Priest Doesn’t Like Mother Angelica?

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PJM said:
It’s sad but true: Some folks are “just too Catholic” for todays catholics [smal “c” intended.:o*

EWTN and Mother in particualr reflect what we Catholics are to live in Piety, holinees, humility an COMPLETE obediene to the Holy Father and the Magisterium.

This is simply more than many can [freely choose to] accept.:eek:

Seek truth than LIVE IT!

Being a priest or Bishop, or religious does not automatically make one a Saint or a saint. In fact more is expected of them fo the extra graces God bestows on them.

Love and prayers,
Pat

Amen to that. Sadly, many priests do not feel this way. Mother and EWTN have helped my wife and I truly discover the Catholic faith. If more of the laity would watch and listen to EWTN, imagine the possibilities.
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=DWC_RC;6969442]Amen to that. Sadly, many priests do not feel this way. Mother and EWTN have helped my wife and I truly discover the Catholic faith. If more of the laity would watch and listen to EWTN, imagine the possibilities.
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That friend is a thought worthy of much prayer!👍
 
*I have certainly grown in Faith since watching EWTN. Mother Angelica is a marvel and her achievements have far reaching effects - she is to be credited for a marvellous work.

Her present suffering is also a powerful witness.

We cannot criticise her for being such a powerful witness. So she challenged a Cardinal. Well there are bishops who have a lot to answer for and we all know that.

We should thank God for Mother Angelica

:yup::clapping::clapping:Cinette:)*
 
Cinette said:
*St Francis of Assis was not a good looking chap by any means. In fact he was unattractive. Yet…

St Francis Xavier was not always charming I understand…

I could name a few more. However, we also need to look at ourselves. Are we beautiful people with charming personalities all the time?

Mother Angelica is a saint in my book also.

Cinette:) *
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I remember hearing the story a few years back of someone who worked at EWTN and brought his young son into the office. When the boy saw Mother Angelica he said to his Dad – “Daddy, isn’t she the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?” Children see the beauty of the soul!
 
I have to agree with those who say priests who are anti-EWTN have problems with the Catholic Church’s authority.

So, now I have a litmus test for every priest who comes to town:


  1. *]believes in the Real Presence

    *]is pro-life

    *]doesn’t tamper with the Liturgy

    *]loves EWTN

    My 2¢

    Joe
 
Jguerra said:
I have to agree with those who say priests who are anti-EWTN have problems with the Catholic Church’s authority.

So, now I have a litmus test for every priest who comes to town:


  1. *]believes in the Real Presence

    *]is pro-life

    *]doesn’t tamper with the Liturgy

    *]loves EWTN

    My 2¢

    Joe
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  1. 👍:clapping::clapping:
 
*An observation.

In Hollywood, people have to submit to screen tests to determine whether they are photogenic and beautiful.

On EWTN it is more real - you are what you are.

I confess, there are certain programmes that I can critise but the criticism has nothing to do with content but appearance - sometimes the set (cluttered and dark) - a man in a suit giving a talk in a workshop instead of wearing overalls - a person who might be a little overbearing etc etc etc. I could go on.

However, the content is what matters and the content most of the time is very good.

Thank you EWTN.

Cinette:):clapping::clapping:*
 
Jerry111 said:
Priest Doesn’t Like Mother Angelica?

I was lapsed for a long time and came back almost two years ago. EWTN, which ended up on our cable box strictly by accident when ordering the cartoon package, was a major force in my return and the subsequent conversion of my Jewish wife.

I am a grade A cynic, but the reruns of Mother Angelica Live went straight to my heart and soul. We have all Raymond Arroyo’s books on Mother and our favorite is her Private And Pity Lessons From the Scriptures. God was clearly working through this woman as she built a world-wide Catholic television network out of nothing and a massive shrine to The Blessed Sacrament in the middle of the Evangelical bible belt. We truly believe Mother Angelica to be the saint of our time.

What’s not to like? Well the other day my wife was in the parish office talking with a couple of the office people and one of the priests. Everyone was having a nice time when one of the ladies in the office asked about my wife’s conversion. When she mentioned Mother Angelica, the priest abruptly straightened up and said “with that, I am going to leave you”. Off he went leaving everyone’s mouths hanging open.

Is there something we don’t know about Mother Angelica?
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Yes, Jerry her messages go straight to the heart because she focuses on the true, beautiful simplicity of our Faith. This makes most priests nervous when many have the mentality: “I don’t want the bishop breathing down my neck! NO controversy in this parish! As long as I have enough from the collections to get the bills paid, I just say mass and then I have the day free to play golf, watch tv, etc…” And sadly I think many priests do live like that.

