Crypto-Christians
I'm having a lot of trouble wrapping my head around how people such as these are able to reconcile the personal "fulfillment" they've spared no cost in achieving (short of any sacrifice on their own part, that is) with the rather obvious and central meaning of something like, say, the Crucifixion. Reverend Denise Donato, a 47 year old mother of 3--not divorced, surprisingly enough--says of her apparently Roman Catholic ministry (which includes marriage prep for homosexual couples) that she's "never felt so fulfilled in [her] life." Which, I guess, then, is what it's all about. I mean, I'm sure if you'd asked JC--as he was sweating it (in his case, blood) out at Gethsemane--whether he ever felt so fulfilled in all his life, he would've shook his head so wildly you'd be covered in the stuff.
Still, I take issue with a couple of things here. Janice Kennedy reports that "in Catholic terms, [Donato] is a radical." Alas, no. She's a heretic. A pretty serious one at that. I mean, yeah, I guess you can go on calling yourself a Catholic ... Hell, I know a guy who claims that he's pure Irish in spite of his last name (Huang). But he, and Ms. Donato, can get as drunk as they want, and tearfully sing House of Pain's "Jump Around" as many times they want, but it still isn't going to do much to change facts.
And an interesting choice of words on the reporter's part: "[former parish priest] Rev. Callan was sent away from Rochester because the Vatican didn't approve of the parish inviting non-Catholics into its communion, the fact that it blessed same-sex unions and the prominence it gave to women on its altar." Touché, mon amis! (You just had to say on the altar, didn't you?) And, indeed, that's rather the point, isn't it? That's what's happened here. Replacing the dude miraculously transubstantiated in the bread and the wine, I mean. Call it Denisianity, by all means (and it comes with its own crusade!), but Christianity it ain't! Not even by Protestant standards.
So the Parish once known as Corpus Christi, in the Diocese of Rochester, is now Spiritus Christi. In all honesty, this, I feel, was a masterstroke. For that's exactly what they've done: disposed of the rather inconvenient substance of the Catholic faith. I might have suggested something more like Innuo Christi myself--that is: Hint of Christ--but still. Pretty damn clever.
Still, I take issue with a couple of things here. Janice Kennedy reports that "in Catholic terms, [Donato] is a radical." Alas, no. She's a heretic. A pretty serious one at that. I mean, yeah, I guess you can go on calling yourself a Catholic ... Hell, I know a guy who claims that he's pure Irish in spite of his last name (Huang). But he, and Ms. Donato, can get as drunk as they want, and tearfully sing House of Pain's "Jump Around" as many times they want, but it still isn't going to do much to change facts.
And an interesting choice of words on the reporter's part: "[former parish priest] Rev. Callan was sent away from Rochester because the Vatican didn't approve of the parish inviting non-Catholics into its communion, the fact that it blessed same-sex unions and the prominence it gave to women on its altar." Touché, mon amis! (You just had to say on the altar, didn't you?) And, indeed, that's rather the point, isn't it? That's what's happened here. Replacing the dude miraculously transubstantiated in the bread and the wine, I mean. Call it Denisianity, by all means (and it comes with its own crusade!), but Christianity it ain't! Not even by Protestant standards.
So the Parish once known as Corpus Christi, in the Diocese of Rochester, is now Spiritus Christi. In all honesty, this, I feel, was a masterstroke. For that's exactly what they've done: disposed of the rather inconvenient substance of the Catholic faith. I might have suggested something more like Innuo Christi myself--that is: Hint of Christ--but still. Pretty damn clever.
posted by Edward Michael George at 9:37 PM
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