The following is the text of a full page paid advertisement place in Saginaw, MI area newspapers. The ad was place by RCF of the Saginaw Diocese.
To the Roman Catholic laity of the Saginaw diocese:
Since the Vatican II Council of 1963 we have been subtly subjected to subversive and abusive changes in our Catholic faith, in general, and in the holy sacrifice of the Mass, in particular. The church in the United States had taken a disobedient turn from the Holy Father and the true teachings of Christ's church on earth. Because we were wrongly informed that Vatican II was responsible for these changes, we were caught off guard. The laity was unaware of what was happening. Many of us are still not aware of its insidious dangers. We not only stand to lose our faith and Liturgy, we also stand to lose our immortal souls if we concur with it.
Perhaps you can remember that it all began with the subject of contraception, when Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical, Humanae Vitae (On Human Life) in 1968. (Liberal dissent was creeping into the Church for many years previous.) The liberal clergy and Bishops revolted against the encyclical's affirmed church teachings and did not instruct the faithful in the truth. Instead, from the pulpits they advocated individual conscience to their own will, and not to the will of God. In the past thirty years of planning liberal reform the condition has become dangerously serious and we all need to be better informed as to how serious it is.
First, let me mention that this commentary is the result of researching much documentation in literature and instruction, especially that which is coming from the Holy See itself, and comparing it to what is being done, said and taught in our diocese, and others as well.
From the different reform groups throughout the country, Canada and Europe it is obvious the reformers plan to change and destroy the church worldwide from its original Christian orthodoxy. Some of the error they advocate are:
Promiscuous and homosexual sex - let everyone's conscience be their guide,
The laity select the bishops by referendum vote; not appointment by the Holy See,
Women become priests and all priests have optional marriage,
Everyone should be free to act out their own conscience in abortion and contraception; not to respect God's sacred authority in giving and taking life.
Teaching in school, and from the pulpit, that Jesus did not always know He was God (deliberately misinterpreting Matthew's gospel Chapter 16:13-16), that Joseph and/or Mary had other children, that Christ did not come to start His Church, that there were no popes for the first four hundred years, that we can address God in the feminine gender though Jesus taught us how to pray, that Christ is not really present it the Most Blessed Sacrament, that we are the Eucharist, that missing Sunday Mass is not a sin, that there is no hell or purgatory, that confession is not necessary as they deny sin, that they advocate communal penance services with General Absolution (which is INVALID), among other things. Many of you have already heard of these blasphemies. Such lies make me angry. The audacity of it speaks as loud as their lack of respect for our intelligence.
The reform movement is comprised of different groups which advocates full acceptance of homosexuality. One group called "Dignity" in areas of Detroit, Rochester, NY and Los Angeles, offer a Dignity Mass which is a gay bar atmosphere with an altar and they currently advertise on the Internet a "Leather and Levi" event with Mass and a dinner billed as a "Hot place to meet guys". This is incredulous. In such an atmosphere God's Sacred Liturgy would be vanquished and woe to those demonstrating such trash..
I really don't know how to describe such degradation of God's moral principles of human behavior. It's an insult to be sure. If you think this is bad, there is worse to come that will break your heart.
"We are Church" movement, advocates much of the above, and drew our kids in their diabolical scheme of heresy by an insidious marketing campaign . Their vehicle is the religious teachers in the Catholic school system. They formed a fund raising scheme whereby students could raise funds for their school projects with a kickback to the "We are Church" reform group. The money was split with the kids as their incentive to participate, unknowingly, to overthrow the Church. Another, "Call To Action", seems to be the umbrella organization for many groups that oppose church teachings. This is the group that Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, banned from his diocese in 1996.
Dear friends in Christ, what is going on in our church today is outright heresy and apostasy. It is truly evil and disturbing. That is why all Roman Catholics have a duty to expose and confront these errors directly . As faithful soldiers of Christ through the sacrament of Confirmation, God is calling us to defend His sacred institution, the Church, and time is running out. Whenever we see abuses taking place that discredit the Mass and it's graces to us, we can demonstrate our objection by walking out of church. We can stop contributing to the collection until we receive true liturgy. Why should we support a deception from our faith as taught us by the Holy Father and the magisterium?
There are several abuses, but let us focus on the consecration of the Eucharist at Holy Mass, the Lord's presence, and how the reformers are trying to change it. This sacred event deserves the most reverent devotion of kneeling by the congregation as prescribed by the Church. Before the dismantling of our churches, we knelt at a communion railing when receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. Many of you remember. We need to reflect on the significance as many of us are confused. Webster defines standing as an honorary act, or to be recognized. Kneeling is understood as strictly a pious demonstration of humility and reverent devotion. In this case a salutary expression to the divine miracle taking place in the Holy Eucharist, reminiscent of the Nativity under the most humble and modest of conditions, a manger. A Christian trademark of humility that was planned destiny and charted by God long before the Inn became full. Early and recent depictions of the Nativity have people kneeling at the crib. All art depicts Jesus in a kneeling position in the garden of Gethsemane. This is compelling testimony. At the consecration we give reverence to our Lord. Standing is not only a violation of respectful conduct, it is an insult to almighty God.. In some parishes the congregation has already been persuaded to stand. It's hard to believe that their motive is to minimize the profound significance of Christ in the Eucharist. Yet, the priest proves this by not consecrating properly and reverently, often using home baked bread with additives, Call your rectory to ask about this before you receive an un-holy host. A legitimate host should be in wafer form made only of wheat flour and water. Additives make it invalid. They know if we practice a lie long enough we might just believe it. It seems this may have already been accomplished in some parishes. Do we realize that within the reform effort to minimize the significance of the Holy Eucharist we are being denied it's spiritual benefits? It is not the Eucharist anymore. It is just a piece of bread that we can stay home for. As for me, give me the true Eucharist or give me nothing.
