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Title: Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church
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| Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. A Disturbing Look at the Situation Inside the Seminaries. | _Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption into the Catholic Church_, published in 2002 by the conservative Regnery Publishing, by Catholic writer Michael S. Rose is a timely and disturbingly written account of the situation as it has existed inside the seminaries since the Second Vatican Council and the 1960s. The book of course is not without its faults and it must be stated outright that I believe a great deal of what is written here must be taken with a grain of salt; nevertheless, I feel that what Rose says here is highly important and must be examined thoughtfully by any practicing Catholic. The book comes written at a time when many believe there is a crisis among the priesthood, with an increasing number of priest sex offender cases making national attention, as well as cover-ups by the hierarchy. While the book is certainly relevant to such cases and may explain how such a situation comes to exist, it really does not focus so much on these situations other than to say that the public image of the priesthood has been corroded. What the book really attempts to address is the often made claim that there is a crisis in the priesthood and that there is a shortage of candidates for the priesthood which they believe requires a fundamental re-understanding of what it means to be a priest. Issues such as priestly celibacy, marriage among priests, the ordination of women, and homosexuality are brought up and usually those making such a claim believe that the teachings of the church on such issues are at fault and must be addressed. The author of this book takes a controversial stance in that he supports Catholic orthodoxy and the teaching of the popes on such issues and further he maintains that the alleged shortage in candidates for the priesthood is largely contrived. To address these issues, the author will delve into the situation as it exists in the seminaries and provides a disturbing account of extreme heterodoxy (and we're talking things that go well beyond the modernist crisis here), homosexuality among candidates, sexual improprieties, and a culture of liberalism and dissent from the Roman pontiff. This account is highly disturbing and the book is often quite graphic and certain to anger and enrage. As such, it must be read very carefully. One thing that needs to be said up front though is that the book is largely written in an historical vacuum. Accounts of improprieties among priests and monks are very old and slanders against the Catholic church date to at least the time of Celsus and other Roman pagan writers who often maintained that Christians were cannibals who ate babies. As such, there is always some reason for suspicion when such accounts are made. In many ways, the situation as presented in this book in the seminaries reminds me of the situation that exists in many universities everywhere following the influence of Sixties radicals who became entrenched in higher education. The only difference being that professors at seminaries are supposed to be teaching orthodox Catholic doctrine and philosophy. Nevertheless, I feel this book is timely and important and should be discussed and examined by all practicing Catholics.
The author begins by examining the claims that there is a shortage in candidates for the priesthood. This claim is commonly made by many and various reasons are given for it, some blaming church policies regarding celibacy, etc. and others blaming a culture of materialism and atheism (something which the author does not consider but which I believe should be thoroughly considered as well). The author then turns to the controversial idea of Archbishop Eldin F. Curtiss that the alleged priest shortage was largely contrived and that those who expressed such claims frequently had a death wish for the all-male celibate priesthood. The author claims that in seminaries where a culture and atmosphere of conservative orthodoxy exists, there is not the predicted shortage but rather that the shortage exists among the more liberal seminaries and dioceses. As such, the author maintains that a process exists in seminaries to "weed out" orthodox candidates and that further to address this problem what is really needed is a return to orthodoxy and not a move further away from it. The author then shows us the situation as it exists in the seminaries, beginning by maintaining that among young men the call to the priesthood is often stifled by precisely those who should be encouraging it. The author also shows how a "weeding out" process occurs, in which an inquisition in reverse, allows for seminary directors to weed out those who are particularly conservative or orthodox. The author shows an environment in the seminaries that is plagued with liberalism and sexual immorality. The author maintains that there is a prominent gay subculture in many seminaries with openly gay candidates and seminary professors. This culture of militant homosexuality frequently makes even the most un-homophobic of heterosexual men uncomfortable. Further, there is found to be a disgusting emphasis on sex with all manner of sexual improprieties abounding. Much of the material presented here is quite graphic and indeed "sex manuals" and textbooks are frequently given out to seminaries which run brazenly counter to the teachings of the church on human sexuality. Further, many of the more orthodox candidates who do not toe the line regarding these new sexual perversions are sexually harassed by brazenly homosexual candidates. The author also shows how heterodoxy, liberalism, modernism, and worse have entered the teaching at many Catholic seminaries. Professors frequently bash the church and maintain a theology which is frankly Protestant or modernist. The author also shows how piety is lambasted, and frequently those who are traditionally pious face drastic consequences. For example, in some seminaries those who regularly pray the rosary are referred to as "Pharisees" and targeted for abuse. Most disturbing however is the use of psychology and psychoanalysis against those who maintain an orthodox allegiance to the pope. Such orthodox candidates are frequently singled out as "rigid" or "inflexible" (words which may be genuine criticisms of a person's character but which here are used as codewords to describe those who are theologically orthodox). Such candidates are frequently sent to psychologists who attempt to "alter" them, eerily reminiscent of the Soviet use of psychology and "re-education" as one disgruntled candidate pointed out. This confirms for me what I have thought for a long time, that many psychoanalysts have their own agendas and that those agendas frequently conflict with both common sense and with a traditional Christian understanding of things. The author also shows how an inquisition exists in reverse to root out orthodox candidates. Much of this can be attributed to a generational conflict between older and younger priests who are often quite orthodox and the generation of Sixties radicals. Finally, the author shows how any attempt by the Vatican to crack down on dissenters has largely failed and the desire to appear non-inquisitorial has led to the proliferation of all manner of abuses. From this I have to conclude that the hierarchy and perhaps even as far up as the papacy itself is largely either helpless or will not address such issues. The author ends by showing the possibility for a more orthodox priesthood with candidates often coming from "counter-cultural homeschooling type families". Ironically, some dioceses have chosen to address the "crisis" by appealing to the MTV culture, making billboards presenting the priesthood as cool and hip or even advertising on MTV. Such attempts are greatly misguided and result from a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the Catholic church which has always been militantly opposed to the corruption of the outer world. The author also shows some orthodox seminaries and how they have prospered despite an outer culture that is increasingly hostile to the Catholic church.
