The clergy of the Diocese of Gaylord are on retreat this week. What this means is that no weekday Masses are being provided this week in many parishes. (Exceptions include Holy Rosary in Cedar and St. Francis in Petoskey) . Instead of having clergy say Masses in their parishes and then proceed to the retreat each day, or having priests substitute for each other, the faithful of the Church in the Diocese of Gaylord may have no opportunity for Mass in their parishes.
But the retreat of the clergy doesn’t stop there. Over the past few week, President Donald Trump and Pope Leo IV have sparred over the Pope’s words regarding the Iran war and on the issue of immigration. This was sparked in part by Pope Leo’s meeting, at the Vatican, with former Obama campaign manager/fundraiser and fellow Chicagoan David Axelrod. This meeting may have been in part to garner money for the Archdiocese of Chicago (or the Vatican), among other reasons. President Trump had the following tweet:
Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about “fear” of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart. I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History. Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church! President DONALD J. TRUMP
Pope Leo responded by stating that he was “not afraid” of the administration. Bishop Walsh then put his two cents worth, with a post on the Diocese of Gaylord website. It was a classic effeminate and insignificant response illustrative of so many of our Church leaders these days:
“Given the unprecedented public and personal criticism of Pope Leo and the Catholic Church by President Trump on his social media platform, I want to state my solidarity with our Holy Father and encourage the faithful to remain steadfast in the Gospel message of peace boldly proclaimed. True strength comes from God, not from our own abilities or perceived strength. As such, to the extent Pope Leo is characterized as ‘weak,’ let us take to heart the words of St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10: ‘That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’ Pope Leo XIV is the universal shepherd of souls God has given to the Church and the world.”
Today, the Pope “clarified” his messages, stating the following:
“And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not my interest at all,” Pope Leo said. “So, we go on the journey. We continue proclaiming the gospel message.”
A few points can be gleaned from the above back and forth messaging. The first is that President Trump is his usual obnoxious self and should stay in his lane when discussing differences between the administration and the Vatican on the Iran war or immigration. On the other hand, he is simply stating what many faithful Catholics believe to be the case with Pope Leo. Maybe the Pope should be more concerned with human trafficking and illegal immigration, both a huge part of the immigration crisis worldwide; illegal immigration is in almost all cases immoral. Additionally, where are the thousands of illegal immigrants behind the 39 foot walls of the Vatican? Is the Vatican extending itself to “undocumented migrants?” Although the war in Iran can be debated among faithful Catholics (and the Pope) regarding whether or not it meets the criteria of a just war, where were these bishops (including Bishop Walsh) during the Biden administration when hundreds of thousands of innocent unborn children were (and still are) slaughtered each year within the dioceses of the Church in the United States? The deaths of people in wars that the United States has participated in comes nowhere near the millions of unborn children in the United States from legalized abortion; our bishops make no more than occasional wimpy remarks regarding this travesty.
Even if one were to consider the President’s remarks as completely inappropriate, are the Pope’s responses really showing leadership? Why has Bishop Walsh chosen to offer marshmallow-soft criticism of President Trump? Is he trying to curry favor for another assignment in another diocese? Why has Bishop Walsh not publicly strongly commented on our current Michigan governor, a radical pro-abortion politician, who has consistently promoted the death culture in our state and our Diocese?
Maybe a solution for this recent set of events is for the President, the Pope, and the bishops to focus on staying in their respective lanes. This is not to deny the right of the Church to discuss matters of state when moral issues are at stake, nor is it to deny the right and duty of laity, including non-Catholics, to discuss concerns and appropriately monitor when Church leaders act illegally. Rather, the Church must maintain its role as being a leader in promoting the work of Christ on earth. Daily Mass is a great start. Inviting and welcoming Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and David Axelrod and other secular globalists to the Vatican creates scandal and should be confronted.
On retreat – or in retreat?