trying to be snarky, but for all his good intentions, the author stated as a matter of fact that this woman had immediately entered heaven at the moment of her death.  I'm sure the author meant well, but he wrote what he had no way of knowing to be true.

I also know that this woman was a very sincere and dedicated Catholic who no doubt frequented the Sacraments during her final illness.  However, as we all know, the least attachment to venial sin will - barring unusual circumstances - necessitate a time of purification in the place called Purgatory.  Very few of us will go straight to heaven.  To be honest, knowing my own nature, I can be fairly assured that if I were to pass at this time, a purgatorial pit-stop for me would be in order before I were to proceed any further.  The Church does acknowledge the existence of Purgatory by dogma.

With that in mind, I saw in this announcement no requests for prayers for her eternal repose.  Yes, there was a prayer offered for her in one of the tributes, but the context indicates that this tribute was offered while she was still alive.  This fellow Catholic has passed beyond the Church Militant.  Perhaps she is among the Church Triumphant, but if not, she is among the Church Suffering.  We know that our prayers, Masses and other offerings are efficacious towards alleviating the pains of Purgatory and even in expediting the work to be done in Purgatory so that those so enclosed may attain heaven.

So please pray for this lady and her eternal repose - as well as for all the dead.  Should in fact they not require our prayers, know that these prayers can still redound to the benefit of other souls still languishing in Purgatory.  Perhaps you might wish to direct the prayers for the poor folks who have no one to pray for them.

Let perpetual light shine upon her, and may all souls through the mercy of God rest in peace.