Bishop Sheen's Prophecy Comes True

The events of the past few days in the Catholic Church demonstrate the strange times we live in. Cardinal Robert McElroy, an open liberal not only in Church teaching but also in political opinions, was appointed as archbishop of Washington, D.C., against the outcries of many. Cardinal McElroy is known for his lack of transparency with the faithful, mainly in the area of covering-up abuse. 

The Church is not a democracy. As such, the fact that there was outcry from the general public upon the appointment of Cardinal McElroy to one of the most important posts in the Church in America would not ordinarily make much difference. Unlike in the political government, the Pope chooses the appointments without any need for confirmation from the rest of the Church at large. However, Cardinal McElroy’s situation is different. 

Faithful Catholics are not protesting against the cardinal simply because they do not like him, or because they were so fond of outgoing Cardinal Wilton Gregory that they are having a hard time warming up to the new DC archbishop. It is far from that. People are raising their voices against the new archbishop of Washington, D.C., because, contrary to what you would have thought by merit of the fact that Robert McElroy is a member of the clergy, he is everything a member of the clergy should not be – that is, everything a member of the clergy should be if he wanted to be faithful to God and the Church and not to the political side that favors him the most, both in the Church and state.

But the outcry did not come only from the laity – it extended to the clergy, as well. Bishop Strickland, the former bishop of Tyler, Texas, released a statement on March 13 asking the Vatican to “reconsider this appointment in light of the grave responsibilities entrusted to those who serve in apostolic succession," according to LifeSite News. 

The fact that we live in a time when the laity and the clergy are working to correct the Vatican, with the Vatican continually refusing to take any heed of their cries, is a sign of the severity of the state of the Church in the times we live in. 

But it also speaks to how the Vatican itself does not hold to its new teaching of “synodality.” Those who have spent the past couple of years on a campaign of “listening” and “dialogue” now have an opportunity to “listen” and “dialogue” equally with the faithful. Have they listened to the concerns many of the faithful have against Cardinal McElroy’s appointment in Washington? Are they “journeying together” with us on this matter? So far, we have not heard as much as a word from Rome. Contrary to how much has been spoken of how the laity will now have a say in how things in the Church are done, everything is marching forward in accordance with how the authorities want it. I make this point simply to point out the hypocrisy found in the Church today. I repeat: the Church is not a democracy, nor will I ever advocate for it to become one, nor should it ever be one, which is why the new doctrine of synodality does not conform with the Church. 

Unfaithful members of the clergy have always existed, but it was only a few decades ago that something like this would have been unthinkable. Bad clergymen were the exception and not the norm. While Cardinal McElroy’s appointment to Washington has caused much scandal among the faithful, it would be hard to say this comes as a complete surprise, given the things we have seen from the hierarchy in recent years. 

Still, to think that we have arrived at the day when the faithful should be trying to convince Rome to retrieve the appointment of a cardinal because of his unorthodox and evil actions to no avail is strange to realize. It would seem we have indeed arrived at the day Archbishop Fulton Sheen was referring to when he said, “Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It’s up to you, the people…”

The silence we have so far received from Rome seems to suggest that, as in so many other cases, nothing will be done. At this point, we have no other choice – and it is our duty – but to beg God’s mercy on his Church, and his graces for the conversion of the wayward men in our hierarchy.