Saturday, April 16, 2011

Michael Voris, The Vortex, and the Catholic Blogosphere...

The blogosphere is apparently in an uproar about a recent Michael Voris Vortex on Earth Day. The episode, in an nutshell, is about how an environmental group has sent out memos to parishes across the US, asking that priests give their Easter Sunday homilies about Earth Day and save their "Easter" homilies for the next Sunday (Christ the King Sunday). In the episode he suggests moving to another parish if your pastor does decide to make this "switch."

Now I'll admit, I watch the Vortex daily. I'll also admit that I've learned more from RealCatholicTV.com than I ever learned in my let's-all-hold-hands-and-sing-RCIA-class. Does Michael Voris often say things that need to be said about the insane things that have been going on in the world, particularly in the US, in recent years? Yes.

If you watch the Vortex you'll quickly see that Voris is passionate about the subject about which he speaks. He's human, just like you and me, but he makes some good, valid points. Points that very often need to be made.

Back when I hadn't been running this blog for too terribly long, the CCHD scandal broke. Catholics across the country were stunned to find out that money they'd tossed into the basket on "CCHD Sunday" had gone to abortion supporting groups (among other things...). Some blogs exploded over the incident (it is hard not to be upset about it...). Others accused those who were upset of being horrible Catholics and basically said "if a Bishop says its okay, its okay and we are not to question it..."

Sigh. I'm all for being loyal to the Magesterium and Church teaching. But what do you do when the Bishops themselves are disagreeing, vehemently, over what is right? During the CCHD scandal you had Bishops saying that they were very much worried about it and were stopping the collections in their own diocese and then you had Bishops telling the Catholics in the pews not to worry their pretty little heads about what was going on and to keep on giving.

And that's what came to mind when I began reading the articles about Michael Voris this morning (most of them are linked to at the end of this article).

I must admit, I never once thought that Voris was instructing anyone to leave The Church when I watched the episode. He was telling people that if their pastor devoted the Easter Sunday homily to "Earth Day" instead of Christ's resurrection, than they were better off someplace else (as in, at another Catholic Parish). Was he a little over the top? Probably. Is it better to hear his passion for Christ and His Church than the apathy that has allowed the last forty years of heresy to unfold? Most likely.

A lot of people are talking about the "Cult of Celebrity." First it came up with Fr. Corapi and now with Mr. Voris.

They are men, they are fallible. But they've also given a lot to the world of Catholicism in terms of teaching and spreading the faith.

And I think they at least deserve to have their words left untwisted and to be considered innocent unless found guilty.

There just seems to be way to much "throwing people under the bus" these days in the Catholic blog world. Sometimes I feel like people are hedging their bets after the scandals of the past. Maybe we've all just become a little too cynical.

I'll be keeping my subscription to RealCatholicTV and I'll continue to learn from their great programing (their apologetics program is wonderful, as is One True Faith!!!)... and I'll pray that we can all be a little more charitable both online and off...

6 comments:

  1. Perhaps the bigger scandal is not why Catholic Bloggers have been throwing good innocent men under the bus. Rather the bigger scandal is who the hell do these non-profits think they are that they can suggest how the Church worships and prays by interfering with the priests' homilies?

    Why is that getting lost in all of this?

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  2. I think you're right. The article you linked dosen't show a contextual answer. It's as though that was the first time she had listened to the Vortex and took what he said as the only thing he's ever said. Of course the Homily is not what we go to mass for but it is part of the Mass. When priests are watering down the faith it's not helping the parisioners grow. And just like in hollywood, the more you let in the worse things get for the faithful. Sometimes talking to the pastor will work and other times it won't. My husband and I left our parish because the priest was having everyone yell, "amen!" and "halleluah!" like some Protestant parishes I've been to have done. I wasn't comfortable with this at all. It was so Protestant.

    The parish priest at that church was also saying things we didn't quite like. At confession he would say things like, "that sin isn't so bad" when we know it was a very grave matter. Or having his homilies addressed just to the children. Even having his dog walk up and lay in front of the altar and not do anything about it made us wonder what he thought of the real presence.

    I think Realcatholictv.com did what you have done. Expressed their disappointment in the parished and advised others to move on. The mass isn't about saying the Our Father but it was one of the reasons why you left. We need to be strong in what we know is right and not let others mistake our zeal for being intollerant. We may live in a society of relativism but out faith should be on the staight and narrow path that leads to Heaven.

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  3. Hey there Cammie, I like this post. "be a little more charitable both online and off..." Perfect!

    Perhaps some of his critics have trouble with envy. I'm often reminded in my own life of how true it is that the faults I condemn in others are the same faults I possess myself. Usually to an equal or greater degree. Our Lord said something along these lines about the speck in your brother's eye...

    Take care & God bless! -Cliff

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  4. I like Michael Voris so far! We are close in age and I wished we all had a better Catholic education when we were younger. I will follow your blog. Thank you.

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  5. Thank you for your blog.
    I don't know Michael Voris, but over there at Mark Shea's blog, Shea seems to be running amok spewing venom against Vortex. Hmm, I wondered exactly what it was that Shea was raging about? So I watched Vortex for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised. How refreshing!

    At last someone has the courage to point out that "Amazing Grace" is unfit to sing at Mass. It is not liturgical. Vortis took the hymn apart piece by piece and pointed out where it runs short of orthodox Catholic teaching. Shea took Vortis' presentation as "elitism." Shea doesn't realize that the Mass is a structured and official Prayer of the Church that has its own text and music integral to its rite.

    Personally, I don't object to Catholics singing Amazing Grace, but not at Mass. With a few twists and turns, its lyrics could be spun to sound more Catholic, but it should be used only at Charismatic renewal meetings and youth camp conferences.

    We need more crusty, salty, faithful Catholic men like Vortis. Thanks again for your blog.

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  6. While Michael Vorris points out everything he sees wrong with the church he says nothing that brings healing what so ever. He attacks with no healing. Jesus said " do not judge and you won't be judged. Mary in her apparition in Yugoslavia said not to judge the Sheppard's but pray for them.

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