ABSOLUTE MUST READ: Recent History of the Diocese of Venice in Florida—or How To Destroy a Diocese
John Hushon, the author of the following recent history of the diocese of Venice in southwest Florida, is an extremely talented and accomplished person. Educated at Brown and Harvard Law, John was a successful international lawyer and CEO of a multinational energy company before retirement., but retirement didn’t slow John down. Since “retiring,” John obtained a graduate degree in theology, served as chair of a social justice group, taught in the RCIA program, sponsored a well-attended theology series with outside speakers, taught an adult religious education program with a syllabus pre-filed with the pastor, and served as a trustee and volunteer at many charities, organizations, and institutions of higher learning.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting John on a couple of occasions and found him to be approachable, friendly, and, as you can imagine, possessing a first-rate mind and excellent communication skills.
I felt sadness and a sense of surrealism in reading this history, which is presented here with the author’s permission, because of what the new bishop of Venice hath wrought. It’s almost too draconian to believe. Read it and weep, as they say.
* * *
Recent History of the Diocese of Venice in Florida—or How To Destroy a Diocese
The Diocese was formed out of the Miami Diocese in 1984 and a “Vatican II” auxiliary John Nevins was named its first bishop. He presided over an “open diocese”—permitting pastors substantial latitude with respect to community building, encouraged ecumenical “interfaith” outreach, and became especially involved with the poorest members of the diocese—the migrant farmers in the Immokalee area. He retired at 75 in January of 2007 and Frank Dewane became the new Ordinary. Dewane is a native of Wisconsin, a former soft drink businessman, a late vocation, schooled at seminary in Detroit and Rome, where he became a staffer at the Justice and Peace secretariat after ordination. He has had almost no pastoral responsibilities. Over the last three years, he has proven himself to be efficient, hyper-conservative, and very close to the Vatican where he travels quite frequently. His Chancellor was a classmate and close confidant of John Paul II—equally efficient and conservative. As the following indicates, in three short years they have radically changed the diocese—and many say have destroyed it.
Bishop Dewane immediately went about stamping his philosophy of church on the diocese. He dropped in (unannounced) at parish liturgies and criticized his pastors for liturgical deviations. He replaced many Vatican II pastors with his new guys, many from abroad and outside the diocese, some new seminary grads. This took about two years and multiple changes. Recently he abolished the permanent diaconate program in the diocese and “accepted” resignation of many active deacons as of March 31, 2010. He has demanded rigid conformity with the GIRM—and relies upon an informal “reporting” system which results in calls to pastors on Monday if there has been any deviation. His office has instructed pastors that no women are to be Eucharistic ministers, lectors, or acolytes when the Bishop is a presider at a parish liturgy. He attempted to re-establish several Latin prayers in the general liturgy (i.e., the Creed), but relented when the chancery was stormed with protests. He purchased an unused church building and established a Latin-only Tridentine Mass program, using priests from the canonically suspect Order of St Peter. He requires a parish in each region to offer at least one Latin Mass per Sunday.
His management extended to the parishes. Parish councils were dissolved—there were few active councils in the diocese. New pastors hand picked a few “loyal” advisors—and until now have not requested any nominations of parish committee members. Dozens of parish employees who are “liberal” minded were terminated for “financial reasons”—even those who were working for free. Protests to the chancery resulted in a letter from the Bishop in which he denied having anything to do with parish firings as he subscribed fully to “subsidiarity principles.” Several pastors have informally indicated that this statement is not true. (In our parish alone, 3/4 of the employees were terminated and 1/2 of the volunteers—including, for example, a multi-year, assistant who had the temerity to attend a home mass at which the retired pastor was presider.) National CTA organizers have collected several dozen names of those discharged and have mounted a protest which has been ignored by the Chancery.
