By Fr. Robert J. Carr
©Catholic Online 2005

Several years ago, I appeared on a local (Boston) talk show on WBZ-AM and discussed the abuse crisis with the the Late David Brudnoy and the 300,000+ audience. One of the messages that I felt was important to get out was that God was still in charge of his Church and that we cannot neglect the fact that this crisis happened as a way of God purifying his Church. I still stand by that statement.

We approach that reality in faith. This is also the message of gospel passage about the "Road to Emmaus" Do not miss one line in today’s passage. "Oh how foolish you are!"

Note the scene! Jesus died on the cross on Friday. All the disciples’ hopes are dashed. It is over; Jesus is dead. They followed the wrong man. They backed the wrong horse. They have now been humiliated. They may be in danger and the high priests have won. Oppression wins, legalism wins, arrogance wins and sin wins. Now the word is out that God has played a trump card. The impossible has happened. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Now what does this all mean?

It is into this scenario that we enter this gospel on the road to Emmaus. Yet, listen again to those words. "Oh how foolish you are!" Jesus is chiding them. Did they not believe he was in control all along? The high priests have lost. God in his patience did not strike them dead and prevent his own son’s crucifixion. He will give the people more time to repent. Meanwhile, Jesus, the resurrected Lord, proclaims the truth. God was in charge all the time. This is all part of God’s plans from the moment that Eve and Adam ate of the apple.

CARDINAL LAW, THEN AND NOW

This week I was listening to various radio programs and the theme that keeps coming up is the case of Cardinal Law saying mass at the Vatican and Cardinal Law engaged in voting for the new pope. Several years ago, I appeared on various news programs on CNN, MSNBC and other venues. I spoke as one against Cardinal Law’s resignation. This week, one news host, a man I feel is not objective in his coverage of the Catholic Church and leans against the Catholic Church, had a lawyer for abuse victims on his program. The lawyer, I understand, was unopposed on the program and radio talk show host Howie Carr on WRKO-AM in Boston indicated that this meant that many had been called and each declined to defend the Cardinal’s role in voting for the new pope and celebrating mass at the Vatican. May I say it was an innaccurate statement because I was never called. I already stated that I was known to the media as the priest who was willing to speak publically against the Cardinal’s resignation. I stand by my reasoning and my position.

If people feel Cardinal Law should not have a vote, then what would they say about the Apostles from whom he descended. Matthew worked against his own people and for the occupying force in his country. He was as despised as any traitor would be. Simon the Zealot was once was a terrorist who supported the killing of people like Matthew. Peter considered himself such a sinner that he told Jesus to leave him the minute he realized whom he was. Two had such a problem with anger they were called the Sons of Thunder. One was only fourteen when he met Jesus. He was only seventeen when he stood at the foot of his cross. Finally, the later apostle Paul was an accessory to murder.

One of the programs on which I appeared was the Bill O’Reilly radio program where I told the host that we also need to leave room for the action of the Holy Spirit. I say the same to you. We are at a critical time in our church. We are also in a critical time in our world. As we speak, the Massachusetts Legislature is trying to pass a stem cell research bill, to be followed by a health care bill. You can rest assured that abortion will be a key part of this bill. I have stated earlier that gay marriage is really about providing the biological structures to bring forth the fruit of embryonic stem cell research. If you read the newspaper accounts of this action, you will see that the key here is the large amount of windfall profit local universities and our government expect to make in this biological research industry. Never forget that the Roman Catholic Church, in the eyes of these people, stands between them and billions of dollars.

Every society that walks down the path of seeking the fruits of human wisdom to the exclusion of the wisdom of God, ends up walking into its own destruction. One of the last major governments that walked down this path and along the path of biological enterprise was no other than the German Government of 1933-1945.

GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED

God will not be mocked. The current stress the Church suffers is indeed making it stronger. There will come a time when we will be the life boat to a nation suffering from the disaster of seeking ...