unbookmarking a great blog and other random, serious quick takes

1. Ukraine today

2.A Byzantine Catholic priest recently told us that being Byzantine is like being the child of divorced parents. In between mother and father, the child is a constant reminder of the cast-off spouse. The child is shuffled here and there, perhaps almost forgotten by the parent who has less custody. The Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome are a reminder of the unity that once was there in the Church, but also a reminder of the hurt feelings and betrayal on both sides. 
3. I was excited to sign up for Fr Robert Barron's Lenten reflections. I also signed up my husband. I know that he writes from a very Latin Catholic standpoint; he did not cover the Eastern Churches in his sweeping video series and book Catholicism (which I pre-ordered and enjoyed even with this gaping hole). 
But now I am done. His blog, Word On Fire, published a scathing editorial on "Why I Don't Want Priests to Marry," using an image of a married Byzantine Catholic priest in the Ukraine trying to stop the bloodshed there. It took quite a few hours, but Word On Fire finally changed the image to one of the Cristeros before dying by firing squad. 
But it is not enough because Fr Robert Barron, through his publishing of the editorial with no explanation or disclaimer, agrees with the guest author that:
"I want a priest who acts In Persona Christi. Christ Himself was celibate and so I would expect those who are acting in His place and dispensing the sacraments to His flock to live accordingly.....Were a priest to give his body to another, in a way, he is dissolving that reality for those who see him as he is, a man branded in the name of Christ, dying daily for his Bride, and giving his body to the mission She reflects."
Is the writer stating that a married priest is not acting In Persona Christi? 
The writer says that a priest must "allow every waking moment to be devoted to the needs and wishes of the parish."
hmmmm...really?
He closes by writing, "I want a priest who lives according to the traditional vow he has taken. Were that vow to change I believe he would be doing an injustice to both himself and the mission of the Church as well as those he intends to lead. I don’t want a priest whose flock is secondary. Maybe this is indeed selfish, but I’m ok with that."
So Jared Zimmerer and- through his publication and now refusal to clarify if he believes differently,-Fr Robert Barron are comfortable with disparaging the sacraments celebrated by married priests. Zimmerer is "okay with that." How flippant it is to reject the ministries of married priests- either in the Roman-rite or the Eastern rites where the married priesthood is the norm. It is as if Zimmerer and Barron are quite comfortable with throwing the tradition, and the priests and their families, in the rubbish heap. 
I don't know what Fr Robert Barron was thinking when he spoke face-to-face to my husband at a recent event. My husband said that Fr Barron (knowing that he was a married priest) was welcoming, pleasant, everything we would expect him to be. he acted just like he does in the videos on films and theology that we have enjoyed and learned from. But with his removal of the Eastern Churches from his video and book on Catholicism and now the publication of this anti-married clergy rant on his blog, I can only assume that Fr Barron's calm demeanor with my priest-husband was an act, concealing his true contempt for the married priesthood in the East.
This Byzantine Catholic will not be reading Fr Barron again. He won't see much of a difference in his blog stats even if every Byzantine Catholic stopped clicking; we are so small. He clearly does not feel the need to minister to the small percentage of Catholics who will not say "Yay! That's right! I need my parish priest all to myself!" 
I have no problem with a 'pro'-celibacy article. I have never called for the Roman-rite to change its tradition for priests. I believe that all of my writing on this blog will reflect that view. It is just so disappointing that we are no more advanced in our understanding of the UNIVERSAL (meaning- the Church is not only your parish's celebration of the Roman-rite at 9 AM Sundays) Church than Bishop John Ireland was over a hundred years ago. This led to the destruction of the Byzantine rite in the United States. But even before destruction, we have always been the minority in the United States.
One of the parables of Jesus I find the most beautiful- the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus did not hesitate to help 1% of his flock, even though it would have been easy to ignore 1 out of the 100. But then, Jesus was a radical, the true 'word on fire.'
EDIT: On February 22nd, the post in question was taken down from the site Word on Fire (or at least I cannot find it). I hope that the writer had a change of heart and decided to learn more about the possibility of married men being ordained deacon and priest (primarily in the Eastern rites). My husband is much wiser and holier than I. He suggested to me that the writer is coming from a defensive point of view because celibacy, the priesthood and the Catholic Church are under such attack. I can understand this well. I am leaving my words because I stand by them, but I want to remind readers that I greatly respect and admire the holy, celibate clergy that have had a positive influence on my life personally and on the entire world. I do feel as if we should 'pretend' that unity with all of the Churches has happened (at this point, the Eastern Churches that are in communion with Rome are very small in number and easy to ignore) and learn and respect the respective differences in discipline between churches. 
4. It's 'Black History Month." Did you know that abortions of black babies outweigh black births in New York and account for 46% of all abortions there? Margaret Sanger would be so proud.