The Diocesan Council created by Nevins was eliminated. A few close friends of the bishop (mostly priests) have been chosen as advisors. Deaneries were re-energized and run by trusted friends who report to him on various parish activities at weekly meetings. All reporting from the Diocesan Council was terminated—there is no transparency on diocesan activities.
The Diocese tightened up financial controls, requiring parishes to deposit their weekly collections into approved bank accounts, monitored and managed by the diocese. The diocese takes 26% as tax/cathedraticum/faith appeal, and “permits” pastors or their business managers to write checks for parish activities from the balance. All parish expenditures must be audited annually. The Chancery specifies compensation for DREs, music ministers, custodians, secretaries etc. No second collections are permitted and appeals for funds going outside diocese are prohibited—unless approved by the diocese. (There are very few approvals.) Parishes are not permitted to raise funds for any purpose except through collections approved and monitored (and subject to tax) by the diocese.
The Diocese reorganized its financial holdings and property ownership. All are divided into two parts: part in a Foundation (with Bishop as sole trustee and without audit) and part in General Diocesan Operations (audited, but the audit is worthless as the auditors refuse to render an opinion of fairness–because of frequent movement of funds between the two sets of books and no audit of the Foundation.) One member of the diocesan office (who requests anonymity) reported that the bishop purchased a large and lavish new property for his “palace,” miles from the Cathedral and the chancery in a remote and inaccessible location. Refurbishment costs exceeded budget by a factor of two. At the same time, funding of Catholic Charities was seriously reduced because of “difficult financial conditions.”
No speakers, presiders, ministers, retreat leaders, prayer group leaders, or mission conductors are permitted in any parish without specific approval of the chancery. Most are rejected. (There is automatic disqualification of anyone who has spoken in favor of married or female priesthood, pro-choice, CTA or VOTF affiliation etc) Many such activities have been moved to the local Orthodox or Protestant churches. It was reported that the bishop wrote to the Metropolitan of an Orthodox Church and complained that groups “purporting to be Catholic” were sponsoring objectionable speakers at Orthodox locations—and the local pastors were requested out of “comity” to cease. They did so. Protestant ministers have refused to comply with similar requests. Speakers forbidden have included Curran, Doyle, Carroll, Padovano, Townsend, several members of USCCB’s Child Abuse Panel, Eugene Kennedy, Berry. Bishop Gumbleton was denied permission to preside at a “Peace Mass.”
All parish bulletins are now vetted by the chancery before publication. Many announcements are routinely deleted–such as VOTF and CTA meetings. Individuals who place notices on cars at Sunday liturgies have been threatened with trespass prosecution.
There can be no meetings on parish/diocesan property without permission of the chancery. Some examples: YOGA classes prohibited as “affiliated with Buddhism”; concerts prohibited, school plays must be pre-approved. VOTF, CTA, Pax Christi have all been denied meeting space.
Religious education programs must be of the form approved by the diocese—primarily memorization of the catechism. Any adult education programs must have pre-approved leaders. First Communion, Confession and Confirmation preparation have been radically reformatted—and numbers participating have dropped. There have been several reported instances of the bishop expressing anger and disdain for teachers (including those in the diocesan high school) in front of students when a student missed words in a prayer or rote answer to a catechism question.
The diocese has withdrawn from most (perhaps all) “interfaith” activities (hunger, housing, abused women). The Bishop Nevins Center of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has been abandoned by the diocese. No diocesan funding is made available to the CIW or to the Interfaith Coalition.
All parish and diocesan ministers and employees must sign an oath of loyalty and obedience (and silence) to the bishop in ALL matters. This is administered at a Sunday parish liturgy at which the bishop is present and the ministers/employees kneel around the altar pledging their loyalty and obedience. All parish and diocesan employees are forbidden (under pain of losing their jobs) to attend speaker programs in other (mostly Protestant) venues or to attend meetings (like the American Catholic Council listening sessions, the VOTF speaker series and CTA meetings). Spies (who register with false names) actually report on who attends. One retired brother who teaches an adult Bible study class in his home was asked to stop his support of CTA/VOTF activities–by a letter from the Chancery to his Provincial. When the Provincial responded that he had no authority to require specific actions of a retired person acting on his own, the Bishop wrote back and indicated that if the Provincial did not do something, he (the Bishop) would banish the order from the diocese (they teach in the high school and run a food bank/counseling service for migrant workers in Immokalee).
