the american bishops' plan

Blessed Pope John XXIII (r. 1958-63) convened an Ecumenical Council in 1962. Now, by an ecumenical council it is meant that the whole of Christendom is represented, the entirety of the inhabited world. Vatican I (1869-70) was incomplete and remained in suspension, being interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War, and the Wars for the Unification of Italy. Vatican II (1962-65) has not been digested yet.

Part of Vatican II entailed an increased role for the laity. Over the last generation, the parliament of American bishops have fought a war of reaction over this. Now, for the United States, in recent years the most visible occurrence of events in the American Catholic Church-Roman rite have been the sex scandals.

Instead of implementing the spirit of Vatican II, or the continuation of an organic, or a traditional Catholicism, the bishopry has instituted their own programme. It must be remembered, that at one time, and for most of US history, the Catholic Church was NOT a part of the establishment. It is now, locally and nationally.

The bishops have adopted an american business model for religion. The salvation of souls has been salvaged for the pursuit of power and profit. The parish is the model that Christ described [For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.—Matthew xviii. 20.]. In the Canon law of the church, a parish is a 'juridic person perpetual by its nature', which needs three persons to be formed, and can continue with one [see here]. The american bishops have corporately decided an implementation of the televangelists' mega-church model, combined not with the Gospels of Matthew and Co., but the gospels of Wall Street, Madison Avenue, and Harvard Yard, along with a monarchical tyranny as management style.

Cleveland is just a prime example. First we have the tyrant [Richard Lennon] as bishop. He has hired a firm and its model for the current shakedown campaign, ‘Rooted in Faith Capital Campaign’. The same Madison Avenue-Catholic Division campaign had been used in several dioceses previously.

Previously, Lennon used the 'Vibrant Parish Campaign' to eviscerate the diocese. Other dioceses, too, have used that terminology for a shakedown, and/or reduction of parishes. It is advertising jargon to disguise power and monetary grabs.

Canon law* allows creation of parishes for any purpose. In the US people have come from around the world, and have always requested these parishes. Many bishops have done so reluctantly, in the past, but allowed for their formation. Now, they are trying to eliminate them in entirety. Lennon, in Cleveland, has trod this path vehemently, and with venom.

In the current crucible of time, we here, have seen Vatican II and the traditional desires of the laity abandoned, and replaced by a consolidation of episcopal power. The episcopacy covered up grave moral scandal, which since has become public. The eruption of this corruption has turned out to be expensive. In an attempt at a twofold solution, they have been creative in capital accumulation, and increased their authority by centralisation. This centralisation has been achieved at the destruction of parishes, and the alienation of parishioners, while robbing them of property and funds, and then demanding more funds from the survivors. The laity has not been served, but betrayed.
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Canon 518 As a general rule a parish is to be territorial, that is, one which includes all the Christian faithful of a certain territory. When it is expedient, however, personal parishes are to be established determined by reason of the rite, language, or nationality of the Christian faithful of some territory, or even for some other reason.