Satan at work

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Yesterday evening we had a discussion, Doug and I and our high schooler, about what's going on at Notre Dame. We had briefly spoken about it a few days ago at the dinner table, but last we talked in a little more depth about what exactly we feel is going on. Neither Doug nor I are alumni of Notre Dame, nor do we have a child admitted, however, that does not exempt us from feeling outrage at the entire exhibition.

I think that all Catholics have a right to feel outrage at the overt disobedience that Fr. Jenkins has displayed for the country to witness. While he is certainly not alone, and there are even many religious who back him up on this issue, most Catholics agree that Fr. Jenkins is waaaay out of line. Most Catholics recognize that a vehemently pro-choice politician has no place at the podium of a Catholic institution, much less the commencement exercises of Our Lady's university.

And at the root of this issue is disobedience. While some people have turned the truths around to try and make them something they are not, (Fr. Reese), that is just more intellectual dishonesty -- the kind used by pro-choice people everywhere. To deny the truths about the president is to be disobedient -- not to a religious order or a bishop or even the entire conference of Catholic bishops, but to be disobedient to God.

Though many religious in this country have stretched their freedoms by their liberal homilies and doling out advice that borders on untruths, some, like Fr. Jenkins, have taken their freedoms and gone overboard. He boldly refuses to obey his superiors. It appears as thought Fr. Jenkins answers to many entities -- his order, the Indiana Province of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, the board of trustees at Notre Dame, the bishop in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and even the USCCB. In truth, however, all of those superiors represent God to Fr. Jenkins. But, he has chosen to disobey each and every one, and ultimately, God.

Last evening we all agreed who is at the root of this issue, and that is Satan. If Satan were to be successful at driving a wedge between Catholics in this country, would he not be best served by choosing a Catholic priest to do his work? Do you not think Satan is sitting back and laughing at what he has accomplished here? Catholic priest against Catholic priest, brother alumnus against brother alumnus, sister student against sister student, brothers and sisters in Christ in direct opposition to each other. He couldn't have planned it better.


From today's Divine Intimacy on obedience, which Fr. Jenkins would do well to follow:

This is certain: God directs us by means of our superiors and thy are not independent of Him. He uses them as instruments which He employees at His pleasure. Hence we must have recourse to our superior with confidence, since through him we contact God, and we are obeying God when we obey him. Such obedience is entirely supernatural and places us in direct contact with the divine will.


"He who follows his own ideas in opposition to the direction of his superiors needs no devil to tempt him, for he is a devil to himself.”
-Saint John Climacus




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