Sunday, February 27, 2011

God or Mammon Sunday

For those of you who went to english language Mass to-day in the diocese of Cleveland [Lennongrad], you might have heard the first words of this Sunday's Gospel:
Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Most probably, you did not hear an homily. Instead, there was a recorded advertisement of Lennon for the diocesan charities' appeal.

This is not the only society, not the only country that needs to hear a sermon on the Gospel topic; but it SURELY needs to. In the United States many who profess to believe in the Triune God of the New Testament, or in the God of Abraham have made Mammon their object of worship.

It was easy to not pay attention to the recording. Many congregations had their pastor slowly go through steps of having the seated to pledge money with the pencil and form provided.

Here is a lesson: when they say it is not about the money, it IS about the money. Lennon suppressed parishes for their money. His words are hypocrisy, at best.

For several months, cars have been leafleted in parish lots. The bishop's tax (a.k.a. assessment) for parishes without grade schools had been 16½% [i heard it has been raised]. That is the highest on the continent, about 3x the average. In response to all of this, there has been a Boycott the Basket programme. Occasionally there are other messages with the appeal.

Lennon has tried several times to initiate a capital programme. He has been advised by some of the presbytery that it will flop. Currently there is a pilot programme with ten (?) parishes. It looks like the operative definition of "vibrant" is the ability to produce money on demand. There is a pressing episcopal demand for money in the diocese of Lennongrad.


Last month SS. Cyril & Methodius was leafleted by members of Endangered Catholics. The pastor of the renamed parish (now Transfiguration) was extremely displeased. He noted in the church bulletin of 30 January that "this was really a very cowardly action". He further says, he has "consulted the legal office of the diocese". Well, this would be no news to them. They have not stopped or attempted to stop this activity in the past.

He also conflated the boycotting with hurting the poor, and not the bishop. Now, the notices did not say withhold money from the parishes and the poor. Canon law allows specific gifts prescribed for parish use. When this is done, those monies are to be exempt from the bishop's tax. When using your own envelope and specifically donating your money to certain parish uses, the parish will get 100% and the bishop 0%. Give to your parish for payroll, heating, maintenance, lighting and sundry other uses. Do not give to the general offertory collection unspecified monies. All the financial scandals of the chancery have not been made public. Joseph Smith and Anton Zgoznik were not the only thieves. It goes much deeper. The slime underneath the rocks is repulsive.

Also, the diocesan charities' is run with about 80% federal money. One can give to any charitable cause, or can give to any Catholic charity specifically, WITHOUT going through the chancery. Remember, whether it is the Red Feather Campaign, or Muscular Dystrophy or whatever — the credit, recognition and the plaudit does not go to the many, many anonymous individuals, but to the corporate executive.

Since the Lakewood leafleting there has been an exchange of letters between Fr. Rooney. Now, he is a Franciscan. In his response he is bellicose and bluffing, most unbecoming and counter to the Franciscan image. It is to be noted he had been pastor of St. Rose of Lima, and acquired the nickname 'Looney Rooney'. Perhaps, he is thinking of the many [doubtful]; but he is certainly a lennonist. His private correspondence is mean spirited and threatening.
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