5. Much has been swirling in the Catholic blogoshere about being a 'good priest.' Pope Francis stated that uneducated, clericalist priests can become "little monsters." St John Chrysostom said centuries ago that the "road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." Wow- it seems that it is humanly impossible to be a holy priest. And that's true- it is humanly impossible. With humility, prayer, fasting, and 'fear and trembling,' a man might be able to be a holy priest. And there's the rub. A "little monster" won't bother to pray or fast. A bishop whose skull is perhaps destined for hell's highway thinks all is well. He gave his life to Christ, so it doesn't really matter if his priests and believers are withering away. Heaven help these clergy!
6. “The priest essentially exists to do what Jesus did. He helped the sick and all those who sought his assistance by showing the merciful side of God, healing souls, forgiving sins, proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven, without kicking anyone out but understanding their needs and helping them to grow. So I would say that a priest is someone who wants to obey Jesus every day, even if this involves sacrifice, someone who makes the Father’s wish his daily sustenance. As priests we must never forget to be “one with Jesus” in order to continue the mission among people. As such, our priority is to “be priests” not to “work as priests"- Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Beniamino Stella via The Deacon's Bench.

7. I found this on my facebook newsfeed, and it is perfect. It is written by an Orthodox abbot, but pertains exactly to all clergy:

 PETTY CLERGY- Pettiness is the Enemy of Clergy

"Pettiness is that sickness of the heart that can lead some clergy to constantly be on the lookout for anyone who might offend them. Ready at a moments notice, they are poised to confront the offender. Such clergy build up their low self esteem by finding someone they can look down upon, needing, as they do, to find others who are lower in status than them. Such a priest inevitably suffers from low self esteem, and his need to berate others makes him lash out at anyone he considers beneath him. Whether they be a waitress, gardener, store clerk, or a parishioner, they are fair game for these petty clergy, for they are unwilling to see anyone as their equal.

We priests need to be on guard, lest we become petty, and give fodder to those who would dismiss the Church as a medieval institution not worthy of the twenty-first century. The secular world will always ignore the good and exaggerate the bad in Christianity. When pettiness enters the life of the Church, and unimportant, non-essential things become the focus of we clergy, the damage done can be enormous. As Orthodox clergy, we must put aside all pettiness, and concentrate on the love of God, and the things of faith that are truly important. We must be open and accessible to all with whom we come in contact, that we may be vehicles for God's grace.

Within the life of the Church there is no room for pomposity or snobbery. Orthodox clergy must be open, warm, and engaging, so the love of Christ is not concealed. If we are to be true ambassadors of Christ, we must not be like the pharisees, and think of ourselves as above others, and worthy of special treatment. Rather, we must imitate our Lord Jesus Christ Who came as a humble servant and be willing to modestly serve others.

The priesthood is not a job, but a vocation, and it is one that the demons despise. Whatever insecurity a priest has is known by the demons, and they will do everything they can to exploit a vulnerable clergyman, attacking him at his weakest point. An attack upon a deacon, priest or bishop, is a direct attack on the Body of Christ, the Church. It is therefore essential that we clergy be on guard for the enemy's assault, that in knowing our weak points, we not be found vulnerable. The mission of the Church is far too important, and we must not be found standing in the way, blocking the narrow path that leads to Christ."  Love in Christ, Abbot Tryphon