The dispute between a bishop and a women’s ordination in Texas, USA proves once again the spiritual paternalism of the Catholic Church based on a submissive misbelief.
Inhalt / Content
A little clerical soap opera
A dispute within the Catholic Church illustrates the self-image and the isolation of this institution. The Carmelite Sisters in the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, USA, and Bishop Michael Olson have been at loggerheads for some time. It is roughly about forbidden “physical contacts”, drugs, drug abuse, exclusion of “liberal” Catholics and broken vows. By and large, the numerous files that have already been played focused on allegations, convictions and denials. So a play in the “Dallas” or “Denver Clan” style of the curia.
Pressure exercise with sacraments
In the meantime, however, “unfair means” are being used in this dispute and this is very irritating, according to Christoph Brüwer, editor at the Internet portalkatholisch.de. In addition to verbal arguments, the sacraments are now used as a means of exerting pressure.
The bishop was already acting by restricting ecclesiastical rights. If the nuns “cease behavior contrary to their religious status and unworthy and show love and obedience to the Holy Church and her Holy Shepherds” and the pending civil action is settled or withdrawn, then the bishop wants to restore the previous privileges to this monastery. Until then, the church law minimum of 1 confession per year and 1 compulsory mass for Sunday applies.
This is abuse of power by the bishop
The bishop plays the role of “overseer” in the curia and also has the right to grant such privileges or even sanctions. But anyone who “uses sacraments as a weapon to intimidate others or to make others compliant commits abuse of power,” says the editor. Women’s religious orders are dependent on the fact that the priests have to come from outside to administer the sacraments and only then can the spiritual life be shaped. Convents are therefore in a complete dependency.
Brüwer sees a problem in restricting these privileges above all because the sacraments lead man to Jesus. Sacraments give birth and growth, healing and mission to the Christian life of faith. This is stated in the catechism. The editor adheres to the statement made by Pope Francis in 2021. “Communion is not an award for perfect people”, but is a gift.
Therefore, sacraments should not be used as a means of political pressure, because this contradicts the meaning of the sacraments, according to the editor.
Catholic Church: Voluntary tutelage
It is frightening and somehow fascinating at the same time how much the “simple” Catholic believers can allow themselves to be patronized in this way. In the case of the “less simple” Catholics, e.g. from the position of bishop, one must assume deliberate misleading based on their role as overseers and the associated extended catchment areas.
There arises an elite group of people who represent their own faith, once cobbled together by “church fathers” and recorded in the catechism, in order to be able to determine with unprecedented arrogance who and when Jesus Christ can approach the people. This also applies the other way around, but this is where Maria comes into play.
Arrogance goes much further
But this presumption, unique in human history, provides just that. Jesus Christ did not give His blood and life for the forgiveness of sins, but He died to make the priesthood possible. Not His own priesthood, but those who call themselves such today. In addition, this church dares to claim that God is obliged (!) to obey the decisions of the priests. Sound incredible? But that’s how it is and official teaching, here!
Man is redeemed because of the “good works” of Jesus and the pope has exclusive access to the “treasure chest” of the good works of Jesus, Mary and other “saints”. The Pope can distribute this as he sees fit. You have to be able to think up such an absurdity first. But Revelation 13 explains the spiritual background here and this nonsense is therefore also understandable.
Misconception Enables “Power”
It was only because of these misled people that the Roman Catholic Church was able to gain so much political power. In addition to the horror stories of a everlastingly burning hell and the tormenting purgatory, it was also the declared sacraments of the Church of Rome that made it possible (!) for Jesus Christ to approach people. The “ vicarius filii dei” thus controlled entire royal houses and their serfs as he pleased.
Read the Gospel for yourself
To describe these fictitious sacraments as a weapon may be just as effective today as it was in the Middle Ages. But in both cases it is a prerequisite to have been taken in by the dogmas of this church opposed to the gospel. Otherwise the bishop would not abuse his “power” here, but make himself a clown. The only thing that helps here is becoming aware of one’s own maturity, taking the Bible into one’s own hands and reading it without “catechism filters”.