This book provides a timely and disturbing account of the situation in Roman Catholic seminaries; however, some of the stories presented must obviously be taken with a grain of salt. Many of the abuses occurred during the 70s and 80s and thus may not accurately reflect the situation as it currently exists. Further, some of the accounts of some of the disgruntled ex-candidates presented in this book have been called into question. Nevertheless, if even some of what is presented here is indeed going on, that is a deeply disturbing thing. As such, this book is recommended to all thinking Catholics who want to honestly address the problems that the church faces.
| | Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. "The Smoke of Satan" | It was Pope Paul VI who said "The smoke of Satan has entered the Catholic Church." He might have been referring to what is the subtitle of this book, "How Liberals Brought Corruption into the Catholic Church". Michael Rose gives us details about what is happening in Catholic seminaries in the United States and the picture is anything but good. In fact, it is terribly bad, for it has deprived us of so many priests that we need, and provided the worst kind of dissidents, disbelievers and amoral men to "guide us" to sanctity and the salvation of our souls. As a result of their "malguidance" many Catholics are losing their way to holiness and perhaps, even Heaven.
From more than 100 interviews he presents us with facts that indicate a high level of corruption in a number of seminaries, honestly telling us that these events he chronicles are not to be found in every seminary, but the practices and policies are widespread enough to be of major concern. The main theme of this book is the rejection or discouragement of good, mentally stable and intelligent young men for seminary study and spiritual formation, and for ordination to the priesthood. By means of questionable psychological testing and interviews, the rectors and counselors soon determine that a candidate is orthodox or heterodox, and in the particular cases examined, their strong preference is for the latter. With the administrators making choices like this, the whole purpose of the seminaries is corrupted. These institutions exist to teach would-be priests what the Church has always taught because it is what the Church has always believed. This is orthodoxy.
There are three elements in this matter which are of primary importance; Orthodoxy vs Heterodoxy, spiritual exercises and formation, and homosexuality. Heterodoxy is preferred and dissidence is welcomed, so that authoritative and traditional Church teaching is undermined. The reverse should be the norm in a Catholic seminary. Pious spiritual exercises are discouraged, even frowned upon because the heterodox teachers do not believe in them. So, what are they doing in a Catholic seminary? They do not belong there. And the third element, homosexuality, is a common practice in many instances. Not only is it permitted and condoned, some faculty members lead the charge for "cruising gay bars". If the Church has always taught that homosexuality is sinful, what are these teachers doing in the seminary?
All of these things that Michael Rose writes about serve to explain much of the turmoil in the Church. He implies a strong coincidence with the Second Vatican Council, but does not say that the Council was the cause, and rightfully so, for though the timing was coincidental, it was the misinterpretation of Council documents that led to liberal attitiudes which corrupted the Church's structure. He describes how the "death wish for a male, celibate priesthood is a self-fulfilling prophecy" for the shortage of priests we are experiencing.
Each of the thirteen chapters is a blockbuster expose about what has happened in many seminaries to discourage GOOD MEN from entering and becoming ordained priests, saying to them "GOODBYE". Even without the author's elucidation of the topics, the chapter titles alone are descriptive of the problems:
A Man-Made Crisis (about the priest shortage)
Stifling the Call (to priestly vocations)
The Gatekeeper Phenomenon (screening out good men)
The Gay Subculture
The Heterodoxy Downer (seminarians demoralized by false teaching)
Pooh-Poohing Piety (traditional faith practices disqualify orthodox seminarians)
Go See the Shrink! (counseling used to expel good men)
The Vocational Inquisition (identification and persecution of the orthodox seminarian)
Confronting the Obstacles (the tortuous route to ordination)
Heads in the Sand (complaints about seminaries go unanswered)
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (the artificial priest shortage)
The Right Stuff (living your life as the Church would expect you to)
Where the Men Are (orthodoxy attracts vocations)
Mr. Rose asserts that the pedophile priest problem is really a homosexual problem, much more so than pedophilia, and that the bizarre atmosphere and teaching in our seminaries plays a large part. Though it is disheartening to learn that our future priests are being corrupted, and good men are turned away, there is yet hope. Those dioceses and seminaries that are orthodox are getting large numbers of vocations and the tide seems to be turning.
We all probably know at least a little of what is going on in this matter, but if you want to know the whole horrid story, this is the book to read. Michael Rose has done an excellent job in his presentation of a difficult and important topic.
Truly, "the smoke of Satan has entered the Catholic Church". | | Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. Buy a copy for your Bishop! | Excellent, true, and scary. Michael S. Rose, now an editor with the brilliant New Oxford Review, conducted over 100 interviews with former candidates for holy orders in magnet dioceses the formerly *exported* priests to other dioceses, such were the surplus of vocations.
So what happened? Yep, the "Spirit of `68"ers got control and New-Age-Sewaged the process of vocations to death. Never mind that those who hunger for strange flesh also got in the game, and the Moonbeam, Fruit-Loop, and Ouiji Board set.
Rose gives an alarming indictment of the vocational process today, and it is no surprise that it offers little inspiration and mounting difficulties.
One tiny quibble I have with Rose's nomenclature: candidates are repeatedly rejected for holding "traditional" Catholic beliefs on abortion, contraception, homosexuality, the primacy of the Pope, transubstantiation, and the Immaculate Conception. Far too often Catholics fall into the trap of ceding their name to the opposition by adding a qualifier such as "traditional." These are "Catholic" beliefs, no modifier, full stop. Other views are properly called "liberal" but are decidedly not Catholic. Calling yourself a "Traditional Catholic" weakens your arguments, and does not strengthen them and Rose falls for the trap a few times.
Rose also offers little for remaining in HOPE. We recall the Priests at Shiloh. We light a candle rather than curse the darkness. And instead of just being Joe-six-pack pew warmer raising a family, Rose's analysis shows that even ordinary layman have to be activists now. Sad.
Sooooooo. Buy a copy for your Bishop. Write your Bishop. Ask for The Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests as missions to your diocese (you may not like the Latin Mass, but believe me, their presence puts whacko Father Flake on watch negative). Rose's book is fine ammunition for returning the Church to winning souls instead of warehousing lapsed catholic hippies in sacerdos clothing. | | Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. Sick and scary | | The author asserts that most American Catholic seminaries are run by homosexuals, radical feminists and heretics who desire to re-shape the priesthood, and thus the Church, in their image. Considering the state of the Church, I believe that Mr. Rose's thesis is correct. Unfortunately, the bishops and even the Vatican, are either unwilling or unable to do anything. Many, if not most of these seminaries need an Inquisitor to run a good old-fashioned auto-de-fe to root out the filth that has been educating and forming our priesthood for the past few decades. But who in authority has the guts to do it? | | Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. Ought to be a documentary about this | This story isn't told as much as it needs to be. I knew things were bad in some parts of the church, but some of the details here will positively floor you. After years of putting problem-priests and others into the administrative side of the house, this habit resulted in a seminary system that rewards radicalism and false teachers. Examples: a seminary class which taught wiccanism at the request of a student who planned to practice it as a catholic priest; a nun who spoke to others about her "upcoming" ordination as a priest (she and others planned to go through with the idea); a seminary in Maryland so gay it was nicknamed Pink Palace: they used to load up the cars and cruise the gay bars on Friday nights. There are several instances, probably still occuring, where men who wanted to become priests were rejected because they were not gay. Our church cannot afford to have the inmates running the asylum, as this book illustrates was, and perhaps still is, the case in many semenaries.
I could go on, but the story must be read to understand just how bad things got before the scandals were finally revealed in 2002. Even then, the news didn't cover the story in depth, probably out of a fear of appearing "homophobic."
The bright side is that there are some changes, slowly but surely. A documentary version of this book could wake even more people up to how bad its become in the semenaries. | | Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church by Regnery Publishing, Inc. Product Description | | Goodbye, Good Men provides the real story behind the sex scandal currently rocking the Catholic church. Investigative reporter Michael Rose has conducted countless interviews and exhaustive research to uncover several out-of-control seminaries as the root cause of the scandal. While most pundits and critics are calling for liberalization of the Church in the wake of these scandals, Rose presents compelling evidence that liberal influence is the very cause of the crisis. The revelations in Goodbye, Good Men will shock the nation and ignite a firestorm of debate on the subject. |
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