In contrast, Mother Angelica says, “Hey priests! Knock Knock! Meditate on your vows, preach Christ and Him crucified! Save souls!”

How would that not make most priests these days nervous?
 
I would love it if someone would take up Mother’s cause 👍

I dont think it would be Raymond Arroyo or he would have done it by now but I do appreciate all his work regarding Mother Angelica tremendously
 
snowpea said:
I would love it if someone would take up Mother’s cause 👍

I dont think it would be Raymond Arroyo or he would have done it by now but I do appreciate all his work regarding Mother Angelica tremendously
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I think some day she will be the new patron Saint of Television. Right now, it is St Clare, because of her visions.

In my area, more than a few will not like Mother A. if she is mentioned. Some of it may be jealousy. I plan to get her books in our parish library. That may start some talk. Her obedience to God was rewarded, not without a lot of obstacles or controversy, as it seems EWTN will ever be.

Truly a contradiction to the world: a worldwide TV network started by a cloistered nun!!

It’s great that Mr. Arroyo wrote her bio while he could get information straight from her (and while she could still speak well).

God bless you, Mother A, and EWTN!
Mimi
 
Thanks to all who responded to this post. I was surprised at the number of replies and variety of viewpoints. To answer a couple of comments
  1. All agreed that the priest’s abrupt departure was intended to express a negative opinion of Mother
  2. We were quite aware of the Cardinal Mahony dispute. Based on the text of Cardinal Mahony’s Pastoral Letter, as found in Mother’s biography, the Cardinal had clearly stated that there is no difference in the bread and wine after it is consecrated.
Forget about Mother correcting Cardinal Mahony on the air, where was the Vatican on this?

In returning to the Church I was shocked by the number of liberal priests, theologians, and in some cases bishops, openly dissenting on abortion, homosexual marriage and even the True Presence.

At the other end of the spectrum I’ve run across “Traditional Catholic” groups who maintain that every Pope from John XXIII on is a fraud!

Contrary to one reply, I believe that the lay faithful have every right to question, criticize and attempt to correct this type of dissent when they encounter it.

The priest in question has never giving any indication of such dissent, and as far as I know is a fine priest who has consecrated his life to Christ and is devoted to guiding the members of our parish to heaven. That’s good enough for me. With the shortage of priests we are lucky to have him and he is in our prayers.

I had truly wondered if there was something going on with Mother that would have changed our high opinion of her. All these wonderful replies on her behalf have settled that question and I have joined the new Mother Angelica Forum created by Snow Pea.

Thanks again to all who replied

Jerry
 
Jerry111 said:
Thanks to all who responded to this post. I was surprised at the number of replies and variety of viewpoints. To answer a couple of comments
  1. All agreed that the priest’s abrupt departure was intended to express a negative opinion of Mother
  2. We were quite aware of the Cardinal Mahony dispute. Based on the text of Cardinal Mahony’s Pastoral Letter, as found in Mother’s biography, the Cardinal had clearly stated that there is no difference in the bread and wine after it is consecrated. If this is so has the Vatican censured Mahony?
Forget about Mother correcting Cardinal Mahony on the air, where was the Vatican on this? Yes, where was the Vatican?

In returning to the Church I was shocked by the number of liberal priests, theologians, and in some cases bishops, openly dissenting on abortion, homosexual marriage and even the True Presence. :gopray2::gopray2:

At the other end of the spectrum I’ve run across “Traditional Catholic” groups who maintain that every Pope from John XXIII on is a fraud!!**:banghead::bigyikes:

Contrary to one reply, I believe that the lay faithful have every right to question, criticize and attempt to correct this type of dissent when they encounter it. We are, after all, also priests according to the bible! - We need to be vigilant

The priest in question has never giving any indication of such dissent, and as far as I know is a fine priest who has consecrated his life to Christ and is devoted to guiding the members of our parish to heaven. That’s good enough for me. With the shortage of priests we are lucky to have him and he is in our prayers. Might be a misunderstanding but it did give rise to this discussion which is important and necessary.

I had truly wondered if there was something going on with Mother that would have changed our high opinion of her. All these wonderful replies on her behalf have settled that question and I have joined the new Mother Angelica Forum created by Snow Pea.

Thanks again to all who replied

Jerry
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*Your comments are fair and sound. I have always considered myself “liberal” in my youth and a good part of my adulthood. Words such as Democratic and Progressive have appeal. However, in reality, when considering the importance of our Faith words such as compromise, liberal and so-called “progressive” only serve to diminish that which is good and true. In matters of Faith and Morals there should be no compromise. What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.

