Serious Catholics and Priests Must Speak Out

Dear Serious Catholics, Priests and Friends,

Last week I sent you an email with my comments on Fr. Frank Pavone’s, Director of Priests for Life, email to Bishops and Priests. It said: “Many clerics and lay faithful are too often afraid to speak out about “politics” at the risk of offending friends, family, their congregations as well as Canon and Civil Laws. This is okay in some circumstances but is not justified when it is a question of Morality and Principle, especially when it is in defense of our required beliefs that come from Jesus Christ Himself! The hierarchy, instead of creating unity, too often discourage and confuse their flock in these matters.”

In addition to speaking out about Morality in the Public Place, unfortunately many good clergy do not speak about many of the essential truths of our faith!

We hardly hear most of them ever talk about heaven and hell, the commandments and sin, the devil, confession, abortion, sex outside of marriage (fornication, adultery, sodomy etc.), defending our religious freedom which is under attack, etc. An important time to do so is in their Mass homilies, especially on Sundays, where they have their largest audience and they can address these matters in conjunction with bible readings.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy --- Counseling the Doubtful, Instructing the Ignorant, Admonishing the Sinner, etc.- require that they do so! By not doing we have lost about 80% of Catholics who don't go to Sunday Mass.

In addition to the requirement that the clergy speak out on these subjects, we lay people are also obliged to do so AND to tell our priests and bishops to do so.

I can’t say it better than this: