(File photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
“[Lori Hawkins] is kind of an extremist… [She’s] 100% in favor of and total acceptance of all of those things, and the person that’s writing all these things is pushing the very things the diocese is rejecting,” said Father Gerry Hessel of St. Mark Catholic Church in Kenosha. “These things” that Father Hessel is talking about are the issues that failed political candidate Hawkins supports. Hawkins, like many democrats, supports abortion until birth for any reason, radical LGBT issues, pediatric genital mutilation, pornography in schools, and anti-gun policies. CUSH also condems “Christian nationalism.”
Hawkins is the executive director of Congregations United to Serve Humanity (CUSH) and the chairman of Kenosha County Democrat Party. The members of CUSH are mostly fringe churches like Jonathan Barker‘s “Grace Lutheran Church” and “Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalists.” This is the church that had its Black Lives Matter sign burned during the riots of 2020, and it considered by Wikipedia to be a liberal church. This church doesn’t universally believe in God. There are two churches on the list of CUSH members that aren’t fringe. At least, shouldn’t be – St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s.
(File photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Eye reached out to Kenosha Priest Roman Stikel several times by email and phone. He wasn’t interested in talking about this issue.
Deacon Ron Lesjak of St. Mary’s did however speak to KCE. “I’ve always been a democrat and pro-union,” Lesjak told KCE. “People in the LGBT community need to be treated with justice and fairness. CUSH helps with that, and that’s why I’m a part of CUSH.” He didn’t address the more radical issues that CUSH supports. Lesjak is a board member at CUSH.
(website)
Father Flores of St. Mark’s is not shy about his pro-LGBT values. He even placed the gay pride flag behind the statue of Jesus’ during pride month. Florez ignored countless phone calls and emails from KCE.
(website)
(website)
Father Gerry Hessell of St. Mark’s in Kenosha did agree to speak with KCE. After he told us that Lori Hawkins is an extremist, he seemed to stick up for certain things that she believes in. “I don’t think abortion is among the gravest sins, but it is a grave sin,” Hessell told KCE, “What’s important for us, is to pray for those people and pray about those values. And we can do more by instilling our values, by belonging to those groups, that’s a part of our evangelization.” Father Hassell and Father Florez authored a letter condemning the shooting of Jacob Blake for what they said were racist reasons. They also wanted the City of Kenosha to defund the police to the tune of 20% and pay for subsidized housing instead.
KCE spoke with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee about the two rouge Catholic churches and they provided the following statements to us:
“Parishes are part of the community, and therefore they often work with other community-based organizations. Parishes should always be monitoring the activities and alliances of those organizations, and reconsider participation if their efforts are against the teachings of the Catholic Church.“
- Sandra Peterson – Archdiocese of Milwaukee Communications Director
.
According to Lepanto Institute, CUSH has received more than $200,000 from the Catholic Church in the last decade. The money was sent through the CCHD, Catholic Campaign for Human Development (A subcommittee of USCCB).
The grant list for the 2023-2024 year, however, doesn’t have CUSH on it. We made contact with Lori Hawkins of CUSH to ask why, and she acknowledged that they weren’t receiving the money, but seemed to insinuate that it had nothing to do with her extremist anti-Christian views. She also threatened to sue KCE if we published this article.
A life-long Catholic. who urged this investigative piece told KCE, “I haven’t donated to the annual stewardship appeal for years because I know that it funnels money to CUSH. I won’t donate until the Diocese decides to make better decisions about finding groups that go against Catholic teaching.”
92 Responses
Sounds like faithful Catholics in SE WI need to bombard the archdiocese with emails. Also need to find out where Listecki will be saying Mass each weekend and attempt to speak to him face to face.
yes!
Instead of attacking Listecki, it will have more impact to voice your objections to your local Catholic church and priest if they support CUSH in any way. Tell your parish priest that you are cutting off your donations until they stop supporting CUSH – an anti-Catholic organization. If Catholic leaders don’t want to support Catholic teachings, then they should leave the Catholic Church and join Bradford or Grace. Do you really think Jesus would support killing children? I don’t think He would campaign to raise money to fund its expansion either. All Catholic churches need to cut off their ties to this extreme anti-Catholic group, CUSH. Pray for them, but stop funding them. If we don’t speak out, what will they do next – fund Hamas?