I truly believe that Mother Angelica has accomplished a great work. Her collaborators are also fine people. We have come to know the great contribution to the Catholic faith by converts. We have come to know what the Catechism teaches. If I have to choose between a cable TV and ETWN I go to see what is on EWTN first.

Viva EWTN! Viva! *
 
Jerry111 said:
  1. We were quite aware of the Cardinal Mahony dispute. Based on the text of Cardinal Mahony’s Pastoral Letter, as found in Mother’s biography, the Cardinal had clearly stated that there is no difference in the bread and wine after it is consecrated.
Forget about Mother correcting Cardinal Mahony on the air, where was the Vatican on this?
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I’m not that familiar with the whole controversy myself, but perhaps it would be worthwhile to look at the full text of Mahony’s letter that instigated it all (it’s quite lengthy):

Gather Together Faithfully

I’m not sure of the particular quote you are referring to, but perhaps the context of the quote might give some indication of why the Vatican did not step in. If a bishop specifically denied the Eucharist in a public pastoral letter, I am sure that some action would be taken. At the very least, some back-channel correspondence would have led to the removal of the pastoral letter from the public eye (i.e. the diocesan website) if it were explicitly heretical.
 
Here’s a link detailing what Mother Angelica said (on her show) regarding the Mahoney situation: losangelesmission.com/ed/articles/1998/0198ms2.htm

It’s worth reading the whole thing, but here’s an excerpt:

[Re: Mahoney’s “Gather Faithfully Together” Letter]

“What came through to me was the principal focus in this letter on assembly, the concentration on assembly by the people in the Church rather than the Eucharist. So, I felt the letter was unclear to what the Church teaches about the Real Presence, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus…”

Mother Angelica noted that the only time she found the term “transubstantiation” was “in a very small footnote.” She commented, "I don’t know about you, but I don’t read footnotes, unfortunately. I read the big print. So, I missed the footnote. Well, I kind of wish that footnote in the body of the letter was clear, and if I overlooked it in the whole letter, I imagine a lot of other people overlooked it.

“The pastoral letter has a whole different language… The word ‘presence’ is used in the text of the letter but it never says ‘Real Presence’… it’s a presence of the community, the assembly, the general presence of God in the liturgy, and the presence of the bishop. It doesn’t talk about the presence of Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul, or the transubstantiation.”

Mother Angelica said she found the pastoral letter’s reference to Christ as “present in the simple gifts of bread and wine, and in the mystery that is His Church,” particularly confusing:

"That the presence of Jesus is in the bread and wine, says to me, it’s still bread and wine. It has to be changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. It can’t be ‘in’–that means it’s still bread and wine, but He’s inside. But He’s inside of me… God is inside of everything… I’m a member of the masses; I’m a simple woman, and I don’t understand this.
 
Thanks to Joe 5859 for the link to the famous Cardinal Mahony Pastoral Letter, I had never seen it.

I stand corrected in saying that the letter clearly stated that there is no difference between the bread and wine before or after it’s consecrated.

I hadn’t read Mother’s bio in quite a while and looking back she said that she had found the letter “confusing” on the subject and that, as cyb mentioned above, Cardinal Mahony’s only direct statement on the True Presence after consecration was in a footnote.

Interestingly enough, the link to the footnotes was disabled.

Had I read the letter in 1997 I would have just assumed that the True Presence was implied, Transubstantiation being taken for granted by all Catholics. But I have learned that is not the case.

The letter was setting the scenario for Mass in the year 2000. And though the Eucharist was mentioned extensively, there was no direct statement about the Body and Blood of Christ being present in the bread and wine after consecration. The word “symbol” was used quite a bit however, though Cardinal Mahony did not say that the Presence was only symbolic.

During a time when Mother was opposing the increasing questioning of the True Presence, I can easily see how she felt that Cardinal Mahony, a well known liberal, may have been purposely vague on the subject. (Just as he was when he ducked the question on federal funding for abortion in the healthcare “reform” bill)

By coincidence, the weekly letter from our pastor (not the priest in question) in this week’s bulletin was on the importance of understanding the True Presence. In one page, several direct statements were made about Jesus’ actual physical presence in the consecrated Host and Wine. Nothing vague about it.

In Cardinal Mahony’s position, what is not said often speaks volumes. And I, for one, am tired of “hearing it” all too well.
 
Jerry111 said:
Priest Doesn’t Like Mother Angelica?

I was lapsed for a long time and came back almost two years ago. EWTN, which ended up on our cable box strictly by accident when ordering the cartoon package, was a major force in my return and the subsequent conversion of my Jewish wife.

