You may have noticed in your browser that there is a redirect from www.cleansingfire.org to a new URL, www.cleansingfire.org

This change reflects two things:

1. The Diocese of Rochester has benefited exceedingly from having Bishop Matano as our shepherd for this past year.  In celebrating the anniversary of his installation, the many changes he has implemented truly are reason for an “attitude of gratitude.”  As we reviewed the many prior issues about which Cleansing Fire participants had repeatedly complained, ranging from liturgical dancing, to lay preaching at Mass, to the closure of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and even sloppy Eucharistic practices, to just mention a few, it is incredible to experience not only the changes Bishop Matano has wrought, but the model of his obedience to the Church’s magisterial teaching, to the catechism, to Sacred Scripture and Canon Law.  We have also had a good taste of his vision and his confidence in the Holy Spirit in his reopening  St. Thomas and nurturing of the Extraordinary Form of the Holy Mass.  Why mention all this?  Because continuing to emphasize DoR in the title of our site is no longer needed, nor would it be fair and just to imply continuity with the prior problems.

2. The threats  today and in the future, will likely be less from errant local leadership (especially under a strong and loving bishop) and more from abuses in the wider world, both outside and within the Church.  In other words, attacks on our Faith from civil government, and the uncertainties and confusion emanating from leadership such as deviant synodal participants, will more likely affect many dioceses, of which Rochester is only one. Besides the confusion abounding from the Synod, we see bishops in some dioceses distributing Holy Communion to notorious sinners who advocate same-sex ‘marriage’ and abortion, and we see their lack of courage in standing up for Church Teaching.  It makes us realize that we should also lend our voices to the concerns of the wider Church, for the sake of souls.  Removing DoR from the URL is symbolic of our willingness to speak out on issues which oppress our brothers and sisters in the Faith not only in, but also beyond, our own 12 counties, and to oppose threats to our own religious freedom.  That does not mean we have less interest in local issues, but rather a commitment to also speak out sincerely and articulately in service to Christian principles.  It seems right and appropriate that the experience which contributors to and followers of this site have gained in long term suffering through very difficult and prolonged situations have strengthened us to contribute on such a wider basis, in a world that is greatly wounded and needs more voice from faithful laity.  May we all be so, and willing to do so.

In addition, we reissue the invitation to those interested in posting on relevant topics, either as an occasional contributor or as Cleansing Fire staff.  If you are interested, please email us at Contact@CleansingFire.org

This notice will stay at the top post for the next week, to try to reach as many of our readers as possible.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 18th, 2015 at 9:40 AM . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.