Glad to hear the the Archdiocese is cutting off CCHD’s funding to CUSH. They need to make it clear to the pastors at St. Mary and St. Mark that they must cut all ties immediately. Contact the Archdiocese at 414-758-2214. Contact St Mary: 262.694.6018. Contact St. Mark 262.656.7373 It’s time to DEFUND CUSH.
Yes, but the Archdiocese should have cut the funding 20 years ago. They are $200,000. to late. “Love One Another” LOL
FYI:
Contact the Archdiocese : mcneils@archmil.org 414-758-2214
Contact St. Mary 262-694-6018
Contact St. Mark 262.656.7373
Contact CUSH on their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/CUSHKenosha
Also maybe a Google review campaign “out-ing” these churches for their vehemently anti-Catholic actions.
Leave your google review here:
St. Mark: https://bit.ly/st-mark-google-review
St. Mary: https://bit.ly/st-mary-google-review
St Mark’s is the parish that St Joseph’s school uses. I think this should be brought to the attention of the St Joe’s administration and parents of students.
St. Joe’s administration knows. The students go to mass every week at St. Mark’s. They share the same building. St. Joe’s president, Matt Rizzo, seems more concerned with family matters involving Ajay Pierangeli. The man who drove drunk and killed two people.
This is a difficult area because social justice is a quintessential Catholic teaching. CUSH is an umbrella organization that does not necessarily speak for any one church. It has at times drifted away from the mission envisioned by people who were there at its inception — like me.
Let’s interface Catholic principles with some issues. Feed the hungry, clothe and house the poor. No-brainers, eh? The Shalom Center’s work is a good example of that as is work done by the ELCA Outreach Center which has affiliate support from some of our parishes.
Abortion is, of course, contrary to Catholic teaching. The archdiocese supports programs that minister to women who are in or who have terminated crisis pregnancies. From a pastoral perspective we direct resources to minister to women who have a choice to make the better choice. The next piece of the puzzle are what do we do with people who have had abortions. Project Rachel is the archdiocese’s program to minister to women who have had abortions. Neither of these initiatives are contrary to church teaching. I can’t speak for any CUSH initiatives.
LGBTQ+ (which has been “expanded” over the years from LGBT) is a difficult issue as some related conduct would be offensive to church teaching. Pope Francis, however, says that priests should be pastoral in approaching this (“Who am I to judge?”). I think the plain English translation is “Hate the sin but love the sinner.” But how do we minister to these people? How far should we go?
Good questions.
I’m not sure withholding all support from CUSH ministries that are consistent with church teaching is a good idea but perhaps more care should be taken to segregate support in favor of programs that are not offensive to church teaching. Having said this, I would hope that the participant churches would do more to monitor what CUSH is actually doing.
You cannot be Catholic and support organizations that promote sodomy and abortion. IT is contrary to the Doctrines of the Faith
And contrary to scripture itself! WHY is that SO hard to comprehend?
“Hating the sin, but loving the sinner” is telling them the truth about their situation. The Catholic Church clearly states that same sex attraction is not a sin, but it is the actions which then become sinful. It might be helpful if St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s were to re-educated themselves on Church teaching. (Catechism of Catholic Church) Chastity and homosexuality
2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
The fact that CUSH openly supports sodomy and abortion means that Catholic support MUST be withheld, the same way that a Catholic should not support BLM because of their affiliation with Planned Parenthood.
Support of these sins is sinful itself.
Money is fungible. Joe Biden gave Iran $6 Billion for “humanitarian aid” but all that did was free up Iran’s bank account to spend $6 Billion to fund terrorists around the world. Can’t give a dollar to CUSH as it simply frees up a dollar to further fund abortions and other matters that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church.
That 6 billion is in a bank account and frozen again since October 12. Not a penny has been spent. It also was not given to them. It was Iran’s money from oil that we intercepted. You make it sound like Biden gave them US taxpayer money.