This should not be taken lightly, for within the drama of this life the Eucharist gives us the only consolation of obtaining a place in heaven. We should not let anyone depreciate it by subversion. In a valid and reverent Mass, we are given our God Who has come down to touch us, to make us safe in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. That blessing is absent in a subverted version.
Why, then, have so many of us condoned and followed this Pied Piper of heresy? We do because it reveals a psychological truth given to us in St. John Bosco's own words, "The power of evil men exists and lives on the cowardice of the timid and the good." Tragic, but true. This is the dilemma we must face. It's time to wake up to these abuses to protect what is ours before it is too late. We have a compelling interest to reclaim the faith at all costs. If "Hell" is calling the heretics, we don't have to go.
Christian principles are not meant to be easy. They are meant to fortify our faith in the way of the cross for eternal salvation. The heresy reform portrays an easy lifestyle of free conscience in everything without fear of penalty. Don't believe the "wolves in sheep't clothing".
Would you trade off or renounce an eternity of happiness with Jesus for a precarious few short years of promiscuous free conscience that would soon come to pass while leading you to perdition? Of course not!
So let us worship and answer to the Lord, our God, and to no one else. It is our Lord's house of prayer. It is our Mass. It is our Church. We have the right to legitimate liturgy and valid Host at communion or we won't receive it. Priests and Bishops are exercising authority they do not have. Let us wake up to asserting ourselves and refuse to be puppets any longer. If you can feel that your Catholic faith is worth living in the Truth, you will have to defend it or you will lose it.
Study the information given here and keep it for future reference. It is critical. Consult with your Catholic friends and neighbors to demonstrate against this heresy. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Visit you Catholic book store for such publications as the "Vatican II documents, Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and many others. You may also call me; I will try to help you. Group meetings can be planned. It is up to us. Our sacred liturgy is all we have between here and eternity. Let's reclaim it.
Roy C. Pemble, Saginaw Mid-Michigan Roman Catholic Faithful
792-8608
P. O. Box 2187
Bay City, MI 48707-2187
Roy C. Pembles ad draws some fire!
From the Holy Family Church and School Sunday Bulletin,Diocese of Gaylord, MI,
Father Ron Gronowski, Pastor, March 29, 1998
A Sign Of The Times!
Last Saturday, the Bay City Times published a full page ad taken out by an ultra conservative group calling themselves: The Mid-Michigan Roman Catholic Faithful. To begin with, this is not an approved group. It has no affiliation within the Roman Catholic Church. It is not endorsed by any diocese in the United States, is not approved by the Bishops of the U.S. and not by our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. This is merely a group using our beautiful Catholic Church to confuse the good solid Catholic people.
They Oppose Everything from A To Z!
This self-proclaimed group speaks of the "heresy" in todays church where they condemn unholy bread and unholy Masses and unholy people and unholy priests and unholy music and unholy bishops and unholy holiness. In a sentence these people are not happy with anything happening in the church today. They dont like the bishops, they detest the priests and think the laity are stupid for remaining part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. We must pray, oh yes, we must pray that these poor souls come back to the faith and to their senses. Pray they return to a sense of honor and respect for the leadership of the church. These people, I am sorry to say, are playing cards with the devil and he may allow them to win a hand now and again, but in the end, when you accept to play cards with the devil, you lose for eternity. If you hear of this group, dont stand, dont walk, but run. O brother, O sister, run, run, run as fast as your feet can take you. If you have any sense, you will stay away from this group forever and remain a staunch member and defender of the true Catholic Church.
What Else Can You Do?
Well, rather than to get all excited about such groups like the Mid-Michigan RC Faithful which have sprung up and died throughout the history of the church, why not relax and go visit the ice Cream Store which has opened for the spring. It will not cause you nearly as much harm. Have a banana split and I suggest you sprinkle lots of nuts on your ice cream. But dont worry, if they are all out of nuts, I can show you plenty of them.
STATEMENT FROM THE DIOCESE OF SAGINAW CONCERNING THE MARCH 21ST AD IN THE BAY CITY TIMES.
The Mid-Michigan Roman Catholic Faithful is a small group. They do not represent the faithful Catholic people of this diocese, or the United States. Their allegations are unfounded. The United States dioceses, including the Saginaw Diocese, are in compliance with Vatican norms and teachings. Accusations like theirs are confusing to people of this diocese, and are unfair to the good and dedicated men and women who serve in this diocese. One other thing to add, the Diocese of Saginaw is not being singled out by these attacks; they are occurring in dioceses across the country.
From the St. Hyacinth Sunday Bulletin
Diocese of Saginaw, MI
Father Gerald Kukla, Pastor
March 29, 1998