Imre's Litany

Father Sandor Siklodi incensing the Sacrament. This may be his last service in the diocese. Lennon, who claims a serious priest shortage as a top reason for parish reductions, has no need for Fr. Siklodi to minister in the eight counties of the diocese. But Lennon's public words have never been his true rationale. Siklodi is not the only foreign born, non-incardinated priest forced out of the diocese.
People gathered at Saint Emeric's to mourn, protest, pray, remember, and to engage in fellowship. They shared their church with the greater community in a solemn and beautiful Benediction and Exposition of Jesus Christ in the Divine Sacrament. All this without police presence. Armed men are not needed to observe and supervise christians in christian activity. No representatives of the chancery were known to be in attendance, they were invited. Some television stations, incorrectly, reported that a last Mass was said in the afternoon. There is a difference between a litany and a Liturgy not grasped by the superficial media. They were correct, in that, Lennon was not there in person, nor in spirit.
West Side Market clock tower and hungarian colors
Beforehand the diocesan situation was addressed. The church bell tolled with the recitation of the 56 churches suppressed (forcefully closed) by Richard Lennon, Lord Bishop of Cleveland.
At 3.45 an airplane dragging a banner with the words,"Jesus is Lord-Viva Hungarians" made several circles over the crowd.

To-day the people of the parish held their parish. To-morrow is another day.

Eviction Mass cancelled

Lennon's Mass of Eviction for Saint Emeric (Imre) has been cancelled. This was covered by the paper press and the television. Since no one at the parish would co-operate in the service, or any of the regular congregants would even attend, it would not have met with his lordship's desires. He psychologically needs to demonstrate his authority. A Mass in front of only his entourage, and the police, would never suffice for public consumption and episcopal pride.

This causes one to wonder: since both St. Peter's and St. Emeric's had such a high refusal rate amongst their people, would similar corporate will, at other parishes, also have forced Richard Lennon to withdraw? Of course. It also proves, if it needed to be shown, that his formal presence and an official Mass of Eviction is not needed to "close" a church. Still another question is should a church close?

There will be services held at Saint Emeric on Wednesday, the 30th of June. One outside the church at 3 o'clock, and in the church at 4 o'clock.

From the Parishioners of St. Emeric Church :

DEMONSTRATION AGAINST CLOSING WILL COMMENCE on June 30, 3 pm.

Yesterday, June 28, Bishop Richard G. Lennon abruptly reversed course and announced that he will suspend plans to conduct the closing Mass at St Emeric church. Following its 106 year existence as a Cleveland parish, the community of St. Emeric had been scheduled to be suppressed permanently on June 30, 2010, in spite of 15 months of continuing appeals and steadfast resistance to the closure from parishioners. This was to be the last of 56 scheduled Cleveland church closings resulting from the Cleveland Diocesan Reconfiguration Plan initiated 3 years ago by its architect, Bishop Lennon. Although an appeal to the Vatican Council of Clergy is still pending, a June 30 closing Mass had been announced by the Diocese, with Bishop Lennon presiding.

Given these circumstances, the status of St Emeric remains open under canon law. In spite of the reversal, many St Emeric parishioners, supported by a significant number of people from other closed Catholic churches, other denominations, and ethnic communities will go forward with plans for a prayer litany at 4 pm, preceded by peaceful demonstrations and media interviews starting at 3pm.

Following the 4 pm prayer litany, a Christian fellowship dialog / vigil will commence to discuss concerns, including the pastoral needs of affected Catholics in dealing with emotional issues of losing their church and for transition plans for their faith. Bishop Lennon and/or any spokespersons for the Diocese are welcome to participate in this pastoral care and dialog session.

Many Catholics feel that Bishop Lennon has grossly failed in his pastoral duties to these closed congregations, and that the Diocesan Reconfiguration Plan will result in a spiritual and emotional turmoil for Cleveland Catholics, and economic disaster for affected Cleveland neighborhoods. Furthermore, the damaging long-term consequences of the lost parishes will be felt for generations, to the detriment of Catholicism and personal religious freedoms. June 30 represents a good opportunity to begin mitigation of this damage and explore ways for rebuilding bridges of faith and trust in the religious community of Cleveland.

All Christians, members and supporters of ethnic communities, and fair-minded friends concerned about injustice of church suppression and threats to our basic freedoms, are encouraged to show support and solidarity with affected parishioners and the surrounding community by their presence at St. Emeric Church, starting 3 pm on June 30th. All media personnel are welcome for all planned activities.