He did, since he ended the Trump restrictions on Iranian oil sales, and they have done Billions in sales to China and our other enemies that would not have occurred otherwise. THIS is giving aid and comfort to the enemy, along with us actually having to buy dirtier oil from enemies in S. America to make up Biden’s pig-headed cancellations of, “anything Trump” regardless of how it hurt the US. Yes, the “released” Iranian billions are temporarily on hold in a so-called “neutral” middle-eastern country, and we all know they will eventually go to Iran since they are out of US control. Iran certainly knows, and they are spending accordingly.
Speak the TRUTH in love means to not accept sexual immorality and call it out- without hate and violence.
Oh, please, it’s not difficult to figure out at all. CUSH has consistently been anti-catholic which is fine with me, but should really piss off faithful Catholics. THEY ARE THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT REPEATEDLY AND CONSISTENTLY DEMANDS THE RIGHT TO MAKE GOD IN THEIR IMAGE, AND EAT OUT OF THE CATHOLIC TROUGH WITHOUT OBEYING CATHOLIC DOGMA. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PREACHES, STOP CALLING YOURSELF A CATHOLIC, AND GO FIND THE CHURCH OF EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE. IT REALLY DOES EXIST, AND AS MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE, YOU CAN FIND IT DOWNTOWN. Sorry, about the yelling, I use the caps lock to go back and spell CUSH and now I’m too lazy to retype it all 🥴
It isn’t a Catholic organization
” does not necessarily speak for any one church”
It speaks for any organization that gives it a penny instead of speaking out against it. Churches must be held accountable for their actions when they are against themselves. When they go political, it’s fine, but strip them of their tax breaks ASAP.
How does the “banned books” initiative square with Catholic social teaching?
This is horrible. CUSH has received over $200,000. from the Catholic Church in the last decade. We just got done with Archbishop Listecki asking for more money in his “Love One Another” campaign. This is how he spends it. Those priests should be suspended. And Deacon Ron says he is pro union. Is he Pro Life?
Receiving $200K from the archdiocese isn’t the issue as opposed to how it was spent. Did it go to programs that offend church teaching? Was there any accountability by monitoring this?
Side note. You can make a United Way contribution and direct that it go (or not go) to certain charities. This needs to be clarified when it comes to CUSH.
If it goes towards paying for CUSH’s administrative team, it goes toward all the issues that are offensive to Church teaching. There are plenty of organizations in which the money would be better spent.
Exactly, how can anyone expect CUSH to be honest when people contributing to them do not demand it?
Get your head out of the sand.
As someone else said earlier–money is fungible and if you direct it towards one area, they will use their other monies to go towards what they want. You cannot support the organization as a whole if even a portion of what they are doing is contrary to the Doctrines of the Catholic Faith–Abortion is evil, sodomy is evil, transgenderism is disordered, BLM is for Planned Parenthood, and is against Whites–organizations like CUSH or the United Way cannot be supported AT ALL if they go against your religious beliefs.
CUSH is a disgrace and the USCCB had better do a thorough review of the organizations it sponsors through the CCHD! This diabolical giving has gone on for a long time and frankly, the CCHD should be disbanded if they cannot figure out how to follow Catholic social and moral teaching without sinning. And for Fr. Gerald Hessel’s comment “I don’t think abortion is among the gravest sins, but it is a grave sin,” Hessell told KCE
Abortion is one of the four sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance! Another of those sins is sodomy. You are putting your immortal soul in danger by being involved with CUSH and the CCHD. Every one of those so-called Catholic leaders needs to go to confession immediately.
Thank you, Kevin for this absolutely stellar article
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
I don’t support that, but neither do I be a hypocrite by joining an organization that does. Three people say they’re Jesus, at least two are wrong.
Thank you Kevin for exposing this scandalous situation. St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s should be ashamed of themselves for being involved with CUSH. How can they call themselves “Catholic?” Not one more red penny to CUSH, supporter of sodomy and abortion.
I noticed in the photo with Fr. Roman that he is using a glass chalice and paten for Mass. This goes against the official document of the Catholic Church, the GIRM . “Sacred vessels should be made from precious metal. If they are made from metal that rusts or from a metal less precious than gold, they should generally be gilded on the inside.” GIRM #328 Why are these liberal priests allowed to disrespect Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?
