the will of the bishop

As i wrote in the last mention of St. Peter's, "Lennon is going after St. Peter's on E. 71 ... It is a campaign ... He is relentless." The latest action has made the front page, above the fold, of Cleveland's daily. To quote from a parish newsletter:

Sr. Susan has served as music director for Saint Peter Church/The Community of Saint Peter for the past 21 years. She has been a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame for over 50 years. In the discussions leading up to Sr. Gorman’s decision, Sr. Susan was told that among the reasons for this action was: that she was “helping it (the community) to succeed in direct opposition to the will of the bishop.” This decision is particularly confusing coming as it does in the midst of the so called “open discussion” between the CSP Board and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cleveland, Richard G. Lennon. Yet, given the past history of the actions of the Diocese of Cleveland toward the members of Saint Peter’s, the decision to remove Sr. Susan from the community, sadly, comes as little surprise.

What is most disturbing, however, is the attempt by the church officials to dispirit our community by threatening a woman who has served the church faithfully for over five decades as a vowed religious, teacher and church musician. Clearly the recent order of ex-communication, and now this action by the Sisters of Notre Dame, relate not just to particular individuals, but also to the expressed desire to facilitate the eventual failure of the Community itself. While church officials talk about their desire for reconciliation, these actions reveal a system which must revert to threats, intimidation and punishment as a means to maintain control, and root out any possibility of disagreement or dissent. 

The next day, a story appeared, in the same paper, concerning St. Colman [click, click2]. Lennon is transparent, for those with a little ability to peer with a cursory penetrating glance. He is a mean, petty man. For the mediæval mind, intelligence was the primary mental faculty. For Martin Luther it was the will. Lennon is not a deep thinker, but he has the will of a despot and tyrant. This is not the quality of a shepherd. The quoting of Sr. Gorman's phrase “the will of the bishop” may be the first time the local media has used this apt wording. Since he entered the diocese, that is all that matters. 

                                                           outside a Mass of Eviction [click]  
Now, Fr. Marrone writes that he is reminded of the Dr. Seuss's story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch hated all the Whos in Who-ville, 

“And then they’d do something He liked least of all! Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, would stand close together with Christmas bells ringing. They’d stand hand in hand. And the Who would start singing. They’d sing! And they sing! And they’d sing! Sing! Sing! Sing. And the more the Grinch thought of this Who-Christmas Sing, the more the Grinch thought, “I must stop this whole thing!”

 13 December 2009. Holy Trinity Lorain Ohio.

These are not isolated incidents, neither are the parish evictions (often aided by armed police), nor the primacy of revenue. Lennon has dispatched many religious out of the diocese, he has made many abrupt personnel manœuvers. Many things that have occurred, and will occur, will not be known to the general public. These actions are the real Lennon. As long as he reigns, he is a present danger.

As Bishop of Cleveland, he is also bishop of the non-Catholics. We are fortunate that he has not attempted to exert the power of his office over them, it is within his right. In the modern world, this has not been evoked; and it would not work, but he has extended his authority beyond its scripted spheres and extents amongst Catholics; so he is only a tyrant over Catholics. Now, if he were a good man, he would have the power of moral suasion over the general community. He has none. Now such bishops as Dolan of New York City have heavily tried to influence public and national opinion in political matters, and outside of some Republican propagandists and voters have been unsuccessful. Remember they too are willful bishops.