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I was with a bishop in North America the day after the world learned of the death of Sister Lucia of Fátima. He was thrilled she was dead. “Now the Church can live without being governed by these hysterical fantasies of apparition” — I was appalled but not entirely surprised. These days I do not move in such circles, and daily try very hard to keep both my prayer and my focus upon the Lord Jesus Christ and intercession for the salvation of the human family. Does it matter who the bishop was? No. Pray for all of them to do the will of the Lord Jesus Christ and have a love of the Mother of God. Pray.
Sadly, I have met many in the Church who have very little interest in things spiritual or even interest in God. They believe in the Church as an entirely human institution for community building and achieving 'peace and justice' with a particular preference for remediation of the plight of the poor.
But this 'Church' I have just described is a false Church that does not produce saints nor does it work to save souls for the Living God and His Christ through the outpouring of His Spirit. As a convert I have had to remove myself from this false Church. There is always a faithful parish or monastery that one can find.
Confession time: during an Assumption Mass in a Cathedral Basilica after the celebrant preached that one could imagine the Assumption as an 'event of the imagination of the human spirit', I simply got up and walked out. If the priest could not be counted on to preach the dogma of the Church, could this priest be trusted to intend to confect the Eucharist? Sometimes you must guard your soul, get up, and drive to the next parish over. And, yes, sometimes you must even find a job in another place so as to leave an archdiocese or diocese where the sheep are endangered by a hireling and not a shepherd.
So, dear reader, I am acquainted with the great storms that trouble the Catholic Church. I try to act prudently even though sometimes my actions appear to be precipitous at best. In all things I try to follow the Apostle's admonishment and work out my salvation in fear and trembling. I pray for all the ordained and religious knowing what a dark and difficult time this can be for the faithful in leadership.
At times I feel as though I am a ship in a storm without a port of safe harbour in sight when I am in a town or city where the local parish or diocese has less spiritual vitality or commitment than some fallen away liberal Protestants I know. Some times I have had to endure such a situation for a very long time.
Other times I have found myself in a parish where it seems to me that the Divine Presence of the Lord is overwhelming and His joy palpable. The Light of the Lord rises up in such a place and flows outward into the surrounding environs blessing both field and forest, the cites of men, and ‘much cattle’.
Such is the road we take in this world that we will encounter all sorts and conditions of folk and parishes, but we should never allow negative or even diabolical encounters to drive us from the Church. If anything, we should become more resolute, seek healing from the Lord for any injuries incurred, and take up the Cross and the Rosary with confidence and hope for the future.
In these days that are so sad for the world in so many places, where the Church seems to be led by the weakest of men on the one hand and rock stars on the other, I simply choose to anchor myself between the Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ and His most holy and all-glorious Mother Mary. I know no other place of safety upon the earth or even within the Church.
With regard to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady has given many warnings in her apparitions. Very few ever listen. Some ordinary folk never hear about such things. For the last decade I have been both aware and attentive to the warnings of Our Lady of Good Counsel. There is a video on YouTube entitled Warnings from Our Lady that includes this apparition as well as other apparitions including that of Our Lady to Sister Agnes in Akita, Japan — the message of which played a part in the long road to my departure from the Anglican Communion and my reconciliation with the Catholic Church. You may view this video below if you should like:
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