Perhaps because organized religion is an organized business, and they are keeping their eye on the bottom line? They should probably just use a shoe box. Anyone who’s done even the most cursory study of the Catholic church and its history will have to realize that whenever the product isn’t selling, they have just changed it.
Why is St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s not truly loving the LGBT community, by sharing them the message of Jesus Christ and the dangers they are placing their eternal salvation in if they continue homosexual activity. That would be the loving thing to do. The eternal soul is more important than the body.
Because they are really just businesses, and they adapt their product when sales are declining.
Stunning and brave take.
They are not doing that–such a waste
I lost all respect for CUSH several years ago. They gave District Attorney Mike Graveley an award for being the bestest DA in the world. Can you believe that?
We should clarify something about “sodomy.”
I have a friend who is a Madison police officer and another in the military. Both are homosexual. They explained to me that there is a difference between people who are gay and those who are “practicing” gay. In other words, they don’t engage in homosexual acts.
Frankly, I never thought about this until they pointed it out but the bottom line is not all gays are “practicing.”
You are exactly correct. And that is what the Catholic Church should be helping the LGBT community with. Same sex attraction is a heavy cross, but all persons are called to chastity in their state in life. There are groups that help those with same sex attraction live full and happy lives. Why is St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s not guiding them in that direction? If we are called to love people, what greater form of love can there be than to help them get to heaven? We are doing a disservice to the LGBT community when we don’t tell them the truth with charity.
If they are not practicing, it is not called sodomy. These people endorse practicing homosexuality
Who cares? If they’re going to hell, let God take care of it. In the meantime, I am sick of seeing conservatives lose elections because they feel they are running for some kind of moral leadership over others, regarding abortions & alphabet folks, instead of being the legislative representatives running the actual States & Country on far more important matters. It leaves me with very poor choices, since I’m conservative on work to eat, financial & constitutional matters, yet could care less who marries who, sticks what where, or gets an early abortion. Religion has killed billions over human history, and our country supposedly is ruled by the Constitution, not the Bible or any other religious texts. CUSH is proof that people ignore any part of religion they feel is inconvenient to their personal beliefs, and conservatives do the same.
Great start. What about their tax status as they are affiliated with a political organization. Namely the chairperson of the local Democratic party. Conflict of interest?!
Absolutely, I’ve been calling for Kush and other organizations to lose their religious tax exemption for decades since they obviously practice advancement of one political party over another financially. Obama’s weaponized IRS certainly had no problems doing that against conservative groups, even when they weren’t claiming a religious exemption
Sins that cry to heaven for vengeance in scripture are murder, sodomy, oppression of the poor, and defrauding workers of their wages. They are sins against nature and against the fraternal justice required for a human society to function harmoniously. It seems that CUSH and it’s Christian Catholic leaders aren’t following biblical principals. No Christian should support such an organization.
Almost all “non profits” are political nowadays. The entire “non profit” system is a sham. It’s bullshit that the government can consider some businesses more important than others and don’t have to pay taxes. They all make profit anyway. It’s government-endorsed political influencing masked by virtual signaling bullshit.
I honestly don’t care who sticks what in where, but I can’t tolerate handing out tax deductions based on it. 😡
Same with tax monies going to Planned Parenthood. I do not want to subsidize murder or helping trannys.
Ones attraction to their same sex or the opposite is biological. No different that liking a certain hair color or a thin or not thin person. We all have visual things that excite us and draw us to another.
I challenge anyone to say that physical traits aren’t part of how they picked their significant other.
While religions and their places of worship are free to discriminate they do so at the cost of the size of their congregations. And size does matter. The more bodies in the seats theoretically the more money to expand their influences and teachings.
And if ancillary organizations like CUSH provide ways for churches and their members to fill some of their needs to provide services that they seek to be a part of without “direct” involvement, so be it. They can claim they support some things but not others.
Like the Mormons that walk the neighborhoods knocking on doors, you are free to listen or close your doors to them.
