Should We Ever Publicly Criticize Priests?

Over the past few months, many Catholics in the pro-life movement have felt abandoned by some of our clerical leaders as the issues of Barack Obama’s Notre Dame speech and Ted Kennedy’s funeral forced a spotlight on what should it mean to be a true, pro-life Catholic.

I have been very disappointed by more than a few prelates over the years in regard to the pro-life cause in as I firmly believed these prelates were giving mix signals to both the pro-life, pro-abortion and Catholic communities by their words and actions.

It is very hard for me not to be outwardly critical of these events because of the deep injustice I feel. In addition, it is very hard for me not to say anything because I am an Irishman. Only one of these ailments is curable.

The quote that remains with me, an alters my tongue to a large extent, is what God said to St. Catherine of Siena, as quoted in her Dialogue, in regard to criticizing priest, even those worthy of the criticism:

"…[It] is my intention that they be held in due reverence, not for what they are in themselves, but for my sake, because of the authority I have given them. Therefore the virtuous must not lessen their reverence, even should these ministers fall short in virtue. And, as far as the virtues of my ministers are concerned, I have described them for you by setting them before you as stewards of ... my Son’s body and blood and of the other sacraments. This dignity belongs to all who are appointed as such stewards, to the bad as well as to the good.

…[Because] of their virtue and because of their sacramental dignity you ought to love them. And you ought to hate the sins of those who live evil lives. But you may not for all that set ourselves up as their judges; this is not my will because they are my Christs, and you ought to love and reverence the authority I have given them.

You know well enough that if someone filthy or poorly dressed were to offer you a great treasure that would give you life, you would not disdain the bearer for love of the treasure, and the lord who had sent it, even though the bearer was ragged and filthy... You ought to despise and hate the ministers’ sins and try to dress them in the clothes of charity and holy prayer and wash away their filth with your tears.

Indeed, I have appointed them and given them to you to be angels on earth and suns, as I have told you. When they are less than that you ought to pray for them. But you are not to judge them. Leave the judging to me, and I, because of your prayers and my own desire, will be merciful to them."*

Enough said, you cannot disagree with Divine wisdom that God reveals to a saint as holy as Catherine of Siena. (As a side note on Catherine, one of my favorite stories on her was that she was so holy at an early age that she would levitate up the stairs (her feet not touching the stairs) as a child, causing her parents a great amount of anxiety for her safety - - too funny as all those overprotective parents out there can relate.)

In realizing that God always gives you what you need, yesterday I receive a mailing from the Cardinal Kung Foundation which has close ties to the persecuted, underground Church in China. In the mailing was a beautiful prayer that his Eminence wrote in 1953 in regard to elevating priests:

By His Eminence, the late Ignatius Cardinal Kung
"All powerful and eternal God, through the merits of your Son, Jesus, and through your love for him, I implore you, have pity on the priests of the Holy Church. In spite of their sublime dignity, they are fearful and weak, like all created beings. In your infinite mercy, inflame their hearts with the fire of divine love. For the sake of Jesus, your Son, bestow grace on the priests and uphold them. Do not let them fall into temptation and tarnish their noble vocation.

O Jesus, we implore you. Look with pity on the priests of the Holy Church: those who are serving you faithfully and proclaiming your glory; those who are persecuted for tending your flock; those who are abandoned, weary, and sorrowful; those who are lukewarm, confused and who have denied their faith; those who are sick, dying or in Purgatory. Lord Jesus, we entreat you. Listen to our supplication, have pity and console them.

O Jesus, we entrust to you the priests of the whole world: the priests who baptized me, absolved my sins, offered Holy Mass and consecrated the Eucharist to nourish my soul. We entrust to you the priests that instructed me when I was ignorant, gave me strength in my weakness, showed me the Way and the Truth and comforted me in my sorrow and affliction. For all the blessings they obtained for me, I implore you to support them in your loving kindness.

O Jesus, shelter our priests in your Sacred Heart. Let them take refuge in your mercy and love, in this life and to the hour of death. Amen."

We must realize that for every priest that may disappoint us, there is an equal number that are imprisoned, persecuted and face hostilities because they preach the unfiltered Gospel. As both sides of this priestly spectrum are irreversibly linked to Christ, they all deserve our prayers.

*Catherine of Siena; The Dialogue, translated by Suzanne Noffke, O.P., New York: Paulist Press, 1980, pp. 229-231

Cardinal Ignatius Kung: A Good Friday Reflection

In 1955, the Roman Catholic bishop of Shanghai was arrested by the Communist Chinese Government an imprisoned.

