you have given them bread from heaven

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Sep 28, 2010

What would you think of a group of mothers who united to support a campaign by little children to “boycott” all meals? Would you say that those women were confused? At best.

A newly minted group of highly confused Irishmen, the Association of Catholic Priests, is complaining about news reports that a proposed boycott of Sunday Mass was unsuccessful.

Mass attendance really was down this past Sunday, the Association insists, despite reports to the contrary. A statement from the Irish bishops’ conference, proclaiming the boycott a failure was “bordering on triumphalism,” and certainly not “helpful.”

Not helpful to what? The Association pays homage to the “committed Catholic women” who chose not to honor their Sunday-Mass obligation. “It is crucial that we remain in respectful dialogue with such women,” the group says.

And what about the fact that a deliberate and unexcused failure to attend Sunday Mass is a grave sin? These priests think it was not “helpful” for the Irish hierarchy to mention that.

So we know which side these men are on. Their top priority is “respectful dialogue” with critics of the Church, rather than preaching of the Gospel or administration of the sacraments. But on a very basic level, do these guys realize that if everyone followed their guidance, there would be no market for priests—not even for highly sensitive priests—and they’d be out of jobs?

I know what you’re thinking. You didn’t like that last sentence. You’re saying to yourself: “The priesthood is a vocation, not a job.” I know that. Does the Association of Catholic Priests?