I am a grade A cynic, but the reruns of Mother Angelica Live went straight to my heart and soul. We have all Raymond Arroyo’s books on Mother and our favorite is her Private And Pity Lessons From the Scriptures. God was clearly working through this woman as she built a world-wide Catholic television network out of nothing and a massive shrine to The Blessed Sacrament in the middle of the Evangelical bible belt. We truly believe Mother Angelica to be the saint of our time.

What’s not to like? Well the other day my wife was in the parish office talking with a couple of the office people and one of the priests. Everyone was having a nice time when one of the ladies in the office asked about my wife’s conversion. When she mentioned Mother Angelica, the priest abruptly straightened up and said “with that, I am going to leave you”. Off he went leaving everyone’s mouths hanging open.

Is there something we don’t know about Mother Angelica?
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Hi!!! That is so funny you brought this up!!! One of my darling Priest friends and I were talking about EWTN and he said he really liked it but that Mother Angelica was too hardcore for him and most people. So I started watching her more closely after that and found I really liked her a lot! I love her Rosary with the nuns, too! I am going to see my Priest in a few days and will ask just what he found so hardcore about her! He is a real Sweetie and of course we all have our own opinions on things! I personally love Mother Angelica, Father Corapi and Father Mitch Paqwa (spelling?) but cannot stand that “Crossing the Goal” and find it offensive and satanic!!! But that’s just me! :o
 
cyb said:
Mother Angelica noted that the only time she found the term “transubstantiation” was “in a very small footnote.” **She commented, "I don’t know about you, but I don’t read footnotes, unfortunately. I read the big print. So, I missed the footnote. Well, I kind of wish that footnote in the body of the letter was clear, and if I overlooked it in the whole letter, I imagine a lot of other people overlooked it. **

{snip}

"That the presence of Jesus is in the bread and wine, says to me, it’s still bread and wine. It has to be changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. It can’t be ‘in’–that means it’s still bread and wine, but He’s inside. But He’s inside of me… God is inside of everything… I’m a member of the masses; I’m a simple woman, and I don’t understand this.
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This is why I don’t watch Mother Angelica. I love EWTN, but I find her snippy, sarcastic and uncharitable.

She is anything but simple. She read a document, criticized it, and when caught in the wrong, blamed it being in a footnote.

She is too quick to judge and ridicule people who don’t meet her standards.

As a faithful and orthodox Catholic, I find her personality too off putting, so I’m happy to see here that she is a source of conversion for many.

My :twocents:
 
I have, myself, encountered Catholic clergy who tend to roll their eyes or smirk when Mother Angelica’s name comes up in conversation.

I don’t gather, however, that it bespeaks of any unorthodoxy or liberalism on their part, particularly as I don’t regard that one religious ought to be used as the standard for orthodoxy against which all others of her contemporaries are measured. Her faith, however fervent, is simple, and popular, and is informed more by ardour than by a rigorous intellectual training.

Priests have been to seminary, of course, and many have gone on to higher studies, in many cases at Rome. Their perspectives, consequently, tend to be far broader than those of a simple and saintly nun. And it can be distasteful to an academic or even to a well-educated cleric to hear matters with many different dimensions discussed as though they were quite one-dimensional by someone without impressive academic credentials.

Additionally, Mother Angelica teaches without the benefit authority. She isn’t a bishop, like Fulton Sheen, for example.

Having said that, one must also be able to see where someone like a Mother Angelica is, in fact, coming from, and be able to recognize that many, many people can gain very many benefits from the service she provides with her ministry. She says in simple words what the educated clergy sometimes find hard to do.

Finally, I would say, if you actually sit down for an hour and watch her show, you can’t help but, at the very least, find the woman adorable, and in a way infectious. So I would say that an intelligent and educated Catholic who can’t stand Mother Angelica may have a very solid head upon his shoulders…but he hasn’t got a heart.
 
She is a grouchy and cantacorous old broad but you know, Father Corapi is a grouchy and cantacorous grump and yet he really has a passion for the Lord and speaks wisely and lovingly. Sometimes those grouchy folks are the nicest ones and the ones who speak from the heart. Honestly I’ll take old Mother Angelica anyday to Marcus Grodi or that Abundant Life lady!! Somedays I think Raymond Arroyo is even too blasted perky and cutesy. I like the grumps. Maybe it says something about me! I’m a grump! :p:p I’m a big Walter Matthau fan so that tells you something! 😃
qui_est_ce said:
This is why I don’t watch Mother Angelica. I love EWTN, but I find her snippy, sarcastic and uncharitable.

She is anything but simple. She read a document, criticized it, and when caught in the wrong, blamed it being in a footnote.

She is too quick to judge and ridicule people who don’t meet her standards.

As a faithful and orthodox Catholic, I find her personality too off putting, so I’m happy to see here that she is a source of conversion for many.

My :twocents:
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