St. James decapitated again

Outside St. James school there is bolted to the bricks the damaged statue of St. James. The statue is handless. Saint James was decapitated, and so was this statue.
Before Lennon's Mass (there will be a Mass at St. James, the next morning) people take photographs and make final prayers. If you consult art history books, you will find the interior of St. James, Lakewood is closely modelled after the cathedrals of Cefalu and Monreale in Sicily. The insurance on this church is the greatest of any church in the diocese, and that includes the cathedral. The parish has more than 1400 registered families, that is 600 more than the cathedral. The marble columns are from Rome and Greece, some had done service in pagan times.
On the vault just inside the communion rail is a mural of the zodiac, it is as if the stars of heaven are to be witness.
Outside a crowd who loves the Church and the Faith, and hates the ignoble fate of this parish. It was late Saturday afternoon in the mid 80s F°. The doors and windows of the church had to be open so people would not swelter and wilt. During Richard Lennon's hackneyed speech following the Gospel, there was multiple sustained horn blasts from passing traffic on Detroit Avenue. At other times the crowd prayed Hail Marys very loudly. The four local television channels also came, as did the Lakewood Observer.
Some people reported to the folks outside that Lennon was "desanctifying" the church. This it could not be. He has a little remembrance ritual where he traipses through the church, and has people recall the sacraments they celebrated there. This is not desanctifying. If he had some emotion and sincerity, it might be something; it is nothing. Jesus (in the Eucharist) is still in the building. The altars are undisturbed, and there will be Mass the next day. It is still a functioning church after his exit. It is another notch in his closing procedure.

People have mulled about, in conversation, to begin a prayer service the next Sunday. They will be following the examples of Saint Casimir, and recently, Saint Patrick. The parish is still alive and has not been extinguished. It also has a three month extension under a Vatican review.
Legend has it that St. James returned to Spain to smote the moorish occupier.

Lennon's definition of terms

As June winds to an end, the wave of church closings will recede with 57 churches unavailable for Catholic worship. Not all have been publicly listed. After Saint Lawrence was evicted on the 20th, the process visited Our Lady of Mount Carmel East at one o'clock. This weekend the process will visit St. James, Lakewood, and St. Mary, Akron. The last eviction will be at St. Emeric on Wednesday, the last day of the fiscal year.

Richard Lennon justifies his radical programme as a 'call to unity'. His 'call to unity' was demonstrated in the cluster groups that met to reduce the number of parishes within their cluster. This process left many participants bitter, hurt and disgruntled. e.g. Cleveland's Broadway area consisted of two clusters. Both clusters were ordered to reduce their number by two, but the final billet was filled by Lennon. SS. Casimir, Hyacinth, Lawrence and Sacred Heart of Jesus were to be suppressed.

Three of those four were resistant to the sentence. Two have joined a coalition of parishes requesting mediation and recension. Communication has been repeatedly rebuffed. People continually have pleaded with Rome. Rome has given three extensions (a fourth is in the mail), and has called Lennon to Rome twice.

There is to be no dual paths, it is an one way street. Lennon's determination to execute his will has been remarkable. Pressure has been continually placed on parishes and individuals to facilitate, or to accept the reductions, and all sort of diktats. The people of Saint Casimir did not go silently away. They have not gone away. For over seven months the parish has met outside the walls of their church. The chancery does not approach them. A Christian flock of the faithful continually gather in their exile. No pastor is allowed to be with them. It is one of very many parochial dramas of the diocese, and in this opera we all know which tenor to boo.

The Roman historian, Tacitus, quoted a Briton chieftain, Calgacus, on the ways of the empire in his land, "... and where they make a desert, they call it peace." One could say the same of Lennon.

The parish will not perish

Now, at the Saint Casimir service, besides praying, they sing. In english, and in polish they sing. In polish, it is mostly marian hymns. They also sing the polish civil anthem, Dąbrowski's Mazurek. In the fotos above, there is the beginning. The camera cannot see the next page.

Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.
Co nam obca przemoc wzięła,
Szablą odbierzemy.

Chorus 2x:
Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski,
Z ziemi włoskiej do Polski.
Za twoim przewodem
Złączym się z narodem.

Przejdziem Wisłę, przejdziem Wartę,
Będziem Polakami.
Dał nam przykład Bonaparte,
Jak zwyciężać mamy.
_______________________
(imperfect translation)
Poland has not perished,
As [long as] we live.
What foreign violence has taken from us,
We at sabrepoint shall retrieve.

March, march, Dąbrowski,
From Italy to Poland.
Under your leadership
We unite as a nation.

Cross the Vistula, cross the Warta,
We shall be Poles.
To us Bonaparte has shown,
How to be victorious.

It is a martial song, but it has great beauty and vivid imagery. The first line is as vibrant, and defiant, a declaration as can be made. We, our nation exists, you have not extinguished us. We are alive. It goes on ... we are outside home, but we will come. We will cross one river, and then another. We will win.

The accident of english homophones, 'perish' and 'parish', reinforce the goal. Our parish is here, our nation is here, we have not died, we live, we will endure. Your violence in dismembering us shall not hold.

Firefly light

The sense of death is most in apprehension;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies. ―Measure for Measure. III. i. 85-88.

The pigment, luciferin, is created in an organ on the abdomen of a winged beetle. When the chemical is oxidized, light in the form of chemical bioluminescence is emitted in periodic flashes. This beetle is called a firefly in books, and lightning bug by children. And they are neat. They are a joyful entertainment of childhood. Many a child must think a jar of fireflies would be a great light source, but that is not an effective physical answer; it is an interesting thought.

Astronomical summer brings them out. The shortest night of the year, the least needful of illumination, brings out these light bearers, these insect torches.

Venus appeared in the night sky, followed by these guys. Aerial mating dances glow, dart, and flash. The sky darkens and more stars are visible. In relative perspective, the firefly outshines the star with a greater glow.

The specie count of insects, and beetles in particular, is so high, that, man does not know. This does not make them infinite, but astounding. There is a story told of the biologist J.B.S. Haldane, wherein the professor is asked what of God has he learned about in the study of biology. He is supposed to have answered, "He seems to have an inordinate fondness for beetles."

The egyptians were inordinately fond of the dung beetle, the scarab. Children, and folklore, and the peasant loves the ladybug. The lady is Mary, the Mother of God. This beetle is honored and respected, a rarity amongst insects, of which many are crawly, creepy and disgusting, or buzzing and loathsome. The french name is a title, "bête à bon Dieu", the beast of the good God. In its legends there are notes of mortality. The ladybug has a brilliance in the day, while the lightning bug rules the night, and the cricket is in chorus. Perhaps from these simple joys there is formed an entomologist for every university in the world.

Lennon's perpetuity

Richard Lennon has ordered up a limited warranty deed (a real estate document) prepared by diocesan lawyer, Kevin T. Burke. This document is to be signed by the purchaser of parish property. There are restrictions for use: no use for any catholic Sacraments; no prurient use, including those in any way related to abortion.

The document has the wording: "The preceding restrictive covenants shall remain in effect in perpetuity..." Interesting choice of words and concept. Parishes are created in perpetuity. This is canon law, and Gospel law. Richie is free to abrogate this 'perpetuity' at his caprice, yet when he sells the property of that perpetual parish, his restrictions are to be perpetual. Canon law and Gospel law are to be dispensed with, but state law will be binding. Can you say "pharisaic hypocrisy"?

Green Dragons of the World Cup

The World Cup championship for football (soccer) is a world fair of sport. States across the globe are represented. There are the large states with the small. The traditional football powers and the rare qualifiers.

This year the games are for the first time being played in Africa. The novelty that everyone has remarked on is the elongated, plastic cornet — the vuvuzela. The high decibel droning of thousands of ill played B-flats is constant. Vuvuzela is now a new word in the international lexicon. The spelling may become negotiable. I heard 'booboozayla'.

Now, many teams are represented by their traditional colors. Argentina is always in light blue and white vertical stripes. Holland is in that wretched orange. Many teams wear their flag colors, but not all. The germans like white. The italians in the blue of the past monarchy.

Slovenija is the smallest state in this year's tournament. They have green with light green. Their flag's tri-colors are white, blue, and red. Why green? As the tournament starts, a national tree and symbol was in bloom — lipa, the linden. The leaves are green and the flowers are light green. The lipa, the linden, leaf almost made the new flag. It has been on stamps and used as logos on many government and non-governmental items.

The dragon is the heraldic symbol of the capital city Ljubljana. There is a dragon's bridge in the city. The dragon is always green. The city's football team Olimpija, is nicknamed, the dragons. The world cup team is also, unofficially the green dragons.

Group play
13 June Slovenija 1 Algeria 0
18 June Slovenija 2 USA 2
23 June Slovenija 0 England 1

Saint Lawrence suppressed

A statue of the martyred patron, Saint Lawrence the Deacon of Rome.
On the last day of spring Saint Lawrence village was assimilated into Lennongrad. A small group, slightly less than a score, protested. One parishioner saw Bob Tayek pass in the narthex, and yelled, "Bob, did you bring your baseball." It was a reference to a Los Angeles Times article, in which he was quoted saying that some of the churches were so empty, "you can throw a baseball and not hit anybody." Three people brought baseball mitts in case he wanted to play catch.
That was the first of two church suppressions. It was a Father's Day for mourning, several people had black ribbons pinned to their chests as they attended the Mass of Eviction. Later Lennon took Our Lady of Mount Carmel East. A very tony and pleasant congregation served by a beloved kenyan priest, and supported with outstanding personal effort by the administrator, Mrs. Rose Marie Criniti. Many dinners kept the church operating, and not one penny from the diocese. The diocese never listed this suppression publicly.

Some of the protesters left Saint Lawrence for the weekly vigil at Saint Casimir. At the same time, the first Sunday prayer vigil at St. Patrick, West Park (Cleveland) occurred.
The protesters gasped when they read the plate. They were greatly relieved when the passenger said, "No!, John Lennon".
An ambulance, and a fire truck came. A life long parishioner passed out and collapsed at the final blessing. She was a member of the choir and all in the church heard a thump. Word made it outside, where one of the protesters, who had medic training came to her aid; there also were medical people from within the congregation whom aided. Eventually, after stopping on the wrong street, emergency staff came to the sweet-natured lady. She was in good cheer as she was taken outside. The church has an elevator, it was not employed.

British Pelican

"I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown." ― Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), 17 June 2010

Barton's number one campaign contributor has been Anadarko Petroleum, which is a partner in the current disaster with British Petroleum and Deepwater Horizon (the drillers of the well). Barton also 'poo-pooed' Albert Gore's environmental concerns. If the Republican's were in power in the House, Barton would be in charge of the committee.

After this gulf oil disaster began, a friend sent me a passage from the eighth chapter of the Apocalypse, that is where the seven angels are blowing trumpets.

And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood: And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed. And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. ― Apoc. viii. 8-11.

Et secúndus ángelus tuba cécinit : et tamquam mons magnus igne ardens missus est in mare, et facta est tértia pars maris sanguis, et mórtua est tértia pars creatúræ eórum, quæ habébant ánimas in mari, et tértia pars návium intériit. Et tértius ángelus tuba cécinit : et cécidit de cælo stella magna, ardens tamquam fácula, et cécidit in tértiam partem flúminum, et in fontes aquárum : et nomen stellæ dícitur Absínthium, et facta est tértia pars aquárum in absínthium ; et multi hóminum mórtui sunt de aquis, quia amáræ factæ sunt. ― Apoc. viii. 8-11.

We have an horrible site of oil soaked birds, but that is only a small portion. These birds are visible, because they are at the line where sea, land and air come together. In the deep hidden sea the zone of death is far more expansive and invisible.

Greed: greed that buys congressmen to weaken regulations. Regulations: regulations that would provide safety and supervision. This is the freedom that is promoted by capitalism and the Republican party. The freedom to wreak havoc. The freedom of evil.

The pelican is the symbol of the state of Louisiana. The pelican is a symbol of Christ. The pelican in petroleum is reminiscent of the phoenix which burns. The phoenix is another icon of Christ. This pelican of petroleum is that of the face of the resultant of unhampered greed, and the devastation it marks upon the world.

Sites disrupted

the text has been greatly revised owing to inability to ascertain, with degree of comfortable certainty, the cause of problem. i also failed in editing out my frustration to any degree.

I have been told to by a friend that visits this site, that he and another acquaintance cannot access it. The address for this site is:

http://rustbeltvoice.blogspot.com/

It is not a very well known site. I would say, it is of little interest, mostly no interest to the outside world. I doubt it receives any significant volume of readership, but apparently it is, or may be, a thorn of serious enough irritation as to invite attack.