As in the story about the dentist, this country was founded on principles of freedom, especially religious freedom and if you don’t like what your neighbor is doing, just move on or close the door.
The LGBT community is welcome to attend all Catholic Churches, just as much as anyone else. No one has ever denied them that ability. Having said that, if the homosexual is acting out on their same sex attraction it is important that they attend Mass, but they cannot receive Holy Communion as that would be a sacrilege. The Catholic Church has always taught that and held that doctrine and it can never be changed. Homosexual activity is always gravely sinful. Even the Pope cannot change that doctrine of the Faith. Where are our priests that will speak this from the pulpit? What are they afraid of?
Hmm. Thou dost protest too much
Before one can simply, walk away from the behavior and “mind their own business” they need to be able to get a refund on the additional taxes they pay to make up for those who pay none/less.
No baby is born homosexual. It is not biological. lt is disordered
How in the world did Lori Hawkins ever teach in a Catholic School? She mentioned that in one of her videos. Why are these people allowed to indoctrinate our children?
She lied. Par for the course for her
Instead of teach abstinence does the church condone CUSH promoting to minors books that explains how to have enjoyable anal sex… does that align with their values… but hey he’s pro union. I can guarantee the VAST majority of their congregation would be appalled.
I think these supporters need to see the materials they are giving to the kids in our community.
I don’t think you understand. They’ve seen it and don’t care. All they care about is opposing those who voted for Orange Hitler.
Some have. Others have just listened to liberal talking points and haven’t done any research of their own.
poop
Snus
Pope is against us
So is the bishop.
I’ve never heard of CUSH, but I used to be a parishioner at St. Mark’s – I left early in 2021 when it became All Jacob Blake, All The Time. Saddened but not surprised by what’s been going on since.
Failed political candidate and now destroying an organization due to her extremist views, greed, corruption, and overall incompetence. Investigation into her for money laundering needs to be conducted.
Sadly the Catholic church has lost it’s way. Many priests don’t even know or believe the bible, have a lopsided and incoherent worldview that isn’t biblical, and put social issues and “justice” over biblical justice. There are many things wrong with he church as they rely on tradition and the papacy rather than Christ alone, by faith alone.
Catholic Church ONLY cares about one thing….$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
For example: Catholic Charities right now is the right hand of the federal government. Those billions $$$ that Joe Biden asks congress for illegal Immigration is partially paid to Catholic Charities to set up visa prepay cards, housing, and transportation for all of the illegal immigrants coming into our country.
The Catholic Church only cares about money, they sold their souls a long time ago.
Not a dime of mine since 1976.i have met only one person who has walked in a religious presence, Father McDermott of Chicago’s skidrow. One could feel God’s presence thru him.These people of the story are frauds. For a priest not openly speak and instead worries about pushback is clearly political within the church and parishioners. And then, to say Mass is pathetic.
I stopped financially contributing to my parish a year ago, when Father decided to use a homily to acknowledge human achievement in fundraising (along with having people stand up and receive applause), and when he encouraged the congregation to applaud him for re-opening the parish school. Our dollars now go to the KoC’s pro-life campaign. Catholics need to speak with their dollars when it comes to these “shepherds” missing the point of the Holy Mass.
The Pope is the leader and does not lead in a christ-like way. A Jesuit for certain and typical. We need a true Pope. I can boycott the govt of the church, and I do, and will find my own religious way. I don’t need a building or a priest. Time to pull out and read THORNBURGS.
The Catholic Church INVENTED “hospitals” and “universities”. The three highest virtues are: faith, hope and charity (love). She has a glorious history of helping the poor and the downtrodden…BUT she has largely lost her way these past 50+ years. The gates of hell will not prevail against her, but we are in the midst of great, (and well-deserved) chastisements. Things will get a lot messier. The heretical people quoted in this article are indicators of that.
CUSH has always been a Communist, (vis a vis, “atheist”) outfit. Although it’s shocking to see that the Church in Milwaukee has shelled out 200K over the past decade to support this heretical group, the situation at the two “Catholic” churches affiliated with CUSH is far more troubling.
The Church used to be concerned with the salvation of souls and the attainment of Heaven.
