In spite of Bishop Frank
Dewane’s ban on Fr. Charles Curran speaking on
Catholic property, Curran will be hosted by VOTF of SWFL as a guest
speaker in their 6th Annual Speakers Forum. Currans topic will be his
recent memoir, Loyal Dissent. Curran, one of the most influential
Catholic
theologians in America is a priest of the Diocese of Rochester NY. In
its
review of the book Commonweal stated “For an intellectually gifted young
man like Curran, there could be no going back to a time when theologians
simply submitted to ecclesiastical censorship. Whether one
ultimately
agrees with Curran or not, his story is a reminder that when ideas lose
their intrinsic power to command assent, authority can only do so much.”
The presentation will take place at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church,
7100 Airport-Pulling Rd. N., Naples, FL, at 7:00 PM. An open
Q & A
session and a book signing will follow his lecture.
VOTF of SWFL’s next speaker will be Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend who will
speak on her latest book, Failing America’s Faithful. Kennedy-Townsend
will speak on February 28, 2008, at 7:00 PM at a venue that is yet to be
announced. For more information call Peg Clark @ 239- 417- 3077.
Last spring, Dr. Anthony Padovano was the first Speakers
Forum guest to
be banned in the history VOTF of SWFL’s then 5 year history.
The Diocese
of Venice’s new bishop now vets every speaker invited to speak on
Catholic
property in the diocese.
All are welcome to listen and learn from our renowned Catholic
speakers. A
free will donation will be collected.
Peg Clark, President of VOTF of SWFL
Wow bravo to Bishop Frank
Dewane for vetting speakers in his diocese! The choice of a Greek
Orthodox Church as the venue is appropriate since VOTF is virtually in
schism. One of the most ironically named organizations
continues to display what a joke they are by bragging about defying
their bishop and by inviting Fr. Curran who questions the
Church’s teaching premarital sex, masturbation, contraception,
abortion, homosexual acts, divorce, euthanasia and a politician like
Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend who supports abortion, same-sex marriage, and
embryonic stem-cell research.
Yes promoting acts that are intrinsically
evil is really the act of the faithful.
21 comments
May the Bishop of Venice pretend he’s from Lincoln Nebraska and start the excommunications momentarily.
Ah, yes. Mouth of the Faithless. Opps, I mean “Voice of the Faithful” (scare quotes intentional)
“Whether one ultimately agrees with Curran or not, his story is a reminder that when ideas lose their intrinsic power to command assent, authority can only do so much.”
Yes, but when the idea of “commanding assent” itself loses its power to command assent, both heresy and schism naturally follow in its train. There’s no heroism involved, only a pathetic bleat of “Non Serviam.”
Diocese of Rochester…Fr. Curran. Diocese of Orange…Barney Mass. Archdiocese of Los Angeles…dancing girls and bread baskets.
Hmmmm.
I’m surprised that a Greek Orthodox parish would give a vocal supporter of premarital sex, masturbation, abortion and homosexual acts a platform from which to speak.
Maybe the GO have their own version of dissident parishes?
So VOTF is starting their own church?
Kennedy-Townsend is also a vocal proponent of priestessesessesesses.
Most Reverend Bishop John McCarthy Lecture Series
Charles E. Curran, STD, from Southern Methodist University, will discuss “The Life and Legacy of Pope John XXIII” as part of the Most Reverend Bishop John McCarthy Lecture Series. The lecture starts at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18 [2007], in Jones Auditorium at the Robert and Pearle Ragsdale Center. Curran will discuss both the achievements of the Second Vatican Council led by Pope John XXIII and the Pope’s openness to the call of the Spirit. …
__________________________________________________
From: Daniel Muller
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 9:47 AM
To: georgem@stedwards.edu
Subject: Why is St. Edward’s against Catholicism ?
Dear President Martin :
As a Holy Cross High School graduate, a student of a classmate of Charles Curran, and a onetime guest of St. Edward’s, I was ashamed to see St. Edward’s plans to patronize Charles Curran. Obviously, this man in his habitus mentis is not fit to teach in Catholic schools, and he is appropriately ensconced in the theology department at Southern Methodist University far from his home diocese of Rochester. I live in the neighborhood of SMU and am on campus from time to time, and I have never seen him at all, much less at any Catholic gatherings in any capacity, except at a public debate some years ago precisely in which he, however inarticulately, attacked the Church’s position, much to the chagrin of the hundreds of Catholics present for the occasion. As a Catholic in Dallas, in a word, Charles Curran is invisible.
How “Charlie” Curran could possibly have a correct understanding of BLESSED John XXIII’s teaching or the II Vatican Council is beyond me. These are precisely his stumbling blocks in his personal and professional life. I fail to see how St. Edward’s intends to provide any sort of guidance to
young scholars by spending university money on such an activity.
This is very disappointing and a real scandal to those who love the Church. Would that the administration of St. Edward’s set aside your pride and listened to your bishop and heeded his guidance.
