{"id":53468,"date":"2014-07-08T00:39:54","date_gmt":"2014-07-08T07:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=53468"},"modified":"2014-12-28T23:20:08","modified_gmt":"2014-12-29T06:20:08","slug":"when-i-get-letters-like-this","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2014\/07\/when-i-get-letters-like-this.html","title":{"rendered":"When I get letters like this…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u2026I am always reminded of this passage from the gospels:<\/p>\n

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodi-ans, saying, \u201cTeacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. (Mt 22:15\u201317).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Anyway, a reader whose email handle is \u201csyllabus.errorum\u201d writes coyly in that \u201cjust wondering\u201d way:<\/p>\n

Mr Shea, Recently Pope Francis bowed and received a blessing from The Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal O\u2019Malley received a blessing from a Female minister at a Methodist Temple. What\u2019s going on? Thanks!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don\u2019t know anything about either story, but Jesus had his feet washed by a prostitute\u2013and she wasn\u2019t ordained at all. Bottom line: They are humble men. That\u2019s the problem?<\/p>\n

I\u2019d love to believe that was a sincere question, but experience tells me that my answer has been recorded in the Bill of Indictment Against Neo-Catholic Novus Ordo Scum that is being drawn up against all those guilty of failure to panic about this pope somewhere in the Star Chamber of the Greatest Catholics of All Time. Come the Revolution, people like me will be the first up against the wall in the Great Cleansing Fire.<\/p>\n

Oh! And look! Sure enough, the \u201cquestioner\u201d then writes back:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must remember that if\u00a0all the manifestly good men were on one side and all the manifestly bad men on\u00a0the other, there would be no danger of anyone,\u00a0least of all the elect, being\u00a0deceived by lying wonders.\u00a0<\/span>It is the good men<\/span>, good once, we must hope good\u00a0still,\u00a0<\/span>who are to do the work of Anti-Christ<\/span>\u00a0and so\u00a0sadly to crucify the Lord\u00a0afresh\u2026. Bear in mind this feature of the last days, that\u00a0<\/span>this deceitfulness\u00a0arises from good men being on the wrong side<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014<\/strong>Fr. Frederick Faber, Sermon for Pentecost Sunday, 1861<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Golly.\u00a0 What a surprise.\u00a0 Another one \u00a0of the Greatest Catholics of All Time, anointed by God to defend the Church from the pope, wasn\u2019t really asking a question at all.\u00a0 Just looking for a chance to act as Accuser of the Brethren.\u00a0 The job is already taken, pal.\u00a0 You should consider finding something else to do with your time.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2026I am always reminded of this passage from the gospels: Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodi-ans, saying, \u201cTeacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8],"class_list":["post-53468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mailbag"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen I get letters like this...<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"...I am always reminded of this passage from the gospels: Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. 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