Tonight’s LifeSiteNews reports that Pope Francis has appointed the “radically liberal, pro-homosexual” dissident Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe as a consultor for the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. It was another “weekend” appointment that sometimes falls below the radar screen for a few days.
This is indeed really disappointing news, and it is difficult to plead any reasonable level of ignorance. Father Radcliffe’s deep-seated opposition to Catholic Church teaching has long been well-known. In January, 2010, when Father Timothy Niven brought Radcliffe to St. Patrick’s in Victor as a speaker to unsuspecting Catholics in the pew, I wrote a column on Fr. Radcliffe’s proclivities in a newsletter (It Really Matters, Vol. 5, #1) which I was publishing at that time. Thus, at least perhaps a few hundred souls were warned.
The following is what I wrote at that time, and I know of no reason to recant or change any of what I said. [Any needed clarification is shown in square brackets.] The context is that my former parish, St. Mary Rushville, had been closed several months earlier, and 75% of the people had moved to St. Mary Canandaigua, where they were among the target audience for this “retreat.” Who would have suspected at that time that the problem, left untreated, would metastasize from Victor, NY to a Vatican Pontifical Council?
Concerns about NW Ontario Retreat [Jan. 2010]
We might indeed wonder “What in the world is Fr. Niven thinking?” by his hosting a person seen as a noted advocate for ordaining homosexual men to the priesthood, to allow him to give four ‘retreat’ presentations (8 HOURS!) at St. Patrick in Victor! Since announcement of this event was in the Canandaigua [St. Mary’s] Bulletin, and since 75% of our people from St. Mary Parish in Rushville now go there, it is indeed a case of being a brother’s (or sister’s) keeper to inform each other of occasions of sin or scandal of which we may not be aware.
The speaker, Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, is a Dominican who spent 10 years as the Master General of the Order and has surprisingly impressive credentials, but that should not influence souls, as God is impressed with the heart, not with worldly accomplishments, even in the church order. Rather, we should especially be on guard against those who come in sheep’s clothing of honorary doctorates, and glossy titles like “Provincial of the English Province”, and “President of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors”. Fr. Radcliffe, as an itinerant preacher, has his next stop in Victor, NY. Faithful Catholics and those trying to sincerely understand and follow the Church’s teaching on homosexuality or “same sex attraction” especially as it applies to the Catholic Clergy, should either avoid Fr. Radcliffe’s talk or be especially on guard to his message. One needs to be careful in expressing opinion in the Church not to deviate from the Church’s legitimate teaching. And, we might say, that laity in choosing which retreats or seminars or other spiritual events to attend should be particularly careful to avoid speakers who do not adhere to the Church’s own guidelines.
Canon Law 752: “Although not an assent of faith, a religious submission of the intellect and will must be given to a doctrine which the Supreme Pontiff or the college of bishops declares concerning faith or morals when they exercise the authentic magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim it by definitive act; therefore, the Christian faithful are to take care to avoid those things which do not agree with it.”
The rest of this newsletter article can be found here: http://www.cleansingfire.org/2014/09/when-fr-radcliffe-came-to-rochester/
[ ] What I wrote in January 2010, about what has been allowed to grow and fester within the Church for five additional years, reaching now even highest levels of influence. Disobedience, dissent, evil do not change on their own. Tolerated, these weeds eventually take over the entire garden. It is a tragic and disgusting development.
LifeSiteNews article this evening can be found here: www.lifesitenews.com/news/vatican-appointee-says-gay-sex-can-express-christs-self-gift?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7097b9744e-LifeSiteNews_com_US_Headlines_06_19_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0caba610ac-7097b9744e-326215702
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