Sunday Paper for the birdcage

Today's Sunday L.A. Times was just packed with stupid stories.  (I suppose it begs the question as to the stupidity of the reader, but that is another blog.)  It seems that some ridiculous Catholic Pastor in Huntington Beach, CA. has told his congregation that to kneel during certain intervals of the Mass is a mortal sin; actually a grave mortal sin.

AH HA! finally we can get some insight using my B.A. in Roman Catholic Theology.  Catholics who are kneeling during the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God section of the Mass, are now committing a mortal sin.  Lets review ~ a mortal sin is defined as 1)a grave offense against God, 2)you know it is a grave offense against God and, 3)you do it anyway.  Now once the heinous act is committed, the perp must either confess it in the sacrament of Penance and seek absolution, or face the fire of hell.  whoa.

Then, moving on to the next enlightening bit of news is a piece about the Pope and Father Marcial Maciel Dellogado and a long going issue of molesting between 20 - 100 victims in seminary.  Now that sounds like some mortal sins to me!  Apparently the Pope has really rocked the boat, asking this founder of the uber-conservative organization, Legion of Christ, to leave a public ministry to lead a life of prayer and penitence.  Is that his penance for so many grave offenses?  What a bargain.

And, the longest article is about Exodus, an ex-gay organization of ex-gays ~ on the front page ~ no less.  They feel very strongly that homosexuality can be changed.  They want equal time in high school programs when gays and lesbians reach out to help gay adolescents deal with bullying, depression and suicide.  The article is long, blah blah blah.  You can guess what it says. 

So lets take score.  Mortal sins: 2, Maciel: 20-100, and ex-homosexuals are seeking to lead gays out of the desert, a la the Old Testament's Book of Exodus.  Is this news?  Did I get the LA Times or the National Catholic Reporter?  Better not get on my knees and ask for direction.    

PS Aren't there elections coming up?  some real news?  Didn't 5,100 people die in Java on Saturday, with 200,000 utterly homeless, sleeping in the rain?  If I believed in such a thing, ignoring that just might be a mortal sin.

Comments

[Wendy Werris]

My, my, my - I was thinking exactly the same thing while reading the Times that day! Gah!!