Previously, the site for Endangered Catholics was, and still is sabotaged. Someone using computer access from Shaker Heights did havoc on that site.

http://www.endangeredcatholics.webs.com/blog.html

try this instead:
http://endangeredcatholics.webs.com/

I am not a computer savant. I do not know how this was done, and i can not prove it was done. I fully believe, that mischief was done. It is a short hop to tell for what purpose. To interfere with internet sites, I was to understand, is a form of cyber illegality. Everything in defense of the régime is permissible by some.

There has been an active campaign for the stifling of information about, especially critical information, and opinion on Richard Lennon. Also there has been an active disinformation campaign promoting Lennon. The local press coverage has been muted.

We know, without doubt ― that Lennon has tyrannized the clergy and religious in the diocese. Many voluntarily proclaim the company line in favor of Lennon, and defend him to great, and even, total extent. I have been threatened with bodily harm, in person, because it is known that I am not in approval of Lennon and his programme and ways.

Even if I am wrong in opinion, and I certainly am confident that I am correct, those whom are willing to defend Lennon by physical assault of his detractors, they certainly are not behaving as Christians. They are nonplussed. And further on this, is it necessary for the police entourage and undercover detectives to cover the closures? Is it not violent to bring armed men into church?
_________________________________
Postscriptum: I have been told by a correspondent, that he had no problem accessing this site. I do not know why some can and some can not access this site. I know of no Blogger service disruption. It is certainly not inconceivable that it is non-malign failure.
I know the one fellow tried several different searches (by use of search engines) and could not access (or find) this site, until this afternoon.
It is certain that the site: http://www.endangeredcatholics.webs.com/blog.html has been compromised. In that light, it may be no co-incidence that this site has encountered trouble.

Corpus Christi Procession

Slavonic parishes, even in America, usually process for Corpus Christi. It is not unusual that the procession is longer than the Mass itself. It is a public witness that the Body of Christ is truly the Body of Christ. The Eucharistic Host, the Body of Christ, is placed in a monstrance (a special reliquary, with a luna [glass window]) and is solemnly marched. There are several stops outside and inside church, often with temporary altars. People sing Eucharistic songs and pray. At times the Monstrance is lifted for viewing and Gospel passages are read.

People within the neighborhood, but outside the faith are interested in this mysterious occurrence. It is not like other parades. It is noticeably solemn and mystical, and it cannot be confused as not being earnest and sincere.

White Rabbit of frank speech

The most wild and free moments of truthful and brilliant hilarity on television are the puppet cold intros by an angry scotsman. Craig Ferguson on the 28th of May had his naughty bunny give a devastating apology. It seems he whilst cute and meek enjoys rough language, to the point of revel abandonment. Yet, Craigy is honest and accurate. Instead of using the falsity of calling rude words 'french', he identifies it as german. If he was a highlander, he could have called it sassenach (saxon).

While appearing fearful, and humiliated, and begging excuse he says what he damn well wants to say. Whether he went to the shock of the cute being fiercely ribald or not, the rabbit has been a trickster and a subversive in american culture. Bugs Bunny did not start out as a rabbit, when the switch was made, it was effective. Only a cartoon scholar knows, or the aged with steel trap memories know of his prior avatar. Br'er Rabbit was a 19th century comic figure of clever mischief that Joel Chandler Harris popularised with readers by borrowing cherokee indian folklore from his native Georgia . The silent Bunny Rabbit always got his carrots early from Captain Kangaroo. There are current underground comics, and japanese anime that trades the cuteness of the rabbit with the shock of violent behavior.

Rabbits are hares. Lewis Carroll had both the March Hare and the White Rabbit tripping Alice. There has been a terminiology shift in english. Coneys became rabbits, and rabbits became bunnies. The cycle seems to be substituting the baby term for the adult and then creating a new baby term. The animals are recognised to be harmless and essentially sweet.

Craigy caught this comic subversive character of the rabbit. Ferguson is subversive. He is funny. Genuine humor must be truthful. Ferguson has a cast of successful and sarcastic puppets. Wavy the cajun crocodile was comic genius and subversive. This rabbit may be his superior. Wavy is a boisterous cad and "dangerous". Sock puppets delight children. The child can make his puppet say anything, or nothing, and the child can pretend, that, he the child did not voice those thoughts.

The rabbit may come back, but he does not need to. He has displayed effective and complete contempt for language censorship. Craigy enjoys swearing, his puppets get away with it.
____________________________
postscriptum: The rabbit has identified himself as Sid from north London, the bunny that does not cuss all the time, but people recognise him as the Cussing Bunny.