The chancery reviews material (including paid advertising) in the diocesan newspaper and excludes much material. For example, VOTF cannot advertise its speaker series and a local parish’s Lenten series announcement was excluded because not all the proposed speakers had been vetted by the diocese.
The bishop has replaced professors at the Rice School for Pastoral Ministry, downgraded it as a school for diocesan ministry, removed many volumes from the library, discharged the librarian “for financial reasons” (although he agreed to work for free)—as he was a member of CTA, accepted a trusteeship at the ultra-conservative Ave Maria University (where Opus Dei is active) and agreed to work toward ministerial appointments from Ave Maria grads (i.e., DREs, etc.).
The Bishop has closed the “ecumenical” House of Prayer operated by an order of religious women—because it was ecumenical.
The Diocese has terminated all support ministries for the LGBT community (and relatives)—and has substituted a discredited and criticized “reconditioning” program (which has reported very high levels of suicides among teenagers).
Mass attendance is way off, so are contributions—far more than has been experienced by other churches and charities because of the recession.
There have been many letters to editor–but most of the secular press in the diocese refuses to run critical stories about the diocese. Letters to the Metropolitan in Miami and the Papal Nuncio go unacknowledged and unanswered. The Diocese has denied most, if not all, of these statements—but there are dozens of witnesses—employees who have been discharged without cause, volunteers who are no longer able to volunteer, retired priests who state (without attribution) that the denials are lies. And we certainly have witnessed much.
A Personal Note: While I have not personally experienced all of the events described above, I have collected them from sources believed to be reliable. My own experience bears out these policies. I was educated (Brown, Harvard) and was a successful international lawyer and CEO of a multinational energy company before retirement. After retirement and obtaining a graduate degree in theology, I had been chair of a social justice group, a teacher in the RCIA program, sponsored a well-attended theology series with outside speakers, taught an adult religious education program with a syllabus pre-filed with the pastor, and a trustee and volunteer at many charities, organizations and institutions of higher learning. I co-chair the American Catholic Council. In January 2009, I was advised by the pastor that because of my activities (which were “demonstrably at variance with the teachings of the Magisterium of Holy Mother the Church”), “we” will no longer permit you to teach or exercise positions of leadership in the parish. I was advised that I was not welcome in my parish and “should not embarrass myself” by presenting myself for Eucharist. In connection with my work for a major national relief charity, I had chaired major fund raising activities and visited clinics, schools and hospitals (one of the clinics is named for us). The Chancery advised this organization that, if I remained a trustee, no diocesan funds would be made available to the organization and the organization would be removed from eligibility from receiving funds restricted to those on the approved “Catholic List”—nationally. I therefore resigned from all of the diocesan and parish activities and resigned from the charity.
John Hushon, March 2010
41 Responses to “ABSOLUTE MUST READ: Recent History of the Diocese of Venice in Florida—or How To Destroy a Diocese”
March 14, 2010 at 11:36 pm
And Catholics keep writing checks. The bishops have no reason to change because Catholics keep paying for their mansions. Catholics could hold bishops accountable by denying them their most important thing: money. But they keep supporting these crooks. How do Catholics sleep at night?
March 15, 2010 at 1:05 am
For the most part, I have experienced the same turn of events but in another Archdiocese. People in the central offices and doing parish work experience these changes in drastic proportions, but those in the pew do not. For the most part, the internal disfunctions of heirarchs are never caught, because pew sitters might hear about it from one or two disgruntled people. People sleep at night because the changes put out by appointed bishops do not affect their perceptions of internal spiritual life.