A few months after that arrest, the bishop was brought -wearing nothing more than pajamas- to a capacity-filled sport stadium in handcuffs to denounce his Faith and allegiance to Rome publicly on stage. When brought to the microphone, he responded in front of the sold-out crowd what he must have thought were his last public words, "Long Live Christ the King! Long Live the Pope!" [Blogger note: These words were the inspiration for the name of this blog.]

As a result of his unwavering Faith, Ignatius Kung spent over thirty years in solitary confinement in a Communist prison and was named a Cardinal in Pope John Paul II's heart. During his imprisonment, His Eminence wrote a short reflection on the crucifixion on a small piece of rice paper that was smuggled out of the prison. Please read and reflect on this holy man's words now that you understand the conditions and background story in which it was written. It is a perfect Good Friday reflection.

"Our Lord Jesus is on the Cross. His whole body is covered with wounds, His hands and feet are nailed to the Cross; His head is crowned with thorns; for His drink, only vinegar and bitter gall. Although He suffered so much, He knows that many will remain indifferent. This mental anguish is even more painful than His physical torment.

God suffered so much for me. Why am I not willing to give up some worldly pleasure and accept some suffering in this life? I know well that Jesus suffered in reparation for my sins and yet I still go against His will and commit sin. How can I reject His grace and increase His sorrow?

Jesus accepted suffering inflicted by every kind of person. The apostles betrayed Him, the Jews made accusations against Him, the Gentiles cursed Him, and high priests, officials, soldiers and other people all determined to kill Him. Because Jesus suffered in order to save all classes of people, so He accepted sufferings caused by all kinds of people, including all of us. Are we not increasing His suffering by our lack of faith, committing sin and not loving His Sacred Heart?

Where was our Blessed Mother at that time? She was weeping beside the Cross, watching Her Son suffer. This was not just the human love between mother and son. She united her love of Jesus with her love for all mankind, offering [her suffering at the foot of the cross] in sacrifice to God the Father for the salvation of the whole world. Our Lady is indeed the Mother of our salvation.

Each and every one of us should imitate Our Blessed Lady, contemplating Jesus on the Cross. We should offer our sufferings in reparation for our sins and those of others, asking for mercy and forgiveness and not fail to respond to the graces Jesus obtained for us through His Passion."

What's in a Name?

I have always been fascinated on the words that come out of someone’s mouth who know they are facing death. Their words are not controlled by filters or pretense, they’re not concerned about backlash from what they say or being politically correct, absolutely nothing left to hide or protect. They are speaking what they believe as truth from their hearts through their last moments of their mortal existence.

Moreover, and more notably, there can be found a lifetime of wisdom in these statements when they come from Saints. Those who lived not of this world; but now are leaving it.

It was reported that Pope John Paul II said during his last moments, “ I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you.” I remember thinking that this comment was beautifully directed to the huge crowds outside his Vatican apartment who kept steadfast vigil. This failing Pontiff, who once tirelessly searched for anyone and everyone who would listen to his message in every corner of the globe, now acknowledged the outpouring of love that his flock returned.

A few years later, my biased understanding of this was shattered when I read a deathbed comment from St. John Vianney. Known as “The Cure of Ars”, Vianney was a French mystic priest, an incorruptible and one of my favorite saints.

Vianney said, “And how kind the good God is! When I cannot go to him any longer, he comes to me! But my body now is not much to present to Our Lord.”

These phrases were too similar to be different. It was a realization moment for me that both these ‘saint’s’ comments were directed solely to God.

Two 20th century priests who, I believe, will follow the same trail to sainthood are Blessed Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest from Mexico, and Cardinal Ignatius Kung, a Chinese priest who suffered through 30 years in a communist jail because he would not deny the Papacy.

In 1927, after being railroaded through a fixed trial, Fr. Pro faced the firing squad without a blindfold at his request. He outstretched his arms as if being crucified in unison with Christ, forgave his executioners, then emptied his heart by screaming the creed that was most dear to him.

In 1955, then Bishop Ignatius Kung, was brought in handcuffs and pajamas by the Chinese Government in front of a microphone at an outdoor stadium to renounce his Faith before tens of thousands of Chinese. Understanding that this was in all probability his last moment of life if he would not appease the Communists and deny his Faith, Cardinal Kung released from his heart the same exact words as Miguel Pro said decades earlier.


"Vive Chistus Rex!/Long Live Christ the King!” I can think of no better name for a blog.