Priest adulterous act leads to basis of anti-faith beliefs

Christian church

"I don't like churches, especially Christian ones.  I would rather be someone who tries to be good and not try to get involved in something that just causes trouble for people."

Where is the source of these feelings? Perhaps they are at the heart of many people who have rejected churches, based on what happened in families over generations ago, that linger today in the memories of those who reject religion.

The heart of the Catholic church at Easter may be pierced with arrows of criticism, but the thrashing about from its wounds may be nothing compared to the pain of a family, suffering generations from a priest's adultery.

And with Christmas stories bringing up the stories of Christians and the role of the church in man's progress, there are often stories surrounding the holidays that show the problems too.

One of those stories relates the issues of adultery, that is the priest's involvements with women, sometimes married women, that led to disgrace, divorce and often a family distaste for Catholicism or for the whole of Christianity.

These stories should be related to show that that is what they are: illustrations of how man goes wrong in his religious practices, even if the man is a religious person or pastor.  For there are stories as well of Protestant ministers who were "outed" all while preaching against gays and ministers who frequented prostitutes while preaching against sin of all kinds.

In this case a 93-year-old woman told a story, in the ways an elder can do, of a family racked by anguish for many years. The gentle lady, whose name cannot be used for purposes of family concerns, her age and status, declared how awful it was when a priest disobeyed his vows and created a terrible incident that has affected whole generations of a family.

 
Today's news speaks of priests and sexual abuse, of cover-ups by religious authority. Most of this news concerns abuse of the young. But there have been priests who have used their relationships and power to seduce young women, some to a very sad end. So it was with a young woman whose story was told by her niece who was 12 years old at the time and an old woman of more than nine decades today.

The woman was young by the years of today but mature in the days of the story, and at age 38 had an affair with a priest. She was married and had five children. The elder who related this looked up with great sorrow as she told of this woman's dilemma.

The young woman became pregnant with the priest's child and in her shame tried to abort the child, then died following this, leaving her husband a widower and her children without a mother.

What was the family's great sorrow? The old woman lifted her head and recalled. "Her young children were left to struggle on their own with only their father who had to work and be gone much of the time. They were left without the guidance of someone they loved. They grew up knowing how their mother had died painfully at a very young age. As each child got older, he or she learned about what had happened with the priest. The story was told to one, then the other, as each child became an adult. It was sad; it still is."

Generations moved on, and as time passed the story faded; but the memory of religious wrongs remained, sufficient for many in the family to entirely reject Christianity, although some never really knew why.

The why was unfolded by an old woman, with tears still stinging her eyes. She had watched the young woman die in great sorrow, and with sorrow the old woman ended her story with these words, "The evil seems never to end."

A grandson considers the Easter holiday and looks with eyes filled with tears, "I have never felt at home in a church, but I couldn't understand fully until now. Perhaps I may never be happy in church knowing my family's deep hurt and its source that continues today."

The head of the German Catholic Church, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg said on Good Friday. "The church is appalled by the harm done to victims who were often unable to speak about their pain for decades, he said.

"Wounds were inflicted that are hardly curable," the bishop added.

And such wounds as occurred in a family generations ago offers a reason for some of the anti-religious sentiments offered by family members now and perhaps others for whom those wounds "are hardly curable."

Song video masterpiece captures the Christ message for folks of all faiths

Carol Forsloff — When Gandhi was asked about his religion, he gave a list of them, including Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, etc, and said he was all of those and more, as representative of the notion that all love and sacrifice that is meaningful comes from the Creator. With that premise, comes a different look at the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ and its depiction in a song video of much significance.

Today I listened and watched a song video that for me tells the story of great sacrifice and the ultimate message of all loving spirits, that the poor, the oppressed are the ones who suffer most, illustrated in the crucifixion and made even more illustrative by the death of the Christ, who told us to focus on those in pain, and a resurrection that reminds us of eternal hope. The song's performer, in my opinion, has given us all a great gift.

Melody Dawn Town belongs to a community of musicians called Fandalism. Much of her musical offerings are her original compositions, and her covers more modern music than the older or more classical. But today she brings to us her rendition of her Messiah, in a way that is astounding, that reinforces that teaching about sacrifice, love and hope.

The video has visions of the crucifixion that are disturbing, but in watching and listening I thought of those who suffer in poverty, ignorance, pain, loneliness in every part of the world. While the world itself focuses on the ephemeral, the moment, the glib and the trappings of faith, as opposed to its substance, it reminds us of our essential humanity. And it reminds us of Christ's message and concern for the poor and those in the most mental and physical pain.

Torres would want this article to focus on the video and its subject and not her, however the heart of one who creates such a masterpiece must have some understanding of its purpose and its gift. Town has indeed created an eternal gift, a piece of art, the kind of which people whisper of in awe, or who listen in appreciation for excellence in every way.

As the Easter season opens for many, the season is not one honored by all the world, where different religions flourish. The song, however, is not just of Easter, but one that gives everyone, regardless of faith, or even those with none in those established religions,  the beauty of its creation and the performance that is in itself miraculous.

It is here for all the world to savor, and may you who do be blessed with its eternal message and reminder of for whom Christ's life---and death — was all about. It is here: http://fandalism.com/melodydawndisc0queen/bWUi

 

The Peacemakers blessing

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Carol Forsloff - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 

While internal politics divide people, and warring factions internationally call for violence, the message of Jesus about the peacemakers is one that gives the most important direction for people of all faiths.

The message comes from the Christian's holiest book, The Bible, and from what are considered the most important passages referencing Christ's message.  It is Jesus, the Christ or the Anointed One, whose sacrifices and teachings are recognized by many of His followers everywhere, and the one about peace is found in the book of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount, which also contains the Lords Prayer.

A thank you and a tribute today to those people around the world who volunteer to help others in a spirit of peace,  regardless of their specific religious group, who risk their lives to do so and who by their personal dedication and sacrifices share the  message and  legacy of direction  from a man called Jesus.

Easter message on the river of life

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by Carol Forsloff - It is Easter and celebrated by many Christians with specific customs and traditions.  Christians see it as a special day, with Christ as the central figure, of faith through a resurrection from the dead attesting to man's potential for everlasting life.  For other faiths, or even divisions of Christianity, it is simply another day that attests to life itself.  But the symbol remains an essential part of man's history.

Historically Christians honored the  death of Jesus more than the resurrection, although the story of the risen Christ was key to giving exception to Jesus as a central figure with God, as the only living Son of the Father, able to rise physically from a tomb and then to be seen by others.  It is that shape of belief where there are divisions, with some considering this to have been a symbolic as opposed to physical occurrence.  Others maintain that the Easter service is too associated with pagan rituals and practices to be set aside as significant for Christ's death and return to life.

In Natchitoches, Louisiana, as in towns across the world, Easter is celebrated by many churches, large and small, with a full plate of differences.  What unites Christians, however, is the fundamental belief of a man called Jesus who was born into the world to give a special message for people all over the world to follow and who represented the status of God's son, a close symbolic or literal relationship, so close that there could be a fusion of spirit after the crucifixion.

However, you celebrate Easter, or if you celebrate it especially at all, may the day be as bright and as beautiful, filled with life and good feelings, as represented by a man beloved for centuries and who is seen by millions of people as the quintessential representative of how folks need to behave and to love one another, even to the point of the ultimate sacrifice of death, that eternal life be the measure of reward for that death.