There is a disproportionately high number of faithful Catholic parishes (and priests) in Kenosha. The two mentioned in the article are not among them, sadly.
Pray for these worldlings…
Pax Christi
St Mary’s is ok with all that lgbtp bullshit as well. Not real churches.
I think we should picket in front of these churches. They are not upholding Catholic teaching by their involvement in CUSH. They need to be called out.
Yes, those priests at St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s are fake. They should be removed.
She was never a knockout but based on that candidate video and the main picture used in the article…..woof. Laundering money must be stressful given the amount of wrinkles she has….
I haven’t seen the Catholic church this fired up since the Twin Lakes – Padre was accused of molesting young alter boys. So…. B-erg and co. no long have shakedown power? That stings……. All Kenosha needs to do now is address the Kazakhstan Jewish shakedown. Repent sinners!
I went to the CUSH website. It is an interfaith group, not a Catholic organization.
The original posts here talk about promoting sodomy without more detail. CUSH has a banned books initiative that seems far afield from what CUSH was intended to be. This community has serious mental health, crime and drug abuse problems. “Banned books” hardly seems like it should be an interfaith community organization’s issue. Nor does it seem to be much of a social justice issue, frankly.
It does seem to be more of a First Amendment issue. I would not expect them to get into something that other organizations are better equipped to address. It also seems more of a secular issue as well.
The problem with the the Catholic Church is that it is a hierarchy. The pope is a Rothschild controlled Satanist, and he controls all of your congregations that are part of the archdiocese, including your money. They are going to fill your churches with faggots and illegals that they shipped into this country.
CUSH is aligned with the pope, not hard to see from the outside looking in.
it’s time for you Catholics to have a real come to Jesus. It’s time for Catholics to leave their pagan catholic cult and turn to Jesus Christ alone. Jesus is the high priest, and you only have one Father and He is in heaven.
Unfortunately the Pope is causing much confusion, but even the Pope cannot change Catholic Doctrine. The Church is indefectible. Because of its indefectibility the truths revealed by God will always stand.
Lori Hawkins is one extreme woman.
And a criminal
CUSH is just one of many money making scams…. just like the Catholic church.
Preach hate and rejection towards those who “god made”? That bible (for the few that have actually read it) talks of love and hate, homosexuality among men as allowed, killing accepted, bestiality, brutality, etc. You can find anything you want in the bible… it is not a life guide… it’s a bunch of rambling stories.
Grownups learn to respect others. If you can’t fix yourself, then why do you feel the need to interfere with others? Clean your own house first.
Unfortunately the Pope is causing much confusion, but even the Pope cannot change Catholic Doctrine. The Church is indefectible. Because of its indefectibility the truths revealed by God will always stand.
From the ‘CUSH’ website:
“CUSH is part of WISDOM, a Wisconsin network of 11 affiliates throughout the state. WISDOM is a member of the Gamaliel Foundation, a national network that works to address issues of justice.”
‘The Gamaliel Foundation Barack Obama’ Make for some interesting search results….
Most often the priest in charge makes or breaks the congregation.
Priests can have negative traints just like anyone else. Some might fit “the useful idiot” category by buying into social justice issues that actually are driven by political ideology and can be played by a feeling of accomplishment which ultimately drives off members of the congregation.
I guess it’s hard for the Catholic Church to find priests who not only preach the church’s teaching but also have a bit of street smarts.
Ultimately a Catholic parish is nothing more than a revenue stream for the Archdiocese and when it can’t pony up the bucks it bye-bye.
I am not Catholic, and don’t go to St. Mark’s, however my Grandmother was a member there for years. Isn’t it against Catholic Church rules to place anything on the altar or around the altar unless it’s being given to God as a gift?
I thought the rainbow flags stood for Gay Pride – I don’t think we should be shrouding statues of Jesus with them. I mean, anything at all really. I know that Jesus supports Gay People but putting an Earthly Agenda on him is just wrong. If the clergy of that church want to support Pride they don’t need adorn Jesus with Pride Flags. It’s an Agenda that is being pushed by leaders and not of God. That would make me question anything being taught in that Church.
Lori has a very refined sniffer