Like waves crashing the shores of Catholic peoples, the Vatican is playing politics by a tsunami of appointed clerics with a political vision-stamp out Vatican II, and find ways of controlling lay formation and education. If Catholic ritual maintains a male dominant presence, with women on the sidelines, they will achieve job security for the next generation of single men ordained….
Blogs like these help give credence to their secretive attempts. By the way, the Vatican has mapped out the south in the US and is appointing as we speak, the next generation of heirarchs that will feel free to do the same. Why the south? Because of the right wing affiliation with evangelicals who agree with Catholicism on so many levels!
All the more reason we should find ways to reject such leadership and send them back to the Vatican!
March 15, 2010 at 1:56 am
I will be printing this article and sending it to his excellency along with a note of profound thanks. I pray that every bishop in the world is doing this same thing. I – and countless others – have suffered at the hands of people like John Hushon (did you know he went to Brown and Harvard?) and Bishop Nevins. Thank God for JP2 and B16 – men who truly exude the word and spirit of Vatican II.
March 15, 2010 at 2:21 am
Boy, would I love to be a member of the Diocese of Venice for a few months!
1) His office has instructed pastors that no women are to be Eucharistic ministers, lectors, or acolytes when the Bishop is a presider at a parish liturgy. (hmm, we’d better get the Bishop a session with Dr. Phil on his show)
2) All parish and diocesan ministers and employees must sign an oath of loyalty and obedience (and silence) to the bishop in ALL matters. This is administered at a Sunday parish liturgy at which the bishop is present and the ministers/employees kneel around the altar pledging their loyalty and obedience. (Bishop subscribes to the “tyrannical” style of leadership, aka “my way or the highway”)
3) The Diocese has terminated all support ministries for the LGBT community (and relatives)—and has substituted a discredited and criticized “reconditioning” program (which has reported very high levels of suicides among teenagers). (is there any “reconditioning” scheduled for the Bishop?)
4) The bishop has replaced professors at the Rice School for Pastoral Ministry, downgraded it as a school for diocesan ministry, removed many volumes from the library, discharged the librarian “for financial reasons” (although he agreed to work for free)—as he was a member of CTA, accepted a trusteeship at the ultra-conservative Ave Maria University (where Opus Dei is active) and agreed to work toward ministerial appointments from Ave Maria grads (i.e., DREs, etc.). (didn’t we witness behavior similar to this in a European country during the 1930’s and 40’s?)
5) Individuals who place notices on cars at Sunday liturgies have been threatened with trespass prosecution. (saved the best for last……gives new meaning to the phrase “small-minded”; I’m sure that local law enforcement would be really happy to see the Bishop annoy them with that nonsense)
How many days of parish work and experience has Bishop Dewane brought to his position as leader of the diocese?
March 15, 2010 at 3:49 am
Sounds like……
oh, uh a new Gestapo for Venice?
“One member of the diocesan office (who requests anonymity) reported that the bishop purchased a large and lavish new property for his “palace,” miles from the Cathedral and the chancery in a remote and inaccessible location”.
Maybe this Bishop is trying to speed things up a bit. Churches close, diocese close what happens to all of the palaces built for these church princes paid for by tax free funding from its original “landlords” aka parishioners.
(The Diocese reorganized its financial holdings and property ownership. All are divided into two parts: part in a Foundation (with Bishop as sole trustee and without audit) and part in General Diocesan Operations (audited, but the audit is worthless as the auditors refuse to render an opinion of fairness–because of frequent movement of funds between the two sets of books and no audit of the Foundation.)
who is under duress here?
March 15, 2010 at 8:26 am
No doubt John Hushon is of the post Vactican Two Council “progressive” persuasion? and maybe the Bishop was fed up with the abuses that have crept in through the back door since the council.There is more to this than meets the eye,anyhow what is wrong about purchasing a redundant church for the purpose of celebrating the Holy Tridentine Mass which many of the faithfull want,and those who have never experienced this Mass would have the opportunity to do so.
March 15, 2010 at 11:59 am
How many RC priests know how to celebrate a Tridentine Mass?
How many actually know Latin?
The whole Mass is in Latin.
I went to one once (Pious X) and it was not in communion with Rome,
but went anyway just to see what it was like.
Even got a video narrated by Bishop Fulton Sheen on the Tridentine Mass.
So elaborate, all the extra ornateness.
Costs $$$ for elaborate stuff, maybe some of the Bishops traded in their Rolex watches to pay for it?.
I also went to see how an Orthodox church celebrates their liturgy.
So different, so elaborate also.
Laity & women still 3rd class citizens.
March 15, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Not to mention the women must wear dresses and head scarves
or you will not be allowed in to a Tridentine Mass.
Kind of like the strict Mormonish women, another cultic type of Organized Criminal Religion.
March 15, 2010 at 12:55 pm
The point is that many Roman Catholics would wish to attend a Tridentine Mass to carry out their Sunday Obligation.
Surely thats democratic?
And all those who wish to change the church beyond recognition,why not start your own church as many have done in the U S A or join an existing Protestant church,theres enough of them in North America.
Women are not second or third class citizens in the Roman Catholic Church
March 15, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I still do not understand why anyone would want to go to a church where one is not welcome?
If RCC Inc. reject these who speak for the persecuted church than why would anyone want to return?
“Speakers forbidden have included Curran, Doyle, Carroll, Padovano, Townsend, several members of USCCB’s Child Abuse Panel, Eugene Kennedy, Berry”.
New sign over ever RCC door should read.
“All are not Welcome in Fr. So & So’s House”
March 15, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Maybe the good Bishop needs a reminder……..this is Venice, USA not Venice, Italy!!
March 15, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Go to another church where you are welcome,sounds like a good idea to me
March 15, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Yes going to another church would fill Sunday obligation by ? which Christian church doctrine.
Seems profitable to start ones own religion.
It’s a business enterprise making $$$ off of poor naive souls.
Selling morals through bogus virtues & eternal life seats Is a sure ticket to an afterlife eh?
March 15, 2010 at 5:59 pm
If thats what you think…….fine.But Im sure in your country you can find a church that suits your needs,or if you feel its money maker well start your own ! It makes sense does’nt it?
March 15, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Why should I go somewhere when the church you are speaking of is with in you?
And you want me to make $$$ off of that?
I think I am in the same country as you good ol USA!
March 15, 2010 at 10:40 pm
To Robb: How have you suffered at the hands of John Hushon and Bishop Nivens? What have they done to threaten your salvation? And where in Bishop Dewayne do you find compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forebearance, forgiveness, and love? In other words, where is the living Christ? And are we not all made in His image? So why the joy in other peoples’ pain? This article took my breath away. I can only imagine the pain and anguish of so many people who, with their whole hearts and souls have served the Body of Christ lovingly and tenderly for so many years only to be treated as Dewayne has treated them, and dismissed, minimized, and castigated as you have done. Maybe, just maybe, they aren’t the cause of so much disruption in the church? Could it be that some blame Vatican II for the problems in the church, when they should look at other modern influences like the industrial revolution, the spreading of education, and social mobility as never before seen in the history of humanity? That as more and more laity are fully active participants in the living Body of Christ, there is less and less need for a group of religious who, in years past, were necessary because Catholics never did anything for themselves, they waited to be done unto. And lastly, why is it so easy for so many to say, “If you don’t like it, leave.” As if it will be a better church without us? As if Jesus would be happier with the 99 He already has, and so leave the one to his own peril? What divine insight makes you so right? Remember one of Jesus’ nicknames, “The Compassion of God.” And when you’ve won, and are celebrating at a party at the bishops palace, at least say a sincere prayer for the rest of us. (Just don’t start it out with, “I thank you Father that I am not like them. . . “
March 16, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Mr. Hushton can disagree with Bishop Dewane’s actions all he wants, but he has a responsibility to get the facts straight, document his assertions and write what is true. Anything less is slanderous, and this website is doing everyone a disservice by publishing falsehoods.