Sincerely,
Daniel Muller, MTS
__________________________________________________
>>> “George Martin” 10/18/2007 12:06:01 PM >>>
Thank you for your concern and interest in the university. Father Charles E. Curran is a Roman Catholic priest in good standing and authorized to celebrate scheduled Masses and preach homilies. I thought this fact might be of interest to you. We believe his lecture will make a contribution to
our learning environment.
George Martin
__________________________________________________
>>> Daniel Muller 10/18/2007 12:21:25 PM >>>
Dear President Martin:
Thank you for your response. However, as you might note from my message, despite the priest shortage in Dallas, Father Curran actually does not to my knowledge celebrate any scheduled Masses or preach any homilies. Again, I say this as a resident of his neighborhood.
I am afraid that someone’s friendship with Father Curran has blinded him to the fact that there are many well-educated theologians in Texas who demonstrate their love for the Church on a public and daily basis in a Catholic university environment and could address the stated topic in a much less agenda-driven fashion, more appropriate to any such university that makes truth claims. To cherry-pick a Methodist university faculty member to address this issue instead sends a message about university social values taking precedence over the truth. For example, the Cistercian Abbey in Irving, which provides faculty for the University of Dallas as well as for Cistercian Preparatory School, has historically had the highest percentage of earned doctorates of any monastery in the world. I thought that this fact might be of interest to you.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Muller
“Fr. Curran who questions the Church’s teaching premarital sex, masturbation, contraception, abortion, homosexual acts, divorce, euthanasia…”
Wow. Does he? I wasn’t comfortable reading his writing after I found out he supported VOTF; I didn’t know the rest. I just knew that VOTF’s mission statement was gaggy.
As a resident of Naples who has met some of the priests at St. Katherine’s, I do find it extremely confusing and disturbing that they would allow a man who supports everything that orthodox (little o and big O) Christians find abhorrent. I do not think, however, that this is a case of the Orthodox thumbing their noses at a Latin Rite bishop’s authority; the clergy at St. Katherine’s always seem to have had a cordial relationship with Catholic clergy in the area.
Does the Greek Orthodox Church realize what they’re hosting?
I have had the opportunity to meet Fr. Curran and he is in fact very involved with the religious community on campus, and those who are ignorant to that should not slander himespecially if they are taught to love as Christians. Curran is one of the kindest men I have ever met, and the attacks against him seem highly unchristian. None of us are perfect.
When one reads on Rich Leonardi’s blog the state of affairs in the Diocese of Rochester, having speakers such as these is not a big surprise.
As a priest ‘Father’ must teach in line with the Magisterium. Jesus sent His disciples out to evangelize all peoples….”to teach them to obey every command that I given you”
Father Curran may seem kind Amanda but he is teaching a false message which is simply sinful and therefore NOT kind – when souls are in danger of going to Hell!
I seem to recall that there have been some prior issues with VOTF using Greek Orthodox facilities (or similar “not quite Catholic but close enough to fool the uninformed) for their meetings. This one in particular has a nice banquet hall with conference rooms.
Christian responses? I see a lot of ego a not a lot of love.
I wonder if we remove our “selves” we will see Jesus as our example of one who questioned the established hierarchy.
Can you grow spiritually without questioning?
If you don’t question the 10 commandments, you have no right to question (particpate in dissent) the teaching of the Catholic Church. Good job of the Bishop protecting his flock.
” To the extent that a person follows his own personal judgment he is not practicing the virtue of faith. Faith is a response to a teacher, an authoritative teacher. This is why it does not waver, whereas private views do waver from one time to another . People who accept of the Church’s teaching only what they “see” and approve are not living by faith. They are doing nothing meritorious or salvific, for they are merely following themselves”
Thomas Dubay
Amanda, I agree from what I’ve read and viewed that Fr Curran seems kind. Also gentle, rational, and often wise. But those very gifts of his mislead some and lead others to feelings of betrayal when they discover that he teaches and supports teachings that are contrary to what the Church teaches. To the extent that he is misled, he misleads. That’s serious; people who object are not nit-picking, but exposing deception.
“Can you grow spiritually without questioning?”
Depends on the questions. Often immature people will ask “Why not?” repeatedly when they come up against a barrier to doing whatever it is they like. It doesn’t matter how detailed or patient the response; they aren’t going to listen. It’s human nature to want one’s own way; we all have a favourite sin that we’d like to commit without guilt or censure. However, Jesus told us “Those who wish to be My disciples must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
It’s SELF-questioning that brings spiritual growth, asking oneself how to change in order to submit oneself to God’s will. It’s not about changing people around you to conform to your faults. VOTF has asked for a “democratization” of the Catholic Church. They’ve called for voting on members of a sort of oversight committee for the Pope and his decisions. (I’m sure the Chinese government would agree.)
Would the person who lives in Naples Fla take it upon herself to contact the pastor of the Greek Orthodox church in question and bring this to his attention? In internet dialogue the Orthodox are always pointout out to us that so many Catholics aren’t really Catholic..even as a sign that we aren’t “The Church,” For an Orthodox church to participate in something like this either takes similarly away from their claims, or comes across as an act of spiritual sabotage. Surely one can say to a Greek Orthodox priest, “Please don’t help my fellow Catholics fall away from Christ.”
I hope someone does this.
Susan Peterson
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