Mr. Hushton says himself that he’s repeating rumour in many instances. That’s irresponsible. I don’t know every detail, but I do know that:
- Bishop Dewane has NOT abolished the permanent diaconate in the diocese of Venice. I know deacons in the diocese, and here’s a link to the diocese’s website clearly indicating their program has not been abolished http://www.dioceseofvenice.org/admin/template04.cfm?AssignID=614&CFID=4690983&CFTOKEN=71815895
- Bishop Dewane does NOT insist that women can’t be lectors or Eucharistic Ministers when he presides at a Mass. I have been to Masses where he presided and seen women in these roles myself, recently.
- Mr. Hushton asserts that Mass attendence and contributions are down compared with other dioceses, but cites no evidence of this whatsoever.
There are numerous other instances of rumor stated as fact and no substantiation for claims. In fact, the only part that has the ring of truth is that the bishop is keeping Mr. Hushton from significant service in churches in the diocese — and if this uninformed, slanderous screed is any indication of his competence, it’s easy to see why.
March 17, 2010 at 4:40 am
Well what a relief!
and glad to stand corrected!
March 17, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Sad to say I too am from the great state of Wisconsin but the “Bishop” and I are 360 degrees apart on our Theology since I follow the teachings of the Church evidenced in Vatican II council, NOT Vatican I or Trent…
March 17, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Tell this bishop to take a hike!! Dr. Licari
March 19, 2010 at 8:21 am
Came to this site and story from a link on catholica.au
What a ghastly story – please convey my very deep sympathy to Mr Hushon for all his suffering, and that of his friends.
God be with you to comfort and bless. Mary (England)
March 19, 2010 at 10:50 am
There he goes. . making women optional to the story of salvation history. . . .first, many of my girlfriend’s names are omitted from the bible (the woman at the well, the woman with a hemorrhage, the poor widow, the child of Talitha Koum, etc.). Next, many women are omitted from the Lectionary or made optional via a shorter version in brackets. Finally, we strip them from any ministerial role they may have. Really now, does The Word have any less power if a woman proclaims the reading from the Old Testament or proclaims the writings of St. Paul? Myself, I believe The Word to carry more power than gender.
March 19, 2010 at 8:51 pm
[...] the benefits of writing a blog like Voice in the Desert is reading the comments that readers post. Here is a recent comment from “Kathy” that haunts me and requires an answer: And Catholics keep writing checks. The bishops have no reason [...]
March 20, 2010 at 8:16 am
This site is Anti Roman Catholic.Why dont all the disillusioned form there own splinter group or even separate church as Protestants.
Abortion under any circumstances,Birth Control etc are wrong,as are Women Priests or Deacons or Eucharistic Ministers.
Belief in the Real Presence and honour to the Blessed Sacrament needs to be restored,so a Communion Rail and reception on the tongue whilst kneeling should be mandatory.
March 22, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Albert, Albert, Albert, We are not wrong to question the status quo of our beloved Church. There is much to regret in our church’s history.
You write as if every tenet of church teachings for the past two thousand years were cast in concrete! Have you forgotten the many tragic errors made in the past: Galileo, Joan of Arc, the Spanish Inquisitors, the Crusades, the grevious sins of many of the Medici and many other medieval pontiffs, the lack of action against Gestapo in WW2, and the serious sins and dishonor towards women throughout the ages? Isn’t it time that some of these things were addressed?
March 23, 2010 at 3:33 am
Nat to be recorded. How can this be? Why can’t this Bishop be removed? This is truely an injustice to the people in the Diocese of Venice.
March 23, 2010 at 12:18 pm
For those who suggest that disgruntled Catholics go off and start their own church, I say, be careful what you wish for. A breakaway American Catholic Church sounds like an excellent solution. We Americans have been devising better ways of doing things for over 200 years now. I see it as a possible new branch of a tree that sprouts green as an old branch rots off from frost bite…a process many Floridians are witnessing as we speak.
Maybe the most beneficial result of such a move would be the dis-association from a criminal organization that values its image, secrecy and its treasury more than keeping children safe from sexual abuse. Keep watching what’s happening in Europe. That saga of abuse is just getting started.
March 24, 2010 at 1:57 am
I am older than dirt, so I was raised in the Vatican I era. Vatican II brought change, or so I thought, but again I was misinformed on the subject. Benedict XVI has become fond of the word “hermeneutics,” which is “the science of interpretation, esp. of the scriptures.” The Greek root comes from Hermes as the messenger of the gods, so it is entirely fitting that the sole arbiter of God’s word gets exclusive use of the word. The pope pointed out that those of us who share the common delusion that Vatican II changed the Church are suffering from “discontinuity hermeneutics,” and must be converted to “continuity hermeneutics, ”the officially sanctioned interpretation.
In my recurring dream I see myself before a priest confessing the sin of discontinuity hermeneutics. For my penance I am told to say “ continuity hermeneutics” a hundred times while standing of one leg. In a story from the Talmud, the great Jewish sage, Hillel, was approached by a pagan who promised to convert to Judaism if Hillel could teach him the Torah while standing on one leg. Hillel replied: “What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your fellow man. That is the whole of the Torah, and the remainder is but commentary. Go learn it.” (Karen Armstrong, The Case For God.)
The church is a big tent. Lighten up. How about a little more humor and a lot more civility in dealing with one another?
Felix Krock
March 24, 2010 at 3:23 am
I live in SW Florida and can verify most of what John wrote. But, the diaconate is still going on.
The Tridentine Mass. Supposedely an anonymous donor bought the church building and property. The rumor is the diocese spent at least $500,000 to fix it up and buy all the things needed for that Mass. I would go if only to see a Mass from the 1600’s. Poor theology. People who like it must have been hibernating during Vatican II.
No one mentioned the seven gold candle holders bought for the bishop to use at Mass.
No one mentioned the marble crypts put in the cathedral to bury bishops. nine of them.
Marble: $180,000 Labor: ?
Employees of the diocese were let go because of “budgetary” reasons. What would Jesus do?
March 24, 2010 at 11:57 am
The “regrets” in the church for the past errors are regrettable of course,in most cases.But the Roman Catholic Faith today is being attacked by Modernism and Heresy.Faith and Morals and the teaching of Jesus Christ are Cast In Concrete,as the faith handed down through the ages revealed in the teachings of The Roman Church.In this there is no room for experimentation to accomodate human desire
March 24, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Albert, Albert, Albert, you didn’t “hear” a word Dr. Elizabeth was saying.
Even if you remove the interpretations of what Jesus’ teachings meant from the equation altogether, you still have to deal with the actions of Humans all along the way since he walked the earth. Dr. Elizabeth was speaking to many such actions and the article written by John Hushon was also speaking to such actions. The implication of your words is that no one should even question them. Are we also to believe that the sexual abuse and cover up of thousands of children rises only to the level of a simple regret and questioning those actions and calling for the removal the perpetrators is out of line?
BTW, did anyone else see in the New Testament that at the Last Supper Jesus instructed that any future such meals must be received while kneeling at an altar rail. That one slipped right by me.
March 24, 2010 at 8:55 pm
No Im talking about the magisterium of the Holy Roman Catholic Church from which all truth comes.Child abuse,and many many sins before are excactly that,The Church is a church of sinners,and if a Priest betrays the trust placed with him by his vows its all the more serious,but he,like us all will have to answer for these sins art the time of judgment
Do you suggest we all sit at a table for thirteen to receive the blessed sacrament,of course not it would be impracticable wouldnt it ? But if you truly believe you are receiving the Body and Blood of our blessed lord through the consecration at Mass,transubstantiation,to receive on the tongue ,kneeling in reverence seems right.If you are a Roman Catholic who want to go back to the last supper well go ahead there is nothing wrong in reception at a table is there.
You cannot judge the truth of Jesus Christ and his teaching therefore his ordained church by the people in it,for as Ive said we are all sinners,but maybe you are not one which is possible but unlikely
March 27, 2010 at 5:59 pm
And if it turns out that the Pope has been lying about his involvement in the cover up of sexual abuse, as it appears that noose is tightening, what then is the status of that place from which all truth comes?
March 28, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Jack Jack Jack The word is “If”
Its very apparent you are anti Roman Catholic,and the hypocrites that are coming out of the woodwork is indeed self serving,with a venom against the Church that equates with Adolf Hitlers hate of the Jewish People
March 28, 2010 at 3:05 pm
The cover up has to stop! I would not call us hypocrites – many have suffered because of the cover ups in the church children, men and women and some have remained in a church that has had no compassion for them. We need to rememer God is God – the church is made up of humans, run by human men. We can only pray that these men allow God’s Spirit in and be truthful.
And “yes” John’s article is correct about the diocese of Venice and Dewayne – I’m living it!
March 28, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Yes the Church is made up of humans who are sinners like me and no doubt you.
March 28, 2010 at 9:35 pm
You are living what exactly?
March 30, 2010 at 7:37 pm
I do not wish the bishop any harm but I would really like to know what his relationship to Jesus is?
I am a convert of over 50 years and learned to love the R.C. church. I could not get enough teachings and studied everything I could get my hands on.
When I moved to Florida I heard of the Rice School for Pastoral Ministry. I attended and graduated.
During my time at Rice school I learned so much more about all aspects of the church and loved every learning minute(many of my teachers were female, all daughters of CHRIST). How proud he (Jesus) must have been. The (lay women and religious) just as devote and educated in the church as any of the priests or brothers that also taught. By the way does the Bishop realize that many of our newer Deacons were taught by these same women.
I am so Saddend by all that has happened lately in the Venice Diocese. Why can,t the bishop meet on any common ground with lay people (of different understanding) to find common ground. I have always tithed with my church and contributed to other needs of the world. To-day I do not feel like contributing to my local church any more and just do not know what to do. I hope my pastor can shed some light on the subject. I will continue to pray for Bishop Dewane that he may adhear to the true words of our God to love all and that all are equal in the eyes of God, and that he will remember the important virtues, Faith,Hope &love, the greatest fo these being love.
Irene
March 31, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Yes,humans are sinners me included. What I mean is I am living a victim of this bishop and of others. Trying to hold on to my catholic faith, but I have come to realize my true faith is in our one true God, the church is not my God.
And why is the Pope not speaking and why are they putting together a new legal plan to make a law to protect the Pope and the Vantican?
New news on the bishop he wants no women’s feet washed at the Holy Thursday service but he is trying to cover his butt.
April 11, 2010 at 10:22 pm
I am at a loss for thinking . what is orrect and what is not. as far as women not allowed in various ministeries , if it wasn’t for the women in churches as ministers and workers, the bishop would have to do a lot of the work himself or his buddies. i am a convert for 65 yrs and i have been in doubt in many areas. i do believe the churches have grown because of the mass in english and this way young, old understand and take the word home and feel good after hearing a sermon they understand.
does the bishop need to go back to the seminar?
May 17, 2010 at 3:51 pm
I have met Bishop Dewane on many occasions and attend the Cathedral for the Diocese of Venice, I have no problem with the Bishop